Republicans pushed 'bogus' terror threat to expand FISA, lawmaker says

[sabra]

Source: Rawstory

Republicans and the Bush administration used a 'bogus' terror threat that raised specific fears of an attack on the Capitol to scare lawmakers into adopting a dramatic temporary expansion of the government's spy powers last month, a former top intelligence committee Democrat said Wednesday.

Congress agreed to give President Bush and the nation's intelligence agencies extra authority to spy on Americans just hours before lawmakers left for a month-long recess in August. In the legislative session's final week, news emerged of an impending plot by foreign terrorists to attack the US Capitol, and Republicans pointed to the reports as justification to expand the administration's powers.

"That specific intelligence claim, it turned out, was bogus; the intelligence agencies knew that," Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) said at a forum on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act organized by the Center for American Progress in Washington. However, lawmakers did not learn of the claim's unreliability until "the day" they approved the FISA expansion, she said.

Harman was among Congress's "Gang of Eight" in 2002 when she served as ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. The gang was briefed in 2002 on President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program initiated after 9/11 before the New York Times revealed its existence in December 2005. The group comprises the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees plus each party's leader in both parties.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Republicans_pushed_bogus_terror_threat_to_0919.html

[DemKR]

1. Unbelieveable! Oh wait, not really

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. And they didn't smell a rat?

They just bought the story at the time and approved more spying.

Come on, it's not as if this was a new technique they were using on them or anything.

[RainDog]

3. evil phrukers

I have never in my life wished that a group of people would, uh... go rapture themselves, but these mofos are simply evil. Manipulating the emotions of the American people to cover for their crimes.

it is incredible. I hope there is a hell so that Saddam can have a foursome with de debbil. (south park ref for those who don't watch the show) actually, with this administration, it would be an orgy.

why can we not go to their homes and arrest them? isn't it a crime for a prez to use psy. torture to get his way? or those "quaint" geneva conventions don't apply to fellow citizens?

I remember Harmon in hearings before talking about BCCI and Iran/Contra. Is she the only person telling the truth about this incident?

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[MissWaverly]

4. if it's based on a lie, why can't they vote and repeal it

Oh, you lied, oh, we have to be nice and give you a full 6 months to implement dirty tricks for 2008, we like losing.

[Pale Blue Dot]

5. I have several problems with Harman's excuse.

1. It means that memebers of Congress trusted Bush again, despite the several million times he lied in the past; but more3 importantly,

2. She is working under the assumption that if the terror threat WERE real, this overhaul of FISA was the best way to deal with it. That premise is EXTREMELY debateable, a point that gets lost in all the excuse-making and hand-wringing.

[PSPS]

8. That struck me too

Even if it were true that there was a "threat," why would giving bush more power to tap our phones, read our mail and break into our houses have any effect?

The answer, of course, is that the congress cares little about anyone but themselves. If shredding the constitution makes them feel a little safer in their capitol offices, well, no big deal. Right? After all, it's all about them.

[OnyxCollie]

9. If they aren't complicit, they're cowardly.

They may have believed bushco was really planning to launch a false flag attack against the US, and by voting against expanding FISA they would be sealing their Congressional fates.

In any event, the "threat" and the subsequent vote was no different than what happened with the Iraq War Resolution.

[Gman]

6. Works just as good as "shave and a haircut" for a toon

[rodeodance]

7. I recall this being a blog or two but the msm was SILENT as far as I know:

..... "That specific intelligence claim, it turned out, was bogus; the intelligence agencies knew that," Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) said at a forum on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act organized by the Center for American Progress in Washington. However, lawmakers did not learn of the claim's unreliability until "the day" they approved the FISA expansion, she said.

[defendandprotect]

10. I'm sure we're all shocked to hear this --- . .. . !!!!!