US Senate Panel Approves 9 / 11 Commission Extension

[LiviaOlivia]

February 26, 2004
By REUTERS

Filed at 8:46 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday approved a two-month extension for the commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, but the legislation faced an uphill battle because the leader of the House of Representatives opposes it.

The Senate intelligence panel on a voice vote approved a bill that would give The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9-11 Commission, an additional $1 million and shift its deadline to July 27 to complete its final report about the circumstances surrounding the hijacked plane attacks that killed about 3,000 people.

<snip>

But the legislation faced opposition from House Speaker Dennis Hastert who does not want an extension beyond the current May 27 deadline because it would delay the recommendations and potentially politicize the findings which would be released in the heart of the presidential campaign, a spokesman for the Illinois Republican said.

<snip>

"There is absolutely no reason for Speaker Hastert to hold up this extension," Sen. John Rockefeller of West Virginia, the senior Democrat on the intelligence panel, said in a statement. "By claiming that the independent, bipartisan commission's report may be used against the president in an election year, Speaker Hastert is prejudging the outcome of the commission's work," Rockefeller said. "It truly begs the question, what does he know and why is he intent on preventing the commission from thoroughly doing its job?"

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-security-commission.html

[Don Claybrook]

1. Betcha Denny didn't see this coming

This idiot, this tool, just thought he'd do his masters' bidding like always. Suddenly, the White House makes the preposterous claim that they wanted the extension, and now the Senate votes for it. If my tally is correct, this leaves Dennis Hastert alone against, let's see...carry the one...300 million Americans. I'm sure DeLay and the boys are behind him 100%, but they're smart enough not to open their yaps about it.

Prediction: the 2 month extention will be back ON by close of business tomorrow.

[fearnobush]

3. Yes, all Bush news always comes out late on Friday afternoon's

or in the evening. When this happens,it is proof positive that Rove knows it can and will hurt if It were released on a Tuesday.

I officially declare Friday nights as "Bush hides the info night." This show will be aired every Friday night for the rest of his illegitimate watch. But, no one will be watching. Except us.

[kysrsoze]

5. That's great. Now all we need is the following

1. Condi testifies
2. Dick and Bush testify to the entire commission.


This thing is moving achingly slow but at least has not stopped, so I guess that's good.

[countmyvote4real]

6. Under oath would be nice,

not that it means anything to the lying liars, but it is an offense for which they can be held accountable.

[central scrutinizer]

20. good cop - bad cop

This scam was so transparent it would be laughable if it wasn't so criminal. And Bush as the good cop - like casting Keanu Reeves as Hamlet.

[Don Claybrook]

23. and the prediction came true

It didn't take rocket science, really.

[fearnobush]

2. Troubling.

"It truly begs the question, what does he know and why is he intent on preventing the commission from thoroughly doing its job?"

I wonder if we will ever get even close to knowing the truth in our life times.

[central scrutinizer]

22. here are the questions the families want answered

http://www.911independentcommission.org/

excerpt:

1. As Commander-in-Chief on the morning of 9/11, why didn’t you return immediately to Washington, D.C. or the National Military Command Center once you became aware that America was under attack? At specifically what time did you become aware that America was under attack? Who informed you of this fact?

2. On the morning of 9/11, who was in charge of our country while you were away from the National Military Command Center? Were you informed or consulted about all decisions made in your absence?

3. What defensive action did you personally order to protect our nation during the crisis on September 11th? What time were these orders given, and to whom? What orders were carried out? What was the result of such orders? Were any such orders not carried out?

4. In your opinion, why was our nation so utterly unprepared for an attack on our own soil?

.....

10. Specifically, what did you learn from the August 6, 2001, PDB about the terrorist threat that was facing our nation? Did you request any follow-up action to take place? Did you request any further report be developed and/or prepared?

11. As Commander-in-Chief, from May 1, 2001 until September 11, 2001, did you receive any information from any intelligence agency official or agent that UBL was planning to attack this nation on its own soil using airplanes as weapons, targeting New York City landmarks during the week of September 11, 2001 or on the actual day of September 11, 2001?

12. What defensive measures did you take in response to pre-9/11 warnings from eleven nations about a terrorist attack, many of which cited an attack in the continental United States? Did you prepare any directives in response to these actions? If so, with what results?

much much more ...............

[LiviaOlivia]

4. Watch Frist for the next move by Republicans

from the same article:

<snip>
It was also unclear whether Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, planned to allow the bill to go before the Senate for a vote. A spokesman for Frist said the senator had been in discussions with members of the Senate and the House on the issue.
<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-security-commission.html

[Old and In the Way]

7. I'd like to see a MoveOn campaign.

Demand Bush testify under oath, along with Dick, Condi, and the JCS guy who was cooling his heels in Max Cleland's office on 9/11.

These people are getting away with murder....3000 of them.

[RamboLiberal]

8. Aaron Brown on CNN called the refusal to extend the time unconscionable

I know some of you don't like him, but he led off tonight with this story and said this plus that Hastert and company hope Americans don't care but Aaron hopes that they're proven wrong by outraged Americans calling and emailing Hastert and members of Congress blocking this.

I've personally always liked Aaron Brown, and tonight his stock definitely went up with me.

[newdealer]

10. the spirit of Kronkite

I was with some friends and we happened to flip to CNN just as Aaron Brown was breaking the news of Hastert's decision. In a rare moment in current TV news, Brown summoned the spirit of Walter Kronkite and expressed his outrage at such blatant partisan, governmental abuse by Hastert to impede the continuation and possible conclusion of an important and possibly politically explosive investigation.

[jburton]

9. This is gonna hit Denny bad

I went to write a letter at congress.org and there were already several there about the issue.

[calimary]

15. Hit him harder: 1 (800) 839 - 5276 - TOLL FREE to the Hill.

You can call it free of charge and they'll transfer you directly to his office.

Give him hell! Then call it again and ask for somebody else's office and give THEM hell about it, too. The more we do this, the better.

[dusty64]

11. Wonderful, yet

as all things related to the stonewalling of the 9/11 commission, not ONE word about it on my local tv or in my local rag. Unreal.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. Okay...in light of all of the pressure being brought to bear on the...

...NeoCon Junta, consider this for a moment.

There is currently a very real possibility that the NeoCons could not only lose the 2004 elections at the presidential level, but also lose enough races at the congressional level to tip the balance in favor of the Democratic Party. Should that happen, all of these investigations that are bubbling below the surface would rise with a vengeance after the 2004 elections and could very well include criminal charges against a wide range of NeoCon characters.

Having said that, how desperate do you believe the NeoCons will become prior to the 2004 elections? What do you personally believe they are capable of doing to stay in power?

[Flubadubya]

13. I shudder to think...

because I put nothing past their evil likes. Look for a cancelled presidential election, maybe? Another "terraist" attack? Desperate men do desperate things... and these are the world's worst. :grr: :puke:

[cybildisobedience]

14. three words of explanation:

Black Box Voting.

Look, the way these people are acting should frighten everyone, and not for just the expected reasons. It should frighten everyone because it is apparent that they DON'T CARE - they know they're going to win because it's already rigged. They're not even pretending to be even-handed -- all they have to do at this point is maintain the illusion that it's going to be a close race so that nobody is surprised when Bush eeks out a win.

[iam]

16. Evil people

will do evil things. I honestly believe murder is not beyond their capabilities.

[bearfan454]

18. Martial Law

bush will have some CIA pukes blow up some buildings and say we are under attack from Terrorists and cancel the election.

[rhino91063]

17. This sound bite should be played on EVERY media outlet

"By claiming that the independent, bipartisan commission's report may be used against the president in an election year, Speaker Hastert is prejudging the outcome of the commission's work," Rockefeller said. "It truly begs the question, what does he know and why is he intent on preventing the commission from thoroughly doing its job?"

[young_at_heart]

19. Will they eventually criticize Bush for sitting in class?

Very little is ever said about our 'leader' staying in the classroom while we were under attack. How is such passive behavior considered "leadership"?

[Shopaholic]

21. Not to mention. .

that Shrub then took off and flew in the OPPOSITE direction of DC--as far away as he could get from the East Coast. That's Leadership? Please. I was born on a Sunday, but it wasn't last Sunday. . .

I've fired off letters to Hastert to complain, and to CNN, to thank Aaron Brown for his gusty commentary last night. And while I'm at, I think I'll send one to Lou Dobbs too--he's been giving the administration hell lately about the practice of outsourcing.

We need to encourage the media outlets to be brave, bold, and to do the jobs they haven't been doing for the past four years at every opportunity.

[newyawker99]

24. Hi scmirage!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: