Capitol Hill Intelligence Malfeasance Probe and Samuel Alito.

[BuyingThyme]

So, Arlen Specter thinks his Judiciary Committee should handle the Alito confirmation hearing and the C.H.I.M.P. at the same time, even though there are at least a handful of other qualified committees doing absolutely nothing. Okay, fine.

But is there not an inherent conflict in the fact that Arlen is tasked with investigating both the domestic spying and a guy, Alito, who could arguably rule on it?

And isn't this conflict exponentially intensified by the fact that Alito is on record as supporting a non-existent right of the government to spy on U.S. citizens without the possibility legal recourse?

And is it not likely that this issue will become the center of the confirmation process?

So, Arlen wants to be both the plaintiff and the judge. Well, I say we should ask our representatives to find somebody else to handle the Capitol Hill Intelligence Malfeasance Probe. And quick!

***

(CBS/AP) Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito defended the right of government officials to order domestic wiretaps when he worked for the Reagan Justice Department, documents released Friday show.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/23/supremecourt/main1161392.shtml

[napi21]

1. I don't know about that.

You know it's going to be a Pub to run the spying investigation, and although Arlan is a Pub, he's certainly one of the more rational ones.

I just checked the list of Senate Committees and their Chairmen. There's only ONE Committee where this problem should be heard and that's the Judiciary Committee with Arlan.

Of all the others, I guess you could make a bit of a case for Homeland Security and Government Affairs with Susan Collins

And on a real streach:

Foreign Relations with Dick Lugar

Every Committee works on multiple things at the same time, and I really think Arlan will do the best you could hope for from any Pub.

http://www.conservativeusa.org/whosonfirst-congress.htm

Committee Chairmen are listed a little more thn 1/2 way down the page.

[BuyingThyme]

2. What can I do to convince you and other DUers that

Arlen Specter has been working for the Bush family, or for the intelligence community, or for whatever you want to call this cabal, since at least 1963?

I'd truly take Trent Lott or Ted Stevens over Arlen Specter.

The only reason Specter chairs the Judicial Committee is because the Bushes want and need him there. On the surface, Orrin Hatch is a much better match for Bush's political philosophies, but it's not the surface stuff that the Bushes worry about.

Moreover, the only reason Specter is still in the Senate at all is because the Bushes went far beyond any reasonable expectations to save him from Pat Toomey just last year. Again, on the surface, Toomey's political philosophies are a much, much better match for Bush, but that's not what the Bushes really care about.

The Bushes asked, if not ordered, Specter to take this.

If we don't understand it, it's gonna eat us up:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5663753&mesg_id=5663753

[napi21]

3. I have no way of knowing if you're right or not.

I can tell you that this is going to go before the judicial committee, because that's the way the Senate works. I really don't think there's any choicer in that.

[Kansas Wyatt]

4. Going for a trade off?

Arlen: 'Look, if we don't push too hard on this Spy thing, then we can come up with a reason to tank the Alito nomination.'

[BuyingThyme]

5. I can't figure Specter on the nominees.

He may not even care.

[me b zola]

6. Hard to imagine that Specter doesn't care,

...look what he did at/to the Warren Commission. Covering up for a coup d'e tat is a big committment to somebody other than the Constitution or the American people.

[BuyingThyme]

7. Yes, I think he cares more about the Probe

than about the court.

He's a Bush family shill.