Frist Freezes Senate Probe of Prewar Iraq Data

Washingon Post ^ | 11-07-03

[Brian S]

Saturday, November 8, 2003; Page A18

Angry about a leaked Democratic memo, the Republican leadership of the Senate yesterday took the unusual step of canceling all business of the committee investigating prewar intelligence on Iraq.

Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) called on the author of the memo -- which laid out a possible Democratic strategy to extend the investigation to include the White House and executive branch -- to "identify himself or herself . . . disavow this partisan attack in its entirety" and deliver "a personal apology" to Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Only if those steps are taken, Frist said, "will it be possible for the committee to resume its work in an effective and bipartisan manner -- a manner deserving of the confidence of other members of the Senate and the executive branch."

[basil]

Is it just my imagination, or are the R's finally growing a spine?

[byteback]

YES! YES! YES! Cajones are found! The easter bunny must be going easy this year.

[doug from upland]

There are growing something but spine was not what I've been calling it. It was two somethings.

[PA Engineer]

"Only if those steps are taken, Frist said, "will it be possible for the committee to resume its work in an effective and bipartisan manner -- a manner deserving of the confidence of other members of the Senate and, the executive branch and the American People."

Even our own seem to forget that.

[txrangerette]

They have been overwhelmed by
contacts from angry citizens!

[deport]

This and then a little judicial nominee talkathon next week.....

[PhiKapMom]

WOW!!!! Way to go Senator Frist. Looks like the RATs have gone too far this time!

[PhiKapMom]

I just pinged you when you were pinging me! LOL!!!

[Jeff Chandler]

At this very moment I am checking my butt for the imminent emergence of flying monkeys.

[Iowa Granny]

Yesterday, Frist appeared to close the door entirely on the Democrats' wishes. After discussions with Roberts, the majority leader said that "the committee's review is nearly complete" and "we have jointly determined the committee can and will complete its review this year."

"They can't do that," Rockefeller said, noting that hundreds of pages of requested documents have recently been promised by the State Department and Pentagon and more interviews have been scheduled.

In addition, he noted that the final report from David Kay, who heads the CIA's search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, has not been completed. "What can we say about prewar intelligence without Kay's report?" Rockefeller asked.

"What can we say about prewar intelligence without Kay's report?"

Say, Committee Ajourned, Sen. Rockefeller.

[debg]

Don't stop there...remember that the memo is tip of the iceburg.

[arasina]

I'm working on something related to this and wonder if you can remember which thread may contain the email addresses/phone numbers of senators and members of congress? Darned if I can find it!

[Huck]

LOL! I didn't bother reading any Frist threads....I had had it with him already. I don't know why I even clicked on this one. Damn, I'm surprised. We'll see what transpires.

[Blessed]

Just google senate

[Samwise]

I am extremely interested in hearing what Bayh has to say about all this.

[Mo1]

Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (W.Va.), the committee's ranking Democrat, said he was "really disappointed" with the Republican action. "Whose advantage is it to derail asking the tough questions on prewar intelligence and the use and misuse of it?" he asked.

Ummm .. Sen Rockefeller .. there is nothing wrong with asking questions and wanting to find out what went right and what went wrong

BUT there is something wrong when you ABUSE the power given to you to score political points

Maybe Sen Rockefeller needs to re-read the Rules??

RULES OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE

[Salvation]

A bump for the Republicans today!

[Jeff Chandler]

Funny how the Post reports this. Talk about spin. What liberal bias?

At least the story isn't the usual "Evil Republicans Leak Classified Information" you'd expect from them.