Reid cites FBI file on judicial pick [Big no-no]

WASH TIMES ^ | 5-13-05 | Charles Hurt

[bandleader]

ABSOLUTELY!El Rushbo will be all over this like"White On Rice"!!

[Dad yer funny]

yeah , me also , Cisneros will do the Webb , but good S**T will splash on Sir Edmund Hillary Clinton

[Loud Mime]

Reid's membership in the Mormon Church is in contradiction to his actions as a Senator. Both bodies deserve better than Reid delivers.

[Just A Nobody]

Thanks!

[Just A Nobody]

I went to C-span2 & all I saw was Jeffords. Thanks for the help.

[politicalwit]

" Reid should be censured for doing this."

You've got to be kidding. The country club republicans won't do anything...perhaps buy their Senate buddies another round of drinks.

[gregwest]

This is the text of an e-mail I just sent to Senator Reid:

Hon. Senator Reid,

I just heard moments ago that you indiscreetly spoke in a public statement that there were concerns in the confidential FBI files of one of the President's nominees for a federal judgeship.

I can't begin to say how appalled I am. I have been consistently disappointed in your changing of positions on "up or down" votes for judges which you previously supported. I have been concerned about your calling the President a "loser."

At the news of your public defamation of an individual in such manner that he cannot publicly defend himself and inviting media scrutiny of what must obviously be a private and embarrassing matter, I am simply livid.

I am not one of your constituents. However, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I understand that you are a member of the church and that you have held positions of lay leadership and authority within the Church. Surely anyone with such a background should understand the sensitivity of confidential information and the harm it could do. Surely any Church member should understand their obligation to be honest, to respect authority, to sustain duly elected officers of civil government.

I would be embarrassed to admit to anyone that you are a member of the Church. Which is more important, your party or your covenants? Your political clout or your priesthood? It is apparent that you covet your leadership position sufficiently to lie, defame, and slander. Shame on you.

I would not mind that you would have different political opinions. That is understandable. I am ashamed that you would use dishonesty, deception, and calumny to political advantage. I pray that you might muster sufficient loyalty to your religion that you would refrain from such activity. Jesus asked, "what will a man give in exchange for his soul." What have you given for yours? What have you received in return? Is it worth it?

Sincerely,

Greg West

[bandleader]

"Dingy Harry"(whom El Rushbo has frequently said resembles an Undertaker),has dug a DOOZY for himself!It's time for The Majority to roll him in!!

[bandleader]

I'm certain that after El Rushbo puts the boots to "Dingy Harry",we'll hear The Rats caterwauling for the re-instatement of"The Fairness Doctrine"!!

[Tax-chick]

You're correct in what you say regarding Reid's actions. However, my "tacky" comment was in reference to this statement by a former Republican staffer (obviously with a personal agenda):

"Harry Reid is a disgrace to the Senate and to [his] Church of Latter-day Saints," said Manuel Miranda, who was forced to resign as a Republican Senate staffer after downloading files on judicial nominees from Democratic computer servers.

[firewalk]

you're welcome

[Ditto]

Could they mean that Saad doesn't have access to the Congressional file? Would there be a reason that he was somehow exempted from seeing his own file? Something here isn't right.

As I recall back in the 90s when the Dems (either Kennedy or that old marxist from Ohio -- can't recall his name now) released Clarence Thomas' FBI file to Nina Totenburg of National Public Radio. The distinction is the so-called "raw file" and any files created as a result of a formal FBI investigation.

A raw file is background information gathered via interviews with people who have known or worked with an individual. It could be anyone from your boss, co-workers, neighbors, old lovers, a high school teacher to the guy you beat up in 3rd grade. None of the information contained in a raw file is varified or placed in context unless the FBI feels that some charge or information gained requires further investigation. The raw file is really nothing but hear-say and is never released. Any follow up investigation (if there is one) becomes an official file that the target does have a right to see.

At least that is my memory of the explanation when Clarence Thomas' raw file was flashed all over the news because dirty Rat tricks.

[Cboldt]

Reid may have opened an interesting can of worms. Maybe this peeking in FBI files goes on a lot more than people know.

My guess is that the people who are entitled to see the confidential material are blabbing the nature of its contents. It is also possible that peeking beyond the authorized distribution is going on.

I wonder what the formal protocol is. Are the reports marked "Secret" and tracked as to delivery and who obtains them? If so, what exactly is the legal duty to maintain confidentiality? If some Senators are breaking the law, will there be a prosecution? If not, why not?

According to this report, in the past the remedy for breaching confidentiality was withholding of future information disclosures.

FBI background reports -- even descriptions of FBI background reports -- are supposed to be confidential. In the early 1990s, the Judiciary Committee agreed to severely limit access to FBI background checks after the first President Bush, angry at leaks during the Clarence Thomas confirmation fight, refused to give FBI information to the Senate. Since then, the reports have been made available only to members of the Judiciary Committee and a nominee's home-state senators, who in the case of Saad are Levin and Stabenow.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1402491/posts

[texasbluebell]

Just heard on Laura Ingraham that the ONLY people that can view these files are those on the JUDICARY COMMITTEE.

Guess what.........REID is NOT on that committee!!!!

He had NO business even reading that file, much less commenting publicly on it.

[OXENinFLA]

It was a presser, so I'm hoping that C-span will archive it so we can watch it later....

[SoVaDPJ]

So Reid might have been looking at a raw file? That's even MORE horrifying to me. Maybe the FBI needs to look at old Harry?

[Cboldt]

He had NO business even reading that file, much less commenting publicly on it.

That's a fact. Last time the Judicary Committe breached its agreement to maintain confidentiality, President GH Bush refused to further confidential information. That seems to be the practical extent of the remedy/penalty.

Same stuff, different day. I expect nothing to come of this but minor embarassment to Reid.

[OXENinFLA]

No I missed that.

Is it just postponed due to her cancer?

[SoVaDPJ]

Whoa, whoa, wait a minute! Levin and Stabenow get to look at the files!?! They've been pitching a b*tch about this guy for awhile, haven't they? JMO, but there's the leak!

[hawkaw]

Harry Reid is a morman? Hmm ...