Posted on 12/18/2005 11:53:00 AM PST by ArmyBratproud
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi confessed late Saturday that she signed off on President Bush's decision to have a top intelligence agency conduct "unspecified activities" to gather intelligence on possible terrorists operating inside the U.S. in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
"I was advised of President Bush's decision to provide authority to the National Security Agency to conduct unspecified activities shortly after he made it and have been provided with updates on several occasions," Pelosi admitted.
The San Francisco Democrat claimed she expressed "strong concerns" about the "unspecified activities" at the time, but offered no evidence to that effect.
Pelosi declined to explain why she didn't make public her concerns about the authorization, which Democrats now say was an outrageous abuse of civil rights.
Instead, Pelosi admitted keeping silent about the "unspecified activities" even though she now believes they may have been illegal, saying Bush's acknowledgment of the NSA program on Saturday "raises serious questions as to what the activities were and whether the activities were lawful."
On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid also admitted he kept silent about the controversial program, even though he was briefed on its existence "a couple of months ago."
Still, he insisted that it made no difference that Democratic congressional leaders knew about the NSA program, telling Fox News Sunday: "This is something that's [the responsibility of] the president and the vice president and there's no way he can pass the buck."
THE ONLY REASON THIS WAS MADE A NEWS STORY...was to drum up opposition to renewal of the Patriot Act.
THERE SHOULD BE A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR ASSIGNED TO INVESTIGATE WHICH DEMOCRAT BROKE FEDERAL LAW AND LEAKED NATIONAL SECURITY/INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION!!!!
Nancy Pelosi is an ugly skid-mark on the political off-ramp.
HUGE PING!!!!!!!!!!
Somebody ping Tonk, here is a chance for him to slam that witch Pelosi!
Since the NY Times sat on this story for over a year and said they informed the White House they had the story I'm pretty sure Bush already knows who leaked it.
Check this out, Tonk!
Let's turn the worm here. Every Democrat, and their staff, who acknowledges being briefed, is now suspect of leaking classified information to the press. Very damaging information!
Wanna keep talking about a desk jockey from Langley? I don't think so!
It became a news story because there's a book in the pipeline.
This is too rich!!! So the Dems/NYT scream about this "bombshell" of a story, but they knew about it all the time!
Seems like it is the Congressional Dems who are employing the "modified limited hangout" strategy this time around. They were outraged. Now they admit to knowing a little about it. How long can the alternative media keep the pressure on them?
TITLE 50 > CHAPTER 36 > SUBCHAPTER I > § 1802
1802. Electronic surveillance authorization without court order; certification by Attorney General; reports to Congressional committees; transmittal under seal; duties and compensation of communication common carrier; applications; jurisdiction of court Release date: 2005-03-17
(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the President, through the Attorney General, may authorize electronic surveillance without a court order under this subchapter to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year if the Attorney General certifies in writing under oath that—
(A) the electronic surveillance is solely directed at—
(i) the acquisition of the contents of communications transmitted by means of communications used exclusively between or among foreign powers, as defined in section 1801 (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this title; or
(ii) the acquisition of technical intelligence, other than the spoken communications of individuals, from property or premises under the open and exclusive control of a foreign power, as defined in section 1801 (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this title; [e.g., defined as terrorists /angkor]
(B) there is no substantial likelihood that the surveillance will acquire the contents of any communication to which a United States person [e.g. citizen or perm. resident /angkor] is a party; and
(C) the proposed minimization procedures with respect to such surveillance meet the definition of minimization procedures under section 1801 (h) of this title; and if the Attorney General reports such minimization procedures and any changes thereto to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence at least thirty days prior to their effective date, unless the Attorney General determines immediate action is required and notifies the committees immediately of such minimization procedures and the reason for their becoming effective immediately.
I don't believe Reid when he says he was only briefed "a couple of months ago." There is no way that the House minority leader was brought in on this and the Senate minority leader was kept in the dark until a short time ago. Reid is lying, as usual, and I hope he gets called out on it.
It became a news story to reduce attention to the Iraqi election and to the renewal of the "Patriot" Act.
She makes me want to vomit.
She is a skid mark in my shorts!
OMG! THAT statement is classic! Thanks!
Of course not. Reid is parsing words like a good Clinton wannabe.
Reid means that the last time he was briefed was only a few months ago. Not that he was not briefed before that time.
I'm not so sure. Reid's position as minority leader wouldn't necessarily entitle him to this info. Pelosi is on a committee with access to this info I believe.
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