Specter says no 'blank check' for Bush on spying

Reuters ^ | 16 January 2006

[Aussie Dasher]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee promised a thorough investigation on Sunday into President George W. Bush's secret domestic eavesdropping program and said there would be no blank check for Bush.

Sen. Arlen Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, said Bush in theory could face impeachment charges if found to have violated the law by authorizing the program, but he did not endorse that approach and had heard no serious talk of it.

News of the covert domestic spying program last month sparked an outcry by both Democrats and some members of Bush's Republican party. Many lawmakers and rights groups questioned whether it violates the U.S. Constitution.

The judiciary committee has scheduled hearings on the issue and U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has said he will testify on the administration's legal justification. The operation includes eavesdropping on U.S. phone calls and reading e-mails. The hearings are expected next month.

"We're going to explore it in depth," Specter said on ABC television's "This Week With George Stephanopoulos."

"I don't see any talk about impeachment here," Specter said. "I don't think anybody doubts that the president is making a good faith effort, that he sees a real problem as we all do, and he's acting in a way that he feels he must."

Still, the senator insisted, "we're not going to give him a blank check, and just because we're of the same party doesn't mean we're not going to look at this very closely."

[Soul Seeker]

Pretty much the jist of it.

The Executive, at least under Bush, has been fairly accomodating to the other branches. They in turn have sought to seize every last inch of his power. It's a power grab. IMO, this is partly why the President includes in consideration for the judges he places on the bench their approach to the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. And, this is why Luttig is unlikely to ever be nominated by this President despite some conservatives holding him up as their number one choice. In two decisions that I know of he's contradicted the Executive. One I can semi agree with, another not so much.

As for Specter, he's helping put Alito on the bench. In return he exacts a pound of flesh by stabbing the administration to get face Time and take heat off from his own constituents in voting for Alito. It's dirty politics, but the bottom line is that Specter doesn't have a damn bit of ability to start impeachment hearings. He knows it as well. Unless he suddenly wants to run for the House. Even then he'd be in the minority.

So, it's all talk without ability to follow through. Liberal constituences of his that lap it up and take their focus off the courts are idiots. I welcome their diversion because I want Alito confirmed and Specter is helping that process through, but it's simply bait and switch here. He's protecting his own skin for putting Alito on Court, and Bush will allow it because he gets Alito and Specter has no power to threaten him in this manner.

[dinoparty]

Guess what, Arlen. You don't have a say in the matter. Investigate all you like, but it won't mean anything because, at the end of the day, you are powerless on this issue.

[Bommer]

Sorry but if Bush should be impeached for anything, it should be for supporting that scumbag Specter!

[imskylark]

That's just too cute!

[oceanagirl]

I think that the President should consider whether he would be comfortable with the precedent that he is setting being used by his least favorite Democrat. Eventually the Democrats will return to the White House if our history is any guide. What then?

I would also like to add that the government has three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. Each is to be checked by the other two. The legislature currently is engaged in checking the President, as our founding fathers intended. The other check would be the judiciary's enforcement of the Fourth Amendment prohibitions against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The founding fathers were an unbelievably wise group of people. They knew British tyranny first hand and many were serious students of history, ancient and modern (to them). They also were uncanny observers of human nature and knew how easily events sway human opinion.

I think that we must remain ever vigilant not only of the actions and passions of others but also of our own. This is my first and will be my last post on this topic.

[The Shootist]

I don't think he should spy on our end, he should spy on the other end. But I don't think that is too easy, so I'm ok with this.

I may be mistaken and we certainly don't have all the facts, but it is my understanding that they are monitoring calls made to and from numbers outside the country. Is that your understanding?

[Logical me]

"Sen. Arlen Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania"

This guy can be a first class a@@ sometimes. He should just kept his mouth shut and if this needs investigation, do it. All he did is add more fotter to the RATS playbook.

[p23185]

Guess what, Arlen. You don't have a say in the matter. Investigate all you like, but it won't mean anything because, at the end of the day, you are powerless on this issue.

See my post here Specter wants hearings

[Howlin]

I don't think he should spy on our end

He's not.

[Joe 6-pack]

Gee, just a few short months ago, Cindy Sheehan was bitching that this President wasn't listening to Americans!!!

[TheLion]

cBS radio rolled out Al Gore today, to speak about this, in a spot I heard while driving.

He was just about screaming about how corrupt Bush has been.

I also noted cBS didn't have time for any other viewpoint on the matter.

[TAdams8591]

"we're not going to give him a blank check, and just because we're of the same party doesn't mean we're not going to look at this very closely."

NO one thinks the president should have a "blank check" on spying, including the president.

Bush was a FOOL to support Specter over Toomey. What a traitorous pain in the butt Specter is.

[Aussie Dasher]

Oh, so very true.

[End_Clintonism_Now]

[Anita1]

He no Republican - he the counterfeit - A RINO.

If you watched the Alito hearings - you could see that over 90% of the time - Specter was shaking hands, deeply in conference, or slapping some DemocRat's back.

I believe - he's also the one who called for the hearings coming up that they call "spying on Americans" (conveniently not being called "spying on the terrorists"!)

As the DemocRats look for dirt in their quest of Impeachment hearings of the President, who do you think these hearings help in their wicked plan to attack the President???

Specter is no friend of President Bush!