Key lawmaker calls spy program illegal. Harman is now criticizing Bush's policies

SFC ^ | Dec. 2, 2006 | Jim Doyle

[FairOpinion]

Rep. Jane Harman, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, told a gathering of the American Bar Association on Friday that the Bush administration's secret wiretapping program for suspected terrorists is illegal.

Harman, D-Venice (Los Angeles County), who has become increasingly critical of President Bush's policies in recent months after her initial support for the Iraq war and her defense of the Patriot Act, also blasted the administration for refusing to provide legal opinions and authorizations for its wiretap program, interrogations policy and detentions of accused terrorists.

"The administration has too often operated under vague legal guidelines, pursuant to secret legal opinions generated by few and vetted by almost none," she said Friday.

[gunnedah]

You are right. Sad thing is the average American is not smart enough to see it.

[atomicskunk]

"Please tell me what it is your drinking. It must be good to cause such delusions."

This evening? Fat Tire Ale. Highly recommended.

[pepsionice]

The thing that makes Bush look bad...is that even prior to 9-11...his FBI and Attorney General folks...had sufficent powers to tap everyone's lines...but you had to appear in front of a judge and request such. The Bush administration has simply wanted to avoid any judge approving the "taps"...saying only that the president has the power to do so. All of this hocus-pocus games with the administration and the congressional "toss-another-law-onto-the-fire" efforts...are unnecessary, and have been so for several years. If people simply read the laws prior 9-11...its a very simple system. And it works. Even if Bush felt that the judges weren't acting fast enough...congress would have been willing to appoint a row of special judges to speed up the process...but no Bush appointee ever said that speed of approval was a problem...or if so...they haven't said so in the press.