Posted on 05/13/2013 5:59:46 PM PDT by jazusamo
The White House on Monday distanced President Obama from the Department of Justice’s seizure of Associated Press telephone records.
“Other than press reports, we have no knowledge of any attempt by the Justice Department to seek phone records of the AP,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement.
Carney said the White House had no involvement in the Justice effort.
“We are not involved in decisions made in connection with criminal investigations, as those matters are handled independently by the Justice Department,” he said.
The Justice Department said in a letter to the AP on Friday that it had gathered records on at least 20 office, cell phone, and home phone numbers — including the AP's desk in the House of Representatives press gallery.
The AP believes the records seizure was related to a leak investigation regarding a 2012 story about the CIA foiling a bomb plot in Yemen. The Obama administration has aggressively investigated the disclosure of classified anti-terror information in recent years, subpoenaing journalists from the New York Times and Washington Post.
In a letter of protest sent to Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday, AP President Gary Pruitt said there could be “no possible justification for such an overbroad collection of the telephone communications.”
“These records potentially reveal communications with confidential sources across all of the newsgathering activities undertaken by the AP during a two-month period, provide a road map to AP's newsgathering operations and disclose information about AP's activities and operations that the government has no conceivable right to know,” Pruitt said.
In a statement, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said it was “always careful and deliberate” in deciding to target media organizations.
News of Justice seizing the records comes as the administration is already dealing with accusations the IRS abused its power by targeting conservative groups for tax audits.
The administration is also under attack for its handling of the Benghazi attack.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/299479-white-house-no-knowledge-of-ap-phone-record-seizure#ixzz2TDxZV3WK Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook
Only need one patriot.
Good question...She may be overwhelmed or out of the country conferring with her handler boss.
Both... more paranoid than Nixon and more incompetent than Carter.
We're the national center of excellence regarding ignorance. Quite transparent about it actually...
Sure they are. Wink wink.
Still waiting to see one good person come forward. The rest will follow. Plenty of people in DC and the military have the goods. They need to overcome their fear and make the sacrifice. The one they swore in their oaths.
He didn't start out with all that much in the first place, now it is gone gone gone.
A true wannabe emperor without a shred of clothes on.
these guys need to do another version of this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psJGHGeLSeE
Doesn’t Justice work for the WH? A better question for a reporter to ask Jay is “ If this information proves to be true, should those in Justice with knowledge of this activity be removed from their positions?”
Jay: “I’m not going to respond to a hypothetical until further information is developed.”
Reporter: “Jay, are you saying the President has no opinion about this invasive activity? Jay, and a follow up, we’re you officially or unofficially, or through rumor, aware of such activity?
Jay: “Again...”
Reporter: “Jay, doesn’t this bother you personally at all?”
Carney looks down at notes, ears turn red..
Reporter: “Jay,...Benghazi continues to have news cycle legs, could you give us the latest on the WH position on the latest revelations,..and I would like to follow up with the IRS targeting of Tea Party Americans.”
Once Obama loses his fifth column, the press....he will hard pressed to get the normal cover he enjoys from them.....
Most of the press are sycophants, but nobody likes to think their privatize is or can be violated....By the stroke of the DOJ pen....
The press has ink by the barrel...
pressers should a lot more fun....
It will have to be the military. And someone will have to sacrifice their career. Is there someone?
There is much truth there. MUCH truth.
I’ll take ‘White Hut’ for 1,000, Alex.
Clueless
What is the one word that sums up the Obama White House?
ding ding ding, the daily double!
And two things, three actually, complete control - WHO wants them in charge of?
Obamacare
Extended background check
Comprehensive Immigration ‘Reform’
Imagine if Bush had given the same excuse or doing the same thing that Obama is doing..
You’re welcome to it.That POS will never resign,he will cling to the White House and power no matter what is revealed.The Republicans could always start an impeachment,but their stones are so shriveled that they would never see it through.
I think that folks like you and me who love truth and justice will have to get used to being left out in the cold.
I ant to believe so. But so many good men have left because of this communist jackass and his policies, or been booted, I really don’t know.
I think we may find out shortly why the DHS purchased all of that ammo.
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