Dem Rep Rebukes Intel Chief Blair For Claiming Secret CIA Program Is Legal
A key House Democrat is rebuking Obama’s intelligence chief, Dennis Blair, for claiming that the secret program the CIA concealed from Congress is legal, saying the claim is “premature” and insisting on a probe.
As I noted this morning, one of the key nuggets in that big Washington Post piece on the CIA program was that Blair went on record claiming the CIA didn’t break the law by not informing Congress of the program, a plan to develop small Al Qaeda assassination teams. That put Obama at odds with Dems who question its legality and want a probe.
Rep Jan Schakowsky, a key House intel committee member and a leading critic of the program, sent me a statement rapping Blair, Obama’s director of national intelligence.
“The issue of lying, misleading, or withholding information from the Congress is a very serious issue and deserves the full attention of the House Intelligence Committee,” she said. “While I share Mr. Blair’s desire for Congress and the intelligence community to be partners in the important mission of protecting the United States from enemies, it is premature to pass judgment on whether or not laws were broken until an investigation is complete.”
I’m telling you, this is one to watch. In effect, the Obama administration is claiming that the Bush-era CIA was within its legal rights when it withheld a secret assassination program from Congress. Other Dems on the Hill may hit Blair on this, too.
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Bush abused the intelligence services. He made them the fall guys for 9-11, which was bullschitt – they sent him the PDB. He ignored it, but he made that stick to them.
He misused them for illegal activities and then left them holding the bag.
It seems pretty clear to me, just from the evidence, that the intelligence services have made their grievances known bigtime to Obama and have made their case to him for not holding them responsible for the things Bush misused them for. And because I think Obama is the world’s most careful guy, he wants to repair the damage done to the intelligence services. And, I think he is motivated in a large part by determination to not let another terrorist attack take place while he’s in office.
I also believe fully that his extremely careful approach to the preceding administration has a real method to what appears to the left to be madness. He’s taking the whole damn thing apart bit by bit to see where it’s broken so he can try to fix it.
Bush really broke things badly – there’s chaos from one end of government to the other. I think Obama is exceedingly cautious because I don’t think anyone really knows the extent of what’s broken yet. And someone with his background in constitutional law is going to be exceedingly cautious when it comes to trying to unravel where the lines are anymore between the Executive and the rest of government. Before he can tear the structure apart, there has to be another structure either in place or that can be put in place, because he can’t start picking all that apart if there’s nothing there to handle something that needs handling – if that makes any sense.
And as a student of history, you can’t expect Obama not to have learned from FDR. IF you don’t know what I mean, then I’ll tell you – 3/4s of what Bush did to get around Congress and the courts he learned from FDR. When FDR couldn’t get what he wanted any other way, he just did what he wanted and then justified it. I love the man, he saved us but we were awfully lucky. He could have been really really awful; like George W Bush.
Tena — all fair points. But should Blair be passing judgment on the legality of the program in advance? that seems like the opposite of cautious in a way. at least very rushed.
“All fair points”
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What’s today’s Happy Hour special?
Greg – hell no – nobody should, and some Republican from the intel committee angrily insisted the same thing last night on Hardball, and my reaction was the same. Can’t recall who it was – explanation to follow.
My ideas on Obama are more like musings on why things appear to be going along as if Bush was running things on a certain level. I can’t believe that that is actually what’s going on – and a lot of times, something comes up that indicates Obama is not following through on promises to not be Bush and then a few days later a clarification appears. I can’t recall a specific story right now – I can’t get the Brown Recluse that is still in my plastic bag drawer in my pantry cabinet out of the forefront of my consciousness – I saw it just before I picked it up and yelled and shut the drawer and can’t figure out where to go next…that was o, 2 hours ago, but it will sit in the center of my awareness for some time to come, especially since I don’t know where it is now for sure.
Anyway, I can’t turn my entire impression of who Obama is inside out and take it at angry face value that he’s not living up to what he stood for. I’m not looking for reasons to be disillusioned and I can still give him some time.
But that’s a separate issue from your issue and I went off all over the place.
Am wondering where the Native American issues appointments are shown?
thx.
Tena, Obama is the president, in charge of the executive branch of government. The CIA works for him. It is a source of presidential/executive power. He is not going to undermine his own power sources. There has always been a power struggle between the executive and legislative branches. Any power Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan et al gained for the presidency, Obama is not going to give away.
As to musing about Obama, consider this. He said we would have more open government and Energy Commissar Carol Browner tells CAFE standards meeting participants to put nothing in writing. He says lobbyists will have less impact and they are not allowed into a Dem fund raiser, that is until he departs and they’ve paid their $5,000 entry fee. He calls for bi-paritsanship and Nancy P pushes through legislation that basically ignores opposition ideas. The hypocricy is that he allows his minions to do what he has foreswarn not to do. He said he is going to redistribute wealth, but his policies are destroying private sector sources of wealth, particularly small business that generates 70 percent of the jobs. Remember government does NOT generate wealth. He is long on rhetoric and short on details about how to accomplish and more importantly how we can pay for everything he promises.
But shades of the Daly’s, he’s a Chicago politician. Why do you think he’s not going to behave like one?
Oh and Tena, about the brown recluse. Go get some Raid fumigator. The one in the blue can that is not flammable, follow the directions and get rid of all the pests in your place. Or you can call a pest control company.
You all were duped with Bush/Cheney admin. You all are duped with Obama admin. Plus, you are all duped with the last decade or so with the Congress and their actions. Maybe I should take off my tin hat; OR maybe you should put yours on! There is too much evidence to not realize that there are many many wolves in sheep’s clothes! It’s just that some are groomed better than others.
I remember in the 70’s when Watergate was going on. I was young and was really clueless to what really happened and it’s purposes. As I grown older, maybe a little more wiser and cautious… and digging into factual findings during my college days, I have become more aware of propaganda and the elements of so-called commercial politics. The constitution is history and basically a red cape for the bull. I mean, there isn’t one thing in the whole constitution or its amendments that is without question. Free speech? HUH! Free speech with so many limitations and loopholes. Gun rights? Huh! Try buying a gun today! You are treated like a felon!
Maybe many were saying before 911 that we need an attack on the US to set us on a better path… I guess not!
I can’t get over how much we resemble 1941 Germany… the people were duped! If you can’t see it, then you have blinders on…
God, I long now for George Bush.
He didn’t abuse a damn thing. You democrats, get your fingers out of your butts. You are ignorant!
Obambie is a nothing!