Senator Leahy Calls For More Surveillance Hearings, This Time With 'Honest Answers'
from the and-even-pelosi-is-disturbed dept
It appears that with the latest revelations of abuses by the NSA, Congress is making noises about actually doing something about it this time. Senator Leahy seems quite reasonably ticked off, calling for new hearings in which he appears to make it clear that he’s not at all happy that the intelligence community was less than honest during the last hearings:
“The American people rely on the intelligence community to provide forthright and complete information so that Congress and the courts can properly conduct oversight. I remain concerned that we are still not getting straightforward answers from the NSA,” Leahy said in a statement.
“I plan to hold another hearing on these matters in the Judiciary Committee and will continue to demand honest and forthright answers from the intelligence community.”
Of course, one could argue that it was clear during those hearings last month that the answers were not particularly truthful, so this does have a bit of a “for show” feeling to it. But, it’s becoming clearer that even if the NSA had a slight majority of support in Congress recently, that too may be eroding. Even Nancy Pelosi, who may have single-handedly saved the NSA’s ability to collect all info on every phone call under Section 215 of the Patriot Act a few weeks ago, is now saying that these latest revelations are extremely disturbing. Of course, perhaps she should have investigated that a little more before making sure the NSA could continue doing what it was doing…
Filed Under: congress, nancy pelosi, nsa, nsa surveillance, oversight, patrick leahy, surveillance
Comments on “Senator Leahy Calls For More Surveillance Hearings, This Time With 'Honest Answers'”
Nice idea, problematic execution
Given the NSA and those covering for them have already demonstrated a complete and utter willingness to lie, withhold information, and ignore requests that they don’t care for, I’m curious as to what the senator plans on doing to ensure this ‘hearing’ doesn’t just turn into more of the same.
Re: Nice idea, problematic execution
Ask really, really nicely and say “Pretty please” and hope they don’t go trolling their database for blackmail material.
So why trumpet "noises" on your powerful platform?
You’re down to less than 45 minutes between posts of fluff.
Re: So why trumpet "noises" on your powerful platform?
It’s probably Google’s fault.
Why don’t you go investigate the matter. Don’t worry, we’ll be here waiting for your results.
Go on now.
Only now, after having Clapper personally confirm he lied, knowingly and on purpose, congress is just now getting around to ‘We want to know what’s going on… REALLY’ is finally coming up? And the American people are somehow supposed to be comforted in the fact that congress has been shoved into a corner by the bad publicity enough that they have finally begun to feel the heat of ‘we must do something’?
Why is Clapper and Alexander not already in hot water over the lies they have told congress to date? And congress is going to stage another dog and pony show because the first one didn’t have enough clowns?
It is really easy to see why Snowden isn’t considered a whistle blower given what has been coming out of all this exposure. Their little precious is threatened.
Isn’t it time to take Obama to task for why he has chosen to exercise espionage charges so many times to other whistle blowers while those accused of the real wrong doing are still out free and walking about?
More doubts
I wonder if NSA leadership realizes that all the lies they are telling proves
1) They are unable to correctly evaluate the scope of documents that Snowden released – Which proves their icompetence
2) Given that they are lying about about their activites one can reasonably
assume that they are lying about their work product too.
Have another report vote ootb, your obsessions are showing.
If he lied the first time, maybe, lying for the POTUS and administration, wouldn’t he lie again for the same people again ?
I mean I wanted to believe in the toothfairy and Santa because they make my kids feel good. But right now, I think we all know the truth. “AND THEY (WHITEHOUSE) CAN’T HANDLE TRUTH!!!” ‘COZ WE KNOW THEY ORDERED THE “CODE RED”!!!
Think of the children...
“We’re doing it for your own good. Trust us!”
Then lie, lie, lie.
Oops, more truth came out! New lies to cover the old ones!
I don’t even want to consider what the President’s parenting style must be like.
as far as getting honest answers, Leahy would be better off asking ‘Mr Ed’ who his father was.
and for Nancy Pelosi, whatever she got for voting to allow the NSA to carry on doing all it is, it’s a bit late now to start complaining. she had the ability to stop it dead and didn’t, so i hope it was worth it. in reality, she is just as bad as the NSA. she knew what was going on and simply condoned it. how dumb is that?
Can we get this one under oath? Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease?
Oversight is irrelevant
What they are doing is a violation of the constitution, period. No oversight is adequate. You can’t violate the constitution even to provide national security.
Why do these people insist on saying that oversight is enough? Fire them all and start over.
Listen, once you let them violate the constitution with the mask of oversight they will violate the constitution in untold ways as long as they can claim oversight.
People get your heads out of your asses and stop this.
Leahy was one of those behind SOPA/PIPA.That is all I need say.
Re: Re:
Even a moron can have a good idea every once in a while.
Re: Re: Re:
Actions speak louder than words.
Consider the source.
As long as an alleged felon like Clapper, still has his job in Government. It’s clear there’s still no accountability and zero credibility in the Executive Branch, Congress, or the Intelligence Agencies.
I’ll let a select few in Congress off the hook, like Wyden Udall and Amash.
I’m going to have to say these hearings are nothing more than ‘for show’, given the overwhelming amount of evidence indicating the details I listed above still holds true.
If one were James Clapper, one could argue that those answers were the “least untruthful”, and also “too cute by half”. Fortunately, most of us are not James Clapper.