Specter's angry letter

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen sent a angry letter to VP Cheney yesterday. Stating his concerns over the administrations use of undue influence to hinder the investigation of the NSA spy program.



Well Senator Specter has released this letter to the public. He has raised concerns of his own administration trying to curtail his committee's investigation of the NSA spy issue. He has said the VP has used his influence to stop the hearing. Specter will not allow this though. Specter has said he is available to work this out, without the necessity of constitutional confrontation between Congress and the President.

Related News Links:
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[edit on 8-6-2006 by valkeryie]

Senator Specter's letter is a purely political manuver on his part, but apparently a necessary one. Neither he, nor his committee, are cleared for the information necessary to understand what the NSA is really doing. I've said before and I'll say again, what the NSA is doing is not wiretapping. However, if the methods and techniques they are using becomes publicly known then they will be ineffective. I can understand how the Senator may feel like the administration is stepping on his toes, but I don't really think that is the case.

You can tell by the tone and content of the letter that Senator Specter is frustrated in trying to look into the issue, but he refers to procedures set up and agreed to by the Senate as if they were illegal in his attempt to put political pressure on the administration. The procedures he refers to were hammered out over many years (and many serious security breaches) as the best way to both keep congress informed and to protect vital classified information. Since I don't detect any widespread outcry from congress to change the agreed procedures (which have proven time & again to be absolutely necessary), I suspect Senator Specter will continue to be frustrated.

Alot of people think that Arlen Specter is less than credible. Arlen Specter is the one that led the Warren Commission investigation on the JFK assassination. He is the one that tried to sell the public that there was a single "magic bullet" that killed Kennedy, then struck Connally after making "magical" turns in midair.

mcadams.posc.mu.edu...

Specter always has believed that the citizens are idiots that will believe anything he says. I personally am not a big fan of his, and frankly don't believe alot of what he says. It's my suspicion that there is much more to the story than this little note. I'm sure that more will come out on this, and that Specter will be implicated in some way.

Here is a link for people that don't know much about Senator Specter. Magic bullet theory aside, he is raising some disturbing trends with the current administration.

en.wikipedia.org...

Specter's letter serves two purposes. It's good theater, and it's also good CYA. The mere fact that it's a legitimate complaint is didn't stop him from dropping the matter once this correspondence came to the media's attention.

source

Vice President Cheney has told Senator Specter, that he is willing to work with Congress on rules governing the White Houses' eavesdropping program.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday told the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman that he is willing to work with Congress on rules governing the White House's eavesdropping program.

But Cheney stopped short of promising any action as he responded to a terse letter from Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pennsylvania, the day before.

Specter was trying to force telephone company executives to testify about their role in the monitoring. He backed off this week after learning the executives would not be allowed to provide any details about the classified work.

"But Cheney stopped short of promising any action as he responded to a terse letter from Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pennsylvania, the day before."

I'm not really sure that the administration had another more effective counter-move than this. Specter is pushing for government oversight, and he's playing a dangerous game. Push too hard, and he risks being hurt when he least needs that to happen. Cheney is known for his ability to carry a grudge. I will not be surprised to learn that his "cooperation" comes with a high price.