Bush-era surveillance went beyond wiretaps

Back in 2005, The New York Times broke the story about warrantless wiretapping occuring within the Justice Department. This highly illegal action was brought on by a young attorney named John Woo, who President George W. Bush appointed.

The attorney, John Yoo, a young George W. Bush appointee with close ties to the president's inner circle, wrote a series of memos legally blessing the program even though his superiors and most top officials were uninformed about it.

The report was compiled at the request of Congress by five government agency watchdogs: the inspectors general of the Justice Department, Pentagon, CIA, Directorate of National Intelligence and National Security Agency.


It represents the most detailed public disclosure of the existence of secret surveillance efforts beyond the warrantless wiretapping program, saying the overall package of efforts came to be known in the Bush administration as the "President's Surveillance Program."

It goes on further to say how many high priority officials in the "know" were extremely upset and thought about resigning their post:

Eventually, the surveillance program and the Justice Department's role in it were so controversial that the deputy attorney general, James B. Comey, and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III both threatened to resign in 2004 because they believed the program was illegal.

I encourage every member here to read this article. Although I am beyond amazement at the blatant and audacious actions by our government, I am more concerned if anyone will be brought to justice and be accountable for these illegal wiretappings.



Link: www.latimes.com...

I am not familiar with Ron Wyden (D-Ore), I am a bit pleased that he too recognizes the esoteric organization behind the curtain; senior officials who are trying to rule our government (well, maybe not rule, but they are given their orders from a small ruling group). Anyone have any doubt that Dick Cheney is behind this?

"I am glad the American people can finally see for themselves what happens when a handful of senior officials -- who think they know better than the courts, the U.S. Justice Department and Congress -- decide to rewrite the law in secret," said Senate Intelligence Committee member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). "This report allows the American people to see how senior Bush administration officials concocted the program first and came up with its creative legal justifications later."

Edit: For quotation

[edit on 11-7-2009 by Quazze]

Yep,what ever power government is given is going to be abused.We need better congressional oversight imo,especially concerning citizens civil rights issues.

I continue to see not only the media, but more importantly key Senator's in Congress pressing for invetigations on weather Dick Cheney went way above the law in these illegal wiretapping issues.

This was published today by Fox News (whom I despise):

Some Democratic senators are calling for an investigation after learning Congress wasn't briefed about an covert CIA counterterrorism program allegedly ordered to be kept secret by former Vice President Dick Cheney.

CIA Director Leon Panetta briefed Congress about the still classified program on June 24, a day after learning about it and immediately canceling it. Intelligence sources noted that the program never got off the ground and wasn't instituted.

Link: www.foxnews.com...

related if not the same...fyi

www.abovetopsecret.com...