Department of It's About Frigging Time

[sleigh]

The New York Times is reporting that the Senate Judiciary Committee has issued subpoenas to White House, VP Cheney's office, and the Justice department to release documents regarding the Bush Administration's legal justifications for wiretapping orders, and also for their relationship with several telecom companies in who aided the NSA in their wiretapping endeavors.

It's about time, especially in light of the CIA's recent release of the "family jewels" files, which revealed many of the illegal activities of the CIA in past decades. The question becomes this: in a democratic and open society, how much illegal and hidden activities are we to tolerate from those who work on our behalf?

My personal answer: little to none.

Comments

[maiac.livejournal.com]

Some people would argue that we need the illegal activities to protect ourselves from our enemies. I would argue that if the government and its intelligence agencies didn't indulge in activities of that sort (like overthrowing governments and assassinating other country's leaders and kidnapping people we have a grievance against), we wouldn't have those enemies.

[stevengould.livejournal.com]

And, sadly, I would argue that those activities themselves turn segments of our own government into our enemies.

[casaubon.livejournal.com]

Since the White House has just ignored some other subpoenas (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6250048.stm), is this going to get any results?

[sleigh.livejournal.com]

I hope so. I fully expect that the administration will once again claim executive privilege, as they have with the previous set of subpoenas. That means one of three things will happen: either 1) Congress and the Executive Branch (and that new fourth branch of government, the Cheney Branch) will come to a compromise of some sort; or 2) one or the other sides will blink and cave entirely; or 3) both sides will stand firm, which will toss the decision in the judicial branch for decision, and we'll learn once and for all whether there is such a thing as executive privilege. (And if the courts give the decision to the president, well, you can forget ever digging anything out of any administration in the future, Democratic or Republican, which will be a true shame...)

My bet is on #2... But the Dems may be wimpy enough that maybe they'll blink and say "OK, then. Sorry we asked..."

[casaubon.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, over here (UK) our (ex)PM gets to talk to the police directly (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6249300.stm).... :)
He got hauled in front of various committees because of the Iraq war, but I don't think they had any power to censure him.