History lesson


Someone with more time than I do researched
Byron York points out something very interesting.

"The Department of Justice believes, and the case law supports, that the president has inherent authority to conduct warrantless physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes," Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on July 14, 1994, "and that the President may, as has been done, delegate this authority to the Attorney General."

"It is important to understand," Gorelick continued, "that the rules and methodology for criminal searches are inconsistent with the collection of foreign intelligence and would unduly frustrate the president in carrying out his foreign intelligence responsibilities."

Executive Order 12333, signed by Ronald Reagan in 1981, provides for such warrantless searches directed against "a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power."

Reporting the day after Gorelick's testimony, the Washington Post's headline — on page A-19 — read, "Administration Backing No-Warrant Spy Searches." The story began, "The Clinton administration, in a little-noticed facet of the debate on intelligence reforms, is seeking congressional authorization for U.S. spies to continue conducting clandestine searches at foreign embassies in Washington and other cities without a federal court order. The administration's quiet lobbying effort is aimed at modifying draft legislation that would require U.S. counterintelligence officials to get a court order before secretly snooping inside the homes or workplaces of suspected foreign agents or foreign powers."

Unlike Mr. York. I don't bring this up to defend President Bush.

I think it was wrong then too.

I bring it up to show the hypocrisy of certain Democrats. It was okay as long as their guy was the one calling the shots, but when a Republican does it, it is illegal and unauthorized?

That is a big reason why I can't take the Democrat leadership seriously. But don't feel bad, I can't take the Republican leadership seriously either.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Tue - December 20, 2005 at 06:52 PM  Tag


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