Comments on: Not Knowing When to Quit

By: Rick

Rick — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 23:39:06 +0000

As for the “prez’s” confering with some democrats before doing this I like what is said at Wonkette. “down here where the common people are, such actions are called “criminal conspiracy.”

By: maha

maha — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 21:58:17 +0000

Re Aldrich Ames -- In this Washington Times article, Charles Hunt claims "One of the most famous examples of warrantless searches in recent years was the investigation of CIA official Aldrich H. Ames, who ultimately pleaded guilty to spying for the former Soviet Union. That case was largely built upon secret searches of Ames' home and office in 1993, conducted without federal warrants." Judd at Think Progress debunks the hunt article here, but doesn't mention Ames specifically. But this document from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence clearly says that the search of Ames's home and office was conducted in compliance with FISA -- "Under applicable Attorney General guidelines, this meant that the FBI was able to seek authority under pertinent laws and Justice Department guidelines to employ a full array of investigative techniques against Ames. For instance, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court issued orders authorizing electronic surveillance of Ames's office and residence." Hmm, I think I'll put this in a post.

By: Steve Nichols

Steve Nichols — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 20:50:59 +0000

I’ve just run into some nonsense about Janet Reno issuing an invalid warrant to search Aldrich Ames’ place.

I now know more about FISA law than I ever desired. Anyone familiar with the Ames case and its implications?

By: Swami

Swami — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:46:01 +0000

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11340.htm

Gamed, played, punked, chumped,manipulated or whatever…. this doesn’t help my overbearing feeling of insignificance.

By: maha

maha — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 17:22:28 +0000

And that, my friends, is why MSNBC is on O’Reilly’s hit list.

That, and the fact that Olbermann calls O’Reilly “the big giant head.”

By: gus

gus — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 16:58:33 +0000

And even it were true, it doesn’t make it legal. Bonnie and Clyde robbed banks in the thirties and it’s still illegal today.

By: BruceH

BruceH — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 16:41:53 +0000

Maha said, "...tonight two MSNBC programs got it right."

And that, my friends, is why MSNBC is on O'Reilly's hit list.

By: emel

emel — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 16:37:10 +0000

Evidently the FISA court is meeting to see if they have been gamed by tainted evidence being presented. Judge Luttig of the 4th circuit evidently feels he was gamed by one story being presented to him as rationale for Padilla’s incarceration and another being presented to the grand jury in Miami. Sorta like the way this admin plays congress and the press: the use of selective information to manipulate the receiver into acting in the administration’s behalf. About time we all start recognizing this pattern of behavior and rejecting it.

By: No More Mr. Nice Guy!

No More Mr. Nice Guy! — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 15:40:00 +0000

Spy Hard with a Vengeance

“If this were a dictatorship, it’d be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I’m the dictator.” –Pr… (Read more)

By: Swami

Swami — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 05:25:36 +0000

The Righties didn’t think that Valerie Plame was a covert agent either, but that didn’t change her status under the law. And Alberto Gonzales’s interpretation of the presidental wartime powers won’t nescessarily be the final word in what those powers will be. I think Bush is probably going to get some clarification from the courts in the near future because issue too big to overlook.

I was happy to read that the two recent court descisions —intelligent design and Jose Padilla— were exposed by the court for the deceptions that they were.