Yesterday, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), co-chair of the Senate
Intelligence Committee (and probable source of many leaks of secret
information) released a hand-scrawled
letter he had written to VP Cheney two years ago after being
briefed on the NSA domestic intel effort. Rockefeller, trying to
score political points, raised the letter as proof of his doubts
about the NSA program, and that his hands were tied, unable to do
anything about it. This morning, Intel Committee Chair Pat Roberts
(R-KS) released this statement which blows Rockefeller out of the
water:
I am puzzled by the release yesterday of a July 2003
letter from Senator Rockefeller to the Vice President regarding the
recently exposed intelligence collection program, which was
authorized by the President shortly after September 11, 2001.
In his letter and accompanying press statement, Senator
Rockefeller asserts that he had lingering concerns about the
program designed to protect the American people from another
attack, but was prohibited from doing anything about it.
A United States Senator has significant tools with which to
wield power and influence over the executive branch. Feigning
helplessness is not one of those tools.
If Senator Rockefeller truly had the concerns he claimed to have
had in his two and a half year old letter, he could have pursued a
number of options to have those concerns addressed:
First, he could have discussed his concerns with me or other
Members of Congress who had been briefed on the program. He never
asked me or the Committee to take any action consistent with the
"concerns" raised in his letter.
Second, he could have raised objections with the Vice President
during one of the many briefings we received. I have no
recollection of Senator Rockefeller objecting to the program at the
many briefings he and I attended together. In fact, it is my
recollection that on many occasions Senator Rockefeller expressed
to the Vice President his vocal support for the program. His most
recent expression of support was only two weeks ago.
Finally, he could have pursued any number of legislative
remedies. He chose to pursue none.
Senator Rockefeller could have taken any of these approaches to
adress his "lingering concerns." He did not. He chose instead to
write a letter to the Vice President and for two and a half years,
keep a copy of the letter in the Intelligence Committee vault and
say nothing to anyone.
For the nearly three years Senator Rockefeller has served as
Vice Chairman, I have heard no objection from him about this
valuable program. Now, when it appears to be politically
advantageous, Senator Rockefeller has chosen to release his two and
a half year old letter. Forgive me if I find this to be
inconsistent and a bit disingenuous.
So do we, Sen. Roberts. So do we.
topics:
NATO
