GOP: leak investigation into Secret Prisons

[KipWellsFan]

Sources tell Drudge that early this afternoon House Speaker Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Frist will announce a bicameral investigation into the leak of classified information to the WASHINGTON POST regarding the “black sites” where high value al Qaeda terrorists are being held and interrogated.

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash2l.htm

more at link

[Balta1701]

I still wonder if they'll investigate the legality of the existence of those sites.

[FlaSoxxJim]

IMO, this is going to backfire on the GOP and the administration, as any sort of leak investigation will keep the secret detention centers in the news and under scrutiny as well.

[Balta1701]

November 8, 2005

 

Honorable Peter Hoekstra

Chairman

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

United States House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515

 

Honorable Pat Roberts

Chairman

Select Committee on Intelligence

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20515

 

Dear Chairman Hoekstra and Chairman Roberts:

 

We request that you immediately initiate a joint investigation into the possible release of classified information to the media alleging that the United States government may be detaining and interrogating terrorists at undisclosed locations abroad. As you know, if accurate, such an egregious disclosure could have long-term and far-reaching damaging and dangerous consequences, and will imperil our efforts to protect the American people and our homeland from terrorist attacks.

 

The purpose of your investigation will be to determine the following: was the information provided to the media classified and accurate?; who leaked this information and under what authority?; and, what is the actual and potential damage done to the national security of the United States and our partners in the Global War on Terror? We will consider other changes to this mandate based on your recommendations.

 

Any information that you obtain on this matter that may implicate possible violations of law should be referred to the Department of Justice for appropriate action.

 

We expect that you will move expeditiously to complete this inquiry and that you will provide us with periodic updates. We are hopeful that you will be able to accomplish this task in a bipartisan manner given general agreement that intelligence matters should not be politicized. Either way, however, your inquiry shall proceed.

 

The leaking of classified information by employees of the United States government appears to have increased in recent years, establishing a dangerous trend that, if not addressed swiftly and firmly, likely will worsen. The unauthorized release of classified information is serious and threatens our nation's security. It also puts the lives of many Americans and the security of our nation at risk.

 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

William H. Frist, M.D.

 

Majority Leader

 

U.S. Senate

 

J. Dennis Hastert

Speaker

U.S. House of Representatives

[kapkomet]

FlaxxJim, you're right. That's also why Scooter should just plea and get it overwith, whether he did it or not. The last time I checked, this trial is going to be VERY public, and MASSIVE amounts of documents that are "private" to the White House are going to be aired out, so no matter what, they all lose. Gotta love our government.

[Balta1701]

There is at least a rumor going around that these prisons were discussed at a GOP meeting last week, and at least 1 GOP Senator (Lott) may have gone on TV and suggested it was a Republican who did the leaking, since the info was so close to what was discussed by the Republicanns last week.

[FlaSoxxJim]

There is at least a rumor going around that these prisons were discussed at a GOP meeting last week, and at least 1 GOP Senator (Lott) may have gone on TV and suggested it was a Republican who did the leaking, since the info was so close to what was discussed by the Republicanns last week.

 

Bill Frist: Uhmm. . . about that investigation. . . nevermind?

[KipWellsFan]

CNN's Ed Henry: "Trent Lott stunned reporters by declaring that this subject was actualy discussed at a Senate Republican luncheon, Republican senators only, last tuesday the day before the story ran in the Washington Post. Lott noted that Vice President Cheney was also in the room for that discussion and Lott said point blank "a lot of it came out of that room last tuesday, pointing to the room where the lunch was held in the capitol." He added of senators "we can't keep our mouths shut." He added about the vice president, "He was up here last wek and talked up here in that room right there in a roomful of nothing but senators and every word that was said in there went right to the newspaper." He said he believes when all is said and done it may wind up as an ethics investigation of a Republican senator, maybe a Republican staffer as well. Senator Frist's office not commenting on this development. The Washington Post not commenting either."

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Senator_tell...lican_1108.html

full story at link

 

wtf

[FlaSoxxJim]

The words that will haunt Frist if it turns out he just demanded an investigation of GOP Senators:

 

As you know, if accurate, such an egregious disclosure could have long-term and far-reaching damaging and dangerous consequences, and will imperil our efforts to protect the American people and our homeland from terrorist attacks.

 

Well done, Bill.

Edited November 8, 2005 by FlaSoxxJim

[KipWellsFan]

Strange turn this story has taken.

 

Here's the video of Ed Henry's report on Lott

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/11/08/leak-lott/

[KipWellsFan]

Senate leader Frist signs letter on investigation into CIA jail story after saying he didn't

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has signed a letter calling for an investigation into who leaked information about secret CIA prisons to the Washington Post, after earlier denying that he has signed it, CNN reported Tuesday evening.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Senate_leade...er_on_1108.html

full story at link

 

[Balta1701]

Senate Majority Leader Frist telling reporters he has not officially signed the letter that he and Hastert drafted earlier today...

CNN

 

CNN a few days ago:

 

S. O'BRIEN: There was a report last week in the "Washington Post" that talked about these secret prisons in Europe.

 

MCCAIN: Yes.

 

S. O'BRIEN: Are you aware of these prisons?

 

MCCAIN: No.

 

S. O'BRIEN: Not at all?

 

MCCAIN: I did not know anything about it.

 

S. O'BRIEN: Which means what, then? I mean if other senators -- are you going to start hearings on this? Obviously you would like to be aware, yes?

 

MCCAIN: Well, I think the Intelligence Committee chairman and ranking member were told -- at least that's the media reports that I have -- but I think the American people ought to know if we're doing that kind of thing.

[Balta1701]

Senate leader Frist signs letter on investigation into CIA jail story after saying he didn't

 

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Senate_leade...er_on_1108.html

full story at link

 

I love it when stories move faster than my internet connection.

[KipWellsFan]

I love it when stories move faster than my internet connection.

 

Yet powerlineblog.com has yet to mention anything on Lott. They're slow as hell, are there any good conservative blogs?

Edited November 8, 2005 by KipWellsFan

[Balta1701]

Yet powerlineblog.com has yet to mention anything on Lott.  They're slow as hell, are there are any good conservative blogs?

But they're Time Magazine's Blog of the Year! They must be quality.

 

I think it depends on your definition of "good". If your definition of "Good" is "to at least mention things that don't always look good for your party"...I don't know about any major ones.

[KipWellsFan]

CIA Moves Toward Probe of Prisons Story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051109/ap_on_...ngress_media_12

[Balta1701]

WaPo

The chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence told Senate leaders yesterday that Congress should hold off on a probe of the disclosure of classified information on secret prisons to The Washington Post until the Justice Department completes its own inquiry.

 

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) said he will "respectfully" request that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) back off a strongly worded request that a bicameral investigation into the disclosure be convened immediately. Frist spokeswoman Amy Call said the majority leader had not decided how to respond. "He always takes what his chairmen say into consideration," she said.