Murray Waas: Justice Department Probe Foiled (by Higher-ups)

[RedEarth]

Justice Department Probe Foiled
By Shane Harris and Murray Waas, National Journal
© National Journal Group Inc.
Thursday, May 25, 2006

An internal Justice Department inquiry into whether department officials -- including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft -- acted properly in approving and overseeing the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program was stymied because investigators were denied security clearances to do their work. The investigators, however, were only seeking information and documents relating to the National Security Agency's surveillance program that were already in the Justice Department's possession, two senior government officials said in interviews

.......

The only classified information that OPR investigators were seeking about the NSA's eavesdropping program was what had already been given to Ashcroft, Gonzales and other department attorneys in their original approval and advice on the program, the two senior government officials said. And, by nature, OPR's request was limited to documents such as internal Justice Department communications and legal opinions, and didn't extend to secrets that are the sole domain of other agencies, the two officials said.

It is not clear who denied the OPR investigators the necessary security clearances, but Gonzales has reiterated in recent days that sharing too many details about the surveillance program could diminish its usefulness in locating terrorists, and he indicated that giving OPR investigators access to the program could jeopardize it.

....

Michael Shaheen, who headed the OPR from its inception until 1997, said that his staff "never, ever was denied a clearance," and that OPR had conducted numerous investigations involving the activities of attorneys general. "No attorney general has ever said no to me," Shaheen said. He added that, over the past several years, the OPR's muscle has degraded, in part because it was stripped of its authority to pursue criminal investigations. But under the Bush administration, the weakening has been especially pronounced, Shaheen said. "I just think that the White House has so frightened everybody.... If I were still at OPR and was told I couldn't have security clearances, the first word out of my mouth ... would have been, 'Balderdash!' "

http://news.nationaljournal.com/articles/0525nj2.htm

[KoKo]

1. Well....the next step is for the House to pass a Resolution... but will

they be able to. Will our Dems stand together? Will any Repugs do the right thing and crossover and vote for a resolution.

Our Progressive Caucus Dems have tried and tried. Yet, it seems Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer don't get out and front and support them. Whatever it takes...standing on the Capitol Steps with Protest signs or shutting down the house by walking out. They just seen to want everyone to get along...nothing happens. And the Progressives get no coverage or support except out here on the internets...