Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Lawyering, Politics, Society

Reports Shows Additional Undisclosed Surveillance Programs — And Likely Unlawful Conduct by Bush Administration

225px-george-w-bushA new government report has disclosed that President Bush authorized secret surveillance activities that went beyond the previously disclosed NSA program – raising the prospect of additional unlawful conduct by the Bush Administration. At the same time, a House member has revealed that CIA Director Leon Panetta has shutdown a program that was never revealed to Congress in direct violation of federal law. I discussed these stories on this segment of MSNBC Countdown.

In a notable change, the report now describes the entire program as the “President’s Surveillance Program,” going beyond the domestic surveillance program. It also highlights the individual who is most accountable for criminal violations as well as the failure of the Obama Administration to allow investigations into unlawful surveillance or torture. As the evidence of such unlawful conduct mounts, the blocking of a criminal investigation by Attorney General Holder grows more serious as an abdication of his oath to uphold our laws.

Notably, the “usual suspects” refused to be interviewed: former CIA Director George Tenet, former Attorney General John Ashcroft, former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card; former top Cheney aide David Addington; and John Yoo, who served as a deputy assistant attorney general. Given the potential incrimination prospects, they have at least acted in deference to the criminal code even as Holder appears to ignore it.

For the full story, click here.

It was also disclosed that CIA Director Leon Panetta has terminated a “very serious” covert program kept secret from Congress for eight years. Rep. Jan Schakowsky disclosed the violation of federal law, but once again Congress is silent on holding anyone accountable.

For that Panetta story, click here

76 thoughts on “Reports Shows Additional Undisclosed Surveillance Programs — And Likely Unlawful Conduct by Bush Administration”

  1. bdaman, you posted a statement under your name without quotation marks and without attribution. You do that all the time. You paste up stuff as if you wrote it, without links or authors. We have to google the net to find the source. If you post it under your name, it is assumed by you unless you say otherwise.

    You did not post that “the minister said”.

    Do that the next time.

    Readers, use the link at your own risk.

  3. Vince Treacy I pasted, For Ghana, Obama’s visit will be a celebration of another milestone in African history as it hosts the first-ever African-American President on this presidential visit to the continent of his birth.”

    I didn’t write it, the minister did. and the link works for me

    http://www.modernghana.com/news/226379/1/history-beckons-as-prez-obama-arrives-tomorrow.html

    By the way FYI all news articles that quoted Obama being born at Queens Hospital have been switched to say Kapi’Olani. Then Kapi’olani has now taken down the letter the president sent after it was posted on there website for six months. Fightthe smears website no longer available all this in the last 48 hours.

  4. Checking the net, the only news reports that can be accessed safely are by World Nut Daily, a wholly owned subsidiary of a millionaire birther.

    So there is a question whether the statement about continent of birth was ever made.

    Even if it was, that foreign minister seems to be in no position to know.

  6. bdaman wrote “For Ghana, Obama’s visit will be a celebration of another milestone in African history as it hosts the first-ever African-American President on this presidential visit to the continent of his birth.”

    That is a lie.

    it is either a conscious false statement, or made with reckless disregard of its truth or falsity.

    There is abundant, credible evidence that is admissable in court that Obama was born in the US.

    There is nothing but rumor, hearsay, and misstatements that he was born anywhere else.

    See, for example, http://www.obamaconspiracy.org/

    As I have posted before, there is little tolerance for false charges about Obama’s birth at the Turley site.

  12. On JT’s interviews, I am always left wanting more. His oratory is the best, clearest and most forceful of all the interviewees these newsshows have. JT says it like it is, and is not afraid to pull punches or accuse standing officials of malfeasance. I only wish JT either had his own show, or somewhere we could see him have his whole say, rather than being constrained by interveiwers.

    The most egregious, frustating problem now in big politics, is anyone who has the power to do so, is absolutely utterly and explicitly refusing to prosecute obvious federal crimes; refusing to prosecute itself under these circumstances is federal crime. The proscutors have a monopoly on prosecution, citizens can only go so far as to make citizens arrests – if there was only the right to make citizen’s prosecutions as well, there wouldn’t be this bottleneck that intentionally stymies the resolution of massive criminal enterprise at the highest levels of government.
    I feel emasculated in only being able to whine about it, and beg public law enforcement officials to investigate and prosecute.

  13. Yes you did explain it well, it took me a while to catch the segment. Is there anyway you can put up a special section of your interviews on the blog so if we miss them we can just watch them here. To bad you aren’t on one that has more viewers. Why are the other networks not calling on you. Does Countdown have you under contract is this how it works?

  14. rafflaw:

    “I agree with your frustration, but the answer is the rule of law being followed, no matter who is in office.”

    ***********************

    The law is only as good as the people administering and enforcing it. Even the Soviets had a Constitution conferring individual rights. As they say in the restaurant business, we need new cooks not better menus.

  15. Surveillance goes in many directions and all of these politicians (and their minions) have engaged in multiple petty and serious financial crimes. Perhaps the states where they committed these crimes could indict them on those charges. It might be the only chance of seeing them in jail or at least convicted of felonies where they must resign their office.

    rafflaw,

    Good idea as were those of others.

    Jonathan,

    You gave a fine explanation of a very complex situation. With this level of crimes it’s difficult to know where to begin. You made everything clear. Thank you.

  17. Well Robin Head,

    Do like Billy Sol Estes of the Johnson and John Connley milk scandal of the 60’s make sure you keep detailed records and have them given to not a family friend or anyone that really knows you but someone you can trust. This person must be able to be trusted to turn over any information you have not disclosed already, the ace in the hole so to speak. This will assure you that you will live and your family will not be harassed. That is how he lived although people had mysteriously died playing golf in Austin at midnight. Two such peoples death were ruled suicide, I guess when it is a single gun shot and a thief stole the gun it can happen. You can’t have too many open cases of political nature.

    Let us not forget the poor sole in DC that that happened to during the Clinton administration. Nor cal we forget that poor young lady that was found dead in DC that had an affair with some Rep out of California. Oh yeah, his political career was ruined because of the allegations of his involvement. Her name was Chandra. Someone else was fingered later for it. The person had mental issues. OH yes another case solved once the offending congressman was out of office and no longer a threat.

  18. CIA Corruption

    What is Karl Rove’s relation with now imprisoned CIA Dusty Foggo and deceased DC madam Palfrey? Palfrey & Foggo were extorting politicians via her escort service – Sex.

    Foggo & Cheney both lived in Dallas and Karl Rove was ‘Bush’s Brain’ as both Bush’s were running for office at the time – 1993, same year Palfrey joined Foggo. At the time I myself, owner of an escort service, was asked by Houston FBI to blackmail politicians via Sex at the same time Palfrey joined Foggo. Also a madam from Alabama (Siegleman case) was imprisoned then found hanging in a federal jail cell in Brazoria County, Tx. (Tom Delay’s precinct). A madam in Dallas was given a Life sentence in Bangkok – where U.S. Sex Workers were being targeted and sent to. Madam Brandi Britton was found hanging in Maryland last year.

    Prostitution, Blackmail, and Political Corruption
    By Agents of the United States

    Sex Slavery, Forced Prostitution, Human Trafficking, extortion, blackmail―of the most egregious kind―of U.S. Citizens by the U.S. Government

    My name is Robin Head, previous owner of Playboy Escorts in Houston, Texas. I was approached by various law enforcement agency’s, FBI, ATF, etc… who wanted me to abet them in entrapping “State and political officials” having sex so they could extort, control and blackmail them, not to charge them with misdemeanor prostitution. At the same time, women at my service were being tricked and trafficked overseas to Bangkok and called me collect from a jail in Vienna.

    A madam from Alabama was found hanging in a federal jail cell in nearby Brazoria County. When I refused to abet in the extortion, I was thrown in jail, no bond, a ‘Life’ sentence filed on me, and then my son and family were harassed and attacked endlessly in some kind of gang like Mafia style.

    I went to the FBI, but it was like reporting the devil to the witch, they said they would help me but only if I would help them, again, to set up officials. They had no interest in the corruption aspect. Some very high profile names were involved, people seen on TV news commentary.

    Who are these agents with this monstrous agenda and what do they want? This is not a left/right wing thing it is a most vicious entity in this country.

    This country has become as fearful as any other 3rd world country when it comes to reporting crime to officials just exactly like in Russia, Iraq, Africa, Mexico, etc… where it is the officials that are the perpetrators of the crimes, kidnapping, ransom, drugs, and it is dangerous to report to them.

    http://fbicorruption.250free.com

    http://www.defraudingamerica.com/robin_head.html

  19. “It also highlights the individual who is most accountable for criminal violations as well as the failure of the Obama Administration to allow investigations into unlawful surveillance or torture. As the evidence of such unlawful conduct mounts, the blocking of a criminal investigation by Attorney General Holder grows more serious as an abdication of his oath to uphold our laws.”

    Yep.

    http://jonathanturley.org/2009/07/08/12598/#comment-66951

  20. Well I had the phone off until I caught our host on the rebroadcast of Countdown.

    mespo has cut to the chase and I second him.

    It is time to arise and take torch to the corruption and lies – that torch is your vote. The Promethean gift of our Founding Fathers.

    Before they try to outlaw voting or third parties all together.

    It is time to bring back justice and remove the criminals and corporate corruption from We the People’s government. There is one thing that a bad economy guarantees. There are a lot of people unhappy with the way things are being done in Washington with a lot of time on their hands.

    No more incumbents. No more lobbyists. No more GOP or DNC candidates. No more corporate criminals. It is not only our country they risk destroying. Unchecked they will destroy the world. It is perhaps the highest irony is that the most appropriate phrase at the moment seems to be an old Chinese proverb I recently used elsewhere here: the more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war. Civilians concerned with your Constitutional and civil rights, now is the time.

    Get to work. Work smart. Use form letters, templates. Make it a daily routine if you can, but try to bother them once a week minimum. Automate tasks if you have computer skills. It’s not spam when you are petitioning your legally elected representation to tell them what you want them to do for you, a citizen of their constituency.

    Call, write and e-mail your every government official that reports to you from the state level up and just start raising Hell about prosecutions over the CIA’s actions. Tell them you don’t give a damn if it leads right up to George Bush’s door, tell them you don’t if THEY get arrested, tell them if it requires the arrest of deities or demi-gods you won’t take no for an answer – you want justice for all and you want it now. Tell then that you are actively organizing to help keep them out of office next time if they impede a return to the rule of law.

    Then do it.

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