WASHINGTON (Reuters) â The CIA withheld information from Congress about a secret counterterrorism program on orders from former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, a U.S. senator said on Sunday amid calls for an investigation. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein told "Fox News Sunday" that CIA Director Leon Panetta disclosed Cheney's involvement when he briefed members of Congress two weeks ago. She said Panetta told them he had canceled the program. President Barack Obama appointed Panetta to head the agency early this year. The still-secret program, which The New York Times said never became operational, began after the September 11 attacks on the United States. News of Cheney's involvement, reported by the Times on Sunday, prompted an outpouring of criticism by Obama's fellow Democrats and support by rival Republicans in Congress. Feinstein, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said: "Director Panetta did brief us two weeks ago -- I believe it was on the 24th of June ... and, as had been reported, did tell us that he was told that the vice president had ordered that the program not be briefed to the Congress." Asked if the matter should be investigated, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin said, "Absolutely." "The executive branch of government cannot create programs like these programs and keep Congress in the dark. There is a requirement for disclosure," said Durbin said on ABC's "This Week." "It has to be done in an appropriate way so it doesn't jeopardize our national security, but to have a massive program that is concealed from the leaders in Congress is not only inappropriate; it could be illegal," he said. Feinstein and Democrat Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, insisted no one should go outside the law. Asked about Cheney's involvement, Leahy told CBS's "Face the Nation": "I'd like to know if it's true or not. I mean, nobody in this country is above the law ... You can't have somebody say, well, if you're vice president, you don't have to obey the law." Feinstein said Congress "should have been told" about the secret problem and that the vice president shouldn't be above the law. "This is a big problem, because the law is very clear. And I understand the need of the day, which was when America was in shock" after September 11, she said on Fox. "But ... I think you weaken your case when you go outside of the law." http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090712/pl_nm/us_security_usa_cheney_5 "Subsequent CIA directors did not inform Congress because the intelligence-gathering effort had not developed to the point that they believed merited a congressional briefing, said a former intelligence official and another government official familiar with Panetta's June 24 briefing to the House and Senate Intelligence committees."
Message to the Dems in congress...FIX THE FUCKING ECONOMY. Can these assholes do anything beyond blowing hot air around?
Fast forward to 3.38...... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rL9ihXiFAko&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rL9ihXiFAko&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
You don't even have a clue what the "Cap & Trade" Bill that came out of the House is about in the first place . . . You call it a tax, but you have ZERO clue as usual. Do you ever post anything of substance here on ET, or is it ALL BS ALL THE TIME?
Eye catching headline, but if you read up on this, you see that it's not what it appears. The CIA had a basic plan based on a "finding". It never got close to being implemented. But it brings up a good question: When is the CIA "obligated" to inform the Congress? In other words, when does the law kick in. I'm not so sure the White House will see this in a way the msm and liberals will like.
They are still trying to cover up for when Pelosi said the CIA lied to her about waterboarding. This story has nothing to do with waterboarding so we have a nice little bait and switch going on.