EXCLUSIVE: Former Sen. Intel Chair Reports White House Misled About Wiretap Briefings
EXCLUSIVE: Former Sen. Intel Chair Reports White House Misled About Wiretap Briefings
One of the long-standing deceptions involved with the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program is the White House claim that they fully briefed Congress prior to conducting these activities.
After the domestic surveillance program was revealed in 2005, former Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Bob Graham (D-FL) said that White House briefings that he attended in the Vice President’s office failed to disclose that the administration was spying on Americans:
There was no reference made to the fact that we were going to…begin unwarranted, illegal — and I think unconstitutional — eavesdropping on American citizens.
Shortly thereafter, Cheney fired back at Graham, arguing, “Well that’s not true. [Graham] knew.” The White House accused him of “misremembering the briefings.”
In a recent interview with ThinkProgress, Sen. Graham told us that, after the controversy erupted in late 2005, the White House provided him with dates when they alleged Graham had been briefed. Graham said he consulted his famous spiral bound notebooks and determined he had not been briefed on these dates:
When I got those dates, I went back to my notebooks and checked and found that on most of the dates there were no meetings held. In fact, in several of them, I wasn’t in Washington when the meetings were supposed to have taken place. So I stand by what I said.
Listen to it:
Graham said the White House ultimately acknowledged “we had the wrong dates.” But the deception didn’t end there.
After our interview with Graham, the AP reported a four-page memo authored by then-Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte which claimed to assert dates on which members of Congress were briefed about the “Terrorist Surveillance Program.” The document alleged that Graham was briefed on four dates: October 25, 2001; November 14, 2001; April 10, 2002; and July 8, 2002.
ThinkProgress went back to Graham and asked if he could verify that he was briefed on those dates. Graham said that on two of the dates (10/25/01 and 4/10/02), there were no meetings. On two others (11/14/01 and 7/8/02), he did attend White House meetings, but he stands by his earlier statements that he was never informed about domestic surveillance.
Graham wryly noted, “The White House needs to hire itself an archivist.” His revelations should raise greater concerns about the information the White House has released claiming that members of Congress were fully briefed on the wiretapping program.
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Who’s going to write the letter this time?
September 8th, 2007 at 10:15 amBin Ladens full speak WOW MAN ITS GREAT YEE HAAA
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/ i/ msnbc/ sections/ news/ 070907_bin_laden_transcript.pdf
September 8th, 2007 at 10:15 amI think Graham is still misremembering the briefings. When Ronald Reagan had this kind of Alzheimers, you guys went ballistic . . .
September 8th, 2007 at 10:16 am3 minute Bin Laden Video
You have to admire this guy he speaks more truth than Bush could in a million years, The video actually praises some American things
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f54_1189196761
Bin Laden approval ratings up 50%
Bush Approval ratings down to -500 points
ha ha ha ha ha ha
September 8th, 2007 at 10:16 amI think Graham is still misremembering the briefings.
Comment by Jake D. — September 8, 2007 @ 10:16 am
Jake embarks on another daily struggle, swimming against the tide of reality to maintain faith in his almighty leader.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:19 amUS judge fines Iran for 1983 attack
Its about time the rest of the world received money from the US for bombing the shit out of 42 countries then , killing tens of millions
heres a list of what america has unleashed in this world
http://www.robert-fisk.com/robert_elias_25sept2001.htm
September 8th, 2007 at 10:19 amFor the record, I don’t have to “admire” the person who ordered 9/11. Where’s Ringo when you need him?
September 8th, 2007 at 10:20 amJake D - do you think we should never forget the tragic events of 912
September 8th, 2007 at 10:21 amFor the record, I have never forgotten Caribbean Flight 912, lost on November 3, 1978 over the deadly Bermuda Triangle.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:26 amhttp://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ List_of_Bermuda_Triangle_incidents
September 8th, 2007 at 10:26 amThe only thing that shocks me about this is that Graham actually disputed the administration. Well, that and the fact that he actually spoke with TP!
September 8th, 2007 at 10:27 amwhat do you all think of Bin Ladens new speech
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/ i/ msnbc/ sections/ news/ 070907_bin_laden_transcript.pdf
I think he says more truths in 20 minutes than Bush has told in his entire life,,,,,,,,,,,,, FANTASTIC SPEACH AND NO THREATS JUST HOME TRUTHS AND COMMON SENSE
September 8th, 2007 at 10:29 amShouldn’t you people be out “admiring” serial killers, terrorists and abortionists?
September 8th, 2007 at 10:29 amthats it, im writin a letter!!!!
September 8th, 2007 at 10:31 amgreat moments in troll history:
“Anyone NOT on the “Ignore List†wants to discuss the specifics of how an OB/GYN can examine the hymen on females, or any other possible options, let me know.
Comment by Jake — April 13, 2007 @ 11:05 pmâ€
September 8th, 2007 at 10:32 am“I think…”
jake
nobody cares what you think jake. Everybody KNOWS you’re a liar and plagairst of the worst kind. Why didn’t you pipe up on the jean shit thread yesterday? was it because she’s a plagairist too?
September 8th, 2007 at 10:33 amBin Ladens new speech is a masterpiece , order me 10 copies of his book
September 8th, 2007 at 10:33 amGood one, Leaky Leahy : )
September 8th, 2007 at 10:34 amFor the record, my April 13, 2007 comment (how an OB/GYN can examine the hymen on females, or any other possible options to determine “virginity”) was indeed relevant to that thread about abstinence funding. If anyone NOT on the “Ignore List†wants to discuss that topic, or this topic, let me know.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:37 amShouldn’t you people be out “admiring†serial killers, terrorists and abortionists?
Comment by Jake D
that’s your dept scumbag, you’re the bush admirer. Bush is responslbe for the military and civilian deaths in Iraq, he has terrorised the US for 7 years, and abortion rates have risen every year he’s been in office. I suppose that “for the record” you’re going to claim that you’re a doctor now and refute the abortion claim.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:38 amOh, good, the Fake Jakes have arrived. Keep up the good work!!!
September 8th, 2007 at 10:38 amI think Graham is still misremembering the briefings. When Ronald Reagan had this kind of Alzheimers, you guys went ballistic . . .
Comment by Jake D. — September 8, 2007 @ 10:16 am
From the man who cant keep his own age straight, and doesn’t know the difference between basketball and football.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:38 ammaybe if “relevant” is a synonym for “creepy”
September 8th, 2007 at 10:39 ami can ignore everything…except my colostomy bag!
September 8th, 2007 at 10:40 amFor the record, I have always stated I am 75-years old and never played basketball (that was a Fake Jake).
September 8th, 2007 at 10:40 amCue the Fake Jakes . . .
September 8th, 2007 at 10:40 am…& YES i am a Catholic Baptist!
September 8th, 2007 at 10:41 amits an exclusive sect.
look it up, libtards!
Dude you and the rest of us have been mislead since day one. The only thing is that WE figured this lunatic out before the 2004 election. The only thing is we weren’t fast enough to stop the thief. Now the question to you is what are YOU going to do about it. Nothing, but find a way to blame a democrat. I can’t wait till people like you and those that think like you becomes irrelevant in society.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:44 amWhat I would like to know is why is Graham the only Senator speaking out about this? Where are the other Democratic Senators. Why are they not backing up what Graham has to say. As a matter of fact, why aren’t they telling us what they were and were not briefed on? To hell with “national security” or whatever excuse they use for not being able to speak out about what they learn in White House briefings. We all know they were and are spying on us, so why don’t the Democrats speak up now about what they knew and when they knew it.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:44 am‘For the record, I have always stated I am 75-years old
Jake
Yes you have, for quite a while now. In the real world, people have a birthday every year, which means that they get older. For instance, at some point someone who is really 75 would turn 76. It’s not like it is on tv where the gang from “saved by the bell” stayed 15 for 7 years. just sayin…
September 8th, 2007 at 10:45 ami think a certain creepy old troll is jealous the mr. graham went to harvard law school and became a governor and a senator, while he is a troll on a web site.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:46 amme too!
September 8th, 2007 at 10:48 ammaybe this time i can make a puppy!
What I would like to know is why is Graham the only Senator speaking out about this?
Bilbobaggins
Good question. even if they can’t won’t say what they were briefed on, they can talk about what they weren’t briefed on. right?
September 8th, 2007 at 10:48 amFor the record, my birthday is December 9th.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:49 am“…why don’t the Democrats speak up now about what they knew and when they knew it.”
Comment by bilbogaggins — September 8, 2007 @ 10:44 am
I agree, and I’m really disappointed in Jay Rockefeller. I used to have a lot of respect for him. Now, not so much.
And, “for the record”, I have always stated that Jake is a lying sack’o’shite.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:50 amFor the record, my birthday is December 9th.
Comment by Jake D.
Be sure to write that down. maybe put it on a postit note and stick it to your moniter, they’ll be a quiz later. moron.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:52 am“…why don’t the Democrats speak up now about what they knew and when they knew it.â€
Comment by bilbogaggins — September 8, 2007 @ 10:44 am
I agree, and I’m really disappointed in Jay Rockefeller. I used to have a lot of respect for him. Now, not so much.
Comment by Jane E. Schneider ”
I second the motion. This is why Congress’s poll numbers are so low. There are things they could, and should, be doing and they aren’t. There is no good reason why the dems have not stood up to bush so that leaves us to comtemplate the bad reasons why they haven’t.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:55 amEven the Senators from the State that gave Bush the presidency 2000 are throwing this lying bunch of AWOL/Deferment Cowards under the bus.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:57 amCan you hear the THUMP THUMP THUMP of the wheels on the bus?
mommy, why are you sucking dog’s cum out of grandpa’s butthole?
Comment by Jake D.
This is the person who expects us to believe that he is a Stanford Law School graduate and that passed the California Bar.
I’m not buying it.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:57 amThis is the person who expects us to believe that he is a Stanford Law School graduate and that passed the California Bar.
I’m not buying it.
Comment by bilbogaggins
I was thinking that it was a namejacker, or namejaker in this case.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:01 amYes, but will Pelosi and Reid allow impeachment of Bush and Cheney? Nope, they would rather see the Democratic party go down in flames in 2008 election.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:02 amOh, crap, Jake is a Sagittarius, like me–ewww!
“There is no good reason why the dems have not stood up to bush so that leaves us to comtemplate the bad reasons why they haven’t.”
Comment by bobwurst — September 8, 2007 @ 10:55 am
One of them being that they might actually be afraid of being tagged with the “soft on terror/defense” bullshite, which is a ‘crapman’ (a strawman stuck together with crap.)
September 8th, 2007 at 11:04 amre #42
but why? from a political point of view as well as a moral point of view, holding the administration, all of it accountable is the right thing to do. So why aren’t the dems doing that?
September 8th, 2007 at 11:05 amI was thinking that it was a namejacker, or namejaker in this case.
Comment by bobwurst
Why, he has made similar hateful and inane comments in the past. Everything he posts screams of someone with the mentality of a 12 year old.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:15 amre #43
If you’re right about their cowardess, we need to elect better people. period.
And I wouldn’t stress tooo much about the birthday, that day is probably made up too. It’s kind of funny though, isn’t that the day that bush one thought pearl harbor day was way back when he was running for pres in 88? If so, there’s a kind of cosmic hilarity to fakejakes random choice.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:16 amHi I’m Jake D… I have no brains and I love being a jack ass… that stink you smell - tha’s me filling your forum with mindless crap… my real name is Dick Cheeny - See how much I hate myself? That’s why I hang out with people I can throw crap bombs at…
GET LOST MORON!!!!
September 8th, 2007 at 11:18 am“Why, he [jake] has made similar hateful and inane comments in the past. Everything he posts screams of someone with the mentality of a 12 year old.
Comment by bilbogaggins”
Yeah, but usually it’s directed at someone else, this line of infantile drivel is directed at his mom, for the most part. It’s possible that jake is trying to play the sympathy card here, or he’s laying out a layer of crap that is so wide and deep that he can hide in it, but I’d rather not give him the credit for being so clever, in a childish, devious way.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:20 amTut-tut, Shayne’s getting her name hijacked again. Only cowards need to hide behind someone else’s name. And WTF is this troll obsession with Shayne and Zooey?
September 8th, 2007 at 11:20 am“i think a certain creepy old troll is jealous the mr. graham went to harvard law school and became a governor and a senator, while he is a troll on a web site.”
Well, to be fair — not sure why I should attempt it — if GWB has shown us anything it is that ANYONE, and I mean ANYONE, can grow up and go to an Ivy League school and eventually buy I mean become president of the USA.
Oh, wait …
Make that “anyone RICH enough.”
September 8th, 2007 at 11:21 amJane, it’s Mr P who makes a great argument for registration
September 8th, 2007 at 11:22 am“And WTF is this troll obsession with Shayne and Zooey?”
post-mastubatory rage at not being able to talk to a girl in person?
September 8th, 2007 at 11:23 amI’m the most immature adult of them all.
You’re right, P, you are
September 8th, 2007 at 11:24 amI appreciate you admitting that
Back to the main topic: It’s not “misled”, it’s LIED. Also, the White House’s assertion that it was sufficient to brief only a selected few people is completely bogus. They have the legal obligation to brief Congress about their intelligence activities; ALL OF THEM.
It’s not as if members of congress have low security clearance. The idea that members of congress are somehow the enemy is pretty anti-democratic, since congress are the official representatives of the People, the same People who give the President his legitimacy. By shutting out the representatives of the People from the work of the Government, Bush is essentially saying “Screw You” to the entire American people, including Jake here…
September 8th, 2007 at 11:25 am#54 Jane, it’s brain envy. Shayne and Zooey have one each. Trolls, not so much.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:25 amDon’t overestimate me. I actually have Benoit’s brain.
Comment by shayne — September 8, 2007 @ 11:28 am
Well, maybe you’d better give it back, it doesn’t seem to be working properly.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:39 amAll things troll aside, congress should investigate the supposed briefings by the white house, and ask all those supposedly briefed exactly when it happened and generally what was covered. THey could ignore all those who ‘can’t remember’ and focus on those with good memories and/or records like Graham’s. It could then be determined to what extent the white house lied about the briefings and failed to meet its constitutional obligations. It’s worth doing for the record even if it never leads to impeachment etc. Sorry to interrupt…
September 8th, 2007 at 11:46 amUh, Bob:
The White House lies about virtually everything.
You got that, right?
It’s OK to just say so.
September 8th, 2007 at 12:13 pmGoddamn–two of my posts were deleted here, too, even the ‘on-topic’ one! Yet the trolls’ are still there!
What’s going on, TP?
September 8th, 2007 at 12:24 pmBTW, hi, ace!
September 8th, 2007 at 12:24 pmOnly the best can join, lefties. You’re not one of them.
(Condi for Stanford President!)
Comment by Dean CT — September 8, 2007 @ 11:33 am
it’s more than OK, it’s patriotic to point out Bushco’s failures, lies and treason. Looks like old Osama is closer to an American patriot than anybody on the Bushco teat.
September 8th, 2007 at 12:24 pmCondi for Stanford President!
Comment by Dean CT
With Rumsfeld taking a position at Stanford’s Hoover think-tank, it’ll be like a second home for Bush admin. failures. Perhaps the university’s name should be changed to War Criminal U.?
September 8th, 2007 at 12:32 pmMy on-topic comment that got deleted was a response in agreement with Govinda’s comment. Why would TP delete it? Sigh…
September 8th, 2007 at 12:37 pmHi Jane.
Censorship = standard operating procedure.
Good thing Graham’s revelation wasn’t about the government sponsor of 9/11.
He said he knows who it is.
September 8th, 2007 at 12:38 pmthanks for the clean-up, TP…
September 8th, 2007 at 12:46 pmnow, about those “lost” comments?
…
Since warrant-less wiretaps on Americans is unconstitutional, I should think anybody who heard that would stand up and take notice.
September 8th, 2007 at 12:50 pmWhen Bush admitted it the news was front page…
So the Bush gang lied. Period.
Read a little about Graham and his notebooks and you’ll understand that while you can question anyone’s memory, his (with the help of his notebooks) is the one you ought to go with. But even with a White House that routinely lies about its actions some are still toiling to show us it’s everyone else who got it wrong.
September 8th, 2007 at 12:53 pmComment by fldc — September 8, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Exactly. “Who are you going to believe, our fearless leader or Graham’s lying diaries?”
September 8th, 2007 at 1:09 pmSenator Graham, can you please stop parsing words? All of you, Dems and Repubs alike? Stop saying, “The White House misled…”, “The President was not entirely forthright about…”, “Vice President Cheney is fudging with the facts about…”, “Karl Rove is talking about…” and call a spade a frakkin’ spade?!?!?! Please?
Just once, I’d like to hear a politician, a news broadcaster other than Keith Olbermann, or a journalist in one of the countless papers across the country say, “President Bush LIED to us today about…”, “The White House continues to LIE about…”, “Vice President Cheney is lying and distorting the facts about Iraq/n…”, “Karl Rove is speaking about something other than the neocon agenda…”.
Seriously.
And Jane, yeah, I think I trust a person with OCD who records every meeting, every experience and the like in notebooks to keep on hand as a permanent record over a President who has LIED to the American people repeatedly, from the moment he began campaigning on platforms he had no intention of following through on (and in fact did the polar opposite….fiscal conservative *snort*…what a load), to whatever LIES he spewed from his flap-trap an hour ago.
September 8th, 2007 at 6:53 pmThe White House, stocked as it is with professional “I don’t remember” and “I can’t recall” un-rememberers, announcing that Graham “mis-remembers” is, as they say, “priceless”. Recently, Bush couldn’t remember why the Iraqi army had been disbanded - perhaps he never knew - and in another of today’s posts, when confronted with the news that Baghdad Sunni’s have been killed simply for the name they have, he protested, “Why, I’ve never heard of such a thing!” Either Bush “mis-remembers” himself, or those around him never tell him anything. Or, of course, he lies.
September 9th, 2007 at 2:27 am“(…fiscal conservative *snort*…what a load)…”
Comment by Moderation — September 8, 2007 @ 6:53 pm
Yeah, and ‘our army should not be used for nation-building’, rriiiiggght.
September 9th, 2007 at 2:28 amGeorge Bush lies.
Dick Cheney lies.
Ted Stevens lies.
Larry Craig lies.
Tom DeLay lies.
Alberto Gonzales lies.
David Safavian lies.
John Doolittle lies.
Tom Feeney lies.
Jack Abramoff lies.
J. Steven Griles lies.
Will Heaton lies.
Adam Kidan lies.
Bob Ney lies.
Tony Rudy lies.
Michael Scanlon lies.
Roger Stillwell lies.
Neil Volz lies.
Mark Zachares lies.
Richard Berglund lies.
Duke Cunningham lies.
Mitchell Wade lies.
Thomas Kontogiannis lies.
Kyle “Dusty” Foggo lies.
John Michael lies.
Brent Wilkes lies.
Tim Griffin lies.
Laurita Doan lies.
Bradley Schlozman lies.
But, their crimes are far worse!
September 9th, 2007 at 4:59 pmJake D, I am just curious if you post under the name “charles” at balkinization? or if you post under the name Jake007 on Volokh? you seem…. familiar.
thanks!
September 11th, 2007 at 10:34 am