It's Just Beginning To Don On Our Congress Critters That Bush Has Violated The Law & Constitution

Lawmaker Tells Lawyer's Group Bush Wiretapping Program Illegal

My only question for Harman and the Democrats is why they didn't step up to the plate on these issues before. Why were they not taking every opportunity to speak out and noisily oppose everything in Bush's illegal methods? Although I welcome the review and condemnation of Bush's bad behaviors, it seems to me that Harman and the entire Democrat contingency in congress are co-conspirators and collaborators with the illegal actions of this administration.

Rep. Jane Harman, ranking Democrat on the US House Intelligence Committee and initially a supporter of the Patriot Act and President Bush's domestic surveillance program, told a gathering of the American Bar Association Friday that "the program continues in violation of the law." While in January she called the program "essential to US national security," Harman said in her latest speech "I want the intelligence community to intercept the communications of terrorists. But it is not exempt from following the law and the Constitution." She also said the current administration was skirting legal guidelines in its operation of the wiretapping program. The San Francisco Chronicle has more.

It seems to me that Harman is employing a bit of flip-flop support for Bush. Now that Bush and the GOP are on the ropes, she is willing to speak up and oppose these activities. But where was she on 9-12-2001? Where was she on issues regarding the unconstitutional provisions of the USA Patriot Act? Where was her voice when Bush, et al, were touting the necessity of these warrantless spying programs?

In April, Harman voted against the 2007 Intelligence Authorization Bill that would have set the wiretaps on a sounder legal footing, declaring in a statement then:

I voted ‘no’ on an Intelligence Authorization bill to send the strong signal that I oppose the legal rationale offered by the Bush Administration for the NSA domestic surveillance program. I support the capability to track Al Qaeda terrorists and monitor their communications. But all electronic surveillance must comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Fourth Amendment.

If I were in harman's role, I would have been on the steps of the Capital everyday protesting in a loud voice how illegal and unconstitutional Bush's programs are... instead of waiting for an opportunity to rub it in the GOP's face once power was restored to the Dems. Again, I support the criticism and condemnation, but it seems to me that it is long overdue.

Late last year, President Bush admitted that the NSA was monitoring telephone calls and e-mails of individuals suspected of being involved with the al Qaeda terrorist network if one of the individuals was communicating from outside the US.

But the full extent and nature of the programs he admitted to remains unknown, and the number of programs remains undisclosed.... and AG Gonzalez has hinted before congress that those programs that have been disclosed are but the tip of the iceberg.