Who’s watching the watchers?
A bill backed by a bipartisan group of
congressman would require the House intelligence panel to share oversight with
the judiciary and other committees.
A bill backed by a bipartisan group of congressman would require the House intelligence panel to share oversight with the judiciary and other committees.
It would amend rule 10 of the House of Representatives’ regulations — the rule that deals with oversight committee jurisdiction — effectively compelling the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to grant requests from other committee chairmen for documents or briefings related to intelligence activities that impinge on their jurisdiction.
The context for this is the standard Congressional hobby of approving acts contradicted by law — in retrospect — and grandfathering in the violations.
In both chambers of Congress, bills to give a legislative basis to the NSA program and other surveillance initiatives undertaken as part of the administration’s declared war on terror have been referred primarily to the Judiciary Committee. But it is the intelligence committees and their staffs that have been briefed on the programs.
So, are Constitutional checks and balances in play, here? Do they continue to be corrupted by cowards?
We're witnessing an ever-diminishing circle of politicians assigning themselves the right to administer the laws of the land.
Posted: Thu - August 3, 2006 at 06:49 AM