It wouldn't surprise me if this is a trick on the part of Senator Roberts. He may have made this announcement with the intent to get the press off his back, and has no intention of following through with hearings - at least until after the 2006 elections.
Posted by Cookie Monster at February 18, 2006 01:14 PMGosh darn it you guys are sharp. Now we have to change plans AGAIN because you have already figured this one out!
Posted by jj at February 18, 2006 01:34 PMSteve, here's the latest from the AP via Yahoo:
Senator Wants Court to Oversee Spy Program
WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, breaking ranks with the president on domestic eavesdropping, says he wants a special court to oversee the program
But less than a day later, a top aide to Sen. Pat Roberts (news, bio, voting record), R-Kan., sought to clarify his position.
Roberts told The New York Times that he is concerned that the secret court established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act could not issue warrants as quickly as the monitoring program requires. But he is optimistic that the problem could be worked out.
"You don't want to have a situation where you have capability that doesn't work well with the FISA court, in terms of speed and agility and hot pursuit," Roberts said Friday.
While he didn't know how such a process would work, Roberts also said the much-discussed National Security Agency program "should come before the FISA court."
Roberts was not available on Saturday. The Senate Intelligence Committee's majority staff director, Bill Duhnke, said the Times story didn't reflected "the tenor and status" of the negotiations between Congress and the White House, as well as within Congress.
Duhnke said Roberts is looking at changes within the federal law but not necessarily involving the approval of the court.
"The senator remains open to a number of legislative and oversight options," Duhnke said Saturday. "His preference is always that the entire (intelligence) committee be briefed and involved in oversight issues. He also realizes that, as you negotiate between the branches, that isn't always possible."
Duhnke said Roberts hopes that during this negotiation process that all sides can be accommodated.
what's up with that!!!!!!
OK - This is a bit troubling... I checked out all the other news stories - and haven't seen this "update" from Bill Duhnke anywhere else. It's sorta confusing, isn't it?
a) Roberts was not available on Saturday. Really?!?!? Why not??!!!
b) The Senate Intelligence Committee's majority staff director, Bill Duhnke, said the Times story didn't reflected "the tenor and status" of the negotiations between Congress and the White House, as well as within Congress (according to whom - Roberts?? - the White House?? - or Bill Duhnke??).
Roberts needs to make himself available to answer some questions. He's not to be trusted.
Posted by leftydem at February 18, 2006 02:39 PMMeanwhile, there is rigorous self-examination going on as the justice department palpates itself ... Roberts will probably point to that, claiming that it has reassured him ... either that, or perhaps he momentarily forgot about the pix of him in his wasted youth apparently trying to sire a human/animal hybrid in a windswept Kansas barnyard that Karl Rove claims to have ...
Posted by rory shock at February 18, 2006 02:46 PMWonder what NSA spying blackmail information appeared at Roberts' doorstep this morning resulting in his chief staffer's change of heart for Mr. Roberts. Perhaps some horses head in the bed or was it that invitation to go quail hunting with Shooter that made him retract his retraction?
Isn't it conveeeeeenient that Specter proposes harsher spying oversight legislation of Bush's illegal spying and all of a sudden we learn one of his staffer's relative's received/benefitted some cushy million dollar legislative earmark. kkKarl works fast donchya think, funny how that tibit of info just happen to coincide with Specter's NSA legislative proposal that Bushco is against.
Posted by emal at February 18, 2006 03:18 PMTo think that the state of Kansas (pop. 2.8 milliom) through Sen. Roberts, home of intelligent design and Dorothy, is going to give Bu$hCo the equivalent of a get-out-of-jail-free card and enable the imperial presidency to continue spying on Americans without any challenge or meaningful oversight.
Posted by dloberk at February 18, 2006 03:27 PMI think Roberts started feeling some pressure for his rubberstamping business.
Unfortunately, he has shown us just how incredible he is with his headfake move. Puts the opponents' feet in the air every time. It is an unmatched talent, so keep your feet on the ground. I have about as much faith in Roberts launching an honest investigation on this spying issue as I do on him completing Part 2 of the SSCI investigation on Iraq's WMD program.
Posted by MisterOpus1 at February 18, 2006 07:23 PMAh yes, Kansas, that great bastion of scientific oversight.
Kansas has proven the theory of genetic discourse, while simultaneously putting to rest the non-theory of intelligent design thru its world renown scientific experiments known as "trailer parks".
Bring on the slippers, Pat.
Posted by TIKI AL at February 18, 2006 07:26 PMrigorous self-examination going on as the justice department palpates itself
is this just beating off or a circle jerk?
Posted by j swift at February 18, 2006 08:07 PMSubnormal, cow-fucking, mental defective Republican senators have been around since the begining of time, but now they control our government. How did this happen? Is it a trend or is it temporary? Should I love America or leave it?
Posted by nerdoff at February 18, 2006 10:59 PMPat Roberts is the BIGGEST F*****G OBSTRUCTIONIST in the entire United States Senate. To wit: HE is primarily responsible for BLOCKING the so-called "Phase II" investigation regarding pre-war intelligence; the second phase that was supposed to be well underway MONTHS AGO after Harry Reid forced the Senate into "closed" session to get the long Republican-stalled process moving forward.
That OLD FART should be PROMPTLY EXPELLED from the Senate and IMMEDIATELY OUSTED from public office. He is Cheney’s Chief Enforcer—DEMANDING that NO ONE dare dispute the Mighty Cabal.
He is an EMBARASSMENT to the Congress and a DISGRACE to the country.
Posted by Michele at February 19, 2006 12:51 AMWho knew little Pat Roberts was such a player?
Posted by Christopher at February 19, 2006 07:44 AMNothing, absolutely nothing, that GOP tools like Pat Roberts do should ever be taken at face value.
There is always a hidden agenda, a secret clause inserted into the legislation at midnight, a little something that undermines whatever plattitudes they may be mouthing at a particular moment.
Posted by Ba'al at February 19, 2006 11:34 AM