bobbyw24
10-14-2009, 05:32 AM
Feingold sees similarities between Bush and Obama on intelligence sharing
By Susan Crabtree - 10/13/09 08:00 PM ET
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) voiced his suspicion that the Obama administration is stonewalling on intelligence.
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) voiced his suspicion that the Obama administration is continuing some of the stonewalling practices of the George W. Bush administration when it comes to providing full intelligence briefings to the relevant committees in Congress.
Feingold quizzed the incoming deputy director of national intelligence (DNI) during his confirmation hearing Tuesday as to his interpretation of who should receive intelligence briefings in Congress.
Feingold asked whether David Gompert, the nominee for the position, believed that the section of the law requiring intelligence officials to brief Congress on covert activity requires those briefings to be exclusive to the Gang of Eight rather than the entire Intelligence panels.
“It neither mandates it nor precludes it,” Gompert responded, adding that he had discussed the issue with his lawyers at DNI after a meeting with Feingold last week.
“I think that’s not a reasonable [interpretation],” Feingold quickly retorted.
He then asked whether Gompert believed the real question about how much Congress should be
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/62959-feingold-sees-similarities-in-bush-and-obama-on-intel
By Susan Crabtree - 10/13/09 08:00 PM ET
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) voiced his suspicion that the Obama administration is stonewalling on intelligence.
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) voiced his suspicion that the Obama administration is continuing some of the stonewalling practices of the George W. Bush administration when it comes to providing full intelligence briefings to the relevant committees in Congress.
Feingold quizzed the incoming deputy director of national intelligence (DNI) during his confirmation hearing Tuesday as to his interpretation of who should receive intelligence briefings in Congress.
Feingold asked whether David Gompert, the nominee for the position, believed that the section of the law requiring intelligence officials to brief Congress on covert activity requires those briefings to be exclusive to the Gang of Eight rather than the entire Intelligence panels.
“It neither mandates it nor precludes it,” Gompert responded, adding that he had discussed the issue with his lawyers at DNI after a meeting with Feingold last week.
“I think that’s not a reasonable [interpretation],” Feingold quickly retorted.
He then asked whether Gompert believed the real question about how much Congress should be
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/62959-feingold-sees-similarities-in-bush-and-obama-on-intel