Former NSA Agent Offers to Testify Before Congress (1 Viewer)

[danarhea]

Russell Tice, a former NSA agent, is offering to testity before Congress on illegal acts committed by the NSA. In his letter to Congress, he states the following:

“It’s with my oath as a U.S. intelligence officer weighing heavy on my mind that I wish to report to Congress acts I believe are unlawful and unconstitutional. The freedom of the American people cannot be protected when our constitutional liberties are ignored and our nation has decayed into a police state.”

In an interview with Democracy Now!, Tice stated the following:

Well, the main reason is, you know, I'm involved with some certain aspects of the intelligence community, which are very closely held, and I believe I have seen some things that are illegal. Ultimately it's Congress's responsibility to conduct oversight in these things. I don't see it happening. Another reason is there was a certain roadblock that was sort of lifted that allowed me to do this, and I can't explain, but I will to Congress if allowed to.

Article is here.

 

[Lefty]

It's good to know that some people still have a conscience. I'm comforted knowing that some individuals care about the the law and the constitution.

 

[aps]

On Friday, Hardball had a former intelligence analyst from NSA on the show. Norah O'Donnell asked him a question, and his answer is below:

O‘DONNELL: And as a military man and as an intelligence analyst, someone who has spent time at the NSA, what do you make of the president‘s argument that he had to go around the FISA court because he needed speed and agility when it comes to fighting terrorism?

FRANCONA: Yes, this is problematic for a lot of people, both inside and outside the building there. When I worked there, it was fairly easy to get a FISA warrant to do things. In fact, you could actually start the operation and then retroactively get a FISA warrant.

So the question many of us have is what situations have changed since 9/11 that requires him to go around the FISA court? I think that‘s the question all of us want to know the answer to. I have not heard it yet.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10681568/

 

[Middleground]

So the question many of us have is what situations have changed since 9/11 that requires him to go around the FISA court? I think that‘s the question all of us want to know the answer to. I have not heard it yet.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10681568/

My best guess is that they did not want to leave a paper trail of who they were spying on. That's the only logical conclusion that I've reached so far.

 

[aps]

My best guess is that they did not want to leave a paper trail of who they were spying on. That's the only logical conclusion that I've reached so far.

Hmmmmm, I hadn't thought of that before. However, if this was as highly classified as it was, then the paper trail should not matter.