Wash Post in depth: Lawmakers say administration’s lack of candor on surveillance weakens oversight

[alp227]

Very long article, very likely front page of Thursday's Post:

Lawmakers tasked with overseeing national security policy say a pattern of misleading testimony by senior Obama administration officials has weakened Congress’s ability to rein in government surveillance.

Members of Congress say officials have either denied the existence of a broad program that collects data on millions of Americans or, more commonly, made statements that left some lawmakers with the impression that the government was conducting only narrow, targeted surveillance operations.

The most recent example came on March 12, when James R. Clapper, director of national intelligence, told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the government was not collecting information about millions of Americans. He later acknowledged that the statement was “erroneous” and apologized, citing a misunderstanding.

On three occasions since 2009, top Justice Department officials said the government’s ability to collect business records in terrorism cases is generally similar to that of law enforcement officials during a grand jury investigation. That comparison, some lawmakers now say, signaled to them that data was being gathered on a case-by-case basis, rather than the records of millions of Americans’ daily communications being vacuumed up in bulk.

In addition, two Democratic members of the Senate Intelligence Committee say that even in top-secret briefings, officials “significantly exaggerated” the effectiveness of at least one program that collected data on Americans’ e-mail usage.

The administration’s claims are being reexamined in light of disclosures by National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, reported by The Washington Post and Britain’s Guardian newspaper, of broad government surveillance of Americans’ Internet and phone use authorized under secret interpretations of law.

At least two Republican lawmakers have called for the removal of Clapper, who denied the widespread surveillance of Americans while under questioning by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and issued his apology after the surveillance programs became public two months later.

[Waiting For Everyman]

1. That's a very informative article.

The ending paragraphs:

Congress “tried to make agencies which have to operate in secret accountable nevertheless to the law,” said former vice president Walter F. Mondale, who as a senator was a member of the Church Committee, which led the efforts to overhaul the system.

Now, Mondale said, “that system has totally collapsed.” He said Clapper’s willingness to mislead the public during Senate testimony “is what happens when there’s no accountability. . . . What is the consequence of fibbing to the American people?”

Mondale's use of the word "fibbing" I think is very unfortunate, as it trivializes and sugar-coats what is actually a serious crime. As long as words like "fibbing" and "misleading" are used, I don't think we'll see any accountability.

[magellan]

2. +1 Well said. I wish it weren't true. n/t

[chimpymustgo]

3. They flat-out LIE to Congress and to us. LIES. Wake up, people.

And Mondale calling them "fibs" is a frightening tell about how much accountability Congress will demand.

[Autumn]

4. Use the correct terminology, they fucking lie. n/t

[Laelth]

5. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. No. Congress has the power to strengthen its oversight powers. I think the article is bullshit!

Congress has weakened oversight powers because Congress weakened those powers.

I'm happy to see that there are some Democrats who are finally going after the Patriot Act and the FISA court transparency. This is all within the domain of congressional powers. They need to act on them.

It's bullshit to assert that Congress has little or no authority on these matters. Congress is passing the buck where it should be much more aggressive!