At Least One Member of Congress Saw That NSA Oversight Memo

[ProSense]

At Least One Member of Congress Saw That NSA Oversight Memo

Allie Jones and Philip Bump

The office of Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, confirmed to The Atlantic Wire that the Congressman saw the NSA memo on the agency's privacy violations before the Washington Post reported on it on Thursday. That admission prompts new questions about the extent to which Congress was informed of the NSA's activity and errors, and the extent to which Congress paid attention when the NSA outlined its mistakes.

One of the more telling aspects of the Washington Post's report on that memo outlining violations of rules on collecting data on Americans was that Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Post reporter Barton Gellman that she hadn't seen it. Released in May of 2012, the memo aggregates the volume and causes of incidents in which the NSA had inappropriately collected data on American citizens during the preceding 12 months, which it did 2,776 times. Later that year, Congress voted to reauthorize the measures that were being violated.

The Atlantic Wire reached out to the five ranking minority and majority members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. Our question was simple: had the member of Congress seen the document prior to it being reported by the Post? Some — like Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ron Wyden — wouldn't answer either way. Others haven't yet responded. The office of Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, reached by phone, seemed a bit overwhelmed, saying that it didn't have an answer. Rep. Mike Thompson of California sent us an unrelated statement. Rep. Jim Langevin of Rhode Island wouldn't "confirm either way."

Over email, Kelsey Knight, communications director for Chairman Mike Rogers of Michigan, answered simply, "yes," he had seen it. She then offered more detail.

The Committee did receive the report prior to its publication in the Post. The Committee is regularly informed on NSA's use of its authorities, to include reporting on unintentional and technical errors, such as the ones detailed in the report.

- more -

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/08/least-one-member-congress-saw-nsa-memo-post-reported-it/68429/

Seriously, what the hell is going on in Congress?

On the NSA, this is what happens when reports conflate the Bush and Obama administrations.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023471576

The intelligence committees, not the Obama admin, withheld information from members of Congress
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023454617

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[Rex]

2. 'Seriously, what the hell is going on in Congress?'

Seriously? You have to ask? They are a bunch of dead beats. Working would be really challenging for some of them. Showing up to vote seems to be a real chore for some of them too.

Maybe we should make the primary requisite for being a member of Congress, is to pay attention.

[DevonRex]

7. +1. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Looks like their Plausible Deniability isn't very plausible.

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[Andy823]

5. Great post!

I think this pretty much says it all! Thanks for posting it.

[Andy823]

4. Nothing is going on in congress!

It's the same old BS, they all seem to be covering their own ass over this, and instead of doing something about the problems, they simply ignore them. Of course when the shit hits the fan, they no nothing!

I keep saying it over and over, congress is the problem, and until we can get rid of those who are NOT working for the people of this country, but instead work for whoever hands ouf the most money, nothing will change. This goes for both sides of the isle!

[Scurrilous]

6. K & R

[DevonRex]

8. They won't even give a straight answer to a simple question. WTF?

I'm beginning to smell a rat. (Gee, whuddathunkit?)