A Lone G.O.P. Senator, Unknown, Holds Up an Intelligence Bill

[Judi Lynn]

A Lone G.O.P. Senator, Unknown, Holds Up an Intelligence Bill

By THOM SHANKER
Published: December 24, 2005
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 - An unidentified Republican senator has blocked the authorization bill that sets guidance for all intelligence spending, and the measure must now wait for Congress to return next month from recess, Congressional officials said Friday.

The bill, setting broad policies on intelligence matters, is one of the last items of significant business that was left hanging as lawmakers went home for the holiday recess.

The parliamentary "hold" was put on the intelligence authorization bill under Senate rules that allow a single senator acting anonymously to delay action on legislation. It appeared to be intended to block amendments dealing with the detention and treatment of captured terror suspects and with intelligence on Iraq.

The amendments were offered by the two Democratic senators from Massachusetts, Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry. The amendments include a requirement for the director of national intelligence to provide regular detailed updates about secret detention sites maintained by the United States overseas, and to account for the treatment and condition of each prisoner.
(snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/24/politics/24intel.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1135401106-f80yGyyB9qKZc4ZcqqHPxQ

[SpiralHawk]

1. This Republican will henceforth be called "The Unknown Traitor"

Unlike all the known BushCo-NeoCon traitors in the White House.

[DBoon]

3. Bush will award this Republican with a Freedom Medal

for his/her hard work in ensuring the continued eavesdroppin on American citizens, to valiantly protect our liberties

[Trevelyan]

2. Senator Kennedy mentions this hold up by the unidentified Republican

I thought it was strange that even Sen. Kennedy used the word "unidentified" and wondered how the Republicans could get away with doing this in secret.

Sen. Kennedy's site has a blog for comments and many petitions. Worth a visit, much good information:

http://www.tedkennedy.com/journal/
~The TedKennedy.com Journal
The Presidential Daily Briefs Amendment
Tue Dec 20, 05:33 PM

An unidentified Republican Senator has put a hold on the bill over objections to Kennedy’s PDB measure and two amendments related to secret detainee facilities. As a result, the entire bill has been stalled, despite the agreement from Chairman Roberts to accept Kennedy’s amendments. All the while, President Bush continues to contend that Congress had the same intelligence as he had – a claim he made 98 times in the months leading up to the 2004 campaign.....

[Up2Late]

4. It was probably Warner of Virginia

He was the last one to leave and was "A Congress of One" this morning.

Plus he's the kind of Jerk that would do this sort of thing.

[Changenow]

6. Why would only a jerk do this?

He might be just someone who realizes at long last the grave peril facing the country.

[Up2Late]

8. I did NOT say "...only a jerk (would) do this." I said THIS Jerk would.

And whoever this "Unknown Republican" is, he or she did it to stop a Democratic Amendment that would have helped improve this bad bill a little.

Don't kid yourself, this bill WILL pass, but now these Democratic amendments most likely will not.

[gratuitous]

9. I presume that it would take a certain level of jerkiness

To stop a bill that requires that the administration account for all the people its holding world-wide. And by "stop" I mean single-handedly and anonymously. That sounds like a jerk to me, but maybe five relentless years of the corrupt Bush administration has caused me to lower my standards for jerkiness.

[Canuckistanian]

5. Maybe Olympia Snowe?

She was pissed to be forced to vote for the ANWR bill....

[Changenow]

7. She has not shown a shred of political courage yet,

but there is a first time for everything.