“People Should Go To Jail If It’s True”
Greg Campbell, Political Analyst, TPNN — Tempers are flaring in Washington as one branch of government appears irate with another. Amidst allegations that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been spying on Congressional staffers, a spat between the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch appears to be brewing.California Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein is leading the charge as she ranted on Tuesday about the 2010 removal of documents from secure machines used by Senate Intelligence Committee staff.
“On two occasions, CIA personnel electronically removed committee access to CIA documents after providing them to the committee,” Sen. Feinstein said on the Senate floor. “This was done without the knowledge or approval of committee members and staff and in violation of our written agreements.”
The Senate Intelligence Committee have long bumped heads over the CIA’s programs dedicated to detaining and interrogating potential terrorism suspects. The Committee has obtained a report on the detention and interrogation programs called the “Panetta Review” after then-CIA Director Leon Panetta.
Sen. Feinstein alleges that the CIA searched intelligence committee computers to try and find out where the committee received the Panetta Review. Sen. Feinstein maintains that the committee received the report through legitimate means and that the CIA never even asked where they got the report before they began searching.
“I have asked for an apology and a recognition that this CIA search of computers… was inappropriate,” she said. “I have received neither.”
The alleged breach might have grander implications as if true, this would mean that an agency of the executive branch violated the security of a separate branch.
“Based on what Director [John] Brennan has informed us, I have grave concerns that the CIA search may well have violated the separation of powers principles embodied in the United States Constitution including the Speech and Debate clause,” Sen. Feinstein stated. “It may have undermined the constitutional framework essential to effective congressional oversight of intelligence activities or any other government function.”
CIA Director John Brennan clearly refuted the claim by saying, “Nothing can be further the truth, we wouldn’t do that.”
Last week, Brennan stated,
“I am very confident that the appropriate authorities reviewing this matter will determine where wrongdoing, if any, occurred in either the executive branch or legislative branch,” Brennan said in a statement. “Until then, I would encourage others to refrain from outbursts that do a disservice to the important relationship that needs to be maintained between intelligence officials and Congressional overseers.”
Though some legislators have jumped into the fight, condemning the CIA’s alleged actions, the White House worked to remain neutral on the potentially-explosive issue. White House Spokesman Jay Carney stated that President Obama support the committee’s investigation, but noted that the issue is under review by the inspector general’s office and stated that he would not be commenting on the issue, saying, “I’m not going to get into the specifics about allegations.”
If true, this is yet another scandal that will plague the Obama Administration. Already, they must answer for NSA abuses and IRS targetings of political groups. Adding a CIA scandal into the mix would further tarnish the already-damaged reputation of the Obama Administration that seems to operate with little consideration of executive authority.
Legislators largely jumped to defend Sen. Feinstein’s accusation. South Carolina moderate Republican Lindsey Graham stated, “Heads should roll, people should go to jail if it’s true. If it is, the legislative branch should declare war on the CIA.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid praised Sen. Feinstein’s move as a defense of “one of the most important principles that we must maintain and that is the separation of powers.”
Of course, Sen. Reid has been highly supportive of President Obama’s actions when the President has unilaterally altered passed legislation by waiving Obamacare requirements to suit his political agenda- a clear violation of the aforementioned separation of powers. » Full Article
About The Post Author, Greg Campbell
A former contributor for The Oregon Commentator, a conservative journal of opinion, Greg is the Chief Political Analyst and Correspondent for The Tea Party News Network and a regular contributor for RightWing News. Greg is an unapologetic defender of Constitutional principles and the free-market system. His area of expertise is firearm and Second Amendment-related issues. He lives in Nevada with his wife, Heather, and enjoys writing, marksmanship and the outdoors.» Greg Campbell | Article Archive
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