When the shoe is on their foot, Democrats want you to look the other way and pretend it didn’t happen.
CIA Director John Brennan flatly denies his agency spied on the Senate before the Council on Foreign Relations. (VOAnews.com)
Take the case of CIA spying on the Senate. “As far as the allegations of CIA hacking into Senate computers, nothing could be further from the truth,” said CIA Director John Brennan, appearing before the Council on Foreign Relations on March 11, 2014. “I mean, that’s just beyond the scope of reason in terms of what we would do.”
Just two months earlier, at a Senate hearing, Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) said, “We are all aware of Executive Order 12333. That order prohibits CIA from engaging in domestic spying and searches of US citizens within our borders. Can you assure the Committee (Director Brennan) that the CIA does not conduct such domestic spying and searches?”
“ I can assure the Committee that the CIA follows the letter and spirit of the law in terms of what CIA’s authorities are, in terms of responsibilities to collect intelligence that will keep this country safe,” Brennan responded weakly.
“By law, the CIA is specifically prohibited from collecting intelligence concerning the domestic activities of U.S. citizens,” according to the CIA website, “With procedures approved by the attorney general (that’s comforting), the CIA is restricted in the collection of intelligence directed at U.S. citizens.”
I assume that includes members of the Senate.
On Thursday, Brennan issued what is termed an extraordinary apology to the Senate for spying on its committee. It’s his resignation that he should have issued.
“I have full confidence in John Brennan,” said President Obama during a Friday press conference Q&A. He also had confidence in HHS Director Kathleen Sebelius, IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman and VA administrator Eric Shinseki and has confidence in Attorney General Eric Holder. Where’s the leadership?
