Specter calls for transcripts of CIA congressional briefings

[sabra]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter is backing up his new party in the dispute between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the CIA, following up tough comments about the agency's "bad record" on honesty with a call for official transcripts of their congressional briefings to head off future controversies.

The Pennsylvania senator sent letters Thursday to CIA Director Leon Panetta and White House Counsel Greg Craig, as well as the Intelligence Committee’s Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Silvestre Reyes, and GOP Sen. Judd Gregg and Pete Hoekstra, with remarks panning the agency's record on congressional briefing accounts.

"From my experience on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which I chaired in the 104th Congress, I found there were frequent disputes as to whether the CIA did the requisite briefings; and, if they did, whether the briefing was adequate. While those disputes did not reach the level of controversy involving Speaker Pelosi and the CIA today, they were significant," the Republican-turned-Democrat said in excerpts of the letters released by his office Thursday.

"Such controversies could be resolved by having the briefings transcribed, just as the hearings are transcribed. If the dispute involved classified materials, the transcript could be reviewed by the Chair and Ranking Member or perhaps even by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, with sufficient public disclosure to resolve the matter," he added.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/21/specter-calls-for-transcripts-of-cia-congressional-briefings/

[Wednesdays]

1. K&R

:kick:

[hvn_nbr_2]

2. Transcripts? They can't even get the attendees list right. nt

[azul]

3. that's what I was thinking, and next week the transcripts will be different.

Ah, the pride of having a secret intelligence service that is above the law, and reality. Makes us proud Americans, each contributing taxpayer that has no say in the matter.