For Immediate Release
September 22, 2005
Contact: Josh Earnest - 202-863-8148
Able Danger: What Lurks Behind Bush's Stonewall?
Washington, DC - Yesterday, the Bush Administration prevented witnesses
from providing public testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee about
Able Danger, "a secret military unit that is said to have identified
four of the Sept. 11 hijackers more than a year before the terrorist
attacks."
Even Republican members of Congress
blasted the White House's unwillingness to be open and honest with the
American people about our fight against terrorism.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following
statement calling on the President to stop stonewalling on Able Danger
and said it demonstrated the importance of appointing a genuinely
independent commission to examine the federal government's failed
response to Hurricane Katrina:
"The Bush White House has once again shown a preference for playing
politics rather than protecting the American people from terrorist
attacks. At every turn, this Administration has been unwilling to
investigate its own officials, their friends and their cronies. Now,
even Republicans in Congress are rebelling against Bush's inability to
tell the truth about his Administration's failures. It's time for
President Bush to stop stonewalling and demonstrate genuine leadership
by working with Congress to independently and thoroughly answer the
serious questions about our national security raised by the failures of
Able Danger and the failed response to Katrina."
GOP Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA): Bush Administration Owes American
People an Explanation. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter
blasted the Pentagon's decision not to allow five key officials to
testify in front of his committee. "I think the Department of Defense
owes the American people an explanation of what went on here. The
American people are entitled to some answers." Specter also noted, "that
looks to me like it may be obstruction of the committee's activities,
something we will have to determine." Foxnews.com, 9/22/05]
GOP Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA): Pentagon Wants to Avoid "Egg on
Their Face." "A Pentagon spokesman had said the decision to limit
testimony was based on concerns about disclosing classified information,
but Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, said he believed
the reason was a concern 'that they'll just have egg on their face.'"
GOP Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA): "There's something wrong with
the system, and we should be able to discuss that." Press-Herald, 9/22/05]
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