Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing to begin within 32 minutes. AG Gonzales will be testifying...

[originalpckelly]

and you can be sure the end of NSA warrantless spying is going to be on the menu.

Here is a link to the Committee hearing page, the webcast link will work when they have started the meeting. C-SPAN does not appear to be covering this, which is quite frankly astonishing, because it's a very important hearing on a top news story.

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=2473

[mmonk]

1. Since he is such a clear enemy of the constitution

except only for the dullest of minds out there, I wonder if he was impeached, it would signal to the rest of the administration they had better fly right or receive the same.

[originalpckelly]

2. Well, it's clear to me now why Gonzo allowed the FISC to get a case to rule on...

he wanted it to be secret. In the committee he's going into today, it's not the appropriate setting for national security discussions, but on the other hand, the Judiciary Committee oversees the DOJ and by extension AG Gonzales

So Gonzales can use the "national security reasons" excuse like he's done before.

They didn't want a decision in an open court, so they nullified the issue in the appeal of Anna Diggs Taylor's decision. We'll never know what the FISC judge said in his/her ruling, because it's a sealed case. We do know that Gonzales wants it to be this way because he could file an appeal, and the FISCOA (Foreign Intelligence Court of Appeals) would be activated.

They've chosen not to do that.

However, this case was so cut and dry I highly doubt the FISC judge would disagree with District Court Judge Taylor's decision. Secondly, because I know the FISC doesn't have the statutory authority to approve a blanket warrant, Gonzales is spinning on that.

[Hepburn]

3. Thank you for the info...

...I was just on CSPAN looking for a link to this and thought, hey, someone on the DU will have it posted. And, sure enough, like always, the DU comes through!

This should be interesting. I have been waiting to see this little azzhat asked some tough questions. He is such a arrogant little prick, IMO. It is like he is trying to make like he is someone who he is not.

And unfortunately I get where he is coming from about some things...and I think he is a total prick for not being up-front about things like the fact that his grandparents were illegals. I come from a foreign background ~~ tho grandparents were here legally ~~ and in a certain area of the mid-west, there was a HUGE settlement of people from this European country. Some in that snooty mid-West town where I was raised and who were of the same background as me and my family, made like their parents or grandparents had been on the Mayflower and were not immigrants from Europe. Suddenly, they no longer went to the little Orthodox church where their grandparents and parents had gone, but became Episcopalians.

So besides abhorring the bastard for his views on torture and protecting the WH from war crimes prosecution, I have some dislike for him on a solely personal basis. I was never ashamed of my grandparents ~~ all four of them ~~ who spoke with strong accents and in fact I was proud as hell of them. And...to watch this little slime bucket act like this toward his grandparents and not honor them for getting to the US somehow so that he could be a US citizen, I just want to say, "Fuck you, Alberto."

JMHO

PS: K&R

[The Witch]

4. It's just begun, thanks for the link!! K&R

:kick:

[originalpckelly]

5. You're welcome.

:hi"

[Hepburn]

6. Let's K&R this to the greatest page, OK? TY n/t

[Hepburn]

7. Is that Specter?

If it is, he looks awful ~~ I realized he was horribly sick and seems to have recovered, but looks like his illness really took a toll on him.

[msongs]

8. dems make sure to put AG under oath nt

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. He's under OATH? Bwahahahahaha! Now he can pay for all the lies he tells.

WTG, Dems!:thumbsup:

[Supersedeas]

9. plz feed the cube rats a morsel or two

[originalpckelly]

10. Gonzo now testifying.

Nothing important yet.

[Justpat]

12. Right now he's asking that Bush's federal nominees

get an up or down vote. Lets be fair to Bush as we were to Clinton.
Also talked about internet child porn and people actually being
able to buy prescription drugs over the internet. Horrors.

Leahy on now.

[originalpckelly]

11. Senator Leahy now asking about singing statements...

in particular the mail opening signing statements.

[originalpckelly]

13. Talking about Gonzo's previous testimony about opening mail!

[originalpckelly]

14. Very upset about this!

:grr:

^^Senator Leahy!

[underpants]

15. I have no idea why it isn't on C-Span

:grr:

[originalpckelly]

18. Completely F'ed-up!

The Judiciary feed isn't that great.

[TahitiNut]

29. Because C-SPAN is obligated to show floor proceedings when in session.

This isn't rocket science. It's been the rule ever since C-SPAN was established. Now, I have no idea what's showing on C-SPAN3, but C-SPAN1 is obligated to show the House floor when in session and C-SPAN2 is obligated to show the Senate floor when it's in session.

The practice, historically, was for C-SPAN to show such key committee hearings on tape after the floor session is adjourned. Maybe, if we have patience, that's what'll happen?

:shrug:

[underpants]

32. I did not know that

C-Span 3 is the "War on terror" or something. Looks like it was shot in a local library town hall meeting or something.

[TahitiNut]

40. Yep. They must, by charter, provide "gavel-to-gavel" coverage.

In the past, this has even affected committee hearing scheduling in order to get coverage.

[underpants]

16. I have no idea why it isn't on C-Span

:grr:

[originalpckelly]

17. Gonzo is lying, FISA only allows the AG to search without a warrant...

only if there is no danger American mail will be opened.

Here is the statute:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode50/usc_sec_50_00001822----000-.html

[peacetalksforall]

19. Did I just hear Gonzales say that DOD and CIA spying on us is

OK because what is found is for intelligence only not court cases? And that he doesn't know whether the DOD and CIA is doing this?

[originalpckelly]

20. Double talk...

double plus ungood.

[underpants]

21. Yes and Specter just said "the military can't investigate Amer. citizens"

Gonzo is going with "I don't know I haven't looked into it"

Leahy busted him "SHOULDN'T you know?" "Isn't that your job to know?" that sort of thing

[Supersedeas]

22. principle protector of civil rights is washing his hands of secret searches done by other Agencies

COMPETENCE????

[peacetalksforall]

24. It tells me that a decision has been made and we are under military rule.

This is a GO F YOUSELF administration that goes through the dance of ONLY pretending that we have a COnstitution.

[originalpckelly]

23. Now Specter and Leahy are both talking about Anthrax investigation...

Very interesting. The FBI has resisted talking about it to the Senate. WEIRD!

[Supersedeas]

27. THAT is very weird. No Osama and no anthrax answers

[originalpckelly]

25. Senator Kennedy now up...

talking about Iraq and Congressional authority over it.

Gonzo has yet to respond.

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. How's the hearing been going? I just tuned in and THANKS for the link!

:hi:

[peacetalksforall]

30. Kennedy asking is Pres is going to come to Congress if there is a move

to go to war with Iran. Gonzales won't answer.

[in_cog_ni_to]

31. That means NO.

I'm onto their sick, demented games.:grr:

[peacetalksforall]

33. Self deleted - dupe.

[peacetalksforall]

34. Now Hatch pitching for Pres - more or less saying Pres doesn't have to

go to COngress to invade Iran. The way I hear it. In other words a slam at Kennedy. Praises Gonzales.

[Supersedeas]

36. so many twits in Utah must be proud of their little cheerleader--who continues to cheer even

after falling and becoming a public disgrace

[peacetalksforall]

37. Unbelievable - we're facing a military takeover of our country

and Hatch is talking child porn - for which Gonzales has plenty of answers that satisfy Hatch.

[peacetalksforall]

35. Now Hatch talking about child porn. Praising everyone for what.

is being done.

[TahitiNut]

38. I don't know why Hatch just doesn't get under the table and fellate Gonzo.

Unctious Orrin is a totally nauseating pimp for the reich-wing.

[peacetalksforall]

39. Feinstein asked about Judges who were asked to resign - G says

they found more competenet people - in other words the sitting Judges are incomeptents. Won't talk about hardly anything on the subject except to say that he is in contact with an Arkansa Senator about the Judge he asked to resign in that area.

Leahy asked for the number of Judges who have been asked to resign - G doesn't want to talk names and stuff in public.