Feingold Calls Out Intel Chief For Saying Dems Want To Imprison Bush

Senator Russ Feingold is calling the Director of National Intelligence out for telling what seemingly amounts to a massive exaggeration if not downright fabrication of the recent FISA debate in Congress.

In a speech at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina this past week, Vice Admiral Mike McConnell told a crowd that, during the debate over the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, members of Senate called for the outright abolition of the Intelligence Community and even the jailing of President Bush.

"We had a bill go into the Senate. It was debated vigorously," said McConnell. "There were some who said we shouldn't have an Intelligence Community. Some have that point of view. Some say the President of the United States violated the process, spied on Americans, should be impeached and should go to jail. I mean, this is democracy, you can say anything you want to say. That was the argument made. The vote was 68 to 29."

And yet, as Feingold notes, and as a review of the press coverage details, neither of the events McConnell refers to actually happened. The debate over FISA was spirited as Feingold and a minority of senators maneuvered to remove a provision granting telecommunications companies immunity for helping the government with warrentless wiretapping.

But as Feingold wrote in a letter to McConnell: "I am not aware of any Senator saying or suggesting that 'we shouldn't have an Intelligence Community' or that President Bush 'should be impeached and should go to jail.'"

In addition to penning the note to McConnell, Feingold has asked the Intelligence Director to produce actual evidence "of all statements made by Senators during the debate that you believe support [your] assertions."

A spokesman for Feingold said there was no timeline for when they expected a response.

Here is the complete text of Feingold's letter:

The Honorable J.M. McConnell Director of National Intelligence Washington, D.C. 20511

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Dear Director McConnell:

I have received a copy of your March 28, 2008, speech at Furman University. In it, you described Senate action on the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, stating:

"We had a bill go into the Senate. It was debated vigorously. There were some who said we shouldn't have an Intelligence Community. Some have that point of view. Some say the President of the United States violated the process, spied on Americans, should be impeached and should go to jail. I mean, this is democracy, you can say anything you want to say. That was the argument made. The vote was 68 to 29."

As you correctly noted, the bill was the subject of vigorous debate. Many members of the Senate expressed serious concerns about the lack of checks and balances included in the legislation and the potential impact of the new authorities on the privacy and civil liberties of Americans. Many Senators were also concerned that retroactive immunity for companies alleged to have cooperated with the President's warrantless wiretapping program would undermine the rule of law.

However, I am not aware of any Senator saying or suggesting that "we shouldn't have an Intelligence Community" or that President Bush "should be impeached and should go to jail." I would therefore appreciate your providing a list of all statements made by Senators during the debate that you believe support these assertions. If there are no such examples, you should issue an immediate correction and an apology.

While all sides of this debate deserve to be heard, to falsely attribute statements to United States Senators serves only to mislead the American people. It also undermines your credibility and that of the position of Director of National Intelligence.

Sincerely,

Russell D. Feingold
U.S. Senator

Comments

[yankee011]

This is a Democrat with BALLS! the rest of the Democrats should take note..you hear that Sen Leahy, Pelosi,Reid, OBAMA. This man is the real deal !

[Marlyn]

"Balls, balls, balls" cried the queen. If I had two, I'd be king.

[Ginko]

LOL Marlyn

McConnell is just expressing and projecting his fear of what the future will bring. Not one Senator said any such thing, I watched every single minute of the FISA floor speeches.
McConnell is a Bushie, he SHOULD be frog marched in an orange suit too and he well deserves it as do all the Bushies and King Bush himself too.

[orderinchaos]

or "if I scream "balls" one more time.. you'll get to my 1st base"

[nick1936]

Sounds like a great idea jail the Chimp and the veep so Obama can pardon them

[newpantaloons]

What a stupid thing to say, nick1936.

[gevan]

I think that was me that wanted the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization known as the Bush Administration should get their just desserts.

[Gma11]

He's MY senator!!

A question came up one day in a class I teach. I didn't know the answer and thought Feingold's staff might be able to respond. I sent an e-mail. A few days later I got a telephone call asking if I would like him to come to the class to answer. Would I?!! He did. No fanfare whatsoever. No media notice. No entourage - well, one guy. He inspired them like JFK inspired me.

[Ginko]

What a great story! Feingold would make a fine President.

[timeforachangenow]

Yes Sir....8)

GIGANTIC CAJONES....8)

[CountryBeforeParty]

I'll say it....

President Bush should be impeached, and should go to jail.

[MicahBrwn]

Bringing him before a federal judge would lead to a conflict of interest, as the majority of judges were either appointed by a Bush or by Clinton. The only fair solution would be to bind him over for trial at The Hague. It's the only place that's capable of judging him for his crimes, anyhow.

[rkrenke]

Another letter from another U.S. Senator asking another Bush Administration official to stop telling another lie to the American people. . .same subject, different day.

Nixon's transgressions were nothing compared to the atrocities committed by this Administration - the entire nation should be thankful that we didn't have the weak and inept legislators we do today. Stop pandering and bloviating and do something. . .anything concrete to hold these officials responsible for their morally-corrupt behavior.

This Senate should hang their heads in shame for consistently failing the People.

[timeforachangenow]

now THAT'S Dreaming....8)

[realpolitic]

California dreaming?

[Wiredwilly]

Impeachment is an investigation of a President accused of wrong doing , put into the Constitution to PROTECT THE PEOPLE. "Impeachment will damage the Nation" is like saying investigating Al Capone would have hurt Chicago. The Democrats are such wimps it's staggering. The Republicans spent millions of tax dollars investigating Clinton over freakin' Monica Lewinsky . All the Democrats do is scratch their head , argue, and apologize while Bush destroys the Nation. The Democrats are a disgrace. I defy anyone to watch the Aaron Russo interview on Nick Rockefeller ( go to YouTube, you won't see it on ABC ) and say Congress shouldn't reopen the 9/11 Investigation. Congress should NOT wait until Mr. Bush is out of Office. What if McCain is elected ? Wait another four years ? Wait until you are implanted with a RFID microchip? All the recent steps by the Fed and the War in Iraq are interrelated. They want a North American Union, to abolish the Constitution, and to replace the Dollar with the Amero, controlled electronically by the Rockefellers. Their basic philosophy is YOU and your Rights don't matter. Even if the Votes aren't there now, after the TRUTH about what's happening is known, perhaps the Votes WILL be there. Even Republicans aren't totally evil. Republican Eisenhower honored the Troops, he didn't send them into combat under false pretenses. I can't be sure, but I imagine IKE would have given George Bush a swift kick in the pants. Congress must act NOW.

[Marlyn]

Yeah, Ike was ok BUT he gave Richard Nixon the VP spot allowing him to eventually become president. THEM Republicans have been screwing America up ever since then.

[Rescisco]

That Vice Admiral Mike McConnell is concerned about intelligence is appropriate since he has an obvious and dangerous lack of it.

[Impeachthechimp]

No debate. He should be in prison.

[procrustes]

Hmmm--a little Freud goin' on here? Seems my fondest dream is their blackest nightmare.

[AceInTheHole]

What would have happened it that guy would have tried to give that speech anywhere north of the Mason Dixon Line,with maybe the exception of certain parts of NYC, he would have gotten booed worse the guy who thru out the first pitch the other day. These guys know where they can sale their BS and (almost) get away with it, and which Knuckle Draggers are naive enough to buy it.
But one of their problems is, that the whole world knows what they are up too. But rest assured, that after all of the lies and miscreant behavior these elitist ingage in , and have since time imemorial, that in due time, every iota of it , will be held against them in the highest court of all and for all of mankind to see. But for now, and in the near future, they can deceive themselves and others who belive thier bs, as much as they want to, but everything they do is being duly and very diligently noted by the High Court of The Supreme Judge. And may He have mercy on them.

[ljmck]

Feingold is right from a Senatorial standpoint, and he’s right that this Dem, at least, doesn’t want to jail Bush/Cheney. That’s way too good for either one.

I want to see Bush and Cheney in a foxhole in Iraq, armed with only their smirks, while back home their families lose their homes and their jobs (if any of them actually have such an occupation), can’t afford to drive across town more than once a week, don’t go to a doctor unless they are so sick their neighbors take them, eat on three dollars a day, never turn on the heat, light only one room at a time, and pay taxes like everyone else..

The only difference between Bush/Cheney and anyone else around them will be that their community doesn’t want them back.

[Dave01]

You wrote: "Feingold is right from a Senatorial standpoint, and he"s right that this Dem, at least, doesn"t want to jail Bush/Cheney. That"s way too good for either one"

I say waterboard them.

[Sundialsvc4]

What's there to apologize for?

Like any other criminal and like a dozen or so other criminals, George W. Bush should be impeached. He should be immediately detained under scrupulously-humane but harsh conditions awaiting trial. He should be held without bond, as a probable flight-risk. He should be given a speedy trial by a jury of his peers and scrupulously afforded every right under the Bill of Rights: something he (they...) never afforded his (their...) own prisoners.

Impeachment is a fundamental law-enforcement duty: the only such duty expressly granted to the Congress. It is not designed to be easy. It is designed to be undertaken soberly. But there can be no "rule of law" unless every single "civil officer" high-to-low is bound by Law. We have lived with the consequences for the past six years, and they have been disastrous to our nation.

We have lived with the consequences of refusal to impeach for the last six years, and as a direct result of it more than a million people are dead or forever maimed. And the count continues for every day that these crimes go unpunished.

[TAC]

Very, very well said...

[fairwitness]

Quite so, and, when Pelosi "took impeachment off the table' it set the satge for the destruction of our democracy. Give criminal sociopaths and inch...

[gcallaghan]

From Feingold's letter to McConnell:
"While all sides of this debate deserve to be heard, to falsely attribute statements to United States Senators serves only to mislead the American people. It also undermines your credibility and that of the position of Director of National Intelligence."

WTF?? McConnell has credibility???

[HST]

Mike McConnell, director of national intelligence, is not intelligent and not supported nationally.

[vat6948]

Mr. McConnell or Mr. McCain, or for that matter Mr. Magoo, have been feeding us a steady, heaping plate of fear. I feel a letter sent to McWhatever will not change this administration from it's scare tactics. It's time to through the BUM'S out. "OBAMA-08"

[mommadona]

Has McConnell figured out if he's CIVILIAN or MILITARY yet?

He comes in a SUIT one time, then he comes allllll 'brassed-up' with medals a blinkin' in the next.

And, what's with the weird blinking and the 'tic' whenever he extolls something verbally that is questionable to the reality-based citizen?

He's tweeked and knows not WHAT to do.