Congresswoman calls alleged wiretap 'abuse of power'

Look mommy the poo just hit the fan.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A key Democrat who reportedly was overheard on a National Security Agency wiretap discussing a deal with a suspected Israeli agent has called the wiretap an "abuse of power." Rep. Jane Harman called on the Obama administration to release transcripts of the alleged conversations. Rep. Jane Harman called on the Obama administration to release transcripts of the alleged conversations. Click to view previous image 1 of 2 Click to view next image Rep. Jane Harman, D-California, called on the Obama administration to release transcripts of the alleged conversations to her, saying she would make them public. "I never had any idea that my government was wiretapping me at all," Harman said on CNN's "The Situation Room." "Three anonymous sources have told various media that this happened. And they are quoting snippets of allegedly taped conversations. So I don't know what these snippets mean. I don't know whether these intercepts were legal. And that's why I asked [Attorney General] Eric Holder to put it all out there in public." Harman denied any wrongdoing and said she was outraged by news the National Security Agency had intercepted one of her conversations in 2005 or 2006.

Click here for the full article

How quickly the tables turn when the shoe is on the other foot. These people were gung ho enacting this law on us, now when it affects one of them, all of a sudden they cry foul. It would appear that if they wanted to wiretap phones to find terrorists and enemies of the country all they needed to do was tap their own.

[edit on 4/21/2009 by DarrylGalasso]

It never ceases to amaze me how hypocritical our government is. This law has been in place now for what 5 years and this woman never said anything about it, now that she has suffered the consequences all of a sudden she sees it as an abuse of power. That is actually hilarious if you stop to think about it.

It is an abuse of power, we all know that much. The question is, why did it take for her to be affected by it before she said anything about it?

Kind of reminds me of a Thomas Jefferson quote:

"It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own."

I personally think it would be a nice gesture if everyone here sent this woman an e-mail containing a link to the article and the quote from Thomas Jefferson.

[edit on 4/21/2009 by DarrylGalasso]

Here is a copy of my e-mail to her:

Dear Honorable (?) Mrs. Harman,

I have read about your plight with the wiretapping incident (www.cnn.com...) and wish to offer you both my sympathy and some advice that was given to us by Thomas Jefferson.

I am sure that you will most likely never read this; however, I strongly feel that it is both your best interest and the country's best interest that I write to you.

When you allow the citizens to be trampled upon by legislation, it is important to remember that this may some day come back to haunt you.

Here is what Mr. Jefferson had to say about your particular situation;

"It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own."

Good words to live by, don't you think?

Cordially,
Darryl E. Galasso

This is exactly why we need wiretapping!

A Congressman working with a foreign agent in a huge quid pro quo.

www.salon.com...

Rep. Jane Harman , the California Democrat with a longtime involvement in intelligence issues, was overheard on an NSA wiretap telling a suspected Israeli agent that she would lobby the Justice Department to reduce espionage-related charges against two officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the most powerful pro-Israel organization in Washington.

Harman was recorded saying she would “waddle into” the AIPAC case “if you think it’ll make a difference,” according to two former senior national security officials familiar with the NSA transcript.

In exchange for Harman’s help, the sources said, the suspected Israeli agent pledged to help lobby Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., then-House minority leader, to appoint Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections, which the Democrats were heavily favored to win.

Seemingly wary of what she had just agreed to, according to an official who read the NSA transcript, Harman hung up after saying, “This conversation doesn’t exist.”

If we can catch a Congressman in a compromised position, just imagine how many terrorist plots have been thwarted.

This is exactly why this program is in place...to stop plots between so-called Americans and foreign nationals.