re: The Man Who Knows Too Much...Snowden Related

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He had a responsibility to protect classified programs.

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So, as long as classified, then there is nothing we can do about it? That seems to go against checks and balances if all the White House has to do is classify something and congress and the courts cannot ask about it or if they do it is ok to lie about it.

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Congress can be briefed on it in a session that is closed to the public.

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I agree. However, the poster I responded to didn't think that was necessary. Had he requested that then that would have been the same as a yes.

So, I am sure after the hearing, when no one could see, a secret meeting was called to clarify the lie. *sarcasm*

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Congress can be briefed on it in a session that is closed to the public.



I agree. However, the poster I responded to didn't think that was necessary. Had he requested that then that would have been the same as a yes.

So, I am sure after the hearing, when no one could see, a secret meeting was called to clarify the lie. *sarcasm*

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We won't know for sure.
There are many who claim Wyden knew the answer to the question, and therefore knew Clapper was lying his arse off during the testimony. We won't know that for sure either.

What we do know is Clapper was given the question in advance. What we do know is he had the opportunity to either contact Feinstein and have the question withdrawn, or craft any of a hundred different appropriate responses to it.

What we do know is Snowden cites Clapper's testimony as raison d'être for the classified material release. Administration loyalists, NSA loyalists call Snowden's credibility to question when he makes that claim. What we do know is that something must have driven Snowden to do what he did. The timing of the release certainly coincides with Clapper's testimony and aligns with Snowden's story.

There is no question Clapper's lies to the Senate were inexcusable and audacious.

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...in a public hearing. In a closed hearing, assuming the Members have the appropriate security clearance, he could have been more open.

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They were going directly into closed session on these issues right after the open hearing.

Wyden knew everything about all of these programs before he asked the question. He has been briefed on these matters for years. He was trying to get Clapper to disclose a highly classified program.

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It was a chickenshit move by the Congressman asking the question, but Clapper certainly could have offered a better answer than an outright lie.

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I agree it was a really dick move but that Clapper could have given a better answer.

Still in no fricking way justifies anything Snowden did.

I've already said Clapper could have answered the question better without disclosing classified information.

And I'm sure he answered whatever questions Wyden would have in closed session.

We've had this same conversation several times and I'm not inclined to keep repeating myself. I really don't know why you keep bringing this up.

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However, the poster I responded to didn't think that was necessary. Had he requested that then that would have been the same as a yes.

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I do think congressional oversight is necessary. I said that (1) the question shouldn't have been asked in a public forum, (2) Clapper should have thought of some way to avoid perjuring himself (don't know how he could have) without giving the whole "we can't comment at this time" answer. When it comes to something secret, anything but a denial is a tacit admission. Try that with your wife if she asks if you're having an affair.

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I like how everyone wants to form an opinion about a top secret agency that they know nothing about other than what a man now living in Russia said.

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What would you have everyone do? We finally got some info from Snow, and it was not good info. Would you prefer us be in the dark about the evil our government is doing?

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I'm more qualified to speak on it than you are if that's what you're asking.

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No doubt, you are likely one of the ones Snow spoke of. So of course you are not liking him exposing you.

There is a chance you are not one of the ones that spy on us and that you use some of the same technology to spy on others, some that need spying on. So that part is a good thing.

But, if the government was using that same technology to spy on it's own people....

As far as him being in Russia, I would guess that is where the US forced him to be instead of some other country.

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Because Clapper's answer IN PUBLIC was designed to deceive that same public

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It was designed for him not to commit a felony by disclosing highly classified information.

Wyden really had no business asking that in open session. He knew better.

So what about all the highly classified docs stolen and disseminated by Snowden that don't have anything to do with USPs or the 4th Amendment. There's certainly no conceivable whistleblower defense for someone who is burning our legitimate foreign intelligence operations overseas.

Why should Snowden not face justice for this?