Specter To Gonzales: That The Best You Got?

Sen. Specter has seen the Attorney General's planned responses and is unimpressed.

AP: Specter Believes Spy Program Violates Law

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' explanations so far for the Bush administration's failure to obtain warrants for its domestic surveillance program are "strained" and "unrealistic," the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Sunday...

That might be giving them too much credit, Senator.

Regarding the administration's use of the Afghanistan resolution in its defense-

"I think that contention is very strained and unrealistic. The authorization for use of force never mentions electronic surveillance," Specter said.

In regards to Gonzales' complaints of 'delays' caused by FISA-

Specter, however, said that response "was not entirely responsive. ... His answer wasn't really clear." The senator said there is no reason why the administration could not have consulted with the spy court or Congress, who could have changed the law if it was too cumbersome.

Finally, in regards to obtaining Justice Department documents detailing its legal arguments-

Asked about the possibility the committee might subpoena the administration for the material, Specter said he first wanted to hear from Gonzales.

"If we come to it and need it, I'll be open about it," Specter said. He added, "If the necessity arises, I won't be timid."

Think Progress also has this quote from Specter:
"The issue was never raised with the Congress. And there is a specific statute on the books, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which says flatly that you can’t undertake that kind of surveillance without a court order."

Yep. The law forbids what the President did. He also failed to fully brief Congress as legally required. He almost went out of his way numerous times in 2004 to remind Americans that all surveillance requires warrants in order to protect our Constitution. The Attorney General said in his own confirmation hearings this kind of activity was not occurring. Numerous reports from government/intelligence officials state the program targets innocent Americans, involves datamining, and has not been effective. The bottom line is that these people have broken the law and cannot be trusted. The President is not a King, he does not have unlimited power and there are supposed to be checks and balances in our system of government. This is a grave betrayal of what we stand for. And the American people want accountability for it.

PS-
Reread today's Washington Post story and my earlier take on this...arm yourself with the facts!