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In reply to the discussion: Here's Why Snowden Plea Negotiations Are Going Nowhere [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)as they are on the floor of their respective chamber.
The idea behind closed hearings is so that they don't fuck over the cabinet. Not too cool to be talking about things that are going to mess up a national security element prosecuted by Defense, or a diplomatic move underway at State.
Ron Wyden COULD have said whatever he'd liked, without fear of legal reprisal. Instead, he tried to game Clapper--who was appearing without any immunities, protections or anything of that nature--into screwing himself. Clapper, in a lame effort to protect classified material, chose LYING over revealing secrets. But he wasn't given any opportunity to speak truthfully in closed session, and Wyden could have asked that they move to that--but he didn't.
Like I said--not his finest hour. Nothing to do with his "heart." He was grandstanding; trying to fuck over Clapper for points. Now, I'm not saying that Clapper is Saint Ignacius of the Classified Material Control, but Wyden sure did make him look like he was getting pushed around.