NSA tried to wiretap member of Congress

[WilliamPitt]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/report_nsa_tried_to_wiretap_member_of_congress.php?ref=fp1

Report: NSA Tried To Wiretap Member of Congress
By Zachary Roth - April 16, 2009, 10:07AM

Check out this passage buried at the end of a pretty shocking New York Times report on out-of-control wiretapping by the National Security Agency:

And in one previously undisclosed episode, the N.S.A. tried to wiretap a member of Congress without a warrant, an intelligence official with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The agency believed that the congressman, whose identity could not be determined, was in contact -- as part of a Congressional delegation to the Middle East in 2005 or 2006 -- with an extremist who had possible terrorist ties and was already under surveillance, the official said. The agency then sought to eavesdrop on the congressman's conversations, the official said.

The official said the plan was ultimately blocked because of concerns from some intelligence officials about using the N.S.A., without court oversight, to spy on a member of Congress.</div>

[no_hypocrisy]

1. My guess is they were watching Dennis Kucinich.

[EFerrari]

5. That's a good guess. He was there in September 2007: (eta)

Dennis Kucinich Reports from the Middle East

ccun.org, September 7, 2007

While the other leading candidates for the Presidency were spending the Labor Day weekend campaigning at picnics, barbeques, state and county fairs, and parading in front of the cameras, YOUR candidate, Dennis Kucinich, without fanfare, was quietly traveling throughout the troubled Middle East in search of real-world solutions to monumental, global challenges.

The votes we cast next year will have an impact here in the United States and around the world, and the candidate we elect must be equipped to make sound foreign policy decisions, based on first hand experience and in-person communications with other world leaders.

So, while other candidates partied and picnicked and posed, Dennis and Elizabeth traveled to a troubled, dangerous region of the world to meet with heads of state and other political leaders to find ways to solve the problems, mitigate the dangers, and find common ground for diplomatic cooperation - and PEACE.

http://www.ccun.org/News/2007/September/7%20n/Dennis%20Kucinich%20Reports%20from%20the%20Middle%20East.htm

Eta: Oops. NYTs says 2005 or 2006, not 2007.

But, He and Elizabeth were there in 2006, too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2034763#2035236

[arcadian]

8. Or Cynthia McKinney.

Though I don't know if she was in the Middle east during that time period. Probably was, I recall her going over there a few times.

[WilliamPitt]

9. Or Ron Paul

...or any of the other batshit-crazy Righties who got elected from the South and West.

[cliffordu]

2. This needs to be fully illuminated, no matter who's carreer it shatters.

People need to start going to fucking prison.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

7. YES, PRISON

[rcrush]

3. They tried? I thought they did.

Didnt they spy on reporters, congress, random citizens? They actually still get warrants to spy on people today?

[EFerrari]

4. This report only says this one incident is documented. It doesn't say

there were no others, I think.

[zeemike]

6. i don't find that particularly shocking

What is shocking is that it ever became public.
J Edgar Hover was thought to have developed intelligence of a number of political figures during his time.

[Fireweed247]

10. The thing I find shocking is that anyone would believe this crap

Who here thinks they were only tapping ONE member of Congress? Give me a freaking break. They have been wiretapping ALL members of Congress for blackmail purposes and to make sure they are not doing their jobs.

This is a bullshit story intended to make us think they are policing themselves, and that wiretapping this One Congressman was mistake.

[G_j]

11. it's not clear to me when this happened.

maybe I missed something but, was this recently, or under Bush?