Security

Nation's Top Spy Retracts Politically-Convenient Exaggeration About New Spy Law

The nation’s top spook told Congress this week that the expanded spy powers passed in August were used to capture suspected radical Islamic terrorists in Germany, but quickly had to backtrack and an issue a retraction Wednesday, because the new powers played no role in the surveillance of the alleged plotters. Michael McConnell, the Director […]

The nation's top spook told Congress this week that the expanded spy powers passed in August were used to capture suspected radical Islamic terrorists in Germany, but quickly had to backtrack and an issue a retraction Wednesday, because the new powers played no role in the surveillance of the alleged plotters.

Michael McConnell, the Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Government Affairs committee Monday that the loosened spying law, which allows the government to order domestic communication providers to help the government spy on foreigners without getting court approval, was used to help the surveillance of three men accused of plotting to use chemical bombs against U.S. military targets in Germany.

Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut] pressed McConnell on the subject Monday:

McConnell [The Protect America Act] was passed, as you well know, and we’re very pleased with that. And we’re better prepared now to continue our mission; specifically Germany, significant contributions. It allowed us to see and understand all the connections with –

Lieberman: The newly adopted law facilitated that during August?

McConnell: Yes sir, it did.

Only it didn't.

Here's the statement McConnell released Wednesday:

During the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on September 10, 2007, I discussed the critical importance to our national security of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and the recent amendments to FISA made by the Protect America Act. The Protect America Act was urgently needed by our intelligence professionals to close critical gaps in our capabilities and permit them to more readily follow terrorist threats, such as the plot uncovered in Germany. However, information contributing to the recent arrests was not collected under authorities provided by the Protect America Act.

Funny, the DNI's homepage includes links to McConnell's prepared statement (.pdf) to the Committee, a transcript of his appearance on Good Morning, America, and a transcript of the hearing itself where he made a false statement to Congress. There's no link to the retraction. Retraction (.pdf) posted here Thursday P.M. EST.

And how exactly did the DNI get this wrong? The Protect America Act has been all over the news, is being talked about by the Justice Department and the president and the nation's top spook goes in front of one of the Senate's most powerful committee's and tells politically-loaded falsehoods?

This from a man who said the nation's spies spent 50,000 days in 2006 writing applications for court orders?

Hmm, McConnell spoke much of an "intelligence gap" this summer as he stumped for increased executive power. Perhaps, he should instead be looking into a "truth gap."

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