More on Goss.

[pecunium]

If you thought the last thing I posted was bad...


H.R. 4584 is worse yet. Goss sponsored it and it says, in part, "(1) collect, coordinate, and direct the collection of intelligence and intelligence-related information through human sources, technical means, and by other appropriate or supplementary methods, except that the Agency may not exercise police, subpoena, or law enforcement powers within the United States, except as otherwise permitted by law or as directed by the President;"

SEC. 102.(c) (1)

Read the last sentence... except as otherwise permitted by law or as directed by the President;"

Yep... it assumes that, "inherent" (and implies inerrant)power of the present to "set aside the law" which was used to argue for torture not being illegal if the White House thought it was ok.

Forget the PATRIOT ACT allowing black bag searches... this gives the President the ability to use the CIA as a secret police. He doesn't have to, but he could.

In planning for a war one doesn't speculate on what the enemy will do, but rather what he can do.

Tremble.

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

There's a far older elastic clause in the President's arsenel. The 1798 Marine Corps charter contains the phrase "and such other duties as the President may direct." This has been used to fight numerous banana wars, to use Marines in Washington DC to suppress election protests, to have Marines serve as mail guards on trains, and to justify any number of direct action missions. You may recall that Wild Bill Donnovan liked having Marine officers in the OSS back in WW II.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Yes, but the text of that clause doesn't actually exempt the Marines from obeying the law.