The Scum at the Top
Commentary on the Rats in Washington
FBI head takes blame for Patriot Act abuses
By Greg Gordon, McClatchy News Service
StarTribune
Page A1
© March 10, 2007
Lawmakers blast the bureau for the violations, vowing investigations and possible punitive action.
WASHINGTON - FBI Director Robert Mueller took responsibility on Friday for a watchdog's findings that the bureau had abused its expanded, post-9/11 powers to secretly obtain Americans' bank, phone, credit and e-mail records in counterterrorism investigations.
The report by the Justice Department's inspector general said the FBI itself had identified 26 intelligence violations and that his auditors found many other privacy infringements in reviewing some of the 143,074 National Security Letters the bureau issued between 2003 and 2005. The letters give the FBI power to obtain private business and personal records without court review.
"I am the person responsible. I am the person accountable," Mueller said at a news briefing.
In more than 700 cases, the investigators found, the bureau issued emergency or "exigent" letters demanding telephone records and promising that subpoenas would follow, but none did. The FBI also under-reported its use of the National Security Letters to Congress, the report said.
The report prompted an outpouring of harsh criticism from Congress.
"It is time to place meaningful checks on the Bush administration's ability to misuse the Patriot Act by overusing national security letters," said Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Vermont Democrat who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee, said: "National security letters are a powerful tool, and when they are misused they can do great harm to innocent people." He said his panel would hold "extensive hearings" on the report's findings.
In the House, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, the Texas Democrat who heads the Intelligence Committee, said that the inspector general had painted "a highly troubling picture of mismanagement," and that it was up to Congress to "conduct vigorous oversight of this situation."
Among the Republicans voicing anger was Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "When it comes to national security, sloppiness should be reserved for the hog lot, not the FBI," said Grassley, a farmer.
The report was another major embarrassment for the Bush administration and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales over their failure to safeguard civil rights in hunting and interrogating terrorists, even as Gonzales tries to quell a furor surrounding the recent firings of eight U.S. attorneys.
Praising Inspector General Glenn Fine for "an excellent report," Mueller said he's ordered an inquiry to determine whether any employees should be disciplined.
Mueller stressed that the inspector general's report identified no intentional violations, that the National Security Letters were an "absolutely essential" tool in counterterrorism investigations and that many of the report's recommendations were being implemented.
But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said House Democrats would honor their duty to defend the Constitution "by investigating the disturbing" disclosures.
Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Congress may need to strip the FBI of some of its authority "since they appear not to be able to know how to use it."
Reyes said he also would hold briefings and hearings "to understand the scope of these problems and to ensure corrective actions has been taken."
Gonzales, in a speech to a meeting of privacy professionals, said Friday that he and Mueller were upset to learn of the inspector general's findings and that "there is no excuse for the mistakes that have been made."
Afterward, he said: "When people don't do their jobs there needs to be accountability, and so there will be accountability."
The New York Times contributed to this report.
©2007 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
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April 30, 2008