| Author | Message | ||
| Thomas I (Wax)
Member Username: Wax Post Number: 749 Registered: 7-2003 |
 | ||
| Telson (Pitbull_trader)
Junior Member Username: Pitbull_trader Post Number: 207 Registered: 8-2003 |
 Frustrated by Bush officials withholding key documents requested by the bipartisan Commission investigating the September 11th attack, 9-11 Commission chairman Thomas Kean, the former Republican Governor of New Jersey, is challenging President Bush's vow to "uncover every detail and learn every lesson of September 11th."1 Kean said yesterday, "Any document that has to do with this investigation cannot be beyond our reach."2 When he signed the legislation establishing the commission, Bush said, "[the] investigation should carefully examine all the evidence and follow all the facts, wherever they lead."3 But several members of the 9-11 Commission, both Democrats and Republicans, have expressed anger and dismay over the level of cooperation they are receiving from several executive branch agencies. The commission issued its first subpoena last week to the Federal Aviation Administration, five months after it initially requested documents relating to all tracking of the hijacked airliners on 9-11. Commission staff learned in subsequent interviews of additional information that had not been provided, after being told that document production was complete.4 According to Kean, more subpoenas may be necessary. Several commission members said the delays could result in the panel not completing its work by the required date of May 27, 2004. The May deadline is the 18-month limit for the panel, a compromise struck after the White House had requested a time limit of a year for the commission.5 The 9-11 Commission's frustration represents the latest example of the Bush Administration's penchant for secrecy, which is drawing heavy criticism from both liberals and conservatives. Notes Larry Klayman, chairman of the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch: "This Administration is the most secretive of our lifetime, even more secretive than the Nixon Administration. They don't believe the American people or Congress have any right to information."6 Sources: 1. Presidential Statement, 12/16/02. 2. "9/11 Commission Could Subpoena Oval Office Files," New York Times, 10/26/03. 3. Signing Ceremony, 11/27/02. 4. "Statement by the 9-11 Commission," 10/15/03. 5. "An OK, Then Reversal, on 9/11 Panel," New York Newsday, 10/11/02, p. A50. 6. "Bush Expands Government Secrecy, Arouses Critics," Reuters, 9/3/02. | ||
| Telson (Pitbull_trader)
Junior Member Username: Pitbull_trader Post Number: 178 Registered: 8-2003 |
"CNN White House Accused of Stalling 9-11 Panel WASHINGTON (AP) - Members of both parties are accusing the White House of stonewalling the federal commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks by blocking its demands for documents despite threats of a subpoena. ``I call on the White House to turn over the documents they are withholding from the independent commission - and do it now,'' said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., co-author of the legislation that created the independent commission. The 10-member, bipartisan commission has until May 27 to submit a report that also will deal with law enforcement, diplomacy, immigration, commercial aviation and the flow of assets to terror organizations. ``If they continue to refuse, I will urge the independent commission to take the administration to court,'' said Lieberman, who is running for president. ``And if the administration tries to run out the clock, (Arizona Republican Sen.) John McCain and I will go to the floor of the Senate to extend the life of the commission.'' Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., told NBC's ``Meet the Press'' on Sunday that it would be in the administration's interest to release documents the commission has requested. ``Americans and our allies across the globe must have confidence in our leadership,'' said Hagel, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who has frequently criticized Bush's execution of the campaign against terrorists. ``They must trust our processes. And that certainly includes our intelligence community's results.'' White House spokeswoman Ashley Snee defended the administration's cooperation with the investigation and said the White House hoped to meet the commission's request for documents. At the president's direction, the executive branch has dedicated tremendous resources to the commission, including provision of more than 2 million pages of documents, Snee said. Earlier this month, the independent commission voted to issue subpoenas to the Federal Aviation Administration for documents pertaining to the investigation. The commission said the FAA subpoena will ``put other agencies on notice that our document requests must be taken as seriously as a subpoena.'' Commission chairman Thomas Kean, former Republican governor of New Jersey, told The New York Times in an interview published Sunday that he is prepared to subpoena documents from the White House if they are not turned over during the next several weeks. On the Net: Attacks commission: http://www.9-11commission.gov/ 10/26/03 15:28" http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp? floc=FF-APO-1151&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20031 026%2F152933309.htm&sc=1151&photoid=20031026WX105 |