I’m pleased to see Alberto Gonzales is still trotting out the same old crap about the NSA surveillance program. Here he is at an event yesterday:
The TSP [“Terrorist Surveillance Program”] is lawful. The president established the Program under both the authority given to him by Congress when it passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and by his authority under the Constitution.
Dick Cheney made the same case on Friday:
We’re confident because the Terrorist Surveillance Program rests on firm legal ground. The Joint Authorization to Use Military Force, passed by Congress after 9/11, provides more than enough latitude for these activities. Therefore the warrant requirements of the FISA law do not apply to this wartime measure.
What I like about this is that new lies on their part would require us to figure out exactly how they’re lying. Whereas if you want to understand this old lie, you can just read this old Mother Jones article of mine.