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The lying to Congress issues aren't so black and white as I mentioned in another thread. Here is a writeup about Clapper: > There is an added wrinkle here, ho

The lying to Congress issues aren't so black and white as I mentioned in another thread. Here is a writeup about Clapper: > There is an added wrinkle here, however, is that it is not clear to me whether Clapper could have given a direct (and truthful) answer in a public hearing, as such an answer would have required him to disclose the existence of a then-classified government program. Even a non-answer or evasion could have revealed the existence of operations the NSA was trying to keep secret. http://www.volokh.com/2013/06/11/did-james-clapper-lie-to-congress/ http://www.volokh.com/2013/06/11/did-james-clapper-lie-to-co...

mrobot 13y ago
Well, maybe they should have touched on it, then. I wonder why they didn't!
lemming 13y ago
He could have said "I can't comment on that in a public forum".
- growupkids 13y ago
  I think that might where the miscommunication comes in with lay people. Commenting at all would confirm the existence of a classified program. That's the rule everyone is taught when you get read in. You're taught to never divulge. So whereas a case could be made that this program was illegal, the fact that it's classified means it's next to impossible to comment at all about it in a public forum. So, you lie As far as lying to congress, I seem to recall that both parties leaders trotted out to say that all was well, and that this is done to keep us all safe. It's hard to claim anyone was lied to when it seems the intelligence committees and leaders in both houses knew full well what was going on. Does anyone really believe these highly connected politicians didn't know? It's just seems like political convenience for congress to continue that meme, when the intelligence committees seem to have know exactly what was going on. Maybe I'm just jaded, but I suspect the politicians knew and are more than happy to throw anyone else under the bus. Otherwise, if they'd didn't know, then why haven't they done anything?
  - mrobot 13y ago
    Does anyone really believe these highly connected politicians didn't know? Doesn't hiding the details of the program protect it from those who would oppose it? Wouldn't some effort be expended there?
  - betterunix 13y ago
    "It's hard to claim anyone was lied to" His statements are on the Congressional Record. That means he lied to everyone in the world, since the record is public.
  - rhizome 13y ago
    So, you lie And, presumably honorably, take the consequences for hiding an illegal program.
TheCondor 13y ago
How does it change this that he was given the questions ahead of time? He is not a low level employes, he has the ears of people at the highest levels and could have requested a closed hearing. He probably could have asked the president to request one. Was this an orchestrated lie? If there wasn't a policy change to acknowledge the program, it would be closed.

mrobot 13y ago

Well, maybe they should have touched on it, then. I wonder why they didn't!

lemming 13y ago

He could have said "I can't comment on that in a public forum".

growupkids 13y ago
I think that might where the miscommunication comes in with lay people. Commenting at all would confirm the existence of a classified program. That's the rule everyone is taught when you get read in. You're taught to never divulge. So whereas a case could be made that this program was illegal, the fact that it's classified means it's next to impossible to comment at all about it in a public forum. So, you lie As far as lying to congress, I seem to recall that both parties leaders trotted out to say that all was well, and that this is done to keep us all safe. It's hard to claim anyone was lied to when it seems the intelligence committees and leaders in both houses knew full well what was going on. Does anyone really believe these highly connected politicians didn't know? It's just seems like political convenience for congress to continue that meme, when the intelligence committees seem to have know exactly what was going on. Maybe I'm just jaded, but I suspect the politicians knew and are more than happy to throw anyone else under the bus. Otherwise, if they'd didn't know, then why haven't they done anything?
- mrobot 13y ago
  Does anyone really believe these highly connected politicians didn't know? Doesn't hiding the details of the program protect it from those who would oppose it? Wouldn't some effort be expended there?
- betterunix 13y ago
  "It's hard to claim anyone was lied to" His statements are on the Congressional Record. That means he lied to everyone in the world, since the record is public.
- rhizome 13y ago
  So, you lie And, presumably honorably, take the consequences for hiding an illegal program.

TheCondor 13y ago

How does it change this that he was given the questions ahead of time? He is not a low level employes, he has the ears of people at the highest levels and could have requested a closed hearing. He probably could have asked the president to request one. Was this an orchestrated lie? If there wasn't a policy change to acknowledge the program, it would be closed.