Specter Expects Letter from Administration on Gonzales TestimonyDid Alberto Gonzales lie? Or were his “narrowly crafted answers, while legalistic,… technically correct”?
Yesterday, Mike McConnell, the director of national intelligence, gave an 80-minute briefing to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and a few other senators about the NSA wiretapping program and its history, the first he’s ever received, reports The Washington Post.
It’s unclear whether Specter, who aggressively questioned Gonzales during last week’s hearing, was convinced by what he heard. But he’s said that he expects a letter from the administration at around noon today on the subject, which will be addressed to both Specter and Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and released to the press. We’ll bring it to you as soon as it’s available.
As The Hill reports, “Tuesdayâs letter may hold the key to Gonzalesâs future. Specter has so far refrained from joining Democratsâ effort to unseat the attorney general and held off on judging the current flap.”
Note: It’s really not clear from Specter’s statement what this letter is about — whether noon is an ultimatum set by him, or whether it will serve as the public explanation from the administration for Gonzales’ testimony. We’ll just have to wait and see.
