The Truth Comes Out

You may recall that the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility undertook to investigate the administration's warrantless wiretap program. This led to widespread derision at the spectacle of the administration investigating itself, although the professionals in the OPR (who are highly regarded) were almost certainly determined to do a proper job. Their efforts came to a premature end, however, when the office announced that it could not carry out the probe, because its people had been denied the security clearances needed.

Well, guess who was behind that? None other than W himself. The Attorney-General, Alberto Gonzalez (who calls into question the value of a Harvard Law School education every time he appears in public) revealed as much to the Senate Judiciary Committee today. (Apparently, no one asked Gonzalez how come he didn't resign in outrage when this happened.)

Ironically, it was Arlen Specter, chairman of the Judiciary Committee and a man whose spine is almost as deficient as Gonzales', whose questioning brought out Bush's role in frustrating the Justice Department's probe. Now, as you probably know, last week Specter announced a cozy "compromise" that would have provided for a fraudulent "review" of the warrantless spying program by the FISA court. (The Washington Post's editorial board cut the proposal to ribbons.)

Will Specter now see the light and stand up to the President? Will he strike a blow for our system of checks and balances? Will he be a champion for the rule of law? Don't hold your breath waiting.