Good God Every Single One of Them Is Dirty Filthy Bastard

So have you heard yet? There's great news! Politicians in Washington DO reach across the isle. Bipartisanship is alive and well!

Of course, they only seem to cooperate when its (1) covert, (2) illegal, and (3) for the purposes of ensuring more and more power for themselves.

I'm referring, in case you haven't heard, to the lovely Congresswoman Harman, from right here in Southern California. One of my good buddies drew my attention to this story.

Basically Harman was approached by two pretty powerful Israeli lobbyists that were in some legal trouble for espionage. They asked for her help with getting the charges either dropped or reduced, and exchange would lobby Nancy Pelosi to give the House Intelligence chair to Harman following the 2006 elections. Harman agreed to help.

It gets even better. This is where the real bipartisan cooperation comes in.

The Justice Department found out what was going on as it was wiretapping (with court approval) these Israelis' calls. They began an investigation of Harman but were stopped by Alberto Gonzales himself. Actually they did more than began an investigation, they concluded that Harman had broken the law. I'm sure your asking yourself (as I did): why would the super-Republican torture and Bush-loving Gonzales be protecting Harman?

Because Harman was on the House Intelligence Committee and the Bush Administration needed her help as the media had just broke a big story concerning FISA.

You know, FISA, the "national security measure" that allows the government to spy on its own citizens without a warrant. Because if you're not a terrorist you shouldn't mind having your calls and emails monitored.

So because the Bush Administration needed some big gun Democrats to back them on the unconstitutional and wholly dispicable FISA, they wanted to let Harman off the hook and make sure she owed them a favor.

I gotta say this is ringing some bells with me. I few years ago I wrote to my lovely Senator, Ms. Dianne Feinstein (unsurprisingly, another big wig Democrat backing FISA), demanding that she vote against FISA as it is repugnant to the true values of American. The email I received in response basically said that she knew intelligence information that we (the public) did not, and that it was in the best interest of the national security of our country that we continue FISA. With congressional oversight, because I guess we need that more than, you know, actual warrants.

I wonder what Feinstein got from Gonzales? Or vice versa?