Recently the Pentagon sent a memo that placed restrictions on who can testify before Congress. It wants to prevent officers under the rank of colonel, enlisted men and career bureaucrats from appearing in front of oversight committees or having their remarks transcribed.
Actual given testimony would be restricted to high-ranking officers and civilians appointed by the president. If field-level officers or enlisted personnel could be deemed appropriate by the Department of Defense, they could participate in briefings for members of Congress, but the proceedings could not be recorded.
Any officers who were allowed to testify had to be accompanied by an official from the administration, such as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his top-level aides.
To me this smells a lot like the Bush administration trying to get all their ducks in a row to protect its corrupt ass.
Some Democrats see the move as another attempt by Bush to limit information and bog down investigations of the Iraq war.
Several lawmakers have said that if these guidelines prevent their efforts to get information from the military, they would issue congressional subpoenas which can compel anyone to appear and testify.
These guidelines were tested several days after the Pentagon’s memo when during the testimony of three Army officers Defense Department lawyers tried to stop the recording of their testimony.
Democratic Rep. Martin Meehan of Massachusetts and Republican W. Todd Akin of Missouri both insisted a transcript would be kept.
The lawyers stormed out and repeated letters to the Pentagon for an explanation of these guidelines have gone unanswered.
The secret government of Bush loses one to the people.
The California Curmudgeon
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