The Fed Who Blew the Whistle

Another example of someone doing the right thing and our "trusted" leaders and their agencies practice spin control and retribution that they so eloquently explain in a Federal Court House is illegal for anyone to practice. Until the courts will recognize the rights of Americans and acknowledge the fact that the FBI and DOJ are not above the law, this is a historical event that is bound to repeat itself.

The problem with the FBI and DOJ being involved in anything like this is the trample all over the very laws they are sworn to uphold. How many Americans did they listen in on that had absolutely nothing to do with Al Quaeda? How many wiretap warrants did they circumvent under the pretenst of terrorist activity. How many Americans are sitting in prison when the Federal Bureau of Incompentence tapped all their communications while trampling on the Constitution. I would have a little more respect for them if they would admit to doing wrong. The arrogance they take and the vicousness with which they attacked this true patriot, is indicative of an agency out of control that needs a lease.

This is a comon practice all over the world.

"All he knew was that a domestic surveillance program existed, and it "didn't smell right." That's all? How many died because of his ideology-tainted nose? Tamm deserves harsher punishment than" living under a pall."

FACT: Valerie Plame was a covert CIA operative with a covert CIA identity at the time this was revealed by reporter Robert Novak. Hence, the Grand Jury investigation by the Justice Department. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_leak_grand_jury_investigation#The_investigation

In addition to being traitor, he is quite stupid. Being lawyer himself, he decided to seek legal advice from several people, let alone sending email after a fact. He desperately wanted to avoid capture but guaranteed it by his own actions. Big Throat was so much smarter.
Becides, he wanted to indluence elections, bvut did not realise that pre-election publication would boost Bush chances.

I agree with Mr. Morrissey that hyberbolics are used at extreme ends of the arguments, and neither extreme's use is constructive to implementing reasonable solutions to keep America safe from those with violent views and intentions toward us while at the same time keeping those given a great deal of power in an environment of uncertainty from engaging in extreme opportunism and abuse of power. I, too, get disheartened to see debate branch so wildly off topic that people walk away from the discussion. But I assure you that what I say was perpetrated against me and my family, for very political reasons. I don't want the same thing to happen to people in similar position of innocence or vulnerability because of roles their family members (especially those who've died) fulfilled with honor and integrity for our nation???s people and government. Most of us who???ve worked in organizations know how political people can get, even when working in supposedly the most altruistic of places. People who want power often develop rumors or partial truths about others to cast them in ambiguously negative light and leave an unending air of suspicion. In the polarized climate today, this type of "program" exposed by Mr. Tamm leaves the door open for powerful opportunists to pursue their own agendas without scrutiny or consequences for abuse of power. There is too much that too many people can do to public servants in roles like my father to intimidate and make their lives miserable. People in these roles who take their responsibility seriously know the consequences, and that is why I believe Mr. Tamm???s assertion that he would not have spoken up unless he was thinking in the best interests of you and me America.
One note about the Venona intercepts investigations...there is not a clear consensus on their analysis or completeness of all of the evidence against all of those targeted. www.thenation.com/doc/20010716/navasky
And while there some truth in McCarthy's belief in the need to have ways to identify those inside our borders who are a real potential danger to our national security, many agree that his net and methods went overboard. I think that is all that people of reasonable mind who oppose much of the warrantless -- but mostly the highly secretive surveillance "program" -- want to protect against. Most of us know that we need some security protections. The fact is, we had enough in place that the CIA had identified and been informed of the al_Qaeda threat prior to Sept. 11...they just did not act on it. And that, to me, brings up the question: Why is it that American citizens are being scrutinized to this degree, rather than the individuals and forces within the CIA that did not escalate response to a known serious threat? What are they doing within their agency to sift through the intelligence they already have access to and act on it?

I understand why Dermoctratic NYT published it only after elections. They realised that it would allow Bush win in klanslide. Tamm definitely did not think that way, he hoped to influence election and to be announced a hero by Kerry administration.

WE ,USA all, MUST do whatever it takes to prevent Islamic terrorisim.Google knows more about YOU than the government
Cicero

Thomas Tamm is a traitor. Thomas Tamm is yet again another fat, arrogant bureaucrat who thinks he knows better than anyone else about what is good for the country. He needs to be prosecuted and found guilty. He can buddy up with his cell mate Blago in a few months.

A cut and paste from a response to someone below...

What exactly is so hard about getting the needed warrants anyway? What was so broken about the old system? How would warrantless sneak and peek have helped prevent 9/11? The FBI had records on a few of these guys anyway and had let them go - anytime they wanted to they could have started tailing them again. The actual training and planning was done in Afghanistan.

As long as government operations are allowed to hidethe truth in secrecy we will never know the the truth until we are enslaved. The light of day is to bright for Bush .
lThomas Tamm is a bright light with a sense of honor.

"Riddled with spies" suggests a volume to which spies were within the U.S. government. While you make reference to some instances, that is not a high volume. The language you use is hyperbolic, Mr. Morrissey. Sorry but from a pragmatic viewpoint, knowing many people who work in or have worked in government and how political -- and very personally so -- situations quickly become, and people with power often use it to manipulate situations to their advantage or end. And, no, I didn't attack Joe McCarthy, I stated what has been historically shown to be true about his actions during a very paranoid time, which he emotionally spiraled into. His hearings went beyond reasonable actions, as did many of his accusations. Fortunately there are people, like Mr. Tamm, who somehow through our luck or whatever force, are able to balance against the hysteria that others less knowledgeable and tempered for crisis or potential danger get caught up in. And I would suggest, Mr. Morrissey, that your interpretations of "aid and comfort to the enemy" are just that -- your interpretations, and not what the U.S. Constitution refers to in the case of Mr. Tamm. As many of us even in average America can attest to, during many of the last several years, to voice any opposition related to the pre-emptive strike in Iraq has itself landed in the labels of "not patriotic" and "traitor." I imagine that within the structure of reporting the concern, Mr. Tamm more than likely could tell that he would not get fair hearing and potentially have all the things done to his family that are happening now.