A Spy Scramble

Manley said that congressional Democrats remain wary of the alleged pressure tactics the administration and Capitol Hill Republicans used to pass the current law. Senator Reid is pressing the administration to grant all senators access to highly classified documents outlining exactly what the current Terrorist Surveillance Program entails—and the legal basis under which it is being conducted. The Bush team initially restricted detailed knowledge of the program to only a handful of top congressional leaders. Only after the Democrats made a fuss did the administration allow all members of both the House and Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees access to the critical documents.

Terror Watch appears weekly on Newsweek.com

© 2008