As it turns out, members of Congress might be harder to keep under the bus than, say, a couple of rogue, low level IRS employees in Cincinnati.
During President Obama’s remarks Friday morning about the NSA controversy, he said this:
Now, the programs that have been discussed over the last couple days in the press are secret in the sense that they’re classified, but they’re not secret in the sense that when it comes to telephone calls, every member of Congress has been briefed on this program.
“Every member of Congress has been briefed on this program.”
The initial pair of members of Congress who have already contradicted Obama’s claim is bipartisan:
False. I have never been briefed on this. RT @rollcall: On NSA, Obama Points to Congress http://t.co/cjsmctRGPi via @nielslesniewski
— Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin (@LtGovTimGriffin) June 7, 2013
https://twitter.com/PatDollard/status/343101797742804992
And that list is growing:
Obama: we briefed all members of congress on these operations. Congress: no you didn't. http://t.co/qQScN2TLZV House getting briefed next wk
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) June 7, 2013
Maybe, as Bill Clinton might say, it depends on what your definition of “every member of Congress” is.
Related:
Oh, snap! Jake Tapper wins Twitter with boom-worthy tweet about Obama’s NSA straw man
‘Shorter Obama’: President’s NSA remarks condensed for snark fans on the go
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