This is the guy who masterminded the biggest mass intrusion into the lives of Americans since ever.

And - I seem to recall - the left sphere felt rather sore about the whole thing.

Yet, when it comes to making a stand on his nomination to take over from poor Porter Goss as DCI, most Dems on the SIC give him a pass.

Rockefeller, Levin, Feinstein and Mikulski did the enabling; Feingold, Wyden and - wow! - Bomber Bayh stood up for - well, something!

Snowe (as representative RINO) clove to the party line.

If the Video Doctor buggers up cloture on this nom, he might as well self-euthanize.

(Of course, looking forward to the Dems in control of the 110th Senate, Bush won't be worried about them blocking executive noms: by the time his recess appointments fall due for confirmation, he'll be gone.)

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Except me.

The gals at FDL have been keeping on the NSA/censure case, and    were scathing last night about the investigation fig-leaf with which so many Senate Dems are trying to cover their embarrassments:

There is not going to be an investigation - we know it, they know it and George Bush knows it. The Senate Intelligence Committee voted on March 7 not to investigate...

And, normally, that would be that.

But the SIC is not as other committees. Set up in the 70s as part of the response (which included passing FISA) to the Church Committee's investigation into CIA activities, the SIC's rules are designed to ensure that a majority on the committee cannot prevent intel matters being investigated.

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The story is apparently straightforward: the Senate Intelligence Committee has voted not to investigate the warrantless spying affair.

Vice Chairman Rockefeller bellyaches

This committee is basically under control of the White House. It's an unprecedented bout of political pressure from the White House.

That's a high bar, but we'll pass the last remark.

So, you say, the man was outgunned; what do you expect? Majority rules.

Except, as I've mentioned before, the rules are different for the SIC.

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A Glenn Greenwald piece on Frist's letter to Reid on proposed (or is that, threatened?) Senate Intelligence Committee hearings on the NSA farrago has made waves in the lefty 'sphere (here, for instance).

Lefties seem to be shocked that Frist should propose amending the SIC rules to bar investigations being launched without the support of the chairman of the committee (the normal rule).

I've been not shocked but a little dismayed that lefties seem not to have realised that the Dems on the SIC have always been able to launch an investigation on their own!

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The House and Senate Intelligence Committees are going through the motions of considering investigating the business.

In neither does the majority wish to do a proper job. (Surprise, surprise.)

Brer Rockefeller (Vice Chairman of the SIC) grumbles

It is apparent to me that the White House has applied heavy pressure in recent weeks to prevent the committee from doing its job. Although some members of this committee indicate they need more time to decide on what action to take, I believe this is another stalling tactic.

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