Secretary Janet Napolitano has gotten a heap of well-deserved criticism for the report that her office rushed out, naming veterans, believers in gun rights, low-tax advocates, and other conservatives as possible terrorists. So far she has failed adequately to explain how her Department issued a report that slanders our military, our law enforcement agencies, and millions of average Americans.
Roll Call reports today that Napolitano has now apologized for this obvious screwup – but she has done so secretly, in a letter to a House Committee Chairman. The letter has not been shared with Republicans:
Rep. Peter King (N.Y.), the top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, said Thompson did not share the letter with him, and it doesn’t change anything.
“To me this makes it more essential to provide [Congress] with all of the records” related to the report, King said after Roll Call showed him a copy of the letter…
In her letter, Napolitano admitted to Thompson that the report was released despite concerns by the department’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, a fact King emphasized.
“It seems like a department not under control,” King said. “Why was a report that was so off target released over the objections of the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties?”…
In the April 25 letter to Thompson, Napolitano explained that the message in the report — “Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” — could have “been made more directly and succinctly” and admitted that “there was a breakdown in the clearance process before its distribution…”
“I want you to know that we have initiated new controls to ensure that there is more internal review of these products,” Napolitano told Thompson in her letter. “The level of consultation between the Office of Intelligence and Analysis and the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties was inadequate in this process…”
Napolitano said she would fulfill Thompson’s request to provide the committee with a detailed outline of how the report was created.
King is absolutely correct that Napolitano’s secret apology raises more questions than it answers. In particular, why is Napolitano’s Department of Homeland Security disregarding the views of the Office of Civil Rights? You’d think that given the concerns professed by Democrats over profiling – particularly by an a federal agency dedicated to internal security – that concerns by the Office of Civil Rights would merit special attention. Instead, it seems likely that political appointees did an end-run around the office. And now instead of coming clean, Napolitano is exchanging secret correspondence with Congressional leaders.
What is Napolitano trying to hide?
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Transparency? Unity?
abbynormal Thursday, May 7th at 9:41AM EST (link)Must have different definitions in the Democratic Dictionary.
She really needs to be fired, but I get the feeling she’s doing exactly what Obama and his handlers want her to do: present a weak and incompetent defense of our Homeland. I can’t think of anybody they could replace her with that would do a better job .
Abuse of power
fisk2521 Thursday, May 7th at 10:24AM EST (link)Just what kind of people work in this office and do they reflect the Obama administration views. I think the answer to that is fairly obvious.
This ‘in your face’ administration and Congress continues to act outrageously. Obama doesn’t seem to get the concept of a President representing ALL Americans, not just the ones he agrees with. He and his administration behave more like South American dictators than representatives of a Democratic system of government.
It has gone way beyond ‘scarey’ and partisan.. it reflects a total disinterest in fairness or representative government.
Janet Napolitano’s agenda in a federal department established to protect ALL Americans seems clearly to do just the opposite….support her own views to the detrimental of all Americans. She is the epitome of her much loved ‘hate speech’ idea. She should be removed from office, and her staff with her. This is completely beyond the standard “Nixon’ abuse of power’ behavior – - much more radical, and dangerous than this country has ever seen in its history.
LDavis
It seems like just yesterday that the left was griping...
bk (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 1:18PM EST (link)that Bush was following this “unitary executive” approach that bypassed Congress left and right. Obama has taken that 100x further, even with a friendly House and Senate in place!
Abuse of power
fisk2521 Thursday, May 7th at 10:24AM EST (link)Just what kind of people work in this office and do they reflect the Obama administration views. I think the answer to that is fairly obvious.
This ‘in your face’ administration and Congress continues to act outrageously. Obama doesn’t seem to get the concept of a President representing ALL Americans, not just the ones he agrees with. He and his administration behave more like South American dictators than representatives of a Democratic system of government.
It has gone way beyond ‘scarey’ and partisan.. it reflects a total disinterest in fairness or representative government.
Janet Napolitano’s agenda in a federal department established to protect ALL Americans seems clearly to do just the opposite….support her own views to the detrimental of all Americans. She is the epitome of her much loved ‘hate speech’ idea. She should be removed from office, and her staff with her. This is completely beyond the standard “Nixon’ abuse of power’ behavior – - much more radical, and dangerous than this country has ever seen in its history.
LDavis
OBAMA and Terrorists
Dencal26 Thursday, May 7th at 11:06AM EST (link)Peter King should attempt to hold hearings on the truth behind the Obama relationsip to Domestic Terrorist Bill Ayers. This is an important issue.
Janet Reno apology to the Legion
bobojake (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 11:30AM EST (link)was a foney and a fraud and as a 45 year member of the Legion I don’t accept her apology when she had her fingers crossed.
Fire JANET RENO NOW.
Fire Jant Nepolitano, too!
Warrior (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 11:34AM EST (link)–Fellow American Legionnaire
“Racial criteria are irrational, irrelevant, [and] odious to our way of life.” — Thurgood Marshall for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in the 1950 Supreme Court case of McLaurin v. Oklahoma
Banana Republic
Warrior (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 11:33AM EST (link)Hey Mr. Tallyman, tally me banana,
Daylight come and you wish to go home
Day-O, ees a da-ay-O-O
–Right Wing Extremist and proud of it!
“Racial criteria are irrational, irrelevant, [and] odious to our way of life.” — Thurgood Marshall for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in the 1950 Supreme Court case of McLaurin v. Oklahoma
I don't want Napolitano fired...
MacAoidh (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 12:59PM EST (link)…she would only be replaced with someone just as noxious and incompetent but who wouldn’t be a public-relations drag on the administration.
Let Napolitano and Geithner stick around as long as they want. I want those albatrosses around Obama’s neck.
Check out MacAoidh’s commentary on Louisiana and national politics at TheHayride.com
The upside of firing Napolitano is that she can't go back and be governor.
janis (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 1:04PM EST (link)And then Obama could pick off another lousy Dem governor to fill the job. Don’t underestimate his ability to pick someone just as bad, if not worse, that will also be a public relations albatross.
David Paterson of NY would be an interesting choice.
“seems like a department not under control,”
rcov092 (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 3:54PM EST (link)“Control” is a construct only judged adequately by those that have a grasp of the concept (also called a clue). Inasmuch as Napolitano is an incompetent buffon (like so many from the top down in the administration) and inasmuch as the 52 do not have a grasp of the construct of “Control” (also called a clue) we are at risk. The greater risk if the zerO’s second term.
ON the other hand, her existence as the clown in such a prominent position does serve to highlight the obvious shortcomings that not even the MSM can conceal as much as they might try. I agree the next clown, will be silent and inaccessable. So lets just hold on to Napolitano for say the next 16 months.
“Not One Red Dime for the NRSC or NRCC till they stop trying to elect liberals”
Join the RedState Strike Force
Lisa, I wanna buy your rock
gonzo55 (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 4:07PM EST (link)I was talking to a (liberal) friend about Napolitano today, and he actually brought up that we haven’t been attacked since she took office. Yeah, they’ve done such a good job keeping down us right-wing extremists that we haven’t been able to attack our own country. Definitely not an irrelevant correlation…
“Facts are stubborn things” — Ronald Wilson Reagan