John Dean: Bush secrecy intended to build up power

Analysis:

The Press article states that Dean made claims such as the Bush administration is more obsessed with secrecy that the Nixon administration, that the Bush administration was seeking to expand Presidential powers, and that the covert activities of this administration are just the tip of the iceberg since 9/11. None of these comments were verified nor did the reporter seek out a position that would refute these claims, either a White House supporter or an independent perspective.

The article does state that “Dean spoke at an event sponsored by the Thomas M. Cooley School of Law and the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU lawyers on Monday are scheduled to make oral arguments in a Detroit court in a suit filed over the Bush administration’s wiretapping of telephone calls without court approval,” but does not provide any commentary from ACLU lawyer Michael Steinberg who also spoke at the event. The ACLU lawyer spoke at length about the case and stated that “The government’s arguments that the president, alone, can decide to spy on Americans without a warrant are fundamentally un-American and contradict the vision of the founders of our democracy.” Also not included in the Press article was the role that phone companies played in the domestic spying issue that was raised at the event. The ACLU recently filed formal comments reminding the Federal Communications Commission of allegations that AT&T and BellSouth illegally provided customer information to the NSA, and pointing out that under existing law the FCC cannot permit the pending merger between those two companies to proceed without investigating the merit of those allegations. ACLU affiliates in 20 states have also filed complaints with Public Utility Commissions or sent letters to state Attorneys General and other officials demanding investigations into whether local telecommunications companies allowed the NSA to spy on their customers.

Story:

GRAND RAPIDS — John Dean says the Bush White House is more obsessed with keeping secrets than his former boss — Richard Nixon — and is using terrorism as an excuse to expand presidential powers.

Dean, a former counsel to Nixon who was the star witness in congressional hearings on the Watergate cover-up, said Saturday he believes much of the thrust for secrecy comes from Vice President Dick Cheney.

Cheney served in the Nixon White House and was President Gerald R. Ford’s chief of staff.

“He was working in the White House in that period after Watergate when the president lost some of his powers,” Dean told a gathering at the Ladies Literary Club. “He has publicly announced that one of his missions was to strengthen the presidency, and we’ve seen him push the envelope.”

Dean spoke at an event sponsored by the Thomas M. Cooley School of Law and the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU lawyers on Monday are scheduled to make oral arguments in a Detroit court in a suit filed over the Bush administration’s wiretapping of telephone calls without court approval.

Dean said he expects government lawyers to argue that the wiretapping program is a matter of national security and therefore cannot be discussed in court.

“The issue of state secrets is a relatively old concept, but it has been used dramatically under the Bush presidency,” he said.

“When you get into the area of national security, there are few guidelines. It’s the grayest area.”

Dean said Nixon could have Watergate “go away” had he argued that it was a matter of national security.

“He could have made one of the saddest chapters in American history go away,” he said. “Why didn’t he? I don’t think he thought of it early on, and later he was so weakened that I think he didn’t dare.”

Dean said Bush, like Nixon, briefs congressional leaders called “The Gang of Eight” on issues such as the wiretapping, and uses the briefings to imply there is adequate congressional oversight.
“You brief these leaders and tell them what they hear is classified,” he said. “They can’t take notes, they can’t discuss it with their staff, they can’t get a legal opinion.

“Yet what they get are broad generalizations that are an easy way to protect their flank and allows the president to say he informed Congress.”

Dean said a push to expand presidential powers started early on in the Bush administration and expanded greatly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“In some ways, they were handed a gift by 9-11,” he said. “I believe the covert activity we’ve seen so far is the tip of the iceberg.”