Chief counsel to committee that probed Nixon abuse of power wants similar Bush probe

"To test a man's character, give him power."--Abe Lincoln

The chief counsel to the committee that investigated abuses of power by President Richard Nixon in the 1970s tells RAW STORY he’d like to see asimilar inquiry into clandestine intelligence operations under President George W. Bush.

When asked by RAW STORY in an interview last week about whether a deeper inquiry into the activities of the intelligence community akin to the work of the Church Committee would be appropriate, Schwarz said, “I think it’s a very good idea.”

“One thing that needs to be looked at is the conduct of the intelligence agencies on subjects like warrantless wiretapping and ‘rendition’ for torture,” he said. “One important issue is the actual conduct of the agencies, and the other is the ‘command and control’ questions – how were they authorized, or were they authorized? And if so, who were their bosses, the Department of Defense, or the White House?” he added.
Schwarz also believes Congress should tackle the concept of presidential power espoused by the Bush White House.

“Another thing that needs to be looked at is the theory that the Bush administration has that the president is entitled to break the law,” he said. “Because if that’s right, then much of what they've done with respect to warrantless wiretapping and torture, he's like a king, and he has the right, so you must take on that third subject to have a good investigation.”

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