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And as Justin Elliot points out, none of the Republicans now criticizing the administration's efforts on terrorism dispute they were briefed that Abdulmutallab was in FBI custody. They just all seem to be comfortable pleading ignorance about standard FBI procedure. That doesn't exactly speak well of their authority on national security matters.
Republicans have been arguing that failed underwear bomber Umar Abdulmutallab should have been put in military detention rather than being charged through the criminal justice system. Yesterday, Rep. Peter Hoekstra, the ranking Republican on the House intelligence committee, responded to John Brennan's revelation that Republicans had been informed failed Abdulmutallab was in FBI custody and hadn't objected until after the fact by saying that ... he didn't know what that meant.
Hoekstra didn't dispute Brennan's account that he was one of four Republicans who was briefed by Brennan shortly after Abdulmutallab's arrest. But Hoekstra maintained that they were only told that Abdulmutallab was in FBI custody.Either Hoekstra isn't being honest, or -- as Spencer Ackerman put it -- the Republicans' point man on intelligence in the House knows less about the FBI than the average American moviegoer."We weren't told that he was going to be read his Miranda rights," Hoekstra said.
And as Justin Elliot points out, none of the Republicans now criticizing the administration's efforts on terrorism dispute they were briefed that Abdulmutallab was in FBI custody. They just all seem to be comfortable pleading ignorance about standard FBI procedure. That doesn't exactly speak well of their authority on national security matters.
-- A. Serwer
