They Really DO Want Monica to Do FISA Applications!

I joked earlier that the Administration had requested FISA be expanded so that Monica Goodling could make FISA certifications.

I’ll come back to his summary of the extra goodies the Administrationis requesting (the short version: they want to make it impossible forany case relating to wiretapping to go through normal courts, and theywant to expand the universe of people who can make FISA certificationsto include Monica Goodling non-Senate approved people the President designates).

That was based on this language from Wainstein’s testimony.

Section 404 also would increase the number of individuals who can make FISA certifications. Currently, FISA requires that such certifications be made only by senior Executive Branch national security officials who have been confirmed by the Senate. The new provision would allow certifications to be made by individuals specifically designated by the President and would remove the restriction that such individuals be Senate-confirmed. As this committee is aware, many intelligence agencies have an exceedingly small number of Senate confirmed officials (sometimes only one, or even none), and the Administration’s proposal would allow intelligence agencies to more expeditiously obtain certifications.

I thought I was being pretty funny. Until I read this, from Spencer Ackerman.