Citing 'lack of cooperation' watchdog will limit role in US intelligence

Citing 'lack of cooperation,' government watchdog will continue to limit role in US intelligence oversight

John Byrne
Published: Tuesday June 20, 2006


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Citing a "lack of cooperation," the government’s internal auditing organization said in a letter to an Ohio senator last week that they will continue to limit intelligence oversight to formal requests from Congressional intelligence committees, RAW STORY has learned.

The statement was made in a footnote to Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Government Management, in a letter from the Director of Defense Capabilities for the Government Accountability Office.

"For us to undertake such work would require the sponsorship of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence or the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence," wrote GAO official Derek Stewart. "While we have the authority to do such work, we lack the cooperation we need to get our job done in that area. As a result, unless and until we receive such cooperation, and given GAO's limited recourse, we will continue our long-standing policy of not doing work that relates directly to intelligence matters unless requested to do so by one of the select intelligence committees."

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Government_watchdog_says_they_will_limit_0620.html

Or, more to the point ... Citing a 'lack of intelligence' coming from within the Committees of Sire Bushie ...