Transparency Needed in Ft. Hood Inquiry

"The Government Has Been Too Slow in Giving Us Information," Says Top Republican on House Intel Committee

(CBS)  According to Rep. Pete Hoekstra, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, the government has been "too slow" in providing information to members of Congress in the investigation into Maj. Nadil Malik Hasan and the Ft. Hood massacre.

On CBS' "Face The Nation," host Bob Schieffer asked Hoekstra if he was satisfied with the administration's transparency with members of Congress.

"There hasn't been enough transparency for members of Congress, for the press, or for the American people. You know, I think that we need to move very, very aggressively and do a full-scale investigation as to who knew what and where," Hoekstra responded.

Hoekstra also noted that the government has gathered a lot of information on Maj. Hasan, but a lack of cohesive communication prevented the Ft. Hood massacre from being stopped before it happened.

"I think the administration knew by the Friday after the Fort Hood shootings that they had a lot of questions that needed to be answered, that there had been all of these red flags, but that they had never come together in one place."

Hoekstra called for an aggressive investigation into what what happened at Ft. Hood, to get a better insight into what he called "a real and continuing threat from radical jihadists.

"I think most Americans aren't aware of how severe this threat really is," he said.

The Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), agreed with Hoekstra about a separate Congressional investigation, adding, "I think we have to do it carefully, in a way that we don't interfere with the prosecution that is going to be of him, the court martial prosecution. We don't want to step on things that will make it more difficult to prosecute him because, of course, he should be prosecuted for these murders."

[SusanStoHelit]

Investigations take time - time to sort truth from rumor, time to ask questions, to add the answers up and find the gaps. The media, and people who love to cause trouble, like to pretend like this can all happen instantaneously, and like it won't hurt the investigation to have partial and inaccurate information released early - it will.

[dontknowitall]

Well, Congress is as transparent as it can be. Is there anyone that actually believes that our US Senators and Representitives are FOR THE PEOPLE? Think again! When Bernie Madoff got busted every federal toilet in Washinton flushed at the same time.

[toldyouso21]

Why can't the Republicans just shut up for a while? The rest of us are really tired of this continual whining and adversarial type of governing.

[50BMS13]

2012

[velma179]

"2012"

...had great box office this last weekend -- but "New Moon" will easily knock it off the top this coming weekend......

[rbichamp]

Obama is now pressing congress to hold off on any investigation of the Fort Hood rampage.

Why is it that he automatically sides with any 'black' or Muslim side?

Black Panthers are caught on tape intimidating voters and yet, he refuses to prosecute them.

The black professor gets arrested and of course it's the white cops fault without even looking at the facts.

This muslim terrorist kills 13 and wounds many more and it must be someone else's fault as how could a muslim be guilty in his eyes? Islam is a peaceful religion.

[rbichamp]

Why are liberals such cowards when it comes to Islam?

This guy was an Islamic terrorist yet they are trying to portray his as something different.

I dare them to criticize Islam even once for every 100 times they attack Christianity. But they won't as cowards to start fights if they have a chance of getting hurt.

Christianity and Islam were very barbaric 500 years ago. Christianity has become civilized but Islam remains barbaric.

[AOCGUY]

Was the guy in Orlando a Christian terrorist? How about Scott Roeder?

[vpcharan]

I am not at all surprised by GOP reaction. Get used to it. They will keep saying NO every thing and disagree with every move or policy decision made by the Obama administration. For example, in response to the administration officials statement recently on CNN that "administration is convinced that most GOP senators and congressman are not blind to the problems facing American people", a GOP regular pundit quickly disagreed with the statement. This moron did not even comprehend what the administration statement was. This really illustrates what GOP is: Do Nothing Thugs!

[50BMS13]

2012

[AOCGUY]

50BMS13 - Do you read the comments you respond to?

[RandomUser1886]

Hey, let's not jump to conclusions about this Hasan guy.
According to Obama's State Department, the REAL terrorists are American conservatives who don't trust the government,
NOT Muslims like Hasan who go around slaughtering defenseless Americans while he shouts "Allahu Akbar!"

[rbichamp]

That's right!

Hasan is probably a good person that just made a mistake. Let's let him free as he's probably sorry for what he did.

Let's arrest the family members of the killed or wounded that would dare to use the words "Muslim terrorist". This is an outrage! Arrest them and teach them a lesson for criticizing Islam!

[velma179]

Pete Hoekstra thinks the administration has "been too slow" providing information. Dang, the guy's got "followers" on Twitter, he needs intel..

He thinks they haven't been transparent enough -- dang again... they just don't understand how important HE is and really... he hasn't nearly gotten enough classified intel to satisfy his FaceBook Friends...



This man is not only arrogant, he is dangerous. Make him a mushroom, for the sake of the country...please.

[50BMS13]

2012

[truthinnews]

It goes without saying that when this does go to trial, it needs to be air-tight and iron-clad. There needs to be absolutely NO reason that this guy could get off with anything short of the most severe sentence. That being said, I wish the news would stop running the picture of the murderer as a young man. That's not what he looked like the day this happened, and it makes it seem that he is similar to all of the men and women he murdered, many of whom were just starting their military careers (and their lives). He is not.

[velma179]

hungry1968... clinttexan... Imartink

EXACTLY!

[hungry1968-17]

by erichsh November 15, 2009 2:22 PM EST

Wow, such total liberal hypocrisy. Where where they when the NY Times was releasing classified info about our anti-terrorism efforts and putting our troops in danger? I guess it all depends on who is President.






Last I checked, the NY Times isn't a member of congress' intelligence committee, nor are they privy to sensitive and classified information like Hoekstra is.

Funny how you try and absolve a republican congressman, by comparing him to a newspaper, and acting like that newspaper is a "democrat" in your game of "us versus them".

I'm curious though, what information was leaked that put our troops in danger? Or are you referring to the Valerie Plame leak by Scooter Libby that jeopardized CIA agents in the field?

[rbichamp]

Well said!

And under Obama we finally had a terrorist attack on US soil.

That is why they are so reluctant to called this a terrorist act.

[velma179]

by rbichamp November 15, 2009 10:28 PM EST

"And under Obama we finally had a terrorist attack on US soil."

******

Finally had a terrorist attack...?

You show your true colors, poster. And those colors are NOT red, white and blue!

(It is not being called a terrorist attack because the investigation is not yet complete, for one... and secondly, "terrorism" is a LEGAL definition, not just something from your fevered imaginings... )

[hungry1968-17]

Perhaps Rep. Pete Hoekstra can explain to us all how he manages to stay on the congressional intelligence committee, while outing our most secret programs, exposing the location of traveling politicians (subjecting them to attacks from terrorists), and leaking sensitive intelligence information to the press.

Better yet, perhaps he can explain why he isn't IN JAIL for those things!

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/11/maddow-hoekstra-leak/

[clinttexan]

Hoeskstra wants to go on Twitter and give out classified info. Stupid jerk tweeted their location while in Iraq and put the rest of the Americans in danger. Village Idiots abound in the GOP.

[erichsh]

by clinttexan November 15, 2009 1:57 PM EST
Hoeskstra wants to go on Twitter and give out classified info. Stupid jerk tweeted their location while in Iraq and put the rest of the Americans in danger. Village Idiots abound in the GOP.

Wow, such total liberal hypocrisy. Where where they when the NY Times was releasing classified info about our anti-terrorism efforts and putting our troops in danger? I guess it all depends on who is President.

[AOCGUY]

Probably has more to do with the fact that Hoeskstra has a security clearance (the NYT does not) and despite knowing what is and the consequences of releasing classified info he continues to do so. The NYT is under no such restriction.

[lmartink]

This idiot Republican doesn't need to know diddly-squat. Obama is right, the Republicans should not turn this tragedy into some sort of partisan, politically motivated feeding frenzy.

There will be a thorough investigation, and all of the details will be forthcoming. In the meantime this idiot should just sit down and shut up.

It's better to be thought of as a fool, than to open the mouth, and remove all doubt.

[rbichamp]

You just described Obama. The black professor gets arrested and without looking at the facts he is criticizing the officers on national TV. Yes, the fool should not open his mouth without hearing the facts first.