🚀 go-pugleaf

#   memorandum, from the Justice Department to the CIA saying anyone
#   disclosing classified information to a member of Congress would
#   be violating the Constitution.
#   
#   James Madison must be rolling in his grave at that claim.
#   
#   The principal of separation of powers, which he wrote into the
#   Constitution, was designed to let each of the three branches of
#   Government check abuse by the others.
#   
#   Congress does not like to tangle with the executive on claims of
#   national security.
#   
#   But will it lie down before this claim of exclusive, imperial power?

          The New York Times, June 20, 1997
 
          President Threatens Veto of Senate Bill for CIA
 
          By TIM WEINER
 
          WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Thursday passed a secret
          spending bill for U.S. intelligence, but the White
          House threatened to veto it over a provision that would
          protect whistleblowers.
 
          The Senate bill would let employees of the Central
          Intelligence Agency and other branches of the
          government tell members of Congress classified
          information that would expose a crime, reveal lying to
          Congress, uncover fraud or stop abuses. They could do
          so without approval from their superiors and without
          fear of reprisal. They could only pass on information
          to appropriate members -- for example, CIA information
          would have to go to the Intelligence Committee.
 
          But the White House said it woul