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Jackbooted thugs

The right wing blowhards are trying to stir up a controversy about 911 commission member Jamie Gorlick. There really is no controversy, as both Democratic and Republican colleagues support her decision not to step down. So this whole thing is really an attempt to distract attention from substantive testimony. Well, a little misdirection is to be expected from the Bush administration. After al, they deal in slogans, not substance. What is unexpected, and pretty damn scary, is the fact that Ms. Gorelick has received death threats because she has refused to answer the loud squeals from the right that are calling for her resignation.

Jamie Gorelick, a member of the commission investigating the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, said Saturday that she received death threats this week after a number of conservatives alleged that her former work in the Justice Department may have contributed to failures leading to the attacks.

In the mid-1990s, Gorelick served as deputy attorney general of the United States.

During that time, she wrote a memorandum establishing distinctions between intelligence that could be used for law-enforcement purposes and intelligence that could be used for national security purposes.

That separation was originally required as a safeguard against abuse of citizens' rights by government investigative agencies. But passage of the Patriot Act in the wake of the attacks eliminated the requirement.

The so-called "wall" governing intelligence uses has been a key subject at hearings of the commission. It has been blamed for being a main obstacle to better sharing of information in connection with the September 11 attacks.

"I can confirm that I've received threats at my office and my home," she told CNN on Saturday. "I did get a bomb threat to my home."

She added, "I have gotten a lot of very vile e-mails. The bomb threat was by phone."
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But Gorelick said she planned to continue her current duties.

"This is not a basis for resignation," she said, noting that Ashcroft's own deputy ratified the memorandum in August 2001.

Gorelick said she has recused herself from reviewing any actions that occurred while she was at the Justice Department.

Democratic and Republican commission members, including Chairman Tom Kean, supported her decision.