I read it too, in a book a year or so ago I think. It might have been James Risen's State of War, but I've read so many "Bush Books" by now that I've lost track.

I suspect that it's getting traction now because it came from testimony to congress, under oath I assume, from a former acting AG, which gives it much more weight. Previously it was probably just a story that was floating around, among many. Of course, that didn't make it any less worth pursuing by congress or the MSM, given its serious implications. But at least it's finally getting traction, and may well lead to serious actions and consequences for the administration.

History often turns on such moments. E.g. Butterfield's revelation of the Oval Office tapes. Before congress, appropriately. (So if a tree falls and congress isn't around to hear it, did it make a sound? Or, I should ask, if a shoe drops...)

Apologies if this has already been covered in the comments here. I'm short on time and can't go through them all right now. But many of you know that Lanny Davis, former Clinton administration official, Joe Lieberman advisor and supporter, and leading member of the group that tried to raise money for Libby for his trial and appeal, recently quit a supposedly "independant" commission that was supposed to monitor the civil liberties-related activities of the administration, but which itself wholly reported to the administration. His stated reasons for quitting were that this was a conflict of interest that he could no longer be a part of. Which is strange given that it didn't prevent him from joining and being on it for so long--and he's a lawyer, so it's not as if he didn't know exactly what he was getting into at the time.

Anyway, he was on CSPAN's Washington Journal last week, the early morning hosted call-in show that tends to get a lot of angry Dems and crazy wingnuts (and, no doubt, paid or volunteer shills, given how many of them repeat right-wing talking points). And he kept going on about how, while he couldn't discuss the details of the wireless wiretap and other secret spying programs (which he said that he was "honored" to have been trusted with), he could absolutely reassure Americans that they were both necessary and lawful, and that no civil liberties violations issues were at stake in them. He also contradicted himself when he added that he did wish that the administration had gotten congress to amend FISA to allow some of the newer techniques and technologies being used in these programs, but that even absent these modifications to FISA, what the administration was doing was still necessary and legal (so then why would FISA need to be modified?).

He basically lied, egregiously and repeatedly. One, by claiming that FISA hadn't been updated to keep up with the times (it has, multiple times, including during the Bush administration). Two, by claiming that despite the lack of such updates, these programs were still fully lawful. And three, by claiming that there was nothing to worry about with respect to possible civil liberties violations with or misuses of these programs for non-legitimate purposes. He lied like the bought and paid for criminal defense attorney that he basically is, except he was doing it in the court of public opinion, and not an actual courtroom (which is a good thing for him since his "case" would have been laughed out of any such court). And, in case his credibility were still in doubt, he also added that he believed that Bush was an "honorable" and decent president who was genuinely acting out of good intentions, even if he (Davis) didn't necessarily agree with all of his policies. Concern troll, anyone?

It should also be added that they were classmates at Yale--what is it about people who attended Yale in the 60's that makes them so scummy and dishonest?

As was the case with Lieberman and Libby last fall, and Bush over the past few years, Davis is clearly shilling for unprincipled, dishonest and in some cases criminal people, without the slightest compunction or conscience. That he has the nerve to call himself a "Democrat" is just icing on this shitcake of a human being. Just another Zell Miller, Ed Koch or Joe Lieberman. My point is that clearly the administration is pulling out all the stops in getting people on both "sides" of the aisle to shill and lie for it as it as congress, the public, prosecuters, and even the media, continue to close in on it. And we should all see lying scum like Davis for their despicable people that they are.

And Davis is very close to the Clintons. Nuff said about that.