The AP is reporting that one member of Congress is, as President Bush would say, plenty steamed over the administration's unwillingness to send Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge up to the Hill to testify. "'Any effort to cut off Congress' normal interaction with agency heads and policy-makers ... is not only wrong, but it violates the United States Constitution's express grant to Congress' of the powers of defending the country and regulating the armed services, [he] said. He also said the lack of information 'jeopardizes the administration's request for additional homeland security funds.'"
And who was behind this left-wing rant? Tom Daschle? Dick Gephardt? Actually, it was deeply conservative Republican Rep. Ernest Istook of Oklahoma. Now I'm just waiting for Rep. Tom Davis to release a statement accusing Mr. Istook of making "divisive comments" that "have the effect of giving aid and comfort to our enemies by allowing them to exploit divisions in our country."
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