By the way the White House is fighting so hard to prevent any scrutiny of their domestic spying operation, it's hard to draw any conclusion: They know it's illegal. The Bush admin. also realizes that if Congress just scratches the surface, that'll be clear:
At two key moments in recent days, White House officials contacted congressional leaders just ahead of intelligence committee meetings that could have stirred demands for a deeper review of the administration's warrantless-surveillance program, according to House and Senate sources.So far, the White House bullying has prevented Congressional oversight. Apparently, along the way, they've pissed off some of their fellow Republicans. So far, no surprise but the GOPers in Congress are still abdicating their oversight responsibilities.
In both cases, the administration was spared the outcome it most feared, and it won praise in some circles for showing more openness to congressional oversight.
