A Big Suprise

If I may borrow a pearl of wisdom from that great political
sage, Condoleeza Rice: No one could have possibly predicted
this would happen.

WASHINGTON, March 9 — The F.B.I. has
improperly used provisions of the USA
Patriot Act to obtain thousands of
telephone, business and financial records
without prior judicial approval, the
Justice Department’s inspector general
said today in a report that embarrassed
the F.B.I. and ignited outrage on Capitol
Hill.

The report found that the bureau lacked
sufficient controls to make sure that its
agents were acting properly when they
obtained records using administrative
subpoenas, which do not require a judge’s
prior approval. And the report found that
the bureau does not follow some of the
rules it does have on the matter.

Robert S. Mueller III, the director of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, called
a news conference today to accept
responsibility for the lapses, and to
pledge his best efforts to see that they
are not repeated.

“How could this happen?” Mr. Mueller
asked rhetorically. “Who is to be held
accountable? And the answer to that is,
I am to be held accountable.”

Which means he'll probably be given the Medal of Freedom
from President Bush before the year is over.