Drop 50 and Fire for Effect

Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) uses his time on the floor to publicly rip the DIA, Pentagon, and CIA a new one. Why?

Simple.

Because of their inability to answer questions related to Able Danger, the 9/11 investigation, and going after Lt. Col. Shaffer personally on what are essentially trumped up charges instead of substantively responding to his claims. AJ Strata goes on to say:

Weldon then goes on to discuss Louie Freeh’s interview on Meet The Press. He zeroes in on Freeh’s response about Able Danger (see QT Monster for transcript). Weldon claims Freeh stated the actionable data from Able Danger could have prevented 9-11. Strong stuff. He continues on with the Able Danger issue as we know it.

UPDATE 11:19

He is speaking out tonight to get the story out. And as bad as all this is, it is still worse. He claims the 9-11 commission staff did not want to pursue the story - he needs to tell that to Slade Gorton who has a habit of making grand statements for the 9-11 Omission. Weldon goes on to state he met in August and September with military officials involved in Able Danger - I had no idea it was this late breaking.

Weldon then names the first big new player. He says his conversations with Able Danger military officials was going well until leaders in the Defense Intelligence Agency, including the Deputy Director” decided the story should not be told. The DIA has “gagged” the military officers and not permitted them to talk to members of Congress (and trust me, that really pisses Congress off). BTW, there appear to be a lot of Deputy Directors for the DIA.

There's lots more and Michelle Malkin notes that Weldon went ballistic. She also notes:

He says he will resign from Congress if it refuses to investigate the government's smear tactics against Able Danger whistleblowers.

I'm not sure how his resignation will actually prompt anyone to act over at DIA, considering that he would lose the standing and prestige of being a Congressman with all the rights and access that confers on a person. However, it sounds good to Weldon. It's the kind of soundbite that could prod further action, though it is just as likely that DIA would simply call his bluff.

Captain Ed notes that Mark Zaid confirms Weldon's allegations in the floor speech and multiple media appearances last night about the DIA's treatment of LTC Tony Shaffer. Zaid is Shaffer's attorney.

UPDATE:
QT Monster has the transcript of his appearance on the Savage show. MacsMind thinks that the resignation outburst may tag Weldon as a nutter, but I think he's used to having that label. Freeh's comments on Meet The Press was revealing as well, but where this goes from here is still in the DIA court.

UPDATE:
Dr. Sanity also wonders what's going on, and why there is so much resistance to having information come out about this program:

What precisely is going on here? Someone, somewhere in the executive and/or oversight legislative branch needs to get them under some control and all working on the same page. I can live without knowing all the national security secrets that are entrusted to these people every day in the course of their work.

But, what I can't live with is being continually manipulated by the selective release of information for purposes that undermine our government and country--especially in a time of war.

Good points and ones that appear to be overlooked by the media.

Technorati: Able Danger, weldon, and 9/11, shaffer.