first published week of: 01/25/2016
A longstanding and unfulfilled congressional demand for memos about the use of GPS tracking devices in federal investigations triggered a tense exchange Thursday that saw key House lawmakers from both parties bearing down hard on a top Justice Department official.
House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and ranking member Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) slammed Justice Department legislative affairs chief Peter Kadzik, after he refused to commit to sharing the documents and directives on use of geolocation techniques.
"Why is it that members of Congress with security clearances ... why is it that I cannot actually see what you're sending out far and wide?" Chaffetz asked. "You're sending this out to all of your prosecutors ... When you send this out far and wide, why can't Elijah Cummings and I go look at it?"
Kadzik insisted the memos had not been sent out "far and wide" and that the records amounted to attorney-work product that should be kept confidential. "It goes to those prosecutors who need that information when they litigate cases and they approve or disapprove particular investigative techniques ... We have provided briefings," the assistant attorney general for legislative affairs said.
"No. No. No. No. No. A briefing's not good enough. A briefing's not good enough," Chaffetz shot back. continued…