White House Defends Controversial Order

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Speaking at a hastily assembled press conference held this afternoon at the White House, Press Secretary Dana Perino attempted to defend the Administration's choice in the controversial passage of yesterday's Executive Order. Ms. Perino told those members of the press who had assembled that the Order's expedient and--as has been argued, unconstitutional--composition was necessary. According to the White House, the new measures created by the Order have turned up evidence of an extant and highly dangerous terrorist threat. "We did what we thought was in the best interests of national security," she said later by phone, insisting that the bill was more effective if brought into action urgently. Ms. Perino went on to say that "there is a potential attack on our country that [NSA] has been made aware of" and that the NSA's foreknowledge of this threat is a direct result of the measures put forth in the executive order. In both the press conference and later, the Press Secretary insisted that the White House hopes Congress will pass a bill both strengthening and building on the Executive Order. But, she says, "I cannot predict what Congress will do."
This new development has many civil rights advocates concerned, as the UACL and others wonder about the unbelievable day-old efficacy of such an expediently produced piece of legislation. The White House has yet to release a print copy of Ms. Perino's suspiciously hasty statements, and is unlikely to release even a partially-redacted version of the NSA memo which the White House claims supports the controversial Executive Order.

--Matt Lerner