A Stitch in Haste

I briefly noted previously the bizarre turn of events in the warrantless wiretapping scandal in which the Justice Department was unable to obtain the necessary security clearances to review the National Security Agency's dubious activities. I guess the NSA was worried that the FBI might have links to al Qaeda.

As, apparently, does the FCC:

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will not pursue complaints about a spy agency's access to millions of telephone records because it cannot obtain classified material, the FCC's chairman said in a letter released on Tuesday.
...
"We can't have a situation where the FCC, charged with enforcing the law, won't even begin an investigation of apparent violations of the law because it predicts the administration will roadblock any investigations citing national security," [Representative Edward] Markey said in response to [FCC Chairman Kevin] Martin.

Keep in the mind that Martin didn't even try to open an investigation. He simply assumed that the NSA would not cooperate and shrugged off his responsibilities.

Oh, one more thing:

Martin, a Republican designated chairman last year, worked at the White House and for President George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign before joining the FCC in 2001 as a commissioner.

But I'm sure that had nothing to do with Martin's decision to roll over and play dead, right? The thought of Martin recusing himself from the decision-making process need never have come up, right? Because political appointees never, ever let politics cloud their judgment, right?

In any case, look on the bright side: maybe someone at the NSA will utter a naughty word over its classified eavesdropping equipment and the FCC will swarm down on them then.