[subego]

James Clapper: I gave 'erroneous' answer because I forgot about Patriot Act | World news | guardian.co.uk

Originally Posted by The Guardian

The most senior US intelligence official told a Senate oversight panel that he “simply didn’t think” of the National Security Agency’s efforts to collect the phone records of millions of Americans when he testified in March that it did “not wittingly” snoop on their communications.

In case you didn't know, they told Clapper before the hearing they were going to ask him this question. After the hearing, they called Clapper and said "are you sure you don't want to rephrase that?"

Clapper did not.

[subego]

Does anyone have any idea what this is?

I assume it's not Clapper trolling us. Is this prep for possible legal consequences for lying to Congress?

[BadKosh]

Lying to Congress! Who would do such a thing?

Mostly, they have stated under oath "I didn't do anything wrong (Pleading the 5th...oh, no wait)", "I don't know", or changing the subject.

[The Final Dakar]

I don't have much other than "WTF?!"

[besson3c]

I used to find those Clapper commercials funny, where some old lady wakes up in the middle of the night and looks all pissed off, and then claps her hands to turn off the light while her husband lies asleep next to her. I think she might have even been wearing a nightcap (like Turtle probably does).

[subego]

I'm still having trouble envisioning anything other than...

[MacGirl80]

Hmm, intersting.I wonder if that argument would work in other trials. 'I simply didn't think that this man would die if I stabbed him'.

[The Final Dakar]

Seems legit.

On Friday, President Obama promised to appoint an “independent group” of “outside experts” to review the government’s surveillance programs.

...

The panel will be chosen by, and report to, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Clapper famously answered “no sir” when Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) asked whether the NSA collects information about millions of Americans. Clapper has since conceded that this answer was “clearly erroneous.”

Friday’s speech talked about the need for input from outside experts with independent points of view. The president made no mention of the need for outsiders or independent viewpoints in his memo to Clapper.
The stated mission of the group has also shifted. On Friday, Obama said the group would examine “how we can maintain the trust of the people, how we can make sure that there absolutely is no abuse.” But today’s memo makes no mention of preventing abuses. Instead, it will examine whether U.S. surveillance activity “optimally protects our national security and advances our foreign policy while appropriately accounting for other policy considerations, such as the risk of unauthorized disclosure and our need to maintain the public trust.”