| | The Go8 oversight process was largely the result of the [[Church Committee]] in the post-[[Watergate]] reform era. It was put in place after the 47-year career of FBI director [[J. Edgar Hoover]] who routinely spied on and blackmailed Washington politicians. Hoover was largely considered untouchable even by the seven presidents he served under. | | The Go8 oversight process was largely the result of the [[Church Committee]] in the post-[[Watergate]] reform era. It was put in place after the 47-year career of FBI director [[J. Edgar Hoover]] who routinely spied on and blackmailed Washington politicians. Hoover was largely considered untouchable even by the seven presidents he served under. |
| − | After the recommendations of 9/11 Commission report, [[Executive branch]] procedures in the 21st century for briefing congressional leaders were somewhat modified. However, the [[Obama administration]] dispensed with legislative oversight of the intelligence community and converted the electronic surveillance capabilities of the intelligence community against terrorist organizations, foreign intelligence agencies, and drug cartels into a domestic spying apparatus on American citizens, political opponents, [[conservative]] figures and organizations, and Republicans up to the level of presidential nominee.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/07/04/preview-the-fourth-branch-of-government/</ref> | + | After the recommendations of 9/11 Commission report, [[Executive branch]] procedures in the 21st century for briefing congressional leaders were somewhat modified. However, the [[Obama administration]] dispensed with the constitutional; requirement for legislative oversight and converted the electronic surveillance capabilities of the intelligence community used against terrorist organizations, foreign intelligence agencies, and drug cartels, into a domestic spying apparatus on American citizens, political opponents, [[conservative]] figures and organizations, and Republicans up to the level of presidential nominee.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/07/04/preview-the-fourth-branch-of-government/</ref> |
| | The Go8 formerly were briefed on every covert operation that our various intelligence agencies carry out. They were directly responsible for oversight of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA), the [[National Security Agency]] (NSA) and the [[Office of the Director of National Intelligence]] (ODNI). | | The Go8 formerly were briefed on every covert operation that our various intelligence agencies carry out. They were directly responsible for oversight of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA), the [[National Security Agency]] (NSA) and the [[Office of the Director of National Intelligence]] (ODNI). |