About Me

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I was previously a constitutional law and civil rights litigator and am now a journalist. I am the author of three New York Times bestselling books -- "How Would a Patriot Act" (a critique of Bush executive power theories), "Tragic Legacy" (documenting the Bush legacy), and With Liberty and Justice for Some (critiquing America's two-tiered justice system and the collapse of the rule of law for its political and financial elites). My fifth book - No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA and the US Surveillance State - will be released on April 29, 2014 by Holt/Metropolitan.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Emails to Tom Kean and the DOJ

----- Original Message -----
To: thkconsultingnc@xxxxxxx.xxx
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 4:26 PM
Subject: Interview/comment request - Tom Kean


Gov. Kean -

I am a writer at Salon.com, working on a story regarding extraordinary comments Attorney General Michael Mukasey made last week about the 9/11 attacks. Specifically, the Attorney General claimed that the U.S. Government knew of a telephone call into the U.S., originating from an "Afghan safe house", relating to the 9/11 attacks, but was unable to intercept it due to FISA's warrant requirements.

I interviewed Phil Zelikow via email, who said that he has never heard of any incident of the type alleged by Mr. Mukasey to have occurred. Is the Attorney General's claim about this incident true? Was the 9/11 Commission ever made aware of any such claim?

This growing controversy has been covered by several media outlets. I have written two articles on it thus far for Salon. Keith Olbermann broadcast a segment on it last night on MSNBC. The speech itself -- and the specific comments Mukasey made -- were covered and quoted by various newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Sun, and Wall St. Journal.

I would appreciate a comment from you, either via email or by telephone, regarding the Attorney General's comments. An assertion like that is obviously of great significance and I think it's incumbent upon Commission officials to identify false claims about the 9/11 attacks coming from high government officials.


The articles I have written are here and here, and I intend to write one again tomorrow, and would appreciate a comment from you. Thank you -

Glenn Greenwald
SALON


----- Original Message -----
To: xxxx.xxxxxx.x
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 4:35 PM
Subject: Attorney General Mukasey -- Interview/comment request

Ms. Evans -

I am a writer at Salon.com, working on a story regarding extraordinary comments Attorney General Mukasey made last week about the 9/11 attacks. Specifically, the Attorney General claimed that the U.S. Government knew of a telephone call into the U.S., originating from an "Afghan safe house", relating to the 9/11 attacks, but was unable to intercept it due to FISA's warrant requirements.

Today, I interviewed 9/11 Commission Executive Director Philip Zelikow via email, who said that he has never heard of any incident of the type alleged by Mr. Mukasey to have occurred.

Does he have any response to Mr. Zelikow's statement? Is the Attorney General's claim about this incident true? Was the 9/11 Commission ever made aware of any such claim? Why wasn't this obviously significant incident referenced in the 9/11 Commission Report?

This growing controversy has been covered by several media outlets. I have written two articles on it thus far for Salon. Keith Olbermann broadcast a segment on it last night on MSNBC. The speech itself -- and the specific comments Mukasey made -- were covered and quoted by various newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Sun, and Wall St. Journal.


I would appreciate a comment from you, either via email or by telephone, regarding the Attorney General's comments. An assertion like that is obviously of great significance and I think it's incumbent upon the DOJ to respond to Mr. Zelikow's statement that the 9/11 Commission has no knowledge whatsoever of the incident the Attorney General described.


Thank you -
Glenn Greenwald
SALON

_______________________________


posted by Glenn Greenwald | 1:53 PM