Can they tell the truth about anything?  Atrios brings us this Glenn Greenwald post that Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) offered legislation in 2002 that sought to lower the burden of proof for a FISA warrant to reasonable suspicion and the Bush administration not only refused to support it but called parts of the bill unconstitutional  all at the same time they were pursuing a program that purposely ignored FISA regulations and other legal restrictions on domestic wiretapping.  Why?  I have no clue other than maybe they thought their perverse attachment to secrecy and expanded executive power/privilege might be threatened by openly debating the issue, but regardless this information pretty much makes most of this Administration's excuses (or lies) to this point null and void.

Update (1/24/06): Alberto Gonzalez went on NPR and said that they were convinced by unnamed Congress people that they shouldn't encourage Congressional action because is would reveal details about the wiretapping program already underway.  Man do I feel safer with this crew running things!