Our intern Grace Campion put together this brief on today's House hearing on state secrets.

At 12:30pm today, the House Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties will be holding a hearing on HR 5607, the State Secret Protection Act of 2008.

Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) and the Judiciary committee members, of late, have kept busy defining and redefining the role they should play in keeping tabs on the Executive Branch.  This is the latest effort put forth by Rep. Nadler (D-NY) along with his three co-sponsors, Rep. Petri (R-WI), Conyers, and Rep. Delahunt (D-MA) to curb the powers the President has abused in the name of national security.

The legal precedent was set by President Jefferson during Aaron Burr's trial for treason.  In contention was a letter between the President and General Wilkinson said to include sensitive information that would be a risk to national security if divulged.