Pat Dollard

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The Swamp:
by Mark Silva

As the House cleared out its chambers this evening for a “sweep” by the Capitol Police to ensure that no listening devices were present for the closed session of the House tonight — for a debate about the secret surveillance of suspected terrorists — advocates invoked history.

The last secret session was called in 1983, on the support of Contras.

Before that:

– December 27, 1825:
To receive a confidential message from the president regarding relations with Indian tribes.

– May 27, 1830:
To receive a confidential message from the president on a bill regulating trade between the U.S. and Great Britain

– June 20, 1979:
On the Panama Canal Act of 1979; implementing legislation

– February 25, 1980:
To discuss Cuban and other Communist-bloc countries involvement in Nicaragua

And then July 19, 1983:
To discuss U.S. support for the Contras in Nicaragua.

The Congressional Research Service provided this history as the Capitol Police escorted members from the House floor tonight to “secure the chamber, and sweep the premises for listening devices and other possible breaches of security,” as the office of House Republican Whip Roy Blunt, who sought the secret session, put it tonight.

“Once the House is fully cleared, members who have signed the oath of confidentiality — (all but a handful have) — will be recalled to the chamber, select staff with appropriate clearances will be administered an oath of secrecy, and an hour of debate will ensue,” Blunt’s office announced. “At the conclusion of that hour, the Secret Session will dissolve.”

Based on the history, this one better be good.