Gang of Eight (intelligence)

Background

The term "Gang of Eight" gained wide use in coverage of the controversial warrantless surveillance of American citizens by the National Security Agency under the George W. Bush administration, in the context that no members of Congress other than the Gang of Eight were informed of the program, and they were forbidden to disseminate knowledge of the program to other members of Congress. The Bush administration asserted that the briefings delivered to the Gang of Eight sufficed to provide Congressional oversight of the program and preserve the checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches.

The non-partisan Congressional Research Service prepared a legal analysis on January 18, 2006 that noted: "If the NSA surveillance program were to be considered an intelligence collection program, limiting congressional notification of the NSA program to the Gang of Eight, which some Members who were briefed about the program contend, would appear to be inconsistent with the law, which requires that the 'congressional intelligence committees be kept fully and currently informed of all intelligence activities', other than those involving covert actions."

However, as noted by David S. Kris, former Assistant Attorney General for National Security at DOJ: "As it turns out, however, Rep. Nadler was in fact aware of the bulk metadata collection in 2009, and (as discussed in the text) wrote to the Department of Justice about the collection at the time. In response, DOJ sent him a letter in December 2009 noting that the government was making available to all Members of Congress information about the bulk collection and compliance issues that had arisen." In 2011, as it did in 2009, the Executive Branch again made documentation available to all members of Congress to explain reauthorization of Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act.

Senator Feinstein stressed in July 2013, "I know of no federal program for which audits, Congressional oversight and scrutiny by the Justice Department, the Intelligence Community and the Courts are stronger or more sustained."

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales repeatedly made references to the "Gang of Eight" when being questioned about the warrantless surveillance/domestic spying while testifying at the Justice Department Oversight hearing held July 24, 2007.

Members, 119th Congress

Under the "gang of eight" system, the executive branch of the United States discloses highly sensitive intelligence information to the following members of Congress:

• United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Rick Crawford (R-AR), Chair
  • Jim Himes (D-CT), Ranking Member
• United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chair
  • Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chair
• Leadership in the United States House of Representatives:
  • Mike Johnson (R-LA), Speaker
  • Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Minority Leader
• Leadership in the United States Senate:
  • John Thune (R-SD), Majority Leader
  • Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader

Members from past Congresses

118th United States Congress (January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025)

• United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Mike Turner (R-OH), Chair
  • Jim Himes (D-CT), Ranking Member
• United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Mark Warner (D-VA), Chair
  • Marco Rubio (R-FL), Vice Chair
• Leadership in the United States House of Representatives:
  • Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Speaker of the House (January 7, 2023 – October 3, 2023)
  • Mike Johnson (R-LA), Speaker of the House (from October 25, 2023)
  • Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Minority Leader
• Leadership in the United States Senate:
  • Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Majority Leader
  • Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Minority Leader

117th United States Congress (January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023)

• United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chair
  • Devin Nunes (R-CA), Ranking member (2021)
  • Mike Turner (R-OH), Ranking member (2022)
• United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Mark Warner (D-VA), Chair
  • Marco Rubio (R-FL), Vice Chair
• Leadership in the United States House of Representatives:
  • Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Speaker of the House
  • Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Minority leader
• Leadership in the United States Senate:
  • Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Majority Leader
  • Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Minority Leader

116th United States Congress (January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021)

• United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chair
  • Devin Nunes (R-CA), Ranking member
• United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Richard Burr (R-NC), Chair
  • Mark Warner (D-VA), Ranking member
• Leadership in the United States House of Representatives:
  • Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Speaker of the House
  • Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Minority leader
• Leadership in the United States Senate:
  • Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Majority Leader
  • Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader

115th United States Congress (January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019)

• United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Devin Nunes (R-CA), Chair
  • Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ranking member
• United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence:
  • Richard Burr (R-NC), Chair
  • Mark Warner (D-VA), Ranking member
• Leadership in the United States House of Representatives:
  • Paul Ryan (R-WI), Speaker
  • Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Minority leader
• Leadership in the United States Senate:
  • Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Majority Leader
  • Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader

114th United States Congress (January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017)

• United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: :*Devin Nunes (R): (Chair) :*Adam Schiff (D): (Ranking member)

• United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence: :*Richard Burr (R): (Chair) :*Dianne Feinstein (D): (Vice Chairman)

• Leadership in the United States House of Representatives: :*Paul Ryan (R): (Speaker of the House) :*Nancy Pelosi (D): (Minority leader)

• Leadership in the United States Senate: :*Mitch McConnell (R): (Majority leader) :*Harry Reid (D): (Minority leader)

References

References

1. (2001-10-05). "President's Memorandum Limiting Executive Agency Disclosures to Congress". [[Federation of American Scientists]].
2. (2006-01-18). "Statutory Procedures Under Which Congress Is To Be Informed of U.S. Intelligence Activities, Including Covert Actions". [[Federation of American Scientists]].
3. (2014-02-25). "On the Bulk Collection of Tangible Things". Journal of National Security Law & Policy.
4. (2011-02-02). "Report on the National Security Agency's Bulk Collection Programs for the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization". Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
5. (2013-07-30). "Senate intelligence committee chair: Reform NSA programs". The Washington Post.
6. WALTER PINCUS. (2 Mar 2010). "House votes to revise intelligence disclosure rules for president". Washington Post.