House Intel panel blasts critics who skipped NSA briefings

The House Intelligence Committee is firing back at lawmakers who have accused the panel of withholding access to information about the National Security Agency's surveillance programs from other members of Congress.

“It is unfortunate that some of the Members now attacking the Committee chose not to avail themselves of the opportunity back when these programs were not discussed so prominently in the news media,” committee spokeswoman Susan Phalen said. Although the committee did not share a Justice Department memo with other members, Phalen insisted that all members were invited to classified briefings where they could have learned about the programs.