The White House has said Gonzales' testimony is accurate even though it apparently contradicts Mueller's testimony and Negroponte's memo. However, the apparent contradiction cannot be clarified because it would endanger "national security". Now that we've all had a good laugh about this, let's explore a possible explanation: That a separate, unrevealed surveillance program is being referred to as 'TSP' in public to avoid exposing it.
It occurs to me that Gonzales may be telling the truth in this instance, but he has unfortunately (for him) exposed the big lie the whole administration has been telling about surveillance. Here are the relevant events:
- Gonzales testifies there was no significant controversy over the TSP.
- Comey testifies there was a significant controversy over an unidentified program.
- Congress (Gang of 8) was briefed about the controversy in 2004. So what program did the briefing relate to? According to Negroponte's memo, the TSP!
- Mueller testifies that the controversy was over 'an NSA program'.
So was the controversy and the congressional briefing over the TSP, or a separate NSA program? If it was the latter, then both Gonzales' and Mueller's testimonies are accurate. But then Negroponte's memo is evidence that the administration is portraying a non-TSP surveillance program to congress as though it is the TSP.
I'm fairly sure that Gonzales has not perjured himself on this matter. I find it far more likely that a separate program was the focus of Comey's ire, and this program was falsely referred to as 'TSP' in congressional briefings to avoid legal problems and press leaks. A convenient un-truth.
A perjury investigation will (hopefully) discover that the administration has been deceiving the congress and the public about the existence of the other surveillance program(s).