Ruppersberger: Terror warnings no distraction from NSA scrutiny

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee on Sunday rejected the suggestion that the Obama administration was raising warnings now about an Al Qaeda terror threat to distract from scrutiny of the NSA’s secret surveillance programs.

Maryland Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger said it was “good news” the National Security Agency picked up intelligence about a possible attack on Western targets, prompting the shutdown of U.S. embassies and consulates in the Middle East.

“We have NSA people going to work every day whose purpose is to collect information against terrorist attacks,” he said on ABC’s “This Week.” The people who work at NSA are hardworking people who follow the law.”

Ruppersberger’s district is home to NSA headquarters.

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), a member of the Homeland Security Committee, agreed.

"It's absolutely crazy to say there's any conspiracy here," he said. "The government would have been totally negligent if it did not take the actions taken."