Sen: DeWine (R) Skipped Hearing Where George Tenet Warned About Osama Bin Laden Before 9/11

Self-proclaimed guardian of national security Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Cedarville) skipped a meeting of the Senate Intelligence Committee on February 7, 2001 at which then-CIA Director George Tenet warned about the threat posed by Osama bin Laden.

This is just one of the shocking details emerging about DeWine's poor attendance record and general negligence on the Senate Intelligence Committee. His ads extoll his supposed vigilence about national security, but he has missed two-thirds of its public meetings the last two years and 50% overall. National security expert Rand Beers reported that he talked to committee staffers who confirmed that DeWine's attendance at closed meetings is just as spotty, and he is "not a particularly active member." He didn't even read the National Intelligence Estimate available to him since last April until it was leaked in the media a week or so ago.

More details about DeWine's laxity:

*** He wasn't there on June 8, 2000 to hear the “Report of the National Commission on Terrorism.”

*** He wasn't there on August 1, 1996 to hear a report on “International Terrorism.”

*** He missed seventeen (seventeen!) nomination or confirmation hearings for top-ranking intelligence positions.

*** He neglected to attend five annual assessments on the worldwide threat by heads of the U.S. intelligence community.

*** He skipped three hearings on disclosures to Congress.

*** He blew off three hearings about reforming the intelligence community, two hearings on the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and two reports of the Director of Central Intelligence.

UPDATE: Thanks to reader DJPotts, who noted in a comment on DailyKos that DeWine opened the Senate the day after the briefing by George Tenet on Osama bin Laden that DeWine missed, suggesting that he was in town at that time.