SPYING: Patriot Act architect says intel boss should face jail time for lying to Congress.

House Republican legislators have asked Attorney General Eric Holder to launch an investigation into James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, who has been accused of lying about the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs when asked by a Senate Democrat about the programs during a congressional hearing.

“Congressional oversight depends on truthful testimony — witnesses cannot be allowed to lie to Congress,” several members of the House Judiciary Committee wrote in a letter to Holder. The letter is signed by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., who introduced the Patriot Act, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, and Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas.

“Accordingly, we request you investigate Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s ‘erroneous’ statements to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence earlier this year.”

The letter notes that Ronald Reagan’s former National Security Advisor John Poindexter went to jail for lying to Congress.

Yeah, but he was a Republican.