Looks like several more friendly Republican limo service users have been indicted in the ever-expanding Duke Cunningham/Wilkes/Shirlington Limo fiasco. As Howie says:
With two key GOP operatives in the Republican Culture of Corruption, Brent Wilkes and Kyle Scooter Dusty Foggo, about to be indicted, extreme paranoia is sweeping the Republican congressional caucus. At least two dozen GOP congressmen were on the receiving end of goodies from these two. If either turns state's evidence, you will see crooked congressmen like Virgil Goode, Jr., Jerry Lewis, Duncan Hunter, John Doolittle and many more joining their pals Cunningham and Ney in prison.
Think of this as a farewell gift from Carol Lam, the Republican prosecutor fired by the Bush Regime– without cause– in order to derail the investigation which had already nailed Cunningham and is close to ending the political careers of at least 4 California Republican congressmen. Do you remember when this investigation was dismissed by Bush operatives as a fantasy existing nowhere but in the fevered minds of bloggers?
As a political bombshell of a potential story, it really doesn't get much more potent than this, does it? Alleged bribery, gambling, limo rides with hookers? What's that, you say, hookers?!? Why…yes. Remember this from the Cunningham indictment days:
Duke Cunningham, of course, is serving out an eight year-plus prison sentence for taking bribes. Federal investigators have been told that Shirlington ferried Duke around town, as well as prostitutes which serviced him.
Yes, I know: ewwwww. And yet, after days and days of "all Anna Nicole, alla time," is there any doubt that all it would take is for the info-tainment-crazy media to get its hands on a video of just one member of Congress in a limo doing who knows what to whom? (Again: ewwwww. But there you are.)
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, there are multiple charges levels against Wilkes and Foggo, and a third man — John T. Michael, who is the nephew-in-law of "Thomas Kontogiannis, a Long Island developer who sought Cunningham's help in seeking a presidential pardon for a conviction in a New York schools bribery scandal. Ultimately, Kontogiannis decided not to pursue the pardon. " (Cozy.) The indicted charges include:
The jury returned 11 counts against Foggo and Wilkes that include conspiracy, wire fraud, conflict of interest and money laundering. It charges Foggo with using his seniority and influence within the CIA to direct the awarding of contracts to Wilkes, his lifelong friend.
A second indictment, which included 26 counts, names Wilkes and New York-based mortgage banker John T. Michael, who co-owned a mortgage company that provided loans to Cunningham. It charges Wilkes with conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery of a public official and money laundering.
A huge thank you to Carol Lam and her devoted AUSAs and federal investigators who worked on this investigation. And a huge thumbs down to the Bush Administration for throwing her out just as she was zeroing in on corrupt Republican members of Congress. Cronyism and corruption, thy name is Republican Party. Perhaps they should rename themselves from GOP to CYA?
Don't know about you guys, but this sounds awfully promising:
The indictment alleges that Wilkes paid bribes to Cunningham in the form of cash, checks, lavish meals, trips, lodging, corporate jet travel, boats and prostitution.
The indictment says that on two occasions Wilkes provided prostitutes for himself and the congressman on two consecutive evenings on a lavish Hawaiian trip.
Court documents also allege that Foggo and Wilkes, both 52, schemed to conceal Foggo's conflict of interest and corrupt intent by using shell companies and straw men, and laundered the proceeds of their fraud.
Foggo accepted tens of thousands of dollars in meals, gifts and vacations, and a standing offer of a senior executive position with ADCS. Foggo disclosed none of this to the CIA, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors are asking for forfeiture of $12 million from Wilkes and Michael.
“These two indictments describe patterns of self-dealing and corruption that spanned years and reached deep into our country's systems of procurement in the defense industry,” Lam said.
“The allegations in the indictments describe undisclosed personal and financial relationships between government officials and individuals seeking lucrative defense contracts. These personal and financial relationships led to benefits totalling thousands, even millions of dollars, being bestowed on government officials and millions of dollars in defense contracts flowing back in the other direction.” (emphasis mine)
Hmmmm…government officials…personal and financial relationships…hookers. Did I mention the elected government officials, potential bribes and HOOKERS? (Sure, it's a shameless plug for more corporate media coverage of this story. But, frankly, I cannot take one more day of the Anna Nicole Smith-a-thon. Or Britney's panties or lack thereof. Or TomKat. Whatever. It is so hard to keep track of the infotainment of the day. Just think of it, teevee producer types – politics and hookers. News at 11.)
Isn't it time we all started asking our members of Congress again why it is that a recess-appointment pal of Tom DeLay's is still running the Public Corruption unit at the DoJ? It's time we asked some very serious questions about Alice? And, while we're at it, why there has been so little movement since Jack is alleged to have spilled an awful lot of Republican beans?
For so much more on this, do NOT miss the coverage at TPM Muckraker. Truly, the Muck has been all over this story (metaphorically speaking) and they deserve huge kudos for their coverage. Just check out this link, and be amazed at how much has not been covered in the corporate media at any length.
(And just for kicks, here is Foghat from a live 1978 performance doing Slow Ride, that includes Rod Price's full solo slide intro. Duuuuuude…)
Related posts:
- Let the Punishment Fit the Crime? Duke Cunningham v Dollar Bill Jefferson
- Vote Fraud in Clay County Should be Considered in Hanging of Census Worker
- Bernie Kerik Indicted for Lying to White House
- Bush Officials Compromised Renzi Investigation for Political Gain
- Blackwater Bribed Iraqi Officials After Nissour Square Massacre
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Not to mention that part of it actually took place at the Watergate!
Zed? christy!
“Scantily Cad” Limo Service
When I was a college student in California, near Sacramento, my late mother worked for six years for Gov. Ronald Reagan. The things she she used to tell me about the hanky-panky that went on was enough to curl your ears. And my mother did not embellish about anything. Mom was very conservative and not given to exaggeration. So this business referred to in the above post does not surprise.
Here’s Christy’s first post (I think) on “Slow Ride”- more info!!!! !!!!!!!!
Clean the House!
Ever notice no matter what Hamas/ Fatah (Palestininans do) Aipac makes sure the U.s. Congress does not give them any room to move. Aipac still strangling the aid to the Palestinians
This is at Democracy Now
Hamas PM Resigns to Form Unity Government
In the Occupied Territories, Palestinian leaders began steps towards a new unity government Thursday. In a ceremony with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas announced his resignation to form a new cabinet.
Ismail Haniyeh: “In my name, as the recent Prime Minister for the 10th Palestinian government, I introduce in front of you, my resignation that opens the way for the constitutional process to take place to create the unity government – the 11th government. I am praying to God to help our people for what they are looking for in freedom, the return of refugees, and independence.”
US to Continue Palestinian Aid Freeze
The unity deal was aimed to end months of factional violence and a year-long international aid freeze that has further crippled the Palestinian economy. Hamas has made a vague pledge to respect previous peace accords with Israel but the Bush administration is already indicating that won’t be enough. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz is reporting US officials have told Palestinians the US will continue to boycott their new government. In an interview with the Washington Post, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said the US would not waver from demands that Palestinians renounce violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist. Palestinians have argued the conditions are unfair because Israel refuses to renounce violence against them nor recognize their right to a state in all of the West Bank and Gaza.
Aipac will not allow them to breathe.
I am going to throw this question out there and run off to my party….
Back when this story came out and because the San Diego Tribune was dogging the Dukestir mess that there were lots of implied possibility that the hookers could be gay…..Any proof as of yet on that?
I see this as a Ted Haggard type of story!
What is it with this president firing women?
At least two dozen GOP congressmen were on the receiving end of goodies from these two. If either turns state’s evidence, you will see crooked congressmen like Virgil Goode, Jr., Jerry Lewis, Duncan Hunter, John Doolittle and many more joining their pals Cunningham and Ney in prison.
Receiving end of goodies? What does Howie mean? But I hope he’s right about that list.
Oh, and Christy, I promise not to steal that picture!
Foghat, groovy
I LOVE youtube Friday night at FDL.
ccmask @ 8
IRC not all atty’s fired were women. Equal opportunity firer.
Great post. It’s incredible how the Republicans think they can get away with corrupt behavior. Such hypocrisy. I’m thinking especially of Henry Hyde, who called the 4-year affair he had in his 40s a “youthful indiscretion” but stood in open judgment of Bill Clinton.
And yet the media lets them slide so often.
I just have to marvel that Cheney and his dealings with Halliburton, will not ever be enough to send the VP to jail. And lets not even talk about the Bush family graft over the years.
Fox News reporter Carl Cameron was mentioned in one of the articles today having to do with the Libby case.
Have folks ever seen the four part series where Fox News Carl Cameron reports about the “alleged” spying being conducted by the Israeli goverment on the U.s. This four part series was forced off of Fox and off of their website by Camera (the right wing media watch group), Jinsa, and ADL (anti-defamation league) Go check out “Israel is spying in and on the U.S.” 12/12/01 at INFORMATION CLEARING HOUSE.
Valley Girl @ 11
I was thinking of Valerie also…although she wasn’t really fired, he made her lose her job.
Kathleen @ 6
You make a couple of good points. But there are those who will defend AIPAC, no matter what.
She looks like the one that holds Case 13 on Deal or No Deal.
once more, with feeling: please indulge a snippet from “Smoove Operator Blues”, my ode to The Dukester:
I find it hard to believe that there are hookers out there desperate enough for work that they would stoop to servicing Republicans.
Christy, re the picture: ew, ew, ewwwww
It’s not that I mind what these shady pols do, so much as I mind the preaching and hypocrisy of it all from these characters. Like in ‘we are the party (Republicans) who best represent family values.’ It’s all, so perverted.
I betcha we don’t hear about this nearly as much as we’ve heard about Nancy Pelosi’s plane.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 16
Hopefully after the Aipac/Rosen/Franklin trial in June/2007. Our congress will be honest and upfront about Aipac and the disproportionate amount of power and influence that they have on U.S. foreign policy and take that yoke off of our nations back.
global yokel at 19 — Apparently a fist fulla cash and some Halliburton stock options are an attractive lure for some.
Please, KO, do a special “special” on this story.
Those Cunningham limo drivers were Male, BTW.
conniptionfit at 20 — It was the “Limo Confidential” headline that sold me on this pix. Mwahahahahaha…
I would so dearly love to see Doolittle go down. He’s like the demon love-child Of Shooter and Snake.
He has done untold damage to flood control plans in Sacramento, by trying incessantly to resurrect the long-dead Auburn Dam Project. His wife ran a PR consultancy that received 15% of all the cash they spent on behalf of his campaign.
Harriet Miers, too, was dumped from the palace.
David at 25 — you know, I’ve heard that rumor, too — but finding a male hottie photo with “Limo Confidential” on it proved more difficult for me this evening. And, frankly, that header just cracks me up. Because, as everyone knows, people never talk about a sex scandal involving prostitutes, bribe money and politicians. *snerk*
Slow Ride? I call Shotgun.
… No, not that shotgun …
;>)
{{{{{{{ SLOW RIDE LIVE!}}}}}}}
Lonesome Dave, RIP
http://www.foghat.com/dave/index.htm
On a lighter note, maybe when they get convicted, they can all take the long ride up the river together. You know, just like old times.
Bastards.
Cunningham/Foggo/Wilkes Prostitupalooza 2003:
http://wonkette.com/politics/b…..236534.php
“We note with some interest that no gender-specific pronouns were used in this indictment…”
Kathleen @
6
[I know that you meant this particular phrase that I have ommitted as a bit of sarcasm, but I’m pulling it for your own safety and sanity. Trust me. — CHS]
And to Christie: “Politics and prostitutes – film at 11!” :-)
OK- when does it become appropriate to add into the conversation the firing of the lawyers(excuse me -requested resignations!) that has just taken place?
billjpa
Voters should be aware of this stuff. I hope they get to the bottom of who was involved in this illegal and immoral hanky-panky.
On a somewhat related topic, Markos posted this very interesting Gallup poll result:
As if ‘08 Republicans need more bad news
Survey shows that if their party nominated a “well qualified candidate” in 2008 for President, the likelihood of voting for
someone Married for 3rd time: 67% yes; 30% no
Um, quite a few of the Republican candidates have had a few wives.
I wonder what the poll result would be for “someone who has been known to hire prostitutes”? Something tells me that would rank even lower than an atheist candidate (which ranks significantly lower than a homosexual candidate – surprising to me!)
Check out the survey – more interesting tidbits about how comfortable/uncomfortable they’d be voting for a candidate on his/her third spouse, or even a 72-year old candidate (sorry, McCain!)
good thing all those serious folks who came to FDL for the live-blogging have already gone home for the weekend… :~)
It’s Friday night and I am going to build a couple of giant margaritas (no mixes) from the ground up, with shaved ice, salty glasses and fresh limes, for two, and watch Olbermann in a few.
Christy says:
be amazed at how much has not been covered in the corporate media at any length.
Color me overly skeptical if you will, but unless Alice Fisher turns out to be “Prostitute A, B or C, I doubt this story will get any MSM traction. Nor will there be more than a few indictments, slowly and quietly spun out on Friday afternoons for as long a time as is possible.
punaise @ 36
‘Tis almost beer o’clock.
On a three day weekend……
BWAAAAHAAAAHAAAA.
billjpa — thought I did in this post. Carole Lam getting booted out when this investigation was heating up is a horrible scandal. It’s major CYA for several GOP folks caught up in this, and it’s appalling.
Redshift @
1
I understand that the Watergate is going all-condo soon. Although it will retain hotel-style services for residents, it will lose both many of its business amenities and, more important, the relative anonymity of a real hotel. Whatever in the world will scandal-staging Republicans do then?
Our very own shoephone wrote about something peripheral to this topic today:
http://www.evergreenpolitics.c…..e_dir.html
That captures this thing in a nutshell, I think. There’s nothing like removing a political problem and helping a good buddy at the same time, is there?
It must have been hard for the federal investigators to tell the difference between the congressmen and the hookers.
I guess that is why congressmen wear flag pins.
Do you think Gonzolas fired the other federal prosecutors so that when he fired Carol Lam, it wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb? Or were some of the other fired prosecutors hot on the trail of other Republican malfeasance?
(And just for kicks, here is Foghat from a live 1978 performance doing Slow Ride, that includes Rod Price’s full solo slide intro. Duuuuuude…)
Shouldn’t that be “Foggohat”?
Other thoughts:
1) What happens when you have an indictment, but the new prosecutor doesn’t give a shit, and probably has orders to let the indictees get off (so to speak)?
2) Hookers are only interesting when combined with Democrats. Not even gay hookers with Republicans are newsworthy. (But if Gannon had fucked just *one* Democrat, whoooo doggies!)
Sheesh. Now you’re making me want to read the San Diego Union, Christy. I got over reading it long ago, but if they’re on Duncan Hunter, how can I resist? Gotta give them credit on Cunningham.
nice graphics
Also, if the fix *is* in on the prosecution, doesn’t that give Foggo and Wilkes a great big ol’ double jeopardy shield?
Oklahoma kiddo @
21
I also mind that they do these things either directly on our dime, or worse, using promises of access to our dime as part of the currency involved their doings. That, I mind a lot.
(The picture I don’t mind at all, especially considering both the story and the fact that the hooker angle makes it our best chance to get a lot of media coverage on the whole mess. ‘Sides, it’s funny.)
Kathleen @
14
Justin Raimondo devoted his mid-week column to this and related stories. He predicts that story will be coming back with the release of new information in upcoming reports by Christopher Ketchum in Counterpunch.
prostratedragon @ 50
I hate to break it to you, but you’re dreamin’. Hookers plus Republicans = Non-story.
ccmask @ 43
the sex workers were literate
ccmask @ 44
And yellow ties.
Eureka Springs, AR @ 54
Hopefully soon yellow underpants, too…
And pajama bottoms with turtleneck sweaters.
The better to see you, my dear!
Robert Greenwald is going to be on KO to talk about war profiteering this evening.
Brian Ross from ABC News has a report that suggests the possibility of gay hookers:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Republicans are a sort of life support system for flag pins.
What a bunch of woosie asses the media people are.
Lawrence @ 58
And yet, it was written by Lam and *not* her replacement, right?
Eli @
53
I’m not giving up yet. In some coming news cycle I think it gets irresistable.
ccmask @ 59
I think it’s more of a symbiotic thing.
prostratedragon @ 61
If a gay prostitute in a Republican White House is not a story, nothing is.
Ed*ard Teller @ 52
The Israeli lobby spin machine is superb. Look what was done to former President Carter regarding his latest book.
Perhaps a single sex notation on the protitutes would have been inaccurate? *g*
Bleeecchhh…as soon as I posted that, I wanted to vomit.
Duke is one of the least attractive persons I can imagine having as a client were I a call girl. The turtleneck-pajama combo takes the cake, too.
No wonder the help didn’t waste any time; delivered at 11:00 pm, tipped and out the door at midnight. Run, run like the wind!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 65
I’m sure there was multiple sex…
Hey guys c’mon..taxpayers an’ johns, we’re all the same, payin’ money to get f*cked. Although, personally I’d rather HER than Cunningham (’an I don’t swing that way..)
… but I did get slot #69….
I am progressive on the issue of prostitution. I think it should be decriminalized.
Mr Rudolph ‘ Churchill’ Guliani cleaned a flood of male-hookers out of Times Square you say?
Heckuva job MR PRESIDENT!
ET- thanks for the link. Helps connect some dots.
Arianna on KO
Arianna: the huge brain. I am in awe.
professor rat @ 72
Yeah, right into Gracie Square
Eli @ 67
Any chance Senator Rick Santorum was involved in these “meetings”
(ok, I’m just dreaming… he appears to be one of those “doth protest too much” types)
I’d better clarify that I’m not dreaming nor fantasizing about Rick Santorum… ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
I still feel bad for Ricky’s son.
LandOfTheFree @ 76
Dreaming and fantasizing about his downfall is totally cool. Although it kinda happened already.
I still feel bad for Ricky’s dog.
OT, but ccmask, but what news on the local front? The nasties who threatened the widow?
OT:Speaking of Glenn Greenwald, he deconstructs The Dean like a crowd of hungry cavemen ripping apart a Thanksgiving turkey here:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/g…..index.html
Eli @
68
maybe the prostitutes weren’t, uh, human? woof, woof, Dukester! Was Ricky S. ever seen at one of these shindigs?
Ugh – in case you haven’t seen this, TPM cafe is reporting that an aide to Harry Reid and other Senators don’t think they have the votes for the anti-escalation bill in the Senate.
Please say it ain’t so
Ed*ard Teller @ 82
That would make them shindogs.
I’d love to see a debate between Arianna and Hillary.
Rudy vs. Hillary in ‘08? They’ll have to drag this Demo kicking and screaming to the polls.
Greenwald up on KO
dab from CT @ 45
Eli @ 85
Is this why Shrub came out against chimeras?
He’s on now.
kirk murphy @ 88
I’m very much in favor of digital chimeras.
You know, I used to think that this was an overly exagerated term but you really and honestly made me throw up in my mouth just now.
LandOfTheFree says:
Oklahoma kiddo @ 86
I’d go willingly, but I’d probably vote third-party. Sooner or later the Democrats have to learn that nominating these “safe” DLC types is the road to failure.
John Casper @ 90
Greenwald is telling it like it is! ;0)
Eli @
64
Dammit, Eli!;)
I’m still holdin’ out, though …
Cujo359 @ 93
And perhaps DLC types? ;0)
Hey FirePups, speaking of displaced and dismissed U.S Attorneys, I could use an assist on some research. Need help with two things:
1) When exactly did H. E. Cummins III get replaced by Tim Griffin? I see repeated mentions of “last year” but not a solid date.
2) Anybody have ideas about how to pull a list of all cases — decided or not — in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, or the District Courts of Eastern and Western Arkansas, as of the time that H.E. Cummins III left as U.S.A.?
Robert Greenwald. A very, very smart man.
moi @ 91
Wow – I wasn’t the one who mentioned animals!
(sorry…)
Valley Girl @ 81
None of them received the 25 grand. We are working out a profit-sharing for all employees, even the lowest on the totem pole. Of course this has taken care of all problems–the more jobs they finish the better they do. We are busy as hell now and everyone is working hard. It worked out well, but I am really having a hard time forgiving them for what they did. It is just so hard to get help in Florida.
speaking of Arianna, she is an occasional participant on “Left, Right and Center”, a weekly “civilized” program on KCRW public radio. coming up at 7:00 p.m. PST.
moderator: Matt Miller
featuring Arianna Huffington, Robert Scheer, and the insufferable Tony Blankley
Rayne- I will try to N/L- Sorry to ask, but which state?
Oklahoma kiddo @
86
Arianna’s a genius, but she’s probably over-rated compared to Marcy, Jane and Redd.
I’d like to see Hamsher vs Bush
ccmask @ 99
ccmask! That is great news. Why is it so hard to get help in Florida?
VG (102) — Arkansas.
I have a theory…developments over the last two days have made it more difficult to chase this down, but with more eyeballs, I might still find what I need to prove-disprove the theory.
OT: Think Progress has a very interesting article about how in May 2003, Rove (who was then the WH Senior Political Advisor with no foreign policy role) got a copy of that secret Iranian document proposing negotiations… and he got it from Bob Ney. Fascinating stuff.
The date in particular caught my eye… when everything was abuzz regarding Iraq at the time…
The Rove-Iran connection
Hmmm, I think we’re going to see a large number of Repugs entering rehab in the next few months….
Oklahoma kiddo @ 95
I always knew I’d confuse the two someday…
Whoaaa…..? [Looks at picture]
For a second there I thought I clicked on some crazy link that brings up a million pop-ups …
What? How would I know that?
Um, er, um [looks around] because I saw a scene like that in a movie where someone is looking at those kind of sites on the internets … yea, yea, that’s the ticket.
[turning red, sweating]
Says to self, “Must not go to top of page“
[still sweating]
Ed*ard Teller @ 103
We’re talkin’ major brains here. Put these guys in charge, and I could sleep at night. Let’s see now: JH press sec; CHS AG; Marcy Solicitor General; Arianna Prez. ;0)
Rayne @
97
Rayne – have you seen this? http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002585.php
john in sacramento @ 109
get a grip, John… :~)
Valleygirl: It’s very transient and it’s hard to get experienced people who know what they are doing and ones that can keep up with new technologies out in the field.
Rayne @ 105
Rayne- sorry, looks like I am having technical problems! I have to use my dial-up to get into Univ. nexis/lexis, and it is not working right now, and I don’t understand why. Phone has been weird for the last few hours. I will report if I get on to n/l.
punaise @ 113
Just jokin’ ;-)
IT’S FRIDAY! Woohoo!
Oklahoma kiddo @ 111
Arianna can’t run for President.
montag @ 107
Perhaps they’ll join Britney Spears and Ted Haggert in the fast track rehab program
Stephen Parrish (112) — thanks, yes, I’d seen it…but this time I actually cracked open one of the links in the TPMMuck piece, took me to the local paper that had the date: 20-DEC. Funny, had another article from same paper about this w/o date. Thanks again.
VG (102) — I noticed that the Eastern/Western Circuit Courts of AR have some technical upgrade in process this weekend; you don’t think that’s interfering with feed, do you? Or is it just N/L?
Anyhow, the case list should be whatever was being prosecuted in front of the courts during Dec. 2006, based on the date found.
Thanks, VG, and Stephen.
I know, We have to do the amendment thingy.
LandOfTheFree @ 117
Yeah, I heard Brit’s rehab didn’t even last as long as her first marriage. Did they just pronounce her “not a mess” or something?
Almost forgot. Siun for head of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Pres Ahhhnuld?
Eli @ 121
Those rehabs with drive-thrus are amazin’, aren’t they? :)
Oh-oh, zig alert coming.
what fun this was to SPOTLIGHT, Baby!
the mammary defense?
That is one nice looking zig
OT – Here’s a shocker…
http://www.iht.com/articles/20…..s/iraq.php
punaise @ 127
“Udderly forgot about that cash, yer honor….”
Eli @ 120
Probably “100% sober!” just like Haggard’s now “100% Heterosexual”. Perhaps like Haggard, Britney’s drugs/alcohol habit “wasn’t a constant thing”, and she “just acting out situations” with one person – just like Rev. Ted! Take away that one person who was corrupting her, and *poof* the problem goes away permanently!
I predict she’ll enter college to get her Masters degree in Substance Abuse counselling.
I hate to get all neanderthal/heterosexual up in here but like John from Sacto, I keep referring to the photo, mostly for enjoyment.
Hookers in limos are wrong though. Everyone knows that.
john in sacramento at 109 — Happy Friday. :)
Clearly, Republicans need to wake up, grow up, and purge their party. It’ll never happen so long as they are owned by the Bush family. Corruption, after all, is the Bush family business.
VG — hey, if you do manage to get through, I just realized I may need to be more explicit about my search.
Need a list of all cases in front of the AR courts in Dec. 2006.
AND need a list of all cases in front of the AR courts wherein Walmart is a defendant in the last 5 years.
Sabe? ;-)
dab from CT @ 129
I am shocked. More reliable Bush intel?
Christy — what do you know about FOIA? Can all correspondence from a member of Congress to a USAG be FOIA’d?
At least the NY Times is digging around…
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes…..f-justice/
ccmask @ 104
Nah, Hamsher vs LIEberman would be the main event.
Bribery, gambling, hookers in limos? Sounds a bit like ‘the American way’.
Rayne @ 137
Congress exempted itself from FOIA. Therefore, the DoJ and the AG’s office would have to be the recipients of the FOIA letter. Good luck on that one. Chances are very high those offices would cite the 1974 Privacy Act as a reason not to deliver those items, as privileged Congressional communications.
Pectopah — Jane wouldn’t waste her energy or ammo on that.
We all know that Hamsher v. Lieberman would be like Jane dropping a Daisy Cutter on a barrel of rotting fish.
Lieberman vs. Hamsher, the main event! CHS in the corner, and kick ass.
I go away for a little while and look at the fun you all have been having.
Scandals to watch for:
DOJ Assistant with the House with the energy lobbists. That is a 2′fer, DOJ & DOI and she was hanging with Stephen Griles who is under investigation
Interior – Where’s the mineral royalty money? We are talking billions.
Justice – What you all have been discussing on US Attorneys
Defense – Where did all the money go with Bremer
Homeland Security – Thank you Dusty!
We could go on all night.
The Bush administration – they keep on giving and giving and giving voters resaons to throw them and all Republicans out.
Rayne at 137 — You know, I’m not sure all correspondence could be — but official correspondence in response to government business? I think that is FOIA territory. The person who is really an expert on all of this is Josh Gerstein of the NYSun, who has probably filed more pre se FOIA requests than anyone I can think of…but I don’t have his e-mail. I can ask him if I see him next week in DC?
I want Lieberman gone.
Rayne @ 142
Liarman is at it again, btw. Back to claiming we’re in Iraq fighting the people who caused 9/11….
Oklahoma kiddo @ 146
This has the makings of a mantra. Now exhale slowly…
Lieberman has been cruising under the radar lately. I absolutely detest this man.
montag at 141 — good catch — I had forgotten about the Congressional exception. (Darn laws ought to apply to other people. Silly me.) But if it was a letter to a regulatory agency, you might be able to get it.
Rayne @
135
Rayne- sorry, I think it’s some local phone problem, and I can’t figure it out so far, and it may take a while (phoning during business hours). Arrgh. This is a new problem.
montaq — thanks for that. Got any suggestions on how to find out what elected officials might have mailed letters to the USAG making demands about USAs?
I don’t know that McNulty would deny such a request, though. There was an interesting tidbit on NPR a week ago, in which it was reported while McNulty testified in front of Congress that the replacements were for performance reasons, McNulty’s aide handed out supporting documents that included emails sent to USAG demanding personnel changes. I’ve not been able to obtain a copy of that hand-out through the channels I have — that would be my next best bet.
If either turns state’s evidence, you will see crooked congressmen like Virgil Goode, Jr., Jerry Lewis, Duncan Hunter, John Doolittle and many more joining their pals Cunningham and Ney in prison.
On behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I’d be grateful to anyone who can get Virgil Goode out of Congress and into jail.
And if God has a sense of humor, his cellmate will be Muslim.
Rayne at 152 — Was McNulty testifying in the House or Senate when the handout was supplied? I’m thinking Senate, but I want to confirm before I start making calls to see if I can get it.
corinne @ 153
California would almost need a whole new Congressional delegation. I am looking for Charlie Brown coming back and putting some whup-ass on Doo-very-little.
curses. FOIA’d again.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 150
A pretty good layman’s book on FOIA is Secrecy Wars, by Philip Melanson, but, unfortunately, it’s already dated in some respects–the publication date is 2001, so it doesn’t include all the stuff that has gone on wrt to Ashcroft’s changes in how agencies should respond.
Another possible resource would the National Security Archives at GWU. They do many, many FOIA requests. The Archive’s general counsel is Meredith Fuchs, and she might have some insight into how to pry such communications out of Abu Gonzales.
OT….and bon appetit
GM ‘Taters Bring Tumors
AZ Matt @ 148
my contempt for Joe Lieberman will never subside.
corinne @ 153
Doolittle and his wife are, how shall I say it? Common thugs and grifters?
punaise @ 156
Cuz’ ya didn’t do right!
Christy (145)(150) — ah, I think I might have thought of another rock to check under. montaq, you too — what about FOIA’ing letters to USAG from any citizen (not a member of Congress) located in AR?
Christy, if you’ve got access to Gerstein and it’s not too much hassle, guidance on this would be great.
My theory is that the Waltons or their proxy through a member of elected office may have demanded unseating of Cummins. Cummins was seated by this administration, not by opposition; why did he need to be replaced? Biggest money in AR is…Walmart, yes?
There’s a couple other theories I’m mulling over, but the challenge with AR is that it is an outlier. The majority of the USA’s replaced are in the 9th Appeals region; Cummins was in the 8th.
Keep in mind that USA’s are the farm team for judgeships…somebody may not have been happy with prosecution of a case, but they may have been even more worried about the pipeline for judges, possibly related to same/similar cases.
Hence the need for case lists.
http://cnn.worldnews.printthis…..itle=House rebukes the president on Iraq – CNN.com&expire=&urlID=21228959&fb=Y&url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/16/us.iraq/&partnerID=2006
Yeah, Republicans want to give George 100 billion more. Printers must be working overtime at the mint.
Christy (154) — hang tight, have to find a link to the NPR report and then listen to the MP3 to confirm that McNulty was in front of Senate. Believe it may have been Judiciary committee.
ccmask @ 163
Too bad they can’t print troops.
Has anybody ( I mean any of us) actually been in contact with Ms Lam? Do we know what SHE wants?
Rayne @ 162
That might be overly wide, which is one way that the FOIA can be ignored, and you need to check the 1974 Privacy Act, which affects communications by private citizens.
Remember, too, that not all the remaining Walton family members are Arkansas residents. Alice, the sister, lives in Texas, I think (and she’s one of the more political of the bunch). And, recall that the family members have their own corporation which, in turn, hires Patton Boggs in Washington for all their contacts with government.
conniptionfit @ 166
[CHS notes: I know this was said in sarcasm, but I’m saving you from saying it. E-mail if you have a question as to why.]
When Virgil Goode takes a dump his head must cave in. It is stunning that there are people that ignorant with a mile of an elected office.
-GSD
Eli @ 168
good place for it!
Eli @ 166
Didn’t they outsource that to Blackwater
mercenaries?conniptionfit @ 169
It’s not doing much where it is now…
ccmask @
104
And while we’re dreaming
Marcy vs Cheney would be super too!
Christy (154) — oh, easier than I thought!
BTW, is there such a thing as driver-client privilege?
Eli@175-
What? Whoosh, over my head. Explain please?
GSD @ 170
To paraphrase Natalie Maines: “Just so y’all know, I’m ashamed that Virgil Goode is from the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
montag @ 147
LIEbermans pending constitutional crisis is bogus.
Since Bush had made reading Biographies of George Washington fashionable, reader would note that our first commander in chief was constantly having to work with congress on the prosecution of the Revolutionary War. He was always asking for funds, and being told how to engage the enemy in response.
But that was before the constitution you say? But that did not stop AG Gonzales from trotting out General George Washington’s interception of letters during that war as precendence for the NSA spying (of course they tried to disguise that fact by making it sound like it was Pres Washington, and not General Washington that was doing this)
The founding fathers wanted the tension between the CiC and Congress, especially turning War time, since they had experience.
Go read book Joe.
conniptionfit @ 175
Well, if there’s lawyer-client privilege, and doctor-patient privilege…
The Republicans are always breaking new ground when it comes to inventing legal theories.
We’ll be hearing from Joe Lieberman on the morality of Congressman riding in limos with hookers, right?
He took the floor of the U.S. Senate to object to blow jobs for Bill Clinton…so, any minute now, he’ll be taking to the Senate floor to denounce this terrible moral abomination taking place just down the hallyway, right?
Slothrop @ 179
As long as no-one engaged in oral sex, I’m sure it’s all perfectly okay with Joe.
Hookers don’t typically do that sort of thing, do they?
Stephen Parrish — you there? the NPR article by Ari Shapiro actually says that H. E. “Bud” Cummins III was asked to step down “last summer”.
VG — we may need to recalibrate search, don’t know yet.
Rayne @ 175
Shouldn’t that last line read “the president’s
crime-enabling priorities”?
joysness — heh. I thought that, too.
But that is a rather cryptic sentence, since the actual report doesn’t say that, per se.
ok, no mentioning Joe liarman and oral sex in the same sentence. Head exploding, here…and not in a good way.
punaise @ 159
What happenned to the voters in Conn? Liebermann is one of the biggest warmongers going. (not willing to send his kids, he will use yours) He started pushing for pre-emptive military action in Iran immediately after the invasion of Iraq.
What were the people of Conn thinking?
Rayne–
You may have to refresh the page to get one of my answers to you… the filters were a bit too restrictive about my use of a word which is an anagram of “board.”
I was really looking forward to better news since the election but it seems that things only get worse. I think Pelosi is wrong wrt the big “I”. I think the public may be ready for it.
kathleen @ 185
Conn got conned.
montag @ 186
Robad?
Rayne-
If the cryptic fits. ;>)
If I remember right, the prostitutes involved in the Duke Cunningham follies were rumored to be male prostitutes. I have a fuzzy memory of Jeff Gannon being somehow mixed up in this and also maybe the same-sex couple Duke bought his yacht from — and the name of the yacht before Cunningham renamed it the Dukestir.
What gives me great big gobs of greasy grimy schadenfreude is the thought of homophobic John Doolittle (CA-04) being caught up in the net that dredges all this to the surface.
montaq — where are corporate headquarters for Walmart, any chance you know?
Looking for any suit — particularly class action or criminal — that might have been filed on Walmart in Benton AR.
edit: for that matter, any similar suit against a walton family member in AR…
Oklahoma kiddo @ 65
Go check out the radical right wing media website called Camera….the whole website is focused on Carters new book. On C-span’s book T.V. Carter mentioned that there were efforts to keep him off of campuses to talk about the book. One can be sure that would be Daniel Pipes group Campus Watch.
CALL YOUR LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ENCOURAGE THEM TO INVITE CARTER TO SPEAK.
Rayne – World HQ Bentonville, AR – Benton County.
When searching for AR info be sure and look for Arkansas Times links. They are the good guys.
new thread
Did anyone watch the Carter conference just recently held in Athens Georgia called “Lessons for the 21st Century”? C-Span aired it, one of the most informative events that has taken place in a while.
Also the Cooper Union debates on the paper written by Mearsheimer and Walt is another debate to go and watch!
ET- If you are out there. I didn’t get the details but Don Young was KO’s worst person in the world today.
Eureka Springs AR — thanks for that.
The next question is state of incorporation, most likely DE, but you never know. If Waltons “owned” AR, they might have had Walton-friendly corporate laws there.
Hmm.
ccmask @ 189
Couldn’t agree with you more but MSM seems to have eliminated the impeachment word from their vocabulary. I do know the word comes up all the time here on the famously conservative Monterey coast. And I know for a fact that our Congerssman Farr didn’t take any serious heat when he signed on early with Murtha’s criticism of the administration more than a year ago. I blame the MSM for failing to report the public mood for impeachment here, there and everywhere throughout our beleagured electorate.
Have to hit the hay early, FirePups, need to catch up on sleep, up too late playing in Second Life last night while researching this “Gonzalez Eight” stuff.
Will look for follow-ups in the morning. Stay warm, stay safe!
Rayne @ 198
Yes DE according to this
Sleep well Rayne. Sure wish I had decent search skills so I could help.
For Rayne_tomorrow-
I finally got into L/N. He got the news in June. The most interesting article I turned up had to do with an investigation into Matt Blunt (son of) about outsourcing of drivers licenses- Cummins got handed this.
check my emails.
Eli @ 190
It was Kool-Aid! Probably cherry flavored. They drank deeply. Remember however, most of his vote were probably … Repubs .. vomit, upchuck@!
Valley Girl — you there? I’m betting the content in my queue is from you, holy cats…there’s one in there that opens up an entirely different can of worms, goes a completely different direction.
Wow. Think about the Foley-pages story…you know which one I’m thinking about. Timing on it is weird since it’s in August, about the time that Cummins knew they had him in their sights.
Lots there for me to chew on, thanks a BUNCH!!
Eureka Springs AR — you did just fine for me, what you told me tells me more about the nature of the search. This kind of research takes a broad range of skills, and sometimes more eyeballs is better than anything else, kind of like open source software development.
I am sure Rayne saw this comment by Stephen Parrish CPA this am..
Rayne- yes, if you are talking about Blunt, etc. I sent those links to you. I guess L/N doesn’t id sender. I sent you ~5 news pieces from L/N, starting with “asked to resign in June” thru “Blunt”.
Rayne @ 194
The corporate headquarters are in Bentonville, AR. The family’s own corporation, I’m unsure of, maybe Bentonville, too, since the wife of Sam is still there, although elderly and not in good health. The family’s corporation is privately held, but would still have to be registered with the state’s SoS office. I think it’s called Walton Enterprises, Inc.
As for suits–keep in mind that the go-ahead just came from the 9th Circuit, I think, for the women employees’ class action suit. That would have ripples back to Bentonville.
I sorta don’t care to blame people in certain states for voting incorrectly. I don’t exactly see that it actually serves a purpose. Perhaps I am wrong on this.
Terry Olson @ 48
Well THERE’S A STRATEGERY!
Run for President and if you are just about to be indicted pray that you are elected!
Maybe Bush will hand out “preemptive” pardons so that such criminal matters “don’t disrupt the political process”.
Besides, it’s all a “Democrat-Liberal Media -Clinton Justice Dept. holdover” conspiracy!
montaq (210) — Bingo. ;-)
You knew which case I was thinking about…but I wonder whether there are other equally large or damaging cases in the pipeline that are being processed in the 8th and not in the 9th?
Almost looks like they wanted to get their bases covered; the size of the class action suit in 9th could run more than 2 years to handle, by then a new judge might be called for. Depends on the POTUS in office, I’m sure.
Okay, really, off to bed. Will start up again in the morning with hot coffee and plenty of sleep.
Thanks, gang.
Rayne @
214
Although it might be worth some time checking on suits, investigations, etc., I still wonder about the choice to replace Cummins. This is a fairly young guy who’s spent most of life after law school doing oppo research (with the exception of a little time as a military and state prosecutor), either for the NRC or for Rove.
If they really wanted to politicize the USA offices, how better than to turn all their investigate resources toward political oppo research? The Dems aren’t going to revive the independent prosecutor statute, and it would be just plain dumb of the Bushies to name special prosecutors going after Dem candidates, so why not let it go on in the background through the USA offices? What if Rove wants Griffin to do a new “Arkansas Project” on Hillary Clinton?
The `pugs have to win–otherwise, Bush’s EO on presidential records goes out the window, and all of Poopy’s presidential and vice-presidential papers will get released….
take it easy….
Nice slap bass and guitar intro.
Rayne – Eastern District would not cover Bentonville area, fwiw. I tried but couldn’t locate a map of coverage to be certain.
Two Districts in AR, with their info:
Fort Smith would cover home office territory of Waltons or WalMart, imo.
Eastern District
Tim Griffin, USA
Post Office Box 1229
Little Rock, AR 72203
Web Site | Press Releases 501-340-2600 (501)340-2728
Western District
Robert C. Balfe, USA*
414 Parker Street
Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479)783-5125 (479)785-2442
Don’t Make Me Over
No lip synching.
“Alleged bribery, gambling, limo rides with hookers?”
Sounds like a fun weekend to me.
**on edit** As long as I’m not paying for it. Vice is expensive.
A cautionary note at the end of the article linked by Stephen Parish @ 112.
“Update: A couple commenters have made a good point — that Griffin says that he’ll stick around until the White House names a replacement, which could be… forever, under current law (thanks to Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)). The Justice Department has declared that the administration will put forth nominees for all of the spots cleared in December’s purge, and the ADG reports that Gonzales says that he’s already working with Rep. John Boozman (R-AZ) to find a replacement for Griffin. But it’s certainly something to keep an eye on.”
Sally – Boozman is my Congressman. He is also the Congressman for the Waltons or Walmart. That may or may not be coincidence since he is the only AR (not AZ, they made a mistake) Republican in Congress.
dab from CT @
46
I seem to remember that ePluribus Media reported that one of the ‘asked to step down US attorneys had been *not* pursuing vote fraud allegatıons ın connectıon wıth the election of Democrat Christine Gregoire in Washington State . (Apologies if someone got there before me and sorry for the linklessness)
Great to see you covering the Lam firing BTW – I reckon this story could be as big as Plame.
Rayne @
106
Have you thought of getting in touch w. the folks from ePluribus media – sounds like it might be their kind of thing?
ccmask @
189
Keep an eye on the state-based impeachment movement…
montaq (215) — thanks for the feedback; the problem with the politico oppo theory is that it is so damnably obvious that even Rove should be holding his nose over a move like that. Why would they provide a “tell” like that, too, tipping their hand about their sentiments about HRC? Why not do the same thing in IL or NC for that matter? The second point is McNulty’s handout; the reasons were political, in spite of the words that came out of McNulty’s mouth, but McNulty is doing his best to help us with the ammo while doing as he was bid. Did somebody ask for Cummins’ ouster, and why?
bill in turkey — thanks, been there, doing it. This is part of it. ;-)