Hey, Chuck Schumer, let's not close out the invitation list to the Judiciary Committee oversight of the US Attorneys bloodbath just yet. From your hometown paper the ComPost :
President Bush today defended Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales' firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year but said "mistakes were made" in how Justice Department officials explained the dismissals to Congress.
"What Al did . . . and what the Justice Department did was appropriate," Bush said at a news conference in Mérida, Mexico, where his six-day Latin American tour ended today. "U.S. attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president. In other words, they're appointed by the president. They can be removed by the president. What was mishandled was the explanation of the case — the cases — to the Congress."
Bush said he has confidence in Gonzales.
Some congressional Democrats have been calling for Gonzales' resignation since the Justice Department released e-mails and other documents yesterday showing that, despite months of administration statements to the contrary, the eight prosecutors were fired after being rated for their political loyality.
Bush, standing alongside Mexican President Felipe Calderón, said politics played no role in the firings.
"I've heard those allegations about, you know, political decision-making," Bush said. "It's not true."
Look who just made himself a "fact witness." Let's ask Geedubya: how do you know it's not true, sport? Raise your right hand, there, Sparky.
Note to Congress: we're headed for Fred Hiatt's long dreaded "Constitutional crisis" anyway, so let's just get there while playing offense, shall we? We could use a little less finger wagging and a little more. . .
. . . middle finger.
Hey, he started it.
UPDATE: John Amato has even more transcripted video of Bush making statements on this. Check it out. Oh yeah: he's a witness. Get him under oath.
UPDATE II: Via TPMmuckracker, Schumer sends Bush a letter asking some questions. That's a nice start. Let's roll! Git'r done! Heh.
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2?
The sooner the better.
We’ve been in a constitutional crisis since W’s Poppy pardoned the Iran-Contra felons and prevented the rule of law from being followed.
Don’t they serve at the pleasure of the Constitution???
PACH!
Is that picture for real? When and where?
One of these day’s we’re not gonna have GW to kick around any more.
I can’t fucking wait.
It’s not true? Dude, didn’t Karl tell you about the document dump? It’s all right there in black and white.
I wonder if George is going to take a vacation at his ranch in Texas now?
ATTAAAAAAAAAACK!!!
Pach !
Great post with a great point.
“A country which proposes to make use of modern war as an instrument of policy must possess a highly centralized, all-powerful executive, hence the absurdity of talking about the defense of democracy by force of arms. A democracy which makes or effectively prepares for modern scientific war must necessarily cease to be democratic.” – Aldous Huxley
Any word on blogging/reports from FDL for Friday’s Waxman hearing?
NZ Expat @ 5
Looks photoshopped to me. This, however, is quite real.
It just gets better and better, eh? They’re being picked off, one by one. The fish are getting bigger and bigger with each one picked off. Card, McClellan, and Ashcroft were previews before Libby was nailed. Cheney can’t shake the swarm of hornets (the “cloud”). Abu is under the microscope.
Can it be much longer before Rove and, dare I dream it, Bush himself are finally taken down?
Marie Roget @ 11
still working on it. pach and i are working on it, though.
I couldn’t agree more.
The Constitutional Crisis started back in 2000 when the SCOTUS handed the Executive to a criminal cabal, which sealed their grip on the government with the 9-11 attacks.
The sooner they are out of office the better.
What. A. Tool.
Kyle Sampson’s and Harriet Mier’s own friggin’ e-mails SHOW that it is!
Marie Roget @ 11
This is developing. . . stay tuned. I don’t want to speak too soon or promise too much before it gets solid.
Monsieur le Prof @ 16
Out of office and off the streets, as in “no longer at large.”
EPU’d from earlier thread:
The Code of Ethics for the Executive Branch can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations:
5 CFR Part 2635 (1/1/02 Edition)
Revised under 67 FR 61761-61762
The above is 82 pages long and include a section regarding “misuse of position.”
emptywheel @
14
Haven’t said it for a while- thanks for everything you do, Marcy, Pach, et al…
The dunce who got into the WH because Al Gore couldn’t carry his homestate, and because SCOTUS decided what they shouldn’t but did because they could, and because Ralph Nader, well…
To quote Nader: “If Gore couldn’t beat that bumbler from Texas, then what good is he? It should be a slam dunk.”
Bring it on!!!
Buck FusChen!
It’s time for Dems to whip out their huge subpoenas! After six years, it’s clear Republicans have tiny little subpoenas, or no subpoenas at all! Now let’s see whose subpoena is bigger!
I’m gonna change the middle finger shot, since it was photoshopped, though I did not know it at post time.
Hang on.
we’re headed for Fred Hiatt’s long dreaded “Constitutional crisis” anyway, so let’s just get there while playing offense, shall we?
The Republithugs believe that the harder they push, the easier the Dem leadership will fold. So far, that’s proven to be a strategy that works well for them. We need to help the Dem leadership find their spines. And soon. We can’t let the Bushista regime put more bubble gum onto their house of cards. That’ll only give them time to cover the bubble gum with more duct tape, which will last them until January, 2009.
Just the facts sir. Just the facts.
When Bush says it’s not true, then it’s true. When he says it’s true, then it’s not. You can’t can’t trust the man. He can’t help who–or what–he is. He reminds me of that parable of the frog and the scorpion crossing the river. Don’t worry: I’ll spare you the details.
emptywheel @ 14
Do they let you live blog from congressional hearings? Yet?
Isn’t his statement the very definition of a monarchy? If a US Attorney serves at the pleasure of the president, then he/she can presumably be dismissed for displeasing the president. And what could be more displeasing than to invesitgate, indict and prosecute members of the president’s court.
There should be some criteria and standards for dismissal. There should be documented evidence of poor performance. Otherwise, the dismissal looks arbitrary and capricious and, occasionally, political.
The president is OUR employee. He is supposed to be carrying out OUR will. And if the president is OUR faithful servant, preforming his office in good faith, his subordinates and appointees should serve at OUR pleasure.
Here is Asshole giving the bird.
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/b…..Finger.gif
Refresh for the updated photo slug.
emptywheel @ 14
Any word on whether or not Icky Vicky is going to testify?
“I’ve heard those allegations about, you know, political decision-making,” Bush said. “It’s not true.”
Did he do that little Jedi Mind Trick wave when he said that?
I want Rove. I want Cheney. I want Rice. And Bush. And I savor a Constitutional crisis. Like a plugged sink needs Drano. Lets do it.
Pach, I think this was the original photo.
YES!!!
Haul the treasonous, rat bastard in!
Little Lord Pissypants has some ’splaining to do.
mr. bush has gone on record as saying that his people obstructing justice, quashing federal investigations of their operatives during investigations and during trials. He is apparently, by his own admission, approving of this criminal behavior
what more do you in the house need to start the impeachment hearings? we are not interested in waiting any longer. you had best get up off your backsides and start walking. you may choose to walk down to impeach, or you can begin the preparations to walk home, as you will not be re elected.
What Dem voting cases weren’t the USA’s going after? Has this been posted?
Still, Pach, the photoshopped version looked so very, very true. The flags in the background, the contempt for them and all they represent.
Pach, the finger shot is for real. I say that because I saw it in video form some time in the past.
It took place before the start of a debate when Dim Son was running for governor of TX.
The idea that Bush would ever appear before Congress is absurd. He would claim executive privilege and take it to the Supreme court, where….
Oh, I forgot. These are the guys who put him in office in the first place. Never mind.
Constitutional crises? What Constitution would that be? With impeachment “off the table” there is nothing that can be done to rein in Bush or stop his abuses. Nothing. Not us. Not Congress. Certainly not the “Democrats.” Not the media. Not public opinion. Not the outrage of the civilized world. Nothing.
President Pelosi by Independence Day.
Marty Kaplan has an okay impeachment piece at Huffpost–I only say “okay” because I know there must be some great ones out there, so we want to set the standard high.
It seems like pretty soon there’s just not going to be anybody left, except the crazy conservative judges and the USAs who survived the purge.
Ali G. will be gone; my guess is Friday afternoon.
Cheney is so impeachable it’s not even funny, and we’ll see if Wax Friday turns up that burner under the OVP.
That would leave Bush and Condi, in big-time defense mode.
Loved emptywheel’s comment–not entirely comfortable being such a fan, but that’s the way it goes sometimes–about them throwing down their shields and weapons now to slow down the pursuit.
We’re all getting into hunt and kill mode, washing off yesterday’s blood in preparation for more carnage.
ccmask @ 40
This is more of the same Rovian projection of one’s own sins onto the other party.
THEY are the ones tampering with elections, so they tried to muddy the waters by saying Dems were involved with voter fraud, you know, blacks actually trying to cast votes.
This would often lead to hiring a consulting company* that would review the voter lists, and helpfully wipe out tens of thousands of registered voters of the wrong color. Among MANY other vote tampering schemes in Florida, Ohio—2005 is the untold story—and many other key states.
US Attorneys were asked to help this along by manufacturing lawsuits based on cooked up evidence [anybody see the parallel with the Niger documents?] those who balked were fired.
Help the administration: promoted.
Stand up for the rule of law: fired.
So this is federal judges as well as the US Attorneys. I still want to see justice in the Black/Marianas case.
*One such consultant is now a US Attorney. Rewards are good for those who cooperate with these criminals.
I was born in a republic. I am living in an empire. I may well die under a tyranny.
If Bush lies under oath, what happens?
portia.vz @ 31
It used to be enough that things didn’t pass the bllush test. This admin is making Nixon look like a tower of rectitude. And Shrubya is working hard to eclipse Poppy when it comes to shredding the Constitution.
Bring back the rule of law
“I’ve heard those allegations about, you know, political decision-making,” Bush said. “It’s not true.”
You know, I’m sure if Harrriet Meirs was still advising him, he’d know to STFU.
Carl Nyberg @ 47
No sex, no crime!
I found a picture of babyBush.
http://thumbsnap.com/v/ANpG1Rcg.jpg
I think I detect a pattern.
Carl Nyberg @ 47
He gets away with it while news media explains how it wasn’t really a lie, Dems say “tsk, tsk” and do nothing and we scream into the wind.
Replace Harry Reid. Challenge the Blue Dogs. Take back our government.
I can see we’re going to be hearing a lot of “at the pleasure of the President”. I’m sure Georgie luuuvvvs that phrase.
How about this?
Medically unfit soldiers returned to Iraq at the pleasure of the President.
Immigrant children abandoned at the pleasure of the President.
American citizens spied upon at the pleasure of the President.
Male prostitutes pose as journalists at the pleasure of the President.
I could go on, but you get the idea.
Have I mentioned Contempt of Congress (including lying to Congress,) or Abuse of Power lately?
This week especially you have to sit back & savor revelations like this:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..itzgerald/
“Patrick Fitzgerald Chosen As U.S. Attorney Over Rove Pressure”
Carl Nyberg @ 47
It depends on whether there is a provable perjury case.
Perjury cases are very difficult, but not impossible, to prove. We just saw a perjury case result in conviction.
“I’ve heard those allegations about, you know, political decision-making,” Bush said. “It’s not true.”
When Bush says “its not true.” you can bet it is.
Marie Roget @ 55
We were writing about that here at the Lake yesterday.
Isn’t the new WH Counsel, Fred Fielding, an old Poppy/Baker hand? Could this flailing about and being a fact witness be under his advisement for some longer-range purpose with regard to the BoyKing’s reign?
These people will stop at nothing to preserve the GOP brand — presumably Shrub is as dispensable to them as Nixon was.
Carl Nyberg @ 47
“When a President does it…that means that it is not illegal.”
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..html#a7001
*or something like that.
I remain mostly displeased with most of my party, the Dems.
Morris Sheppard @ 57
Yep, just like anyone caught leaking Valerie Plame’s name was gonna get fired.
What ever he says, assume the opposite, it saves so much time
…And I savor a Constitutional crisis. Like a plugged sink needs Drano. Lets do it.
OK, I think this is my favorite of your observations yet. And that’s saying a lot. Vivid image, and true.
I think Nancy should haul the Impeachment silver out and re-set the table.
Gonzales
Cheney
Bush.
Rove will skate.
Every time a new travesty is revealed, I think that it will be the one to end this administration. Unfortunately, they keep chugging along…
WHY?!?!
AG lied to congress. Can’t he be renditioned or something?!?!
And it this one really the final straw?!?!
Carl Nyberg @ 47
He’s been doing that since he took the oath of office to faithfully execute the Constitution and laws of the United States. We are still waiting for consequences.
Hey Pach — it would be nice to get some answers out of this dork, even if we had to settle for the same kind of crappy performance we’ve gotten from his presidential debates and far too many pressers.
But I think the priority right now should be working up the tree instead of top down.
There are far too many people whose names appear in the document dump whom the public doesn’t know, yet were an intimate part of the decision making and implementation process of the Pearl Harbor Massacre — all people who if leaned on by Congress might give up more than starting with the dunderhead at the top.
I want to know what the roles of the following people were, and I want to know why they thought they were entitled to do what they did, and if authorized by anybody, by whom. Here’s just two whose names appear and should be called:
Jennifer Heath, POC (what the hell is a POC? Political Office Coordinator??)
Judy Beeman (I was told she was the Press Office for DOJ by a USA office)
They may both give canned answers, but they aren’t the ones that set this in motion, are more likely to provide testimony not unlike that which Cathie Martin provided during the Libby Trial.
Gah…Sure hope somebody from Leahy’s office peeks in here once in a while…
looseheadprop — you out there? I see it, I’m on it. Parsky Commission.
What a crock of shite, that one.
The MSM are telling us that the Bushies and Repugnicans are trying to politicize the Justice Department.
Trying? TRYING?
Here’s the answer from Our Man Froomkin:
Donald Shields and John Cragan, two professors of communication, have compiled a database of investigations and/or indictments of candidates and elected officials by U.S. attorneys since the Bush administration came to power. Of the 375 cases they identified, 10 involved independents, 67 involved Republicans and 298 involved Democrats. The main source of this partisan tilt was a huge disparity in investigations of local politicians, in which Democrats were seven times as likely as Republicans to face Justice Department scrutiny.
“How can this have been happening without a national uproar? The authors explain: ‘We believe that this tremendous disparity is politically motivated and it occurs because the local (non-statewide and non-congressional) investigations occur under the radar of a diligent national press. Each instance is treated by a local beat reporter as an isolated case that is only of local interest.’”
High time for national uproar, no?
What a surprise:
Iraq’s oil reserves — thought to be the second largest in the world — have always been high on the corporate wish list. In 1998, Kenneth Derr, then chief executive of Chevron, told a San Francisco audience, “Iraq possesses huge reserves of oil and gas — reserves I’d love Chevron to have access to.”
A new oil law set to go before the Iraqi Parliament this month would, if passed, go a long way toward helping the oil companies achieve their goal. The Iraq hydrocarbon law would take the majority of Iraq’s oil out of the exclusive hands of the Iraqi government and open it to international oil companies for a generation or more.
8 chickenhawks down, 35 chickenhawks to go (give or take a few chickenhawks…). After 7 years of treason by the Bush crime family, the truth is beginning to leak out… The reason the Bush criminals got a chance to steal the Florida 2000 vote, was because Gov. Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris and a few of their thug buddies threw thousands of qualified black registered voters off of the Florida voting rolls because their names resembled those on a list of Texas felons. And it has been all down hill since then.
Treason, lies, fascist corporate greed, war crimes, torture, corruption, cronyism, arrogance, stupidity… (the list is almost endless)…
Pearl Harbor Massacre — is that yours, Rayne? I like it.
Hi Pach.
Glad to see you survived to another day.
Epu’d but related to snookers above,
Of course it doesn’t mean anything.
Why do you ask?
Besides, it’s true.
;->
manymanymoonsago, I called for impeachment.
Puleeze, Congresscritters!?!
If not himANDshooter, what the’ ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bush defends Gonzales: Just some confusion and mismanagement is all…
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..nt-is-all/
*Riiiiiggghhhhht
Swopa I answered you at the end of the pizza thread.
portia.vz @
31
While it’s true that the USAs serve at the pleasure of the President, who can dismiss them for any reason or no reason, Congress must have cause to impeach people from the Executive branch of Government. Lucky for us and thanks to the document dump and Gonzo’s own words, as well as a few other pieces of evidentiary exhibits, they’ve got enough to remove several of the President’s favorite enablers. Let the purge begin!
Rayne @ 68
Rayne, you are rocking my world. You are doing very well
Understood, Rayne, by why not add an extra place setting, just for the end? The first shall be last, and so he can testify after all the others.
Good for oversight, good for politics, good for publicity and educating the public.
Of course, he’d stonewall first, so it’s really about getting Bush to defy Congress in a way that garners real attention. Cue the endless stories about the clouds over the presidency and the GOP while Bush refuses to testify and asserts executive privilege.
He already has Nixonian approval numbers, so he may really go belly up politically under that scenario, and then, maybe, we could end the fucking war.
looseheadprop @
62
Yeah.
Note that Bush doesn’t show up in person on Capitol Hill very often. I think that this is why.
Just read that there have been only five prior cases of Federal Prosecutors being fired mid-cycle. Bush and his cronies just surpassed that historical total in one audacious action.
I believe thgis represents one of the PRIOR CIRCUMSTANCES!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..2173-2.htm
So when Bush says that what he does was not illegal and that US Attorneys
“serve at the behest of the President” …wellm, so did Archibald Cox and Eliot Richardson and William Ruckleshaus!
But firing them for unreasonable cause signalled that Nixon was deeply involved in corrupt activities that, if investigated further, would lead to impeachment.
I suppose that Nixon could justifiably say that “nothing I’ve done is criminal”…because one cannot criminally prosecute a sitting President. Maybe Bush can twist the meaning of words to say “I AM NOT A CROOK” too!
Is there a way we can get about five or six young videographers like S. R. Siddarth out there videoing ALL the potential GOP presidential candidates and GOP Senators up in 2008, asking them to comment (on video) how they feel about the attorney purge, not letting them weasel out of an answer? Josh Marshall is keeping track of their lack of comments, but maybe this is an issue we can get them pinned down on, looking foolish later. ‘Cause I think this purge story is going to get pretty heavy by the end of next week.
It would make for good 2008 campaign ad material.
So,
No laws are broken if the POTUS decides to dismiss a USA. It’s the old ‘employee at will’ model.
However, lying about it under oath is a crime.
Why does this sound familiar?
BTW – for all the Rightard apologists out there…
Just because it isn’t illegal does not make it right.
And, I expect more of my elected officials than
“not convictable”.
Uh oh, Bush says he has confidence in Gonzales. That’s a job killer statement. lol
Silver Owl @ 83
Yes, yes, yes, you can see the finger between the lines. Brownie must be smiling.
Ed*ard Teller @ 81
Better still: Also ask them who their pick for AG will be if they are elected? The answers will be very telling
Won’t you PLEASE visit the draft Gore thing at the topish right. Thanks.
ccmask @
40
Pretty sure there were plenty of Repug voter fraud cases left unprosecuted. These USAs were all Repugs; they’re also trying to find out what the ones that were “performing” to the Administration’s satisfaction were doing to be so compliant…like making a phony case out of false allegations against Menendez during the heat of an election.
Meme o’the Day:
Bush hangs another loyal Bushcult member out to twist in the wind.
Is there something in the Waco water with this crowd? It’s like Dubya has been channeling David Koresh the last 6 years.
I am inclined to agree with Rayne on this.
go after the hatchlings.
They are not nearly so well protected, and they are all potentially dangerous in the long term
(See Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice/Armitage/Feith/…)
NickOdemus @ 84
I think Gonzo goes and Harriet also takes the fall for Rove. When are these people gonna wake up and realize their only salvation (career and soul) lies in coming clean and telling what they know?
Mack @ 89
Oh, I think Rayne is developing and excellent take on this. Go Rayne
Gonzales is almost toast. They’re running out of fall guys. Libby, Rumsfeld and Gonzales. Who’s next?
TeddySanFran @ 72
alternate version:
looseheadprop @
58
Great. I’d like to look it up back there. Do you remember offhand where it was discussed? Looked in 3/13 archive- Doesn’t seem to be covered in a main post. Down somewhere in the comments…?
Lou Costello @ 37
The main stream media may be lacking good editorial review, but FDL doesn’t.
But where to even start on fed judges? Sources on info, names of well publicized cases, help?
Albatross @
25
What a hooooooooooooooottttt.
Time to start the $**.17 contribs to PayPal/FDL for special St. Paddy’s testimony coverage facilitation. Ante up, pups.
Silver Owl @ 83
Didn’t he have confidence in Rumsfeld, too? About 5 days before he sacked him.
Replace the AG? With who? Another ‘renegade’ indie Gates type perhaps? I mean; why bother.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 92
Harriet Myers
Biodun @
29
Because it’s his nature….
Pups, show the Dems we’ve got their spines… $**.17 to FDL for Friday’s hearing coverage facilitation. Or whatever wise use in the furtherance of Democracy Jane and the FDL Big Dogs decide.
There’s an update if you refresh. Good stuff.
Nice post Pach
Did anyone look at the photo at the top of the post-not the finger photo-From my point of view he looks like the strain on his emotional state is tremendous he has truly aged quite a bit. I could almost feel bad for him if he wasn’t such a evil fucking tosser, I cannot look at him without thinking of the horror he has created..for no reason but self aggrandizement and personal power..actually there are no words in the english language to describe how I feel.
Marie Roget @ 94
It was in the comments. I’ll see if I can find it. It was my comment.
looseheadprop @ 100
No. Harriet’s already been sacrificed. Not much more they can do to her.
Rayne @ 68, agree Jennifer and Judy should be on Conyer’s call list. As well as Monica Goodling and Jane Cherry. Seems to me females only go along with the good ol’ boys so long and so far. Here’s hoping.
There’s only one word for all of this:
Goddamn fucking shitstorm.
Okay, three words.
Golly, but the vision of getting the President under oath is making me feel atavistic and all Belushi-like and Animaly House-y.
Toga! Toga! Toga!
Mack @ 89
Like in Van Helsing perhaps?
Rayne @ 68
I think that POC may be Point of Contact.
Marie Roget @ 55
This week especially you have to sit back & savor revelations like this:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..itzgerald/
“Patrick Fitzgerald Chosen As U.S. Attorney Over Rove Pressure”
————
looseheadprop @ 58
We were writing about that here at the Lake yesterday.
————
Marie Roget @ 94
Great. I’d like to look it up back there. Do you remember offhand where it was discussed? Looked in 3/13 archive- Doesn’t seem to be covered in a main post. Down somewhere in the comments…?
————
looseheadprop @ 104
It was in the comments. I’ll see if I can find it. It was my comment.
————
mc @ 107
Sorry mc, I hit the wrong key.
[Mod Note; Please only nest 2 or 3 quotes at a maximum. Any more may break the margins. Thank You.]
Let’s ask Geedubya: how do you know it’s not true, sport? Raise your right hand, there, Sparky.
A-FUCKING-MEN!!
Morris Sheppard @ 43
it has to be impeachment or nothing. The Supreme Court can’t touch impeachment. Anything short of that, they can overturn, but not impeachment. (IANAL but I read a lot)
Sally @ 106
Ha, on both Watergate and on this one, they just give them promotions–that keeps them quiet.
Cathie Martin? Now safely ensconced at the WH.
TeddySanFran @
59
He is from the Watergate era. I remember reading about him back then somewhere in the nine books I read about Watergate. Don’t remember whether it was in the Presidential Transcripts or All the President’s men, or somewhere else. I checked wiki, and confirmed it. Didn’t know he was Daddy Bush’s cohort.
Luckovich cartoon today on the USA firings.
If you don’t want to laugh hard then don’t look!! Especially Pach!
link
No Pach! Don’t Click On The Link!!!!
Scenario: Congress subpoenas records of any conversations between Bush and Gonzales re the appointments.
Bush claims Exec privilege.
Congress sues to enforce subpoenas.
Question: does the discussion by Bush of this matter in Mexico constitute a waiver?
Marie Roget @ 94
Marie,
It is in the thread for “Math is for Little People” and begins at comment 46 and continues through till commnet 132
Zig alert!
Busted margins!!!
Folks, embed your links using the little “link” button above the “Leave a Reply” box. Simply highlight the text you want to be the link, hit “link” and little popup box will open. Put the URL in there, hit OK twice, and it’s done.
That keeps the margins from breaking and keeps the mods from freaking.
NickOdemus and others—
Please do not re-quote more than 2-3 times, it breaks the margins and makes headaches for the mods.
And no matter how nicely you embed your links, please STILL do not re-quote more than 2-3 times.
In his press conference (I think) Fitz said something about not being able to ignore the lies-anyone have a handy linky to that?
Yep. Tenet, Miers, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perle, Bolton, Brown, Goss, Fleischer, McClellan. There’s more.
I’d have to say any praise from Bush is a very bad career move. lol
Oklahoma kiddo @
61
But OK, haven’t you been listening to Schumer or Feinstein? For once, something to be proud of from both of them. It’s about time! I’m no fan of either one; if anything, I don’t like Schumer especially, but “credit where credit is due.”
scarecrow @ 118
Interesting idea. I am trying to remeber back to Nixon, did he discuss the matters he later tried to claim privledge for.
If you make the analogy to attorney/client, doctor/patient, priest/penitant privledge then,yes, talking about it could waive the privledge.
Thanks, looseheadprop. Off to read it.
Thanks Moderator .
fahrender @
65
You forgot Condi and Chertoff!
Ann in AZ @ 123
Oh… I’ve been listening to them. And I understand what you’re telling me. ;0)!
AZMatt @117
“Luckovich cartoon today on the USA firings.
If you don’t want to laugh hard then don’t look!! Especially Pach!
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/con…..index.html
No Pach! Don’t Click On The Link!!!!”
707
Sorry, egregious. Won’t happen again.
Do you think Bush knows his right hand from his left?
scarecrow @
67
Hmmm…good idea! What would a breach of his oath of office be called?
But OK, haven’t you been listening to Schumer or Feinstein? For once, something to be proud of from both of them. It’s about time! I’m no fan of either one; if anything, I don’t like Schumer especially, but “credit where credit is due.”
It’s not that we are not listening, it’s more like I feel so batshit insane about what shrub and co is doing to our country that if I were them I wouldn’t be able to contain my anger. I am amazed how they can allow the lawlessness of this administration to go unanswered. I will never understand how a former president was impeached over a blow job and chimpco can singlehandedly destroy our democracy with no concequence to him personally.
AZ Matt @
116
Here’s Steve Sack’s take.
Augghh, sorry, was that me? I thought I closed bold at 129.
Peterr @ 119
Peterr — either I’m missing a step or this doesn’t work on pc
Seriously EPU’d re Haliburton removing HQ to Dubai, the short: only with copies of documents, originals stay in US Jurisdiction. That goes for all digital materials, only certified copies of retained in US jurisdiction will be allowed. See @238 Rule of Karl ….
some copied here: Answer – No documents leave US Jurisdiction, only copies. No Computer or digital storage leave US Jurisdiction, only copies that are certified duplicate of retained systems. They can work with only copies of their files, originals retained for investigative purposes if needed. All new files to be certified copied and retained in US jurisdiction. Failure to comply results in criminalization of the organization and prohibition from doing business in any country having US diplomatic recognition and the withdrawal of corporate status, all assets retained by US government for the people of the US.
To which I would add that only registered banking transactions for all transactions be allowed at certified institutions only- for accountability.
Do not fail to include ALL SCOTUS Justices that remain that accomplished the subversion of Election 2000 in the impeachment proceedings as well as all Fascist Republican placements in the lower courts that have subverted Justice in their decisions. All need removal at the earliest convenience. All the best…….
If Gonzales goes, as I think he will, that will add yet another tasty treat to the Senate Judicary Committee’s plate: confirmation hearings for the new AG.
So, Mr/Ms Nominee, what do you think about politically pressuring US Attorneys? Ought White House officials who have done so be removed from their positions?
So, Mr/Ms Nominee, what are your thoughts about habeas corpus?
So, Mr/Ms Nominee, where do you stand on re-examining the Independent Prosecutor statutes?
So, Mr/Ms Nominee, should executive branch officials who admit to leaking classified information about intellegence matters and personnel for partisan political reasons lose their security clearances?
Feel free to add your own questions. I think they’re going to be needed rather soon.
Ann in AZ @ 132
Hmmm…good idea! What would a breach of his oath of office be called?
An impeachable offense. Founders actually thought about this. Just my simple minded view.
I really, really don’t respect the Secretary of State. But I detest the Deputy Chief of Staff.
Thank you, mods.
Oops, sorry mods, I can’t edit my own comment from this pc.
emptywheel @
114
Got those names to take with you to your meeting? ;-)
Might be nice if House and Senate ham-and-egged this…Senate does all the big dog-and-pony ones, the House takes the little fish and works on them.
Thanks for your 45 egregious. I should have known :)
Phoenix Woman @ 134
LOL Nothing like pissed off cats!
Mod Alert!
Margins busted by long URL at 1:28 (and 1:35 zig)
I want to cease being inflamed with the Democratically controlled legislative branch. So, come on Dems, do the lifting.
looseheadprop @
124
Hence the sudden, abrupt return by the White House post-Libby verdict to “We cannot comment on an on-going investigation,” in response to queries about the verdict or the underlying investigation.
Heh. Where there’s smoke…
scarecrow @ 136
OK, I’ll slow down and try it again (for others who may be wondering how this trick works). . .
1) Type your comment in the reply box.
2) In another window/tab, bring up the site you want to link to.
3) Copy that site’s URL into your clipboard (ctrl-C), then return to the FDL window.
4) Highlight the words you want to make into a link (the name of the person/source you are linking to, for instance).
5) Click the “Link” button, and a popup box will appear.
6) Paste the target site’s URL into the popup box, and hit OK twice.
7) Presto! The link is created. Continue adding to your reply, if needed.
8) PREVIEW IS YOUR FRIEND – make sure you did it right!
9) Submit the comment.
10) Watch everyone else “oooh” and “aaahh” over your wisdom and research skills in the comments that follow.
With Abu Gonzales fighting for his professional life, it seems like it would be good to re-examine what his relationship was with George W. Bush when Bush was governor of Texas and what that says about them both. Here’s a piece I wrote back in June 2003 that illuminates that relationship:
Bush and the Death Penalty
When Bush was the governor of Texas, 152 people were executed under his watch. As governor, he was responsible for reviewing every case and deciding whether or not there was sufficient grounds for clemency. Throughout his six years, in only one case did he think perhaps there was sufficient cause to intervene, and in that case, there was proof that the accused had not been in the state during the time of the crime. In this month’s Atlantic Monthly, an article talks about the evidence that Bush used when reviewing the cases of the prisoners the morning of their scheduled execution and what information his legal counsel, Alberto R. Gonzales presented to him…
PV
[Mod Note; Edited by mod for length. Please only post excerpts from articles and include a link to the original in order to keep the FDL servers running smoothly. Thank you.]
AZ Matt @ 116
707!!
OK kiddo, how do we get the message across that if they do their jobs (and I mean actually do them, not just talk about doing them), they’ll have a much better chance of being re-elected.
Keep being all talk and no action, or talking ‘new politics’ and doing ’same sh*t, different day’ (the way they’re going), and they’ll have a much smaller chance of getting re-elected, because people will be voting for other candidates in the primaries and (should they get that far – Nancy, Hillary, DiFi, stop whispering and start listening!) in the general elections.
They can’t rely on the base being large any more, because the base is us, and we’re getting tired of being taken for granted.
Pachacutec @
78
Oh, I guess I hadn’t though about the excellent theater this would provide, tanking his numbers even further, by refusing to meet with Congress.
And Abu can’t help him, and Miers is already gone, so only Fielding can help him along with the otherwise feckless Pony Blow and Dan Bartlett. They’ve already muffed up handling the public hue-and-cry, can’t make it better without something approximating a publicly-executed small animal sacrifice on the altar of their pride.
Okay, I’m game. As long as in the background they round up the girls down the food chain and get them to sing first, while putting the screws to Bush for not testifying.
i’ve seen people repost things off-topic and rant here and there, mostly angry moments–well, i’m in an ecstatic moment and really need to shout from the rooftops…..and have been all day to all my friends and family!!!!!!!!
FINALLY, A GOOD THING IN OHIO!!!!!!!!!! man, oh man, did we need it.
i wish i could explain what a big deal it is—we have had a governor, bob taft, yeah, you’ve maybe heard of him……he is worse than what you heard, he has dismantled our state over 8 years, in horrific ways, with the help of a republican legislature….it has been dark here…..
BUT NOT ANYMOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRE!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO, EXCUSE MY RANT, but i really need to let people know, that yes, it can happen in your state……a good thing….can happen.
and this is only a highlight of the speech, also is freezing college tuition, and a long list of other things…..and he’s wantin’ to make it worth the republican’s ‘while’ to do it…..
here’s a letter i sent to my mom–part of which i posted earlier today—i am so excited with what’s FINALLY goin’ on in our state………wow
hi mom;
today’s subject is politics=======
did you hear the governor’s state of the state speech????????
oh mom, it was wonderful………see if you can find it on the web and listen to it……..when he was done, i was overwhelmed, really, had tears in my eyes………
i wish everyone could have heard OUR new OHIO GOVERNOR ted strickland’s state of the state speech!!!!!
every child in ohio gets health coverage up to age 21
family of 4 making 62,000 gets medicaid–that’s those at 300% of poverty level, those earning above that but with no health coverage can buy into medicaid coverage…
pregnant women at 150% get coverage
anyone age 65 and older and disabled don’t pay property taxes on first 25,000—that’s 1 in 4 people
adding to program that allows elderly to stay in their homes instead of going into nursing homes….
significantly adding to preschool programs—which were almost nonexistant thanks to taft in office…..said where you start out in life and where yuo go to school shouldn’t determine where you end up in life….. said that a few times in his speech.
ending vouchers, freezing charter and for profit charter schools….
tobacco settlement money going into schools…infrastructure and general funds== that’s 5 billion there.
almost a billion into alternative energy projects… 250 mil a year…..
break for businesses that provide training for untrained young workers..
expanding training for older workers and offering training to make it more accessible, i.e. location and time of day offered…
too many things to list…
is offering carrots to republican majority legislature to get policies changed…..
basically is already undoing what taft did…has been dismantling many many things since he took office..i know that cuz i’ve been following it, that part wasn’t in today’s speech, unless you read between the lines..
and adding on more changes for working poor…..and middle class that don’t want to say they’re poor-but they are and struggling. mostly because of health care, took care of that one listed above…
i can’t articulate what a pleasure it was to hear him coming over the airwaves, i have tears in my eyes…..really….
i knew he was for real, but was waiting to hear what his plans are..and if he really had any………boy does he, has surrounded himself with some really smart people….
please take a moment one day and listen to his speech, it was incredible.
forgot one of the best things in the speech=
people who are officially on medicaid-disabled/mentally/wheelchairs, etc., can now work without losing their medicare….this is one main reason keeping people down and limited financially, who are disabled but can work, if they work, they lose their benefits===now can work and keep coverage….
wow
now, when this stuff hits the state legislature, people are gonna need to be writing letters in support of all of these things…..many people need these programs…..so, get ready to write……..
wow, still can’t believe what i heard on the radio, live, it wasn’t taft and it wasn’t some democrat blowhard with good things to say but who doesn’t have a plan……..he’s definitely an organized, smart man……..finally………
love,
dayna
From here on in. The next election is my party’s, the Demos, to win or lose. Don’t disappointment me. If the situation were reversed, the Republicans would be plannig a land slide.
Redshift @ 12
Would not have believed it.
james k. sayre @
71
And this from someone whose name I have not seen on these pages before. Good goin’! If you really are new, welcome.
Apparently Mr. Comey had compiled a list too. Yet this career prosecutors list bared little resemblence to the list compiled by Bush hacks demanding obedience to the dry-drunk Chimp and his Turdblossom butt-boy.
Who would have known?
-GSD
looseheadprop @
124
lhp -
This United States Supreme Court decision should be germane to this discussion (from Wikipedia): United States v. Nixon
P J Evans @ 152
I hear what you’re telling us, very loud, and very clearly. ;0)
Aaaaagh! It’s only *barely* gotten warm here, so we can have the window open and get some fresh air. But we have to have the g-dawful ice cream trucks circling the neighborhood. I *cannot* make that music into “background” and tune it out, no matter how hard I try, because they cycle this voice saying, “Hello?” at intervals in between the music.
Grrr.
Glad we agree, Rayne. Politics, theater, educating the public, forcing a stark, public confrontation. . . all of that plays to our advantage.
Thank the gods we have a Dem congress that understands all this.
.
.
.
.
Just checking to see if y’all were paying attention. Heh.
OT, but another Republican hack bites the dust.
Uh oh, looks like Bernie’s headed for the big house. Don’t tell Rudy.
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com…..89841.aspx
GSD @ 158
Beat me to that one, GSD. It’s like new stuff is coming in every frigging hour!
that should read age 65 OR disabled….
BTW just to remind everyone
Confirmation of Alberto Gonzales 60-36 on February 3, 2005
All voting Republicans voted for:
Democrats voting for:
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Salazar (D-CO)
Not voting :
Baucus (D-MT)
Burns (R-MT)
Conrad (D-ND)
Inouye (D-HI)
http://www.senate.gov/legislat…..vote=00003
dmac @ 154
;0)!
Ed*ard Teller @
164
Yep.
This is a biggun.
-GSD
Biodun @
22
To which it should be pointed out to Mr. Nader and his devotees…did Mr. Nader even come close to winning in HIS home State? In fact, did Mr. Nader win in ANY STATE? Ever?
And did all Mr. Nader do was extract just enough votes from Gore that allowed succubean-supporters of the Bush-Cheney cabal to tip the election into the Courts. Yes…there was fraud…but Nader drew off just enough support from Gore to make it tractable.
I guess if Gore coulkdn’t beat that Bumbler from Texas then he must have had someone brilliasnt working against him…and if that wasn’t Bush then it must have been someone whose ego drives him to run for office almost as often as Harold Stassen!
Smart guy that Mr. Nader…he had no qualms in acceopting campaign money from those who have engineered the invasion of Iraq and celebrated the Bush victories.
I’m not going to waste keystrokes on Nader.
dmac@154
Thanks for sharing your joy! The tide is turning, at last.
Bush doesn’t look like he enjoys his job anymore. He’s a political cadaver alright.
-GSD
Oklahoma kiddo @ 86
I already did. Maybe several times. Hey, that’s an old saying, isn’t it? Vote early and vote often!
Gore in 2008. He has a Democratic agenda.
Seems the busted DC Madam is, after all, a dirty fucking hippy. She’s decided to stop selling and is going to be giving it away!
Her lawyer told WTOP radio in Washington that she had decided not to sell the records. Instead they will be handed over to a news organization, free of charge. Which one? Nobody is saying yet.
What, if not money, does Ms. Palfrey get out of that? The news organization’s help in combing the records and identifying customers, who can then become witnesses for the defense, the lawyer, Montgomery B. Silbey, told WTOP. And what does the news organization get? The opportunity to break the news if it finds anyone prominent in the list. About everybody else, we are told, the news organization has promised to be discreet.
ps – I was a dirty fucking hippy from when I got out of the Army in ‘67 up to late ‘69 or sometime in ‘70. Can’t remember much…
Ann in AZ @ 173
;0)!!!
punaise @ 170
taking the “N’s” off the keyboard, eh, pu*aise?
looseheadprop @ 90
How does Harriet take the fall? She already left the Administration voluntarily. Are there criminal charges that can be pursued?
Jane throwin’ a tea party upstairs.
EPU’ed from a couple threads back:
In searching for a crime upon which to base impeachment of this entire criminal administration, why not use the RICO statute (i.e., Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) and designate the Republican Party as the organization?
Get rid of all the bastards in one fell swoop by using all their statements against each other as coconspirator statements in furtherance of the conspiracy.
Schumer’s five questions for W re the WH role in the purge.
while i am very glad that this obstruction and manipulation of the justice system is all coming out…
could we please not forget about trying to save the planet too? scott over at the washington note reports that nancy pelosi is putting off cap & trade measures for controlling greenhouse gas pollution.
after the apparent backing off of ending the war in iran, preventing a war with iran – this is JUST TOO MUCH!
i so hope this report is wrong… ‘cuz leaving problems to get worse as an electoral strategy is not OK.
end the war, start protecting the planet. then, when we have a new president in 2009 we can work on single payer health care and restoring the constitution. there’s too much to do to wait.
i want cap & trade, and i want it SOON.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 99
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…does the name Holy Joe Lieberman ring a bell?
thanks you guys, am gonna post it over and over and over……
only thing that could make me happier is to hear that gore has finally decided to kick some asses colored red…….and finally use that brain that he has to take no prisoners…..
LHP — $629,000 in less than 14 years?
Not peanuts. But there are others who gave MUCH more, makes me wonder if they were instrumental in Michigan. Still a complete void of explanation there.
And if 629K was documented, I wonder how much was undocumented? donations-in-kind?
Must have been something else there. For once I almost wish I was in CA. Almost.
YAY dmac!
Jim Comey is a patriot first and a member of a political party second.
ANY president, regarless of party should be proud to have Comey for AG.
He is competent, knows the job (hell he was doing while ahcroft was off on the farm) and has both integrity and the respect of some really telented lawers. Lawyers who might come back from their various inhouse counsel jobs to re-stock DOJ with talent after Abu is gone.
It’s going to take vision and leadership to rebuild DOJ after the way it’s been gutted.
Comey would not be a bad pick at all. Or Fitz.
A nice non-partisan, capable lawyerwho would lead by example and understands that without integrity the justice system will not function at all.
What a refreshing change that would be!
looseheadprop @
56
I seem to recall something of this nature regarding a blow job. The standard of “proof” in this case is merely demonstrating to a majority of the House that there is an impeachable charge…that evidence supports the facts that a :High crime or misdemeanor occurred”, and then to convince 2/3rds of the Senate of the same.
Unlike a criminal charge impeachment is, by its very nature, a political charge.
Recall that Ken Starr got Clinton impeached for lying about a blow-job….one would think that lying about firing Federal Prosecutors who refused to use their positions to influence the outcomes of elections would be a far greater assault on our Constitutional Democracy ajnd Republic.
punaise @ 170
Amen. Can we forget we ever heard of him?
I think they will try to blame it all on her
[Mod Note; Please only nest 2 or 3 quotes at a maximum. Any more may break the margins. Thank You.]
dmac @ 184
dmac—
Am from Ohio and am so happy to hear the new governor is great!
I heard somewhere it’s only possible to post something once a thread, re your wanting to post it over and over. Does anyone know about that, am just going on gossip here.
A toast to a true progressive governor!! Hip hip hooray!!!!
MSNBC (Hardball) “Breaking News: Sen. John Sununu is first Republican Senator to Call for Gonzales to be fired”
Scarecrow @ various
IE7 breaks the ability to edit your own comments
(Firefox works fine)
As for the linkies, IE7 introduces a new security prompt unobtrusivly at the top of your browser window which asks if you want to allow the interaction.
To use the link button you must:
Click on the link
Reply yest to temporarily allow the scripting
Click on the link again
NH
New Hamsher
TiredFed @
113
Congress can impeach ANY Executive Office Holder or their appointees. Just as Bush has the “right” to fire at will…that these Attorneys “serrve at his behest” he should be reminded that the CONGRESS also has rthe power and right to impeach Federal Officers and remove them from office if the President will not act. And he also needs to be reminded that the PRESIDENT serves at the will OF THE PEOPLE, and can be removed, as well.
looseheadprop @
124
With Watergate, they didn’t need his testimony before Congress. They had him, Halderman, Ehrlichman, and Mitchell on tape and thye hung themselves on those tapes. They were suicidal! (Makes a very, very interesting read!) OTOH, they have gone back to the Clinton era for evidence of bringing the president’s “hatchlings” before Congress. GOP should pay for their overreaching.
emptywheel @ 114, you burst my bubble!
egregious @ 191
Am from Ohio and am so happy to hear the new governor is great!
I heard somewhere it’s only possible to post something once a thread, re your wanting to post it over and over. Does anyone know about that, am just going on gossip here.
A toast to a true progressive governor!! Hip hip hooray!!!!
yeah, i remember you commenting about your mum being here in ohio, almost commented, but didn’t…..and i was only going to post in a little bit aggravating way, once a post, for a day’s cycle, so everybody can know that it can happen, change that is……not to be annoying, but to know that the hard work of people pays off..and this was a hard fought battle for ted strickland to win in this state….that’s all….it’s going to affect a lot of people…..not from any one class, but everyone, which is what it’s about….
oldtree @
39
Don’t tell us; tell your Representative.
Bob
The Top 10 Reasons Gonzales Must Go:
1. Lying Under Oath
2. Purging Prosecutors
3. Misusing the Patriot Act’s National Security Letters
4. Authorizing Illegal NSA Domestic Surveillance
5. Enabling John Yoo and Unchecked Presidential War Powers
6. Rendering the Geneva Conventions “Quaint”
7. Supporting Military Commissions and the End of Habeas Corpus
8. Blessing Unprecedented Expansion of Presidential Signing Statements
9. Facilitating a CIA Leak Cover-Up
10. Gutting Minority Voting Rights
-
Pach, there is an animated gif of that picture of Bush flipping the bird at my website. Actually if you link through my name it will take you to the front page of ragsmag where it still is. Soon these posting will be in the archives, but it will still be up. Anyway if you want feel free to download it, it is smaller than the one above but it moves.
It is way down the page in my “State of the Union” posting for Jan 23.
Lying, again: Snow and the White House..
Blumenthal at Salon quotes this:
While Snow, as quoted by TPM tries to get us to believe Senators, like Domenici, were talking “generalities” instead of the one pain in the ass prosecutor who wouldn’t publicly skewer a Dem in New Mexico.
I think the overall problem here is that the GOP political hacks, like Rove, think the American people are as dumb as your average Congress person, who, as a group are dumb as a box of rocks.