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Henry Waxman is on it (PDF):
According to Sharon Eubanks, the Department's lead attorney in the case, political appointees at the Department interfered with her legal strategy for political appointees at the Department interfered with her legal strategy for political reasons on several occasions. She has asserted that several Department appointees ordered the trial team to soften witness testimony, drop a request for structural changes in tobacco company management, and lower the amount of money requested for a nationwide program to help smokers quit. Ms. Eubanks stated that this interference undermined the government's case and hindered its ability to "zealously represent the intersts of the American public."
Ms. Eubanks has also indicated to my staff that she had concerns about the role that White House officials may have played in the case. She provided emails to the Committee indicating that the White House reviewed the Department's public response in June 2005 to allegations of political interference in the litigation. According to these emails, the Justice Department was directed to "hold up" sending an op-ed to USA Today explaining the Justice Department's position because "the White House wanted some changes."
A revised draft was prepared within a half hour of the White House objections. The revised draft made a number of changes to the op-ed, including inserting as the lead sentence of the op-ed: "President Bush and his Administration have proven time and again a strong commitmentn to holding theh tobacco industry accountable for past fraud and abuse." According to a subsequent email, the White House said this version was "good to go."
Waxman wants all notes and documents from the White House and Department of Justice related to the tobacco litigation, as well as an accounting of all contacts between the two over the matter and a full report completed by the Office of Professional Responsibilility "related to its investigation into possible political interference in the tobacco litigation" by April 7, 2007." I suspect he'll probably get substantially less.
Is the White House still going to try and claim that it was all Abu's fault, and they had no hand in the prostitution of the Justice Department? It's getting more and more difficult. They might have to keep him around just to sack him when things get really bad…because it looks like they're going to get worse.
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keep digging!
WAXXXXX on . . .
Mediocre!!
JUSTICE!
Ooh, it just gets better and better.
i heart jane @ 2
Wax off…..The Waxer.
Mr. Waxman is a busy, busy man.
The impression here is the same view I had as to the Libby trial. That is, it’s all about protecting Karl Rove. And if you get Rove; you get the other two eventually.
Wax DA MAN!
He’s awesome. He’s waited a long time for this.
Puppets and pawns, oh my.
Give ‘em ‘ell, Henry!
chimpy coming up.
God I love the smell of oversight. Even when what they have to smell is a nasty pile of shit.
Go Big Hank!!
I posted this last thread, but near the bottom and wanted to get it closer to the top for this one…
This is OT but I felt it might help some folks. I feel kind of stupid to bring this up, as I’m sure most of the folks here already know this but.
Is everyone familiar with a site called “TheHungerSite.com” where you can go, click on the button, and the sponsors provide a cup of food for each click to disadvantaged, and poor areas? If you do, then you are probably already aware of the companion siste called respectively TheBreastCancerSite (help to fund mammograms for poor women), TheChildHealthSite (funds children’s healthcare), TheLiteracySite (books for kids), TheRainforestSite (buys so many square feet per click for preservation), and TheAnimalRescueSite (food for animals in shelters). They are all dot com sites but all you have to do is go to the first one. After you click and are taken to the thank you page, just scroll down and choose the next site until you;ve clicked through them all. It Is legit, although the Hunger site did have a little trouble a few years ago. You can sheck snopes or about dot com if you like. It takes about two to five minutes depending on speed. For myself, it’s pretty much the first thing I do after I’ve logged on and checked my e0mail each morning.
Every little bit helps!!
chimpy must still be gettin’ sober… Miss America on msnbc (while we wait)
Oklahoma kiddo @ 8
I actually think Bush himself is in this way past his eyeballs. Here’s what I wrote in an email this morning:
It all goes back to the theory of the urinary executive. You know, the one where it’s OK for the president to piss on the constitution.
boy, Pach – that sure sounds about right… wasn’t it Molly Ivins who said that Bush is not nearly as stupid as he seems?
OldCoastie @ 12
anyone know f cspan will broadcast?
when everyone was all hunky dory that abu would be “resigned” I opined the administration could not afford to loose that cog in it’s wheel
abu torture is a corner in this administrations’ depraved decisions, they used him to make their case
they cannot afford to let abu torutre go that will make every one of his decisions appear even to the wing nuts to be inept
like the wheels on a plane that has yet to land, abu stays till there is no other choice…when abu torture goes so goes the administration
ah.
this is going to be fun.
and what was that i heard about abu g. going around the land telling us ordianry folk how concerned he was for the well-being of our kids.
thanks for keeping us informed.
never mind on cspan 3
Tithonia @ 10
Probably only one ray of sunshine in the last six, miserable years…. Waxman, the Great, has had a *lot* of time on his hands and his arsenal is ready for “Shock and awe.” ;-)
Have we started a lottery wrt how many times shrub is gonna stamp his weetle foot during the presser?
orionATL @ 22
One thing you can always count on: When things get tough for them politically, Republicans always vow to go after porn.
I missed this yesterday Sessions keeps saying “Bloodsport” I like the sound of that
I gotta say that the most significant effect of the 2006 elections may well be the elevation of Henry Waxman to the chair of the Oversight Committee.
His appetite knows no limits.
And I am delighted to note that one of his lawyers is a former law student of mine.
Just think of the dynamics for the next 17-1/2 months (until the 2008 elections): drip, drip, drip.
We are in for a remarkable time, and have the potential for a remarkable election.
Will. That was what Vince Foster left behind in his suicide note. He said destroying peoples lives was s “bloodsport” in Washington.
-GSD
I bet chimpy is so mad at Nancy they are having to adjust his medications.
A’57 @ 18
A’57, I will use that. Again and again.
This Culture of Corruption makes one dizzy? Who can keep up?…FDL and other blog sites.
“prostitution of the Justice Department” (by White House)
Perhaps the public will finally get aroused!
That is the bottom line. Bush is virtually only interested in the protection of himself. And the Bush political dynasty is interested in protecting this prez, because that family’s primary consideration is perpetuating its power and its accumulation of wealth, and to do so it must at all costs protect the Bush name. Get Karl, and you get Cheney and Bush too. Sooner or later.
Oh, he’s gonna have a group of service people/families backing him up. Gutless wonder.
I have posted new information on the
firing of US Attorney Daniel Bogden on my website. misterapologist link
[Link repaired by Mod]
I have included a discussion of $800,000 worth of mortgages secured by a conservative ally of Sheldon Adelson, fervent Bush supporter and 6th richest man in the world, to buy the silence of ex-County Commission member and felon Erin Kenny.
the cherry on top of this whole thing…the top official involved, Governor Jim Gibbons, just hired the attorney Jack Abramoff was using!….
http://misterapologist.blogspot.com
For this story and Updates.
Badwater @
25
You can take that to the bank.
Oh, Henry!
Waccamaw @ 34
seriously? oh no…
Yippee. As a public health person, this one
made me apoplectic when I read about it.
Waxman!
msnbc has feed from impending chimp presser. looks like they have assembled some children to stand behind/near him
chimp on now
Prof @ 27
Prof – what law school?
Oooops – the Deciderer is in the wings to speak.
OldCoastie @ 38
Per MSNBC – if true, same ol’ PR tactics. Yep…..true.
he seems a little shakey…
ooooo – shakey AND pissed!
OldCoastie @ 44
and sad. poor little chimpy
GSD @ 28
ouch, didn’t realize that about Foster, insensitive of me. But I do want to see these fucker’s lives destroyed
It is obvious from Bush’s words that he is about to announce a veto of the war spending bill. Just watch.
iraq spending bill “political theatre”
Okay going to throw something at the teevee any second now. What a fucking pathetic bastard!
Veto
If Gonzo is talking about protecting our children from porn, it means he is talking about REGULATING THE INTERNET.
Gotta keep an eye on this. They know they’re cornered and time is short.
oh how I wish he was pissed at a bill that actually stopped the war
I’m want to see some frothing at the mouth.
hey, buddy! sign the damn bill – all the money (and more) is there…
Looks like bare knuckle time for Congress.
How does this delay getting supplies and stuff to the troops on the ground? Aren’t we funded through the end of the fiscal year?
chimp over
What no questions??????
The young woman behind him was having trouble wiping the grin off her face.
Donita Sparks our interest in the new thread, The Spin I’m In–Happy Together.
Dubya got his ass kicked by a girl. Didn’t like it much, did he.
“I WILL NOT ACCEPT RESTRICTIONS!” He needs to burn that on a CD – then he wouldn’t have to waste any more of his precious time on pressers.
Wil @ 56
In a word NO.
Wil @ 56
nope, they’ve spent all the money allocated last year… they got about enough to 4/15… shrubya needs the money and he needs it now… which, of course, he can have if he just signs the bill…
but of course, he won’t… troops home 4/16?
Jane, excellent post. However, there’s a phrase repeated twice in the boxed area of your post
political appointees at the Department interfered with her legal strategy for political appointees at the Department interfered
and a misspelling:
“President Bush and his Administration have proven time and again a strong commitmentn to holding theh tobacco industry accountable for past fraud and abuse.”
I’m sorry, editing is second nature to me.
Jane Hamsher @ 61
hehe
Jane Hamsher @
61
Tantrum. Teeth grinding is back, baby.
tbsa @ 63
I thought I missed something. Thanks.
On the bright side it was short enough that he didn’t have time to make me vomit.
I liked seeing him all mad and stuff…
Wil @ 68
I had to turn the teevee off, I was seriously about to hurt my 64 inch widescreen.
[Mod Note; please don’t re-quote more than twice, thanks. The Margin Faerie]
And too gutless to actually utter the word VETO.
Go Waxman! Hardball will be spending time on the tobacco case this evening.
This chapter makes me like the moniker JusticeGate even better. It’s not just about the #8 or Gonzo or attorneys. It’s much bigger, the whole Dept of Justice and little-j justice in our country. That’s something all Americans can get their heads around, and it’s pissing us off.
Not only did he get his ass kicked by a girl, but in his very brief wrapup on NBC (network), David Ussery focused on how Pelosi had held her caucus together.
Mr Rllong Thunder, Artie Muller , was standing behind him. What bullshit.
egregious @ 52
there is no question the tube-ules and the internets had somethig to do with their fall from grace and power
it is the only source of information right now and the first thing they need to do if they are to shore up their power would be to put a plug on the information highway
Leahy was just on with Ed Schulz. Said he’s gotten a ton of email, almost crashed the servers. Says it’s running 10:1 supportive.
Nola Sue @ 76
HA! ATAAAAAAAAAAAkk
PELOSI!!
MURPHY!!
MURTHA!!
Anyone else interested infinancing an independent satellite for those of us who expect the plug to get pulled on our netroots?
If everyone with a computer paid just $5 towards this back-up satellite that would be independent of all government controls, we would have an uplink available that no one could take out, without launching a an orbital missle attack.
I am absolutely serious; Al Gore, Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, George Soros, Warren Buffet, PLEASE, pool your resources, enthusiasm and expertise, and give us a secure link that can not be shut down!!!
Wil @ 78
haven’t heard mcuh from feingold lately, what’s going on?
Bush intends to veto the war funding bill?
IS HE A TRAITOR?
EPU’d
(last thread touched on the cancer epidemic in the US….)
Industrial ag’s serial poisonings and vicious practices threaten us all….wildlife, pets, bees – all of us.
The results include lakes of pig shit fouling streams and rivers, reproductive difficulties, developmental disorders, cognitive impairment, cancer survivors and those who perish from cancer….
We see an epidemic of cancers now “common” which were vanishingly rare a century ago.
Now, one-third of women and one-quarter of men can expect to have cancer in their lifetime.
Humans have pretty much the same genes we collectively had a century ago.
THE INCREASE IS NOT GENETIC.
The massive increase in (non-tobacco) cancers exactly parallels the introduction of synthetic pesticides and similar industrial toxins in the post-WW II period. Within a generation, US cancer incidence increased.
Best info on this for laypeople is Sandra Steingraber’s lyrical book Living Downstream.
__________________________________________________
Today’s industrial ag victim: honeybees.
So who cares about honey when we have white sugar, right?
Er – uh – anyone who eats.
Those bees aren’t just filling up the little plastic squeezy bears on your breakfast table.
Without bees, we lose one-third of our food supply.
Gone.
Oops – turns out industrial ag’s GMO crops with BT (bacillicus thuringiensis toxin) help kill honeybees.
BT is a toxin found in soil microbes – not found in the honeybees’ natural diet.
The honeybees go to the flowers, not the soil.
Industrial ag’s genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) include plants that make BT toxin, ’cause some Frakenstein put soil bacteria genes in our food crops.
Turns out the Frankenfoods with BT help kill off honeybees.
Wonder what BT crops and other Frankenfoods on our dinner plates do to us?
Keep wondering – the FDA never bothered to answer the question.
The FDA scarcely looked.
Bon appetit – while you still can.
Without the bees, we’ll all be hungry.
JEP @ 81
Why doesn’t he support the troops? Why does he hate America?
OldCoastie @ 64
I’ve emailed an army major efriend to see when they actually need to $$, but he hasn’t gotten back to me. Thought I heard 6 weeks on MSNBC, but not sure.
Guess that’s what happens when you fund wars thru supplementals instead of putting it in the budget and passing the budget on time–meaning before the 06 election. Couldn”t happen to a nicer bunch. Elections have consequences.
Looks like the Bush boat has sprung some major leaks! What’s that I hear? It sounds like drip, drip, drip…
What a pleasant Friday it’s been.
perris @ 80
Oh hell yeah!
Wil @ 56
None of the Federal government agencies’ appropriations bills were passed last year. We have been funded by several continuing resolutions since. Note, this is not full funding for any of the agencies, IIRC we are getting 75% of what we were allowed to spend in FY 2006.
The Occupation of Iraq is funded seperately from the Defense Department appropriation, and that’s been going through money like there’s no tomorrow. They may be the first to go through all their funds this year…but I doubt if they’ll be the last.
The Department of Interior often runs out of funds before the end of a Fiscal Year — if that happens look for some of the National Parks to close in August or September. (If you’re planning to visit these at that time, check and make sure they’ll be open.)
OT (sort of) to mods: Suggested thread topic. Would someone please post a thread on cancer screening? After Jane, Elizabeth Edwards, and now Tony Snow, a lot of people are posting comments about friends and family with various types of cancer, and I think it’s a good time to educate everyone about cancer screening. All men should be doing regular testicular self-exams, and all women should be doing regular breast self-exams and having regular Pap smears. In addition to yearly physicals, all older patients should be having regular colonoscopies, all older men should be having regular prostate exams, and all older women should be having regular mammograms. If you find anything unusual, you should bring it to the attention to your physician immediately. If you aren’t sure if you should be tested for something, or how often you should be tested, ask your doctor. In addition, your doctor should know if you have any family history of cancer, especially anyone who was diagnosed before age 50, because this could indicate that there’s a familial cancer susceptibility syndrome in your family. (If your doctor doesn’t specifically ask you about this, you should bring it up with him or her yourself.) The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the prognosis.
tbsa @ 50
What a fucking pathetic bastard!
Seriously, no matter what had been added to that bill, Bush is betraying out troops by keeping the money from them that they need!
This wasn’t the bill most progressives wanted, it was a HUGE compromise for most of us that we have had a hard time swallowing.
But for Bush to veto this bill only proves he is an all or notheing despot, and he ismore concerned about his political positioning than the well-being and safety of our soldiers (A.K.A. our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, in short, OUR FELLOW AMERICANS!!!)
.
I think the “porn” they’re talking about is fdl, kos, mydd, etc. And the “children” are voters.
eCAHNomics @ 84 – I just heard 6 weeks myself… heard “’til mid-April” yesterday… whatever it is, it is a pretty short period of time…
Kathleen @ 89
Bush is a psychopath
I think the name of the bill should have been the If You Veto This Bill, The Terrorists Win Act.
JEP @ 90
IMO, when Bush veto’s this bill the dems should all scream loudly that he is the one not supporting the troops and that the money for supporting the troops is in the bill he CHOSE to veto.
perris @ 80
Good point. Feingold is usually trying to kick the psychopaths butts! Where is he?
and never mind that the Dems’ supplemental had MORE money for troops and vets than shrubya’s bill…
Frank Probst @ 94
707
Oversight is a two-edged sword…
We have great joy in our democracy, that it keeps lurching towards its intended purpose..
But the stop and go nature of it causes incredible angst among those of us who prefer a flow, rather than a series of special-interest dams, on our river of good government.
egregious @
52
Good point. This
administrationregime always seems to have some nefarious trick as the real agenda. Wonder how many of their own they will snare in the process?Brisingamen @ 87
Both the defense appropriations act and the homeland security appropriations act were passed I believe before the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1.
The defense bill only partially funded the Iraq war. This inclusion in the regular bill was the first time this had happened but still needed the supplemental for full fundings. I agree previously Iraq was funded only by supplementals. Supposedly, next year it is all going to be covered in the regular bill.
TPM says there’s likely to be another document dump today.
Watching Republican Senator Arlen Specter challenge Bush administration wrong-doing is like witnessing a failed rocket launch. After the initial furious explosion of hot air, Specter almost immediately loses momentum and never breaks the dark gravitational pull of planet Bush.
Specter’s performance Thursday during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s debate over issuing White House subpoenas in the firing of U.S. attorneys was certainly no exception.
For the sad story, see:
“Specter’s Failure to Launch.”
Sparkles the Iguana @ 102
It’s Friday afternoon.
OldCoastie @ 97
But it wasn’t earmarked for Halliburton, so it didn’t get the presidential seal of approval?
Oh Henry is having an awesome comeback as one of the most requested candies of the season! LOL I know I have a sweet-tooth for Waxy’s investigative nose…Go Oh Go Oh Henry!
eCAHNomics @ 103
Cool,beans, that gives everyone the entire weekend to pour over the docs.
JEP @ 104
oh BABY, both of those points HAVE to be brought out by the democrats when they go on the TEEvee
I agree with Pac, he can’t stay out of it, he also can’t keep from making a mistake. It is common for people who grow up rich to think they will get away with more than they can. He will have his dad to thank for every thing someday.
Hugh @ 101
Actually there are 13 separate appropriation bills that fund the various Federal agencies. I am not surprised to find out that Defense and Homeland Security were funded, but that the rest of us were left in the cold.
I hadn’t been aware that part of the Iraq Occupation funding actually made it into Defense’s bill…I was under the impression it was still being done through supplementals. Thanks for the update.
Hope everyone here at FDL getsmy drift, it seems that Friday afternoon is like some sort of witches wail, even on the blogs.
Why is it that even our most venerated political blogs abandon their political dialog to pop trivia when there is so much meaningful dialog still boiling up on the threads?
I have always been one to say “any blog that stays on-thread loses readership” but this extreme swing from meaningful politics to trivial popculture can just snap your neck when it happens…
Now I await the firestorm!
I’m curious about the decision process behind who investigates what. Why is Oversight picking this one up, while Judiciary’s pursuing the USA firings? (Since I consider Henry more of a bulldog than John, I’m not complaining.)
Malachy McCourt at an Iraq War Protest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..U5U2spHI_4
JEP @ 111
Sweetie, that’s why many of us stay here in this thread to continue talking about this topic. Folks who need a break to rejuvenate, or have blessings in the arts, may head upstairs.
Don’t look at this as a single venue; this is a place with many rooms.
Some of the rooms aren’t here, either; many of us use the time to go, find new relevant content, and come back when the next pertinent discussion begins.
JEP -
Donita’s regular post at FDL is a treat.
On a practical level – just as with the Book Salons – those who wish to talk politics while a different post is up have the option of staying on the prior thread.
On a larger level, fdl is a community, and like all communities, is devloping a unique culture. Music – part of this culture – is part of the fdl community.
Hope this helps.
JEP @ 111
I bought a new sportscar about a month ago…sort of a gift to myself…drive it every week to teh casino
it’s the pontiac solstice gxp and man this is the nicest car we have ever made
silver in case you’re wondeing
I’m so glad Eubanks came forward with this.
Now, if we can ever get Sibel Edmonds ungagged the whole neocon cabal may come tumbling down–for good!
She has lots that she wants to say, but can’t because she’s been effectively muzzled.
egregious @
52
ding! Free flowing facts on the internet: The new porn.
Sparkles the Iguana @ 102
Wonder how long it’ll take for Josh to call bullshit on this one. For those of you who are counting at home, this is DocuDump #3. Any bets on how many times they’ll be dumping “all” relevant documents?
Oklahoma kiddo @
8
Yup. He’s the linchpin. Bush can lose Cheney and still function, but Karl’s the heart and soul, as well as the brain, of Team Bush.
I submit that Karl’s actually smarter than Cheney: He’s managed to evade trouble — so far — while Cheney’s lost his right-hand man to scandal.
pachelbelle @ 117
you know what would drive them ABSOLUTELY NUTZ?
hearings on the influence of the PNAC and their sick philosophy on this president’s decisions to go to war
that would be GREAT
I remember when this humble little Blogspot only had two posters, Jane and Redd Hedd.
I have been sticking my foot in my mouth here a long time.
I think the Democrats should buy 5 minute blocks of airtime and play that latest Bush speech over and over again — with a legend at the bottom that says:
This Is The Face Of Mainstream Republicanism.
Frank—
This is docudump 3? Maybe I missed one.
Phoenix Woman @ 120
cheney would still be in control, they would get him some kind of desk in the pentagon, pay him MORE as a “consultant” and nothing would change
got to jail cheney for him to loose his influence
I don’t know if it’s still true but rumsfeld still had a desk at the pentagon and was still getting paid
same thing was true for abu torture’s aid…he was still working their “till he finds other embployment” if you can believe it
so, let’s suppose Karl’s in the klink (contempt of Congress), Gonzo gets canned and Shooter has to retire for health reasons… does the chimpster leave to go permanently cut brush?
A’57 @
18
Sending your comment to my Mom!
Why didn’t the WH or DOJ redact all the email addresses? Then we never woulda known about gwb43.com.
OldCoastie @ 126
chimp first pardons darth, gives him some pre emptive pardons to boot, then he does whatever it takes to get mccain as vp
chimp resigns for some kind of heart problems also, mccain pre-emptive pardons chimp
egregious @ 124
There was one last week (1000 documents), one on Tuesday (2000) documents, and another one due today, not sure how much/many.
does this mean the troops are coming home?
seriously, if there’s no money to fund them, are they coming home?
perris @ 128
I thought he looked kinda insane this morning… ’spose he’s cracking up?
Brisingamen @ 130
Yep. Given Karl’s history, I’m going to wait for #5.
JEP @
81
Well, yeah.
This:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/23/35721/0257
is about this:
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/n…..61122.html
my 131
i meant if bush vetoes the bill, are the troops coming home?
While we’re all so focused on the Bush assault on our basic democracy and it’s enshrined corruption, we might miss the social effects of their horror. They might be more devastating than the corruption itself.
We all know chainey has destroyed a responsible energy policy, which after all is at the root of our civiliation. While here in Europe a sustainable society grows by the week, amurka is destroying the fragile balance of the web on which we depend for survival.
You’ve all seen the reports about the massive deaths in bee colonies in the past year. No less than Einstein said that without bees we wouldn’t last four years. Now Der Spiegel is reporting (in Englisch) that a possible cause of the never seen before bee AIDS is genetically modified corn. Germany only has 0.06% GM corn, but the US has over 40%. And German scientists are beginning to point to the small amount of GM corn here as the source.
Such potential discoveries bring the effect of this culture of corruption to the fore, putting the rights of massive industry to make money above human life. Remedy to stop these criminals? Tax withholding en masse? Impeachment back on the table? Something must give if we want our civilization back, not just our democracy.
That’s it for your regularly scheduled friday afternoon poison news dump. We now return you to the best political snark in the land.
ooo, look, now McCain’s all mad on msnbc!
Apologies to the pop culturists, I took the time to overcome my obsession with politics toperuse the thread I admonished, and it is worth looking in on.
Just frustrated with the whole process, this site is one of the reasons we (Dems) won the majority in November, and I will henceforth refrain from critical comments, there’s just so much on our friday plates these days, its hard to make the transition from a Bush veto to The Turtles.
But that is what a blog is all about, and I stand corrected, and humbly beg the forgiveness and indulgence of all the other pups who know better. It is just such a big week in the history of politics, I am completely immersed.
liberliar being all wacky…
but, man! McCain and shrubya – both spittin’ nails today….
Sparkles the Iguana @
128
Because of arrogance and lack of brain?
“The prostitution of the justice department” is exactly what the United States of Corporate America has come to represent.
This whole politicization of the criminal justice system should not be surprising to anyone who is familiar with Texas Blood-politics.
They have partisan elections for judges, who learn how to use politics to keep their jobs.
In fact, our dirty little secret about American justice is this — Most judges in the United States, at the State District Court level on down, are simply lawyers who had political connections to be either appointed by their governor based on recommendations by the local political machine, or, as in Texas, it is overtly political by design.
The Texas cronies who run the United Corporate States of America see nothing wrong, nor have they ever seen anything wrong with politicizing these US Attorney jobs, nor judges like Scalia, Thomas, Alito and Roberts — Political hacks all, who make up their demagogue mind on an issue usinbg their political bent and political agenda… Then look for the precedents to support their idealogue “pre-decision.”
This is business as usual.
American Justice is our dirty little secret that everyone is afraid to talk about. We can all talk about a fairy tale story or two of “Justice” in our communities. But, anyone I know who has experience in quasi-political judge decision making, in, say, a civil matter, is very cynical on what American Justice has become. A tool for a Fascist machine which, in its bowls lies “grass roots poltical machines.”
All politics is local. So is all political based, prostitution of justice by political hack judges.
I am doubtful anyone, such as Leahy or Pelosi, or others have the raw power to stop it.
Crazy Horse -
Thanks for bringing this up..
More on the bees and the destruction of the web of life up thread at 82….
I share your fear about what will happen in the natural world while the political world fights to expel the megacorps’ tyranny and their Bushco enforcers.
The honeybees’ collapse terrifies me. The web of life is so damaged that basic food scarcity is a very real prospect.
“Better living through chemistry.” – a fool’s slogan then; a posioner’s mantra now.
dakine01 @ 141
And maybe they don’t have the qualified geeks on their staff that would warn them how “the internets” actually work??
“Albert Einstein speculated that “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left.”
Full text of the letter and the emails is at Tobacco on Trial:
http://www.tobacco.org/scripts…..documents/
I thought he looked kinda insane this morning… ’spose he’s cracking up?
I have a widescreen. You should see him on my teevee, it appears to me that he’s been drinking, his face is blotchy and spotted. He looked terrible and trembly.
new thread after donita’s thread, “commander codpiece on the rag”
IIRC one of Saddam’s last appearances was with a parcel of children, being held captive at the time. Didn’t do him any good at the end of the day. Be mighty careful who you choose as an enemy, you become like them is the addage I recall. Though EPU, All the best……
tbsa @ 146
thanks! I only have the regular tv… wonder what he looked like on hdtv? (nah – too gruesome!)
kirk murphy, i hadn’t seen your previous post @ 82 before, as i wanted to post before epu land. Synchronicity at its finest. kudos.
egregious @
52
Yes! Yes! Bingo and ding! They will disarm us. They count our votes and they will kill our tubes. They have been working up to this for a long time.
perris @
129
Which is why we have to get impeachment on the table, no pardon in cases of impeachment. Every last man jack and woman jill of this cabal has to face justice. No exceptions and no pardons. Demsplayed ‘nice’ last time and see what happened. This virus has to be *exterminated* or it will kill our grandchildren.
In re: pending document dump…
Are we going to be gamed?
They now know we’ve been through all the documents, can see what objections we have to the documents.
How hard would it be to simply create out of whole cloth the documents we think are missing?
looseheadprop…you out there? Christy?
A’57 @ 18
The reason this got past the moderator is they are laughing too hard to hit the delete key.
JEP @
105
Sorry I could not resist – “presidential sTeal of approval”
JEP @
79
Persistant rumours are that space is already weaponized. However, rent some real estate on a Chinese satellite and a European satellite. Sigh. Unless the Chinese are in on this… There is just not enough tinfoil.
Bustednuckles @
122
Busted, there are a lot of reasons I love it here. And you are one of the reasons.
Sparkles the Iguana @ 128
And the still unfilled USA spots. You know, getting good staff is always the problem in running an empire. I wonder, are they running out of flunkies? Hoohaa!
Gene Borio in da house! If you are still here, thank you for TobaccoTrial Blog and your interview w/Sharon Eubanks. That helped a lot with my understanding of just how huge this was and helped get the ball rolling here, anyway.
Phoenix Woman @
120
Cheney is also the connection to the future. The Bushes go to Paraguay, Dick’s heading for Dubai, but Karl needs to stay and make sure the apparatus will get the next despot elected. He’ll be really desperate, too. He has until Nov 2008 to fix it.
Rayne @ 154
I don’t think they can do that–they can’t create the meta data for it, and eventually we’ll come after their metadata.
But they may have found more evidence about how, you know, Margaret Chiara once said “boo” to Abu GOnzales. Certain grounds for termination, you know.
They’re just buying time, at this point, until they figure out how to get out of this.
Thanks HotFlash. This is probably EPU’d into next week,I just got back from lunch.
As dramatic and worthwhile a human interest story as Valerie Plame Wilson’s was, it was small-fry.
In twenty-two odd years, Ms. Wilson had become a GS-14 (at least publicly). Sharon Eubanks had become a member of the Senior Executive Service in sixteen years. (At leat two grades and a brick wall promotion hurdle higher.) She managed a litigation team, at the end, that did what pundits said couldn’t be done. Her team won the tobacco litigation.
Ms. Eubanks is now out of govt service. She and the growing scandal around that litigation and her leaving the DOJ deserve serious attention.
How many die from cancer each year – here and abroad? How many will die next year because less was done to thwart big tobacco by this administration? Follow the money.
Henry Waxman is a national treasure. He is a McCain who didn’t and never will sell out.
That Turtles video looks amusing. And for some reason ’sound’ seems to have died on my computer.
Last night I had to turn volumes down the thing was so loud.
I dont know how to fix this. grrr….
HotFlash @ 157
I’m sure the Chinese govt./red army are more than happy to see the U.S.A. drain itself away in many many foreign wars and if that involves chinese-style domestic repression even better!
May not be exactly the right thread for this, but .
Let’s follow the WH contention that “finding of fact” does not require being under oath or a transcript. What that would effectively mean if pursued to its (il)logical conclusion is that the jury system in this country is completely wrong.
Point: a jury is considered the “finder of fact.” Point: witnesses are sworn at a jury trial. Point: a transcript of the testimony is maintained. In coming out against this method of finding fact, the WH is saying the jury system is flawed. Granted, neither Rove, nor Miers, nor Sampson is on trial (regardless of whether they should be), but the analogy holds, I believe.
The Bush administration- against the American concept of justice. What a surprise.
Can you smell Impeachment, especially in the morning?
Sometimes, I think I can. I smelled it at 5 in the afternoon when the future Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist L.G. told me, in the Catalyst at Happy Hour, that McCord had written a letter to the judge … I, of course, was on Federal probation at the time …
HotFlash @
160
Thanks! I should put up the link to that interview:
Tobacco-on-Trial Interview with Sharon Eubanks, August, 2006:
http://www.tobacco-on-trial.co…..n-eubanks/
Also, NPR’s recent interview with Eubanks had some great nuggets, and shouldn’t be missed:
http://www.npr.org/templates/s…..Id=9075926