Zed!

(((FDL)))

‘Morning, Christy!

Sunshine!
Almost always makes me happy.

[Deleted by mod. Continuing the dustup from the previous thread will not be permitted.]

James Comey — the guy who should be Attorney General.

Thanks Christy. You are doing a huge service for your readers.

Being that all the USAs were Republican appointees, could you term these political actions friendly firings?

Why subpoena Comey? It seems like he’d be willing to testify without it

Mornin’! It’s 10AM now. So, is it being streamed/broadcast anywhere?

christy,

i asked this on the previous thread, with no response, but maybe you have an idea…

anyone know what’s the scoop with today’s senate intelligence committee hearing this afternoon, “Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Modernization“?

not much info on the committee website. but, it’s scheduled to be on c-span3 at 2:30pm ET today.

RonD at 8 — Because without a subpoena, DoJ regs require the DoJ approve his testimony. And what do you think the odds are that they would do so?

“Political fraggings”, maybe?

mornin’, christy –

i will be curious to see if
rep. conyers opens his remarks
by noting that the waas article/
secret order bombshell is ALSO
an apparently-willful failure — by
alberto gongales — to produce documents
already UNDER SUBPOENA by conyers. . .

contempt of congress, anyone?

the live stream
is also available here. . .

that’s a realmedia feed.

buckle-up

Oh-I see. Now I understand. I don’t think there will be any need to grill him-he seems like a stand up-public servant.

Anyone that would apoint Fitzgerald has something going for him.

They are just sort of milling around a little in the Committee room at the moment via the committee’s livestream. Just FYI. Nothing on C-Span that I can find.

CHS, I’m getting a live realplayer web feed from the HJC webpage link you provided. They’re still gathering.

an apparently-willful failure — by
alberto gongales — to produce documents
already UNDER SUBPOENA by conyers. . .

contempt of congress, anyone?

I wish someone would pull Abu Gonzo out of the ring. I’m ready to watch ya’ll beat on someone else for awhile. A short, fat, bespectacled, pasty white boy would do.

OT, but just the thing to get your morning off to a rollicking start (it’s 7:06 a.m. here in SoCal):

Apparently, Mitt Romney’s two favorite books are the Bible and “Battlefield Earth,” by L. Ron Hubbard.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes…..ard-novel/

That’s inspiring, or reassuring, or … something, I guess.

steelthing (6) — and thank you, once again, for your support. FDL’s team coverage of U.S. v. Libby rocked my world, and you helped make it possible, along with a number of dedicated FDL readers and supporters

OT

I know we’re all GENERAL lovers around here…maybe you can help: http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/

Morning, Christy and fellow angry bloggers.

Last night there was some discussion of Ray McGovern’s interview on Tucker Carlson’s show,
where McGovern is saying that he has evidence linking the Niger forgeries directly to Cheney.
Obviously, this would be a bombshell. McGovern seems to be a straight shooter (unlike his target),
but the fact that this was coming out by way of Tucker Carlson raised some warning flags.

Any opinions on this?

T- @ 18

an apparently-willful failure — by
alberto gongales — to produce documents
already UNDER SUBPOENA by conyers. . .

contempt of congress, anyone?

I wish someone would pull Abu Gonzo out of the ring. I’m ready to watch ya’ll beat on someone else for awhile. A short, fat, bespectacled, pasty white boy would do.

i hear ya’ — but, me?

take my corrupt government
officials, as — and where — i find ‘em.

to fit the bill you suggest — howza’ ’bout

KA R L R O V E ? ?

Abu Gonzo has no respect for the law. His actions, and lack thereof, merit all the scrutiny he’s gotten, regardless of the tone of his skin or his meager origins, which he’s brought to our attention repeatedly and under oath, to elicit our compassion for his predicament.

subpoena authorized — that was quick!

it’s over.

wow.

Sweeeet! No doubt some neocon flexipundit is going to label Judiciary “Rubber Stamp” for being so expeditious.

the fact that this was coming out by way of Tucker Carlson raised some warning flags

Like what?

allan_in_upstate @ 23

Morning, Christy and fellow angry bloggers.

Last night there was some discussion of Ray McGovern’s interview on Tucker Carlson’s show,
where McGovern is saying that he has evidence linking the Niger forgeries directly to Cheney.
Obviously, this would be a bombshell. McGovern seems to be a straight shooter (unlike his target),
but the fact that this was coming out by way of Tucker Carlson raised some warning flags.

Any opinions on this?

Tucker trying to rehabilitate his reputation?
He did call for McGovern to back up his assertions,
something that should have been done more often when reviewing supporters of the Administration, but still important here.

So instead of AGAG resigning, he just gets to sit in his office and not comment on anything because of the ongoing investigations.

Oh, and also recuse himself from everything, for the same reason.

So, how’s McNulty doing these days? Besides being very busy doing AGAG’s job for him, I mean.

Neil @ 28

the fact that this was coming out by way of Tucker Carlson raised some warning flags

Like what?

straw man?

Mack @ 30

Neil @ 28

the fact that this was coming out by way of Tucker Carlson raised some warning flags

Like what?

straw man?

like discredit the story,
adding dis-information,
before the real truth rolls out. . .

Subpoena for Comey issued lickety split.

Will it be televised Thurs?

So, basically Goodling and Sampson were the Karl Rove and Harriet Miers to Gonzales, and they answered to Karl and Harriet. Therefore, Karl and Harriet, Monica and Kyle were purely working for the RNC, and Gonzo and Bush were/are not even necessary. Therefore, the EOP is completely run by the RNC, not the elected officials. Bush outsourced the rest of his presidency to Condi and Cheney. Now, if he puts in a War Czar, what will Cheney be in control of. Who the hell is running the country?

Meanwhile, Murray Waas had a bombshell article yesterday in the National Journal. Will have more detail on it in a post for later, but let’s just say that control of the hiring and firing decisions at the Department of Justice were turned over to the control of junior political appointees who were reporting to Rove’s political shop. That public testimony under oath with a transcript for Mr. Rove and Ms. Miers just ratcheted up about twenty notches in importance in my mind.

Uh-huh. And that gives what Jon Stewart said to Bill Moyers about Gonzo last Friday an extra bit of resonance, eh? Comparing AGAG to the Henry Hill character in Goodfellas, who made himself look like an ass rather than betray the Mob?

Updated the post above with liveblog bits from the hearing. Subpoena is issued, and Comey has indicated that he will accept service and appear on Thursday for the hearing.

Selise at 11 — I don’t know the answer to that, either. Sorry.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 12

RonD at 8 — Because without a subpoena, DoJ regs require the DoJ approve his testimony. And what do you think the odds are that they would do so?

Isn’t it sad that it would have to come to this?

Wow, read the Waas article earlier. I particularly liked how they contrasted the Clinton politics/justice balance vs. the current jokers in the WhiteHouse. Undercuts those “Clinton did it too” arguments we all get so sick of hearing. Alas, only undercuts, does not silence.

allan_in_upstate @ 22

Morning, Christy and fellow angry bloggers.

Last night there was some discussion of Ray McGovern’s interview on Tucker Carlson’s show,
where McGovern is saying that he has evidence linking the Niger forgeries directly to Cheney.
Obviously, this would be a bombshell. McGovern seems to be a straight shooter (unlike his target),
but the fact that this was coming out by way of Tucker Carlson raised some warning flags.

Any opinions on this?

McGovern was on Democracy Now this morning (it will run a few times throughout the day). I was half asleep, but I want to hear what he said.

Cannon questions the rate of subpoenas but not the rate of crime in the WH and DOJ. Isn’ t the appropriate response, “I wish we didn’t have to serve subpoenas too, but as long as there is wrong doing, we should look into it, don’t you think?”

Remember when everyone tuned in to watch NBC on Thursdays for the West Wing?

Now we all tune in to c-span on Thursdays to watch “The Hill!”

I’m confused again – maybe ya’ll can help me understand. Can the authority to hire/fire AGs be delegated away?

nolo – the scattershot approach is working too slowly. It feels like we are building up a critical mass of corruption that will eventually break on the shore and wash this admin. out for good…but it felt that way 6 months ago, too.

If the shoe was on the other foot, the gop would have taken 1 of the many scandals out and used it to the democrats into “joke” status and bludgeon them out of office by now. They wouldn’t have even had to make shit up. Their issue framing and message control would have already whipped up the rubes into a frothing mouthed horde and taken up pitch forks and axe-handles in the streets.

Rant over. Thanks, Christy for actually doing something about it.

I do wonder about normally reliable resources being fed bogus leaks that will be turn out false and destroy their credibility. Dan Rather comes to mind.

McGovern’s sources are CIA insiders, people he worked with for years. Who doesn’t believe Cheney manufactured FRAUDULENT Iraq WMD evidence? But where is the evidence? Taking the country to war on fraudulent evidence is treason. Get the evidence. Impeach.

LS @ 33

So, basically Goodling and Sampson were the Karl Rove and Harriet Miers to Gonzales, and they answered to Karl and Harriet. Therefore, Karl and Harriet, Monica and Kyle were purely working for the RNC, and Gonzo and Bush were/are not even necessary. Therefore, the EOP is completely run by the RNC, not the elected officials. Bush outsourced the rest of his presidency to Condi and Cheney. Now, if he puts in a War Czar, what will Cheney be in control of. Who the hell is running the country?

d i n g!

cheney alway was — and is — in charge.

Mornin’ Christy and Firepups,

Selise,

wiki

On April 13, 2007 the administration submitted legislation to Congress (Title IV of the Fiscal Year 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act [31]) requesting that FISA be amended “to bring FISA up to date with the revolution in telecommunications technology that has taken place since 1978, while continuing to protect the privacy interests of persons located in the United States.”

their footnote #’s 31 & 32 (fact sheet) are in pdf

the only thing on Senator Finegold’s website basically says ‘not as advertised and in fact, expanded powers for the Chimp’

EFF has this in html format – but it’s 66 pages and way above this hippy’s paygrade :)

EFF

This is likely to play out far more rapidly than the change of power we’d like to see here:

Coalition Chairman Avigdor Yitzhaki spoke Tuesday with a number of Kadima MKs on the possibility of replacing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the wake of the damning report on the handling of the Second Lebanon War.

Several of those who spoke to Yitzhaki told Haaretz afterward that they had discussed the need to replace Olmert immediately.

Yitzhaki designated Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as the preferred heir to Olmert, which the MKs said they understood to mean that the move had been coordinated with Livni.

Polled yesterday, before issuance of the Winograd Report, 70 percent of Israelis wanted Olmert out. That’s even more damning than US sentiments against Bush.

Wow! I went to brush my teeth and it’s OVER! Jeez, things move fast around here…

Christy Hardin Smith @ 35

Updated the post above with liveblog bits from the hearing. Subpoena is issued, and Comey has indicated that he will accept service and appear on Thursday for the hearing.

Selise at 11 — I don’t know the answer to that, either. Sorry.

thanks for the update, christy. has anyone told you how awesome you are yet today?

many thanks.

Christy you are awesome!

Looking forward to Comey’s testimony on Thursday. I hope he is in a talkative mood with a few surprises for this attentive audience.

Neil @ 28

the fact that this was coming out by way of Tucker Carlson raised some warning flags

Like what?

Carlson is joined at the hip to the neocons.
His old man is on Scooter’s defense fund board.
It would be great if McGovern has the goods on
Cheney, but it seems odd that Tucker Carlson would
give hime air time.

Or maybe McGovern pulled a fast one on Carlson,
talking about something he hadn’t told him about in advance. In which case, good for him.

So, when are Rove and Cheney going to veto the bill….

Did Monica Goodling get the immunity grant? If so, I hope she’s able to deliver testimony on others’ malfeasance at least as much as she perpetrated herself.

LS @ 38

McGovern was on Democracy Now this morning (it will run a few times throughout the day). I was half asleep, but I want to hear what he said.

don’t forget the democracy now! podcast (and video via bittorrent) which is usually available by noon ET.

i subscribe via itunes…

When you read Murray Waas’ piece next to the letter from former DOJ Civil Rights Division head Bob Kengle entitled “Why I Left the Civil Rights Division,” the picture gets even clearer and more frightening.

The four reasons he gave for leaving are these (his words):

1) I no longer could insulate the line attorneys I supervised from the political appointees.
2) I lost confidence that any litigation I supervised would be resolved based upon the merits rather than partisan factors.
3) I lost confidence that the hiring process would bring in attorneys who placed civil rights enforcement over partisan considerations.
4) Policy decisions to pursue or avoid pursuing certain cases or types of cases.

Each of these points is developed in the letter — it’s a helluva read, folks. Conyers will be very interested in hearing from him as well.

What’s going on with Condi? Is she coming in tomorrow to answer her subpoena?

Hmmm. Random pre-coffee thoughts. Accusing Cheney of being in charge of the Niger forgeries is a pretty big deal. I’d guess that someone’s got the goods to back it up. Thinking back, who was Cheney’s right-hand man at the time? Does that individual have any reason to try to strike a deal now? Ah, happy thoughts.

OmiGAWD, my schedule is SO cleared for this Thursday!

OT: Where are other FirePups? – check out this earlier post to see (and join?) an unofficial map. At this writing, there’s 471 pins! Any more expats out there? Can we hit 500? S’OK to say Indep. as you pick your pin! :)

Neil at 54 — The Committee voted to extend use immunity to Goodling — but that extension does not go ino effect unless and until the subpoena has been issued by the Committee. And it is my understanding that the subpoena has not yet been issued.

T- @ 43

nolo – the scattershot approach is working too slowly. It feels like we are building up a critical mass of corruption that will eventually break on the shore and wash this admin. out for good…but it felt that way 6 months ago, too.

If the shoe was on the other foot, the gop would have taken 1 of the many scandals out and used it to the democrats into “joke” status and bludgeon them out of office by now. They wouldn’t have even had to make shit up. Their issue framing and message control would have already whipped up the rubes into a frothing mouthed horde and taken up pitch forks and axe-handles in the streets.

Rant over. Thanks, Christy for actually doing something about it.

werrrd. on. that.

Peterr @ 55

When you read Murray Waas’ piece next to the letter from former DOJ Civil Rights Division head Bob Kengle entitled “Why I Left the Civil Rights Division,” the picture gets even clearer and more frightening.

The four reasons he gave for leaving are these (his words):

1) I no longer could insulate the line attorneys I supervised from the political appointees.
2) I lost confidence that any litigation I supervised would be resolved based upon the merits rather than partisan factors.
3) I lost confidence that the hiring process would bring in attorneys who placed civil rights enforcement over partisan considerations.
4) Policy decisions to pursue or avoid pursuing certain cases or types of cases.

Each of these points is developed in the letter — it’s a helluva read, folks. Conyers will be very interested in hearing from him as well.

It’s people like that who will/are saving this country. They have damaged the infrastructure, but the basic frame is still there (with bombs bursting in air).

Oops, just realized that I haven’t seen whether any Republican members were in attendance at the Committee meeting on the Comey subpoena. Were there, besides Cannon (R-UT)?

Christy – let’s start with this excerpt from your post:

Meanwhile, Murray Waas had a bombshell article yesterday in the National Journal. Will have more detail on it in a post for later, but let’s just say that control of the hiring and firing decisions at the Department of Justice were turned over to the control of junior political appointees who were reporting to Rove’s political shop. That public testimony under oath with a transcript for Mr. Rove and Ms. Miers just ratcheted up about twenty notches in importance in my mind.

Paul Kiel at The Muck connects some dots that also take McNulty out of the decision-making loop. And quotes Sen. Chuck Shumer as saying: “If the top folks at DOJ weren’t the key decision-makers, it’s less likely that lower-down people at DOJ were, and much more likely that people in the White House were making the major decisions.” Too right.

looseheadprop – are you here? As you look at what Murray Waas posted yesterday and look at Christy’s comment that I quoted, how many violations of 28 USC 541 do you and Christy see? What other federal statutes were violated?

And quotes Sen. Chuck Shumer as saying: “If the top folks at DOJ weren’t the key decision-makers, it’s less likely that lower-down people at DOJ were, and much more likely that people in the White House were making the major decisions.” Too right.

Which might explain the careful parsing offered by some current and former USAGs, namely that no one from DOJ gave them feedback on their performance. As Rove is officially a political operative, it might even be correct to say no one from the WH told them either.

Frogmarching is in order.

Hey, Ct Bob, do you have any info about Lieberman’s slush fund? I know it was referred to the FEC, but what happened then?

Comey for Attorney General? He’s the top lawyer and a vice president of Lockheed-Martin, a corporation which is making more money off the Iraq War than Halliburton.

Frank Probst @ 58

Hmmm. Random pre-coffee thoughts. Accusing Cheney of being in charge of the Niger forgeries is a pretty big deal. I’d guess that someone’s got the goods to back it up. Thinking back, who was Cheney’s right-hand man at the time? Does that individual have any reason to try to strike a deal now? Ah, happy thoughts.

This occurred to me as well. Cheney was quoted a few days ago as saying
that he had not spoken to Scooter since the trial.
Loyalty as a one-way street. So, I can understand Libby being pissed,
but not some of the people in his defense fund,
who always looked like they were representing Cheney’s interests.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 60

Neil at 54 — The Committee voted to extend use immunity to Goodling — but that extension does not go ino effect unless and until the subpoena has been issued by the Committee. And it is my understanding that the subpoena has not yet been issued.

Christy –

How will the revelations contained in what Murray Waas wrote in yesterday’s National Journal affect the respective investigations of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees?

Sorry for the OT stuff, but this makes war against Iran far less likely – at least after Thursday:

Student groups from all over Israel joined residents of the western Negev town of Sderot and army reservists for a protest march on Tuesday, calling on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to resign.

They set out from gathering points across the country, and plan to reach Tel Aviv in time to join a national protest scheduled to take place in Rabin Square on Thursday.

A twisted wingnut is no longer of any use; the still wheels keep coming off.

Mack @ 29

allan_in_upstate @ 23

Morning, Christy and fellow angry bloggers.

Last night there was some discussion of Ray McGovern’s interview on Tucker Carlson’s show,
where McGovern is saying that he has evidence linking the Niger forgeries directly to Cheney.
Obviously, this would be a bombshell. McGovern seems to be a straight shooter (unlike his target),
but the fact that this was coming out by way of Tucker Carlson raised some warning flags.

Any opinions on this?

Tucker trying to rehabilitate his reputation?
He did call for McGovern to back up his assertions,
something that should have been done more often when reviewing supporters of the Administration, but still important here.

Wingnuttery is an ego trip for people like Tucker, a trip whose end is in sight. So perhaps he wants to follow Joe Scarborough toward the center.

Watching this attorney scandal unfold is like watching snail races at the espresso bar.

Can someone page me when the tomatoes start flying?

Relevant story posted on Raw Story’s site this morning:
Leahy: Leaked Justice Department memo ‘disturbing,’ should have been turned over

cfedd @ 66

Hey, Ct Bob, do you have any info about Lieberman’s slush fund? I know it was referred to the FEC, but what happened then?

I doubt the FEC will do anything with it.

We’re still working on it, sorta. Things are moving, albeit slowly. No question in my mind he used it as street money in the two weeks before the primary, but it’s taking a lot of time to get people to go on the record with it.

Yesterday afternoon, on the Cheney/Niger thread, LHP and a couple of the rest of us were kicking the Waas piece and the Kengle letter around, and she had this to say:

I have been waiting for such a long time hoping that a day would come when folks would feel like it was not a waste of time to come forward.

The stories you hear over a beer are gut churning, but the decision about whether or not to come forward, risking carer, reputation, maybe marriage (from the stress) is not a decision that you can make for somebody else.

They have to decide for themselves. That’s why the admin tried to destroy the Wilsons. And Sybil Edmonds and the scientists,–Oh, and remember Paul O’Neil?

I always believed it would be the DOJ folks who would break through and they did, from Patfitz refusing to torpeado the Libby case through the career people that are just beginning to come out of the woodwork now.

I wonder when the FBI folks will do the same?

The walls are starting to crack, and the insiders (former or current) with a conscience are realizing that they are not alone, and that speaking up might finally do some good. Big h/t to them all!

ET,

Sorry for the OT stuff, but this makes war against Iran far less likely – at least after Thursday

not so fast . . .

So far, opposition Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed his attendance,

hope I’m wrong about this, but if Bushco/Neo Cons have an ally on Iran anywhere, it is this guy and I can smell his ‘ambitions’ from here

The Daily Muck
By Will Thomas – May 1, 2007, 9:35 AM

Some Ask if US Attorney Dismissals Point to Pattern of Investigating Democrats

Has anyone read the underlying NY Times article?

LS @ 66

Frogmarching is in order.

A big ol’ “ribbit” to that! Frogmarching… gigging…watever warts!

Ed*ard Teller says

Several of those who spoke to Yitzhaki told Haaretz afterward that they had discussed the need to replace Olmert immediately…

Student groups from all over Israel joined residents of the western Negev town of Sderot and army reservists for a protest march on Tuesday, calling on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to resign.

Time for Sharon to suffer a miraculous “un-stroke”?

Ed*ard Teller @ 71

Sorry for the OT stuff, but this makes war against Iran far less likely – at least after Thursday:

Student groups from all over Israel joined residents of the western Negev town of Sderot and army reservists for a protest march on Tuesday, calling on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to resign.

They set out from gathering points across the country, and plan to reach Tel Aviv in time to join a national protest scheduled to take place in Rabin Square on Thursday.

but what if Netanyahu end’s up PM? i don’t see that as lessening the chances for war with iran.

Condi? What’s going on with her subpoena? Is she going to be held in contempt?

selise @ 80

Ed*ard Teller @ 71

Sorry for the OT stuff, but this makes war against Iran far less likely – at least after Thursday:

Student groups from all over Israel joined residents of the western Negev town of Sderot and army reservists for a protest march on Tuesday, calling on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to resign.

They set out from gathering points across the country, and plan to reach Tel Aviv in time to join a national protest scheduled to take place in Rabin Square on Thursday.

but what if Netanyahu end’s up PM? i don’t see that as lessening the chances for war with iran.

Definitely not, Netanyahu takes us right back to “Clean Break”.

Thanks, CT Bob, I guess we can assume the FEC is filled with political appointees too.

howdy Connecticut Bob! i see you and spazeboy are having a showing of blog wars tomorrow.

LS @ 82

Netanyahu takes us right back to “Clean Break”.

that was my thinking.

CHS @60. Thanks!

TUCKER: Do you have any evidence? That’s a huge deal.

MCGOVERN: Sure.

TUCKER: Presumably an impeachable offense, immoral as hell…so who did it?

MCGOVERN: Well these are like the plummers.

TUCKER: Right, but can you be a lot more specific since you are alleging this crime?

MCGOVERN: I won’t be any more specific right here, but the names have been in the public domain. The people who traveled to Rome and to other countries in Europe to set up this kind of thing, to work with the Italians to get this stuff made.

TUCKER: So you have no evidence at all that that it’s true that you are willing to share publicly?

MCGOVERN: I have some evidence but I am not willing to share it right here and now.

OT- Larry Johnson was a joy to watch on PBS NewsHour last night giving his take on George Tenet. Larry gave him hell, also broke through the NewsHour’s staid panel format to call out David Boren on an attempted misquote & smear. Transcript, aud & vid here:

Larry Johnson on PBS NewsHour

Steve @ 77

The Daily Muck
By Will Thomas – May 1, 2007, 9:35 AM

Some Ask if US Attorney Dismissals Point to Pattern of Investigating Democrats

Has anyone read the underlying NY Times article?

This will be one on GWB’s legacies:
every prosecution of a politician, or candidate, will be suspect.

Thank you, George, for setting off the judicial equivalent of a dirty bomb.

selise @ 85

LS @ 82

Netanyahu takes us right back to “Clean Break”.

that was my thinking.

Scary thought and not what the Israeli public wants.

Gunga Djinn @ 79

Ed*ard Teller says

Several of those who spoke to Yitzhaki told Haaretz afterward that they had discussed the need to replace Olmert immediately…

Student groups from all over Israel joined residents of the western Negev town of Sderot and army reservists for a protest march on Tuesday, calling on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to resign.

Time for Sharon to suffer a miraculous “un-stroke”?

No. It looks like Livni has been offered the seat if she becomes more public in her criticism of Olmert/Peretz and helps in coalition organization. But there may be so much turmoil in Israel between now and the end of the week, that the government – in response to demonstrations and other activities organized by the far right – goes more far right than was Sharon’s.

In regard to the upcoming Iran War, I’m only optimistic about this week’s developments in the short run, not the long one.

Steve -

Krugman pointed out over a month ago the ratio of prosecutions of Dems to Reps was 8 to 1

and hear hear Peterr on lhp,

I wish I could find it but the day after ‘the verdict’ lhp made a comment alluding to what we all now know is USA Scandal – I wish to commend her and Christy again for what in hindsight was incredibly ethical, professional, discretion

Citizen Jane @ 41

Remember when everyone tuned in to watch NBC on Thursdays for the West Wing?

Now we all tune in to c-span on Thursdays to watch “The Hill!”

It was Wednesdays!
T- @ 43

nolo – the scattershot approach is working too slowly. It feels like we are building up a critical mass of corruption that will eventually break on the shore and wash this admin. out for good…but it felt that way 6 months ago, too.

If the shoe was on the other foot, the gop would have taken 1 of the many scandals out and used it to the democrats into “joke” status and bludgeon them out of office by now. They wouldn’t have even had to make shit up. Their issue framing and message control would have already whipped up the rubes into a frothing mouthed horde and taken up pitch forks and axe-handles in the streets.

Rant over. Thanks, Christy for actually doing something about it.

Apparently that doesn’t work with the Republicans. They’re too shameless to be embarrassed out of office!

Marie Roget @ 88

OT- Larry Johnson was a joy to watch on PBS NewsHour last night giving his take on George Tenet. Larry gave him hell, also broke through the NewsHour’s staid panel format to call out David Boren on an attempted misquote & smear. Transcript, aud & vid here:

Larry Johnson on PBS NewsHour

I was very proud of Larry.
That call out on the smear was immediate and forceful. We need a lot more people like Mr. Johnson.

Good morning Jane Hamsher

I hope you are bearing up; best wishes. I have a friend whose state of mind improved withing twenty-four hours of finishing her chemo.

Democracy Now starting in 5 minutes on LINK TV.

Georgesimian @ 82

Condi? What’s going on with her subpoena? Is she going to be held in contempt?

I don’t know the answer but here’s some good reading on the Condi/Waxman face-off.

After receiving a subpoena last Wednesday from House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) regarding, among other issues, those words and how exactly they found their way into the President’s address in the midst of the march to war with Iraq, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went barnstorming across the Sunday Shows yesterday to explain why she feels entirely uncompelled to comply with Waxman and testify before his committee. The crux of her argument: this one’s already been fully investigated; nothing to see here.
TPMtv Guide: Monday, April 30
By Ben Craw LINK

selise @ 84

howdy Connecticut Bob! i see you and spazeboy are having a showing of blog wars tomorrow.

Hi Selise! Yeah, Spazeboy is hosting a screening up at his college and he wants me to join him for some open Q&A with the kids. Hopefully, we’ll spark a little interest in political vlogging among the younger set…it seems that nearly everyone doing this here is in their late 30’s or 40’s (except Spazeboy).

Georgesimian @
40

Cannon questions the rate of subpoenas but not the rate of crime in the WH and DOJ. Isn’ t the appropriate response, “I wish we didn’t have to serve subpoenas too, but as long as there is wrong doing, we should look into it, don’t you think?”

Isn’t Cannon from Utah? If so, it seems to me that poor Cannon is pissed that so many of the “Mormon mafia” are in hot water right now.

Neil 96,

“The crux of her argument: this one’s already been fully investigated; nothing to see here.”

Unless…McGovern has already shown evidence to Waxman.

LS, got a link to LINK TV?

LS @
90

selise @ 85

LS @ 82

Netanyahu takes us right back to “Clean Break”.

that was my thinking.

Scary thought and not what the Israeli public wants.

Yet I heard that Netanyahu’s party was leading in the polls.

Neil @ 100

LS, got a link to LINK TV?

Well, I’m in TX and have Dish TV. It is on channel 9410 here. It will also be on FSTV (9415 here) later and is available as podcast.

OT
Supposedly the leader of Al Queda in Iraq, Al Masri was killed by insurgents. The US is waitinug for DNA to confirm.

Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 71

Christy Hardin Smith @ 60

Neil at 54 — The Committee voted to extend use immunity to Goodling — but that extension does not go ino effect unless and until the subpoena has been issued by the Committee. And it is my understanding that the subpoena has not yet been issued.

Christy –

How will the revelations contained in what Murray Waas wrote in yesterday’s National Journal affect the respective investigations of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees?

And is the committee likely to change it’s mind about that immunity deal? I’ve never properly understood how come the committee didn’t send her the subpoena and force her to take the oath (so help me God) and sit her ass down in the chair. Then explain in words of few syllables appropriate to a graduate of the televangelist school of law that the 5th amendment ony applies to incrimination of oneself, not other people, now answer the questions, beeatch!

cbl @
77

ET,

Sorry for the OT stuff, but this makes war against Iran far less likely – at least after Thursday

not so fast . . .

So far, opposition Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed his attendance,

hope I’m wrong about this, but if Bushco/Neo Cons have an ally on Iran anywhere, it is this guy and I can smell his ‘ambitions’ from here

And Netanyahu has been all over the lunatic fringe TV shows here … including Glenn Beck of all things …. yuck !!

RonD @ 9

Why subpoena Comey? It seems like he’d be willing to testify without it

Here is why, from the other day:

A subpoena for Comey’s testimony will be voted on Tuesday — this allows him to testify without having to ask full permission from the DoJ’s liason to Congress which, as has been prior practice with the Bush Administration, generally means they say no. Good move on the Judiciary Committee’s part, and one that every Congressional committee attempting to get information from willing witnesses who have been stymied by the DoJ would do well to adopt. (H/T to looseheadprop who has discussed this in the comments – it helps to know people who know the rules at the DoJ.)

LS @ 103

Neil @ 100

LS, got a link to LINK TV?

Well, I’m in TX and have Dish TV. It is on channel 9410 here. It will also be on FSTV (9415 here) later and is available as podcast.

Thx.

LS @
96

Democracy Now starting in 5 minutes on LINK TV.

McGovern coming up on Democracy Now. What a vast gulf between Tucker and Amy! Only in America…

tbsa @ 103

OT
Supposedly the leader of Al Queda in Iraq, Al Masri was killed by insurgents. The US is waitinug for DNA to confirm.

Oh good, so now that the Al Qaeda leader is dead, Rove and Cheney don’t have to veto the bill, they can claim victory, and the troops can come home.

Neil @
101

LS, got a link to LINK TV?

You can go here instead:

Democracy Now.

LS @ 34

So, basically Goodling and Sampson were the Karl Rove and Harriet Miers to Gonzales, and they answered to Karl and Harriet. Therefore, Karl and Harriet, Monica and Kyle were purely working for the RNC, and Gonzo and Bush were/are not even necessary. Therefore, the EOP is completely run by the RNC, not the elected officials. Bush outsourced the rest of his presidency to Condi and Cheney. Now, if he puts in a War Czar, what will Cheney be in control of. Who the hell is running the country?

Cheney.

tbsa @ 105

OT
Supposedly the leader of Al Queda in Iraq, Al Masri was killed by insurgents. The US is waitinug for DNA to confirm.

Oh, bull! This has to be more disinformation released by the admin to distract from today’s veto of funding for the troops. “See! We’re winning in Iraq! We can’t stop now!”

Ahgoo @ 42

I’m confused again – maybe ya’ll can help me understand. Can the authority to hire/fire AGs be delegated away?

good question. anyone seen that memo?

That Durbin thing really disturbs me. He should have said to everyone at the time that based on what he knew, even though he could not disclose what exactly it was, they should trust him and vote against the war.

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on issuing a subpoena for James Comey beginning around 10:00 am ET. The Committee website indicates that they plan on streaming the hearing and, if so, I’ll blog it below. Haven’t been able to ascertain whether C-Span will broadcast the hearing as well, but I’m keeping an eye on the various channels to see.

I thought comey wanted to testify voluntarily?

TiredFed @
112

LS @ 34

So, basically Goodling and Sampson were the Karl Rove and Harriet Miers to Gonzales, and they answered to Karl and Harriet. Therefore, Karl and Harriet, Monica and Kyle were purely working for the RNC, and Gonzo and Bush were/are not even necessary. Therefore, the EOP is completely run by the RNC, not the elected officials. Bush outsourced the rest of his presidency to Condi and Cheney. Now, if he puts in a War Czar, what will Cheney be in control of. Who the hell is running the country?

Cheney.

Dick? Lynne? Liz? Or pre-born?
(Don’t quote me–we must massage our beloved mods…)

Quzi @ 51

Looking forward to Comey’s testimony on Thursday. I hope he is in a talkative mood with a few surprises for this attentive audience.

I feel another bout of oversight-itis coming on. should be in full bloom by Thursday morning.

TiredFed @ 114

Ahgoo @ 42

I’m confused again – maybe ya’ll can help me understand. Can the authority to hire/fire AGs be delegated away?

good question. anyone seen that memo?

just like I don’t think the president can transfer his power to declassify on the fly to the vice president, I don’t think the ag can possibly assign his powers to people that weren’t confirmed

new thread up

Fresh thread, up and ready for the reading, gang.

LS @ 114

That Durbin thing really disturbs me. He should have said to everyone at the time that based on what he knew, even though he could not disclose what exactly it was, they should trust him and vote against the war.

good discussion of this (along with audio clip of durbin) on antiwar radio yesterday – here.

conniptionfit @ 113

tbsa @ 105

OT
Supposedly the leader of Al Queda in Iraq, Al Masri was killed by insurgents. The US is waitinug for DNA to confirm.

Oh, bull! This has to be more disinformation released by the admin to distract from today’s veto of funding for the troops. “See! We’re winning in Iraq! We can’t stop now!”

Even though I agree this is probably bullshit, it’s not like chimpco requires an actual excuse for prolonging the war.

TiredFed @ 114

Ahgoo @ 42

I’m confused again – maybe ya’ll can help me understand. Can the authority to hire/fire AGs be delegated away?

good question. anyone seen that memo?

I believe they did an end-run around it, where KS and MG presented names to AG for his rubberstamp “Approval” to be hire/fired.

Gunga Djinn @ 73

Watching this attorney scandal unfold is like watching snail races at the espresso bar.

Can someone page me when the tomatoes start flying?

lol. u mean like this?Flying tomatoes

Ahgoo @ 42

I’m confused again – maybe ya’ll can help me understand. Can the authority to hire/fire AGs be delegated away?

Bluntly, no it can’t. That’s what all this “they serve at the President’s pleasure” is all about.

You’ll hear “Clinton did it too.” Response: All Presidents do it at the beginning of their terms. What’s so unusual here is that Bush fired US Attorneys that he appointed.

Usually a President who wins a second term permits the US Attorneys he appointed to remain until the end of that term. Clinton and Reagan both did so.

What we are seeing here is a pattern of someone in the White House (not the Idiot-in-Chief) removing US Attorneys who were pursuing cases detrimental to the Republic Party.

Cdn_Grit @ 124

TiredFed @ 114

Ahgoo @ 42

I’m confused again – maybe ya’ll can help me understand. Can the authority to hire/fire AGs be delegated away?

good question. anyone seen that memo?

I believe they did an end-run around it, where KS and MG presented names to AG for his rubberstamp “Approval” to be hire/fired.

but AG doesnt have hire/fire authority unless delegated to him in writing. US Code only gives President authority to remove U.S. Attorneys.

(nested quotes watch we must–mod)

oops. sorry mod faerie. wont happen again.

Thanks TireFed. As you said, and the part I don’t get but wasn’t able to articulate, ” AG doesn’t have hire/fire authority unless delegated to him in writing. US Code only gives President authority to remove U.S. Attorneys.”

So how can this action by Gonzalez be anything but illegal? Is this another piece of hay to add to the stack?

cbl @
46

Mornin’ Christy and Firepups,

Selise,

wiki

On April 13, 2007 the administration submitted legislation to Congress (Title IV of the Fiscal Year 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act [31]) requesting that FISA be amended “to bring FISA up to date with the revolution in telecommunications technology that has taken place since 1978, while continuing to protect the privacy interests of persons located in the United States.”

their footnote #’s 31 & 32 (fact sheet) are in pdf

the only thing on Senator Finegold’s website basically says ‘not as advertised and in fact, expanded powers for the Chimp’

EFF has this in html format – but it’s 66 pages and way above this hippy’s paygrade :)

EFF

thank you! missed your comment earlier…. glad i found it now.

Ahgoo @ 129

Thanks TireFed. As you said, and the part I don’t get but wasn’t able to articulate, ” AG doesn’t have hire/fire authority unless delegated to him in writing. US Code only gives President authority to remove U.S. Attorneys.”

So how can this action by Gonzalez be anything but illegal? Is this another piece of hay to add to the stack?

only one way this is legal – if there is a written delegation of authority from POTUS to AG giving him authority to fire U.S. Attorneys. No other way around it. And these were removals, not resignations. They told these folks to leave by a date certain.

Why the hell don’t they go ahead and issue those subpoenas for Rove and Miers? What is the benefit of waiting?

I’m skeptical of Elizabeth Holtzmann’s point. Leahy and Conyers and Waxman aren’t going to let go; there is nothing that would be discovered in a hearing to confirm a new AG that isn’t going to be discovered in the course of getting to the bottom of the attorney firings.

Gunga Djinn @ 80

Ed*ard Teller says

Several of those who spoke to Yitzhaki told Haaretz afterward that they had discussed the need to replace Olmert immediately…

Student groups from all over Israel joined residents of the western Negev town of Sderot and army reservists for a protest march on Tuesday, calling on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to resign.

Time for Sharon to suffer a miraculous “un-stroke”?

Rise from the dead? All Olmert has to do is come to the US, where he’s sure to be invited to speak before the Senate. His talk will be met with a standing ovation, followed by an unsolicited, unanimously voted resolution of support by our trusted representatives. That’ll kick-start his approval ratings for sure…

You remember, the kind of treatment Sharon received in the middle of his no-confidence votes from the Knesset?

They ought to fly Sharon over here again, and prop him up in front of the Senate chamber. His eyes would quickly flutter open…

“He’s alive… he’s alive!!”

Elizabeth Holtzman has right idea, but stops short. It is not the confirmation hearings they are worried about, but it is the need to keep Gonzo in place to rule the Justice Dept and deflect investigations and appoint people to fix an investigation, corrupt a case, ensure a favorable outcome in a case already at trial, or to throw out charges once a case has been filed or to mitigate a sentence or to choose a judge etc, etc, etc…
They need him no matter what….and the more investigations by Waxman and Leahy, the more they need him. Gonzo should be impeached ASAP. What good are investigations if no one to follow up on the criminality.

burnspbesq @ 20

OT, but just the thing to get your morning off to a rollicking start (it’s 7:06 a.m. here in SoCal):

Apparently, Mitt Romney’s two favorite books are the Bible and “Battlefield Earth,” by L. Ron Hubbard.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes…..ard-novel/

That’s inspiring, or reassuring, or … something, I guess.

woo-hoo! OT but funny as a spaghetti spew!

Battlefield Earth The Movie featured Jon Travolta as Earth’s evil / stupid Alien Overlord, who was left minus an arm and scrambling to cover his ass after one of his Earthling slaves nuked the Home Planet via SUICIDE BOMB.

Good morning, Karlooloo. How’s the sunshine?