Testimony is set to begin at 2:30 pm ET in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Witnesses today will be Bradley J. Schlozman, Associate Counsel to the Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, Former Interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, Former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice and Todd Graves, Former U.S. Attorney, Western District of Missouri. Should be some interesting testimony today.
Emptywheel called me a few minutes ago. She and Tiredfed are going to be able to attend the hearing. C-Span3 will be covering the proceedings live, according to their scheduling information. I'm not going to do detailed liveblogging of the proceedings, but will be watching along for notable moments and will pick those out for everyone and put them up as they come along until I have to go and pick up The Peanut from preschool.
Please feel free to point out what you are hearing in the comments as well.
Bradley Schlozman has finished teestimony, with the record left open for revisions or additions. Todd Graves is up next.
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zed??
MARCY!
CHRISTY!
JANE!
ZeD☼☼
Wow Todd Graves is impressive.
Reggie!
Graves; Damn I’m glad I didn’t get caught in this bucket of slime…
First impression of Graves: kind of young, a little cocky, a little too enthusiastic for the death penalty, comes across as competent, but it’s still too early to tell.
Graves is a grown-up, unlike Al-VIN.
Prosecutor owns the decision to prosecute.
shorter todd: fuck off Alvin
So this guy was fired and they put the earlier schlub in his place?
Heckuva job Abu
Graves citing Comey!
Graves can speak in coherent statements. What a novelty after Alvin.
JGabriel @ 7
He knows his job and is fairly passionate about what he was given to do. You can hear it. I think he’s holding back just how pissed he was about being pushed out for doing his job as he was expected to do it. As a truly impartial representative of the law–not the Republic Party.
“set aside the politics of this situation”
not so fast, todd.
He’s got a real Missouri accent.
He bears no rancor for leaving the job but I’m curious if they ask him if he would have prosecuted ACORN.
This is going to be goooooooooood! Teeheehee
TR @ 12
Yeah, they let one slip through.
Graves – rep of DOJ has been built over generations but it can be easily lost
WH: prosecutor has sacred responsibilty. Comey set the bar where it should be
It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the fired people were so much….better looking…..and adult…..than the replacements.
Battle said “there were no performance issues. You’ve served well and it’s time to give someone else a chance to serve.”
Shorter Graves: Yo Repubs! I’m one of you and your people screwed me! I swallowed the whole internet predator thing, I offered up a lot of people to be killed under the death penalty. And you kicked me out??
Whitehouse: I accept and agree with your statement of responsibility
WH: Call from Michael Battle. Any performance issue?
G: No. Decision at highest levels of Gov’t
WH: Any idea what MG was talking about?
G: Yeah, and she P*ss’d me off and I got the facts out there….
Starting with the call from Michael Battle.
Decisions have been made at the highest level of government…
Graves was peeved with Goodling about her comment.
Sounds like he’s pissed at Monica Goodling.
Good.
Graves borrowed from Robert Jackson’s famous speech in his opening. The part about vast powers of US Attorney.
Todd, there’s no “I” in “team”!
Hey, at least this guy sounds like he could find a courtroom if called to do so.
Everybody sing with me!
Chipmunks roasting on an open fire
Frostbite chewing on your nose.
Yuletide carollers being thrown on a fire
And folks dressed up like buffaloes
Everybody knows a turkey slaughtered in the snow
Helps to make the season right.
Tiny tots with their eyes all gouged out
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.
Graves: Goodling’s statement was “a slur against my reputation.”
Graves: Yep, know all about Monica’s comment about me – I was pissed. I instigated that investigation. Says it was a ’slur against his reputation’.
WH – call from BAttle – did he say there were any performance related issues?
No.
WH so do you know what Monica was talking about?
Graves – yes, those who have a bright spotlight on them attempt to shift attention to others – in the context of an employment matter someone filed a complaint on me. I instigated the inves and it… turned out to be anon event. the way monica left that out there , it was a slur I took it personally
Additionally, “half of the 14 career lawyers hired under Schlozman were members of the conservative Federalist Society or the Republican National Lawyers Association, up from none among the eight career hires in the previous two years” while “the average US News & World Report ranking of the law school attended by new career lawyers plunged from 15 to 65.”
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..icization/
So the previous guy took over from this guy?
rwcole @ 33
yeppers
Shorter Graves on Goodling: She tried to throw me under the bus and I don’t play that game.
Why bother subscribing to Times Select when FDL is a far better source of news!?! Awesome coverage!! Off to hit that PayPal button, and all my love to the great gals & guys of FDL.
G: I moved on. Wanted to try the one case but no go so ef ‘em. They specifically said wanted to give another person chance to serve…
WH – you were trying a death penalty case?
Graves – yes, a woman murdered and a baby cut from her womb I wanted to stay and try that case but that was something left undone
WH did you ask to stay on
G; yes, I asked to stay and complete case.
I’m willing to move on, but I want to try case, but response was no.
WH – and you were informed this decision was from highest level of gov. any further info about where this decision came from?
G: no I moved on.
Whitehouse: “It will be done.”
I am God.
I remember that baby cut from womb case. Horrible.
They’re closing the place I’m accessing the wifi here in Russia
Time to go for a walk down by the Neva and watch the twilit midnight
Ahhh White Nights
Thanks FDL
What were your reservations about voting fraud case?
I had significant diff with main DoJ on cross burning case in ‘03. Mediation but very difficult.
How come he can remember everything?
This guy can actually name cases he’s worked on. That already makes him more qualified than Alvin. Jeebus.
lectric lady @ 42
He followed the laws and actually did things correctly so he has no need to “I dunno”
Talking now about how the Civil Rights Division wanted to go easier, by removing punitive provisions in a civil settlement for a cross-burner.
jeesh
“I was just a guy in Kansas City trying to do my job”
The Civil Rights division wanted to go easy on a cross-burner?
Jesus Christ. What has Bush done to this country?
ALL of these fired attorneys appear to be so incredibly much more competent and intelligent than the Schlozmans, AGAG, MG, Croc-a-Kyles of the world
Talking about how Brad was sent to make peace with him, but DoJ ended up doing what he (Todd) wanted done in the cross-burning case.
alvin just went under the bus
His legal rep in KC was more important to him than his rep in the DOJ.
Wow.
Whitehouse is agreeing with the concept of locally appointed USAs.
“I was sort of indifferent” to the arrival of Brad.
I knew him, he’d mentioned to me he was a KCity guy, but I’d never heard of him.
This is so refreshing: here is a guy OFFERING documents and specifics.
AAAALvin went under the bus? Oh, sadness, sadness, sadness.
Was Schlozman known in MO legal community at the time?
G: I knew him but no one else had a clue who this idjit was…
Alvin has contacts in the communtity at the high school level!
Graves describing a civil mediation of civil rights case pertaining to cross burning. The civil rights division wanted to back off on agreed sanctions. Graves was pissed, didn’t want to back down. Alvin was sent to be the guy who would mediate this dispute.
Whitehouse has a completely different demeanor with Graves. Much more relaxed, friendly, almost warm.
Woodhall Hollow @ 56
Yeah that was a snark of the highest order wasn’t it?
Schlozman’s contacts at the high school level…almost as impressive as Monica’s managerial responsibilities in college. Whoooooohooooo!
Of course the Republican DOJ would want to remove the penalties on a racist in Missouri. They don’t want to offend their base.
Woodhall Hollow @ 56
if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, then it acts like a duck he is a duck!
Does Graves call Alvin “Schlozberg”?
They’re clearly letting Sheldon do all of the questioning of this guy – one former USA to another. The clear implication is to show the stunning juxtiposition of Alvin and Graves. And they are succeeding.
TR @ 46
This is all gonna be turned around by people on the right who realize that the government has gone completely off the deep end. People in the military, in DoJ, intelligence. THEY are gonna make this happen.
Which is why we have to be there with open arms to welcome them as they come over towards the truth.
Question: Is Schlozman the one who wanted to go easy on the cross-burner?
It sounds like Graves is implying that, but someone (Sheldon?) please ask directly.
Back from picking up The Peanut. Is it me, or is this guy not a victim of the DOJ Convenient Memory Syndrome problems that Mr. Schlozman appears to have caught from whatever is in the water these days at the DOJ?
lectric lady @ 42
Isn’t it weird how all the qualified people can remember everything, and hacks can’t?
waving to Christy and P’nut
here’s come the acorn question…
Christy, you got it-there was an adult in charge. Couldn’t have that.
Hi Christy! Yeah, we like Todd. Todd’s smart. He answers the questions.
Plus his voice doesn’t make our ears bleed.
JGabriel @ 66
Graves stated that he dealt with Schlozman from main DoJ as civil rights head on the cross burning mediation
Christy Hardin Smith @ 67
He didn’t get the memo to attend the Gonzales School of Testifying.
WH in terms of filing charges before an election – were you aware of discussion around the fact that election charges should not be brought up then
G: yes, election related that would influence election is key
Oh, and thank goodness C-Span has streaming video going on this, because The Peanut is watching a cartoon on the teevee. *g* (DOJ parsing isn’t exactly a big hit with the 4-year-old set…go figure.)
Woodhall Hollow @ 56
Could be worse. He could’ve said grammar school.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 67
He’s an adult taking responsibility for his actions. And even said so. He’s snarked on Schlozman a couple of times already…
rwcole @ 33
yep
And he hasn’t once said anything about not being able to talk due to ongoing investigations.
Missour-ah
egregious @ 65
And those that don’t come over will have to be held accountable, tried, convicted and sentenced. The country needs to be purged of these alien anti-democratic elements whether they be in the DOJ, DOD etc.
egregious @ 65
I may not agree with this guy politically; but he seems like a competent lawyer and prosecutor. What a freaking contrast between Graves and Schlozman, who they REPLACED Graves with. This little vignette alone is enough to warrant impeachment of the entire Bush team. They replaced James Wood’s “Shark” with Pee Wee Herman. Heckuva Job!
Todd. Same page as David Iglesias.
I think perhaps Bush is quite pleased, for once, to be out of the country.
The RoveCo minions back at the DOJ and EOB, on the other hand, are looking at one another, asking “What are we going to tell the big guys, when they call from overseas? ‘So, how’d things go today?’”
“I’m not going to answer the phone – you do it.”
PS and OT: From the Dr. Seuss school of the Libby summary, I posted mine:
Too meaty?
Asked to describe an attribute, Graves chose “independent”. That was the wrong choice, according to Graves.
Abu’s team clearly felt overwhelmed and intimidated by the USAs they found when they arrived.
“I’m a REPUBLICAN. I’m a CONSERVATIVE.”
I hear a back-up alarm going off.
The Greyhound is backing into the terminal.
WH re: the ACORN matter – would you think that would have a chilling effect?
G: I hate to weigh in on this bc I know some good career pros were on this
WH but they didn’t decide when, that decision was made by public integrity dept
G: when I read about that in the paper, It surprised me that it had been filed that close to the election
WH – you described yourself as independent, and said apparently that was a problem . Explain?
G: I was surprised at reaction I got (to description of self as independent) – to this day I’m republic conservative; but when you put the suit on you leave it at the door.
Graves: “When you put the suit on, you leave it at the door”
Wow. How refreshing.
Graves talking about the prosecutorial collegiality but how the Prosecutor suit means leaving the partisanship at the door. Not Republican or Democratic decisions.
Self-deprecating after WH says “kinda in the Bud Cummins category then?”
Graves: I wouldn’t put self in Bud Cummins category *smiles*
Underlying motivation: Government is bad. Anyone who calls that into question is replaced.
Competence is an obstacle to the agenda.
War is Peace.
He has cadaver lips. He needs a subtle lipstain/lipgloss.
“I clearly was a USAtty who was given a push to leave in early 2006.”
WH would you describe yourself in bud cummins category?
G: I don’t think anyone is in Cummins category.
WH when Sampson testified – 8 total USA’s were targeted for replacement. Based on everything you know about your sitch, was that true, or should you be part of that group?
Sparkles the Iguana @ 94
Someone called him Lurch in the previous thread. I think. Fairly accurrate description.
egregious @ 65
Amen – I don’t comment frequently but you are a truly loving, smart person. We will need those folks’ help – Dems can’t do it but themselves but a lot of patriotic Americans are appalled by this. In the Washington Times this am Bruce Fein, a man I used to dismiss as a nut, had strong op-ed urging long sentence for Libby. The change is coming.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 67
Christy, I think Graves is one of the “fired” USAs — I guess he left before GOP tampered with the water supply.
Whitehouse quoting Kyle’s “improper” and calls it “wildly underinclusive!”
Graves: “I was clearly an attorney who was given a push to leave the dept. in early 2006″ in response to a question about something in Sampson’s testimony.
Whitehouse’s trademark question – Sampson & Abu agree on what would be improper – this will be good…
It’s obvious.
Schlozman was a know-nothing, do-anything, Party-Before-Country goon.
All the direction seems to have come from the Public Integrity Section.
Is PIS a political or a career shop?
Woohoo, criminal obstruction of justice!!!!!!!!!! Go Whitehouse!!!
Whitehouse just said “Obstruction of Justice”. Bring it!
lemma @ 98
Some of the nutters are actually stong libertarians and are appalled by the DoJ mess. Includes Fein and Bob Barr among the list…
Whitehouse talking about “verbatim” testimony by Abu & Kyle.
Whitehouse has mentioned “criminal obstruction of justice”
Graves didn’t fit with the DOJ because he can remember….
WH – this has bothered me no end, and I want your 2 cents – Sampson said “it would be imprper for any USA himself to attempt to influence or interfere with any particular case for partisan or political improper purposes.” WH – I don’t think this is wrong just wildly inclusive about what would be improper.
Then when ? came before us he used exactly the same phrase, then Brian Rorcast (sp) said almost verbatim the exact thing – this sounds a lot like obs of justice
Do you think this is the right place to draw the line at what is improper
Can we get Lincoln Chaffee back? This Whitehouse guy is totally unqualified!!!
dakine01 @ 106
It is sooo creepy to agree with Barr and Armey
radiofreewill @ 103
It used to be and should be the latter. Today it is the former..
TeddySanFran @ 81
St. Louis; Missouree
K.C. or Joplin; Missour-ah
Sparkles the Iguana @ 111
*g*
Partisan “stuff”* has no place in trying cases.
*He listed a bunch of stuff.
G: partisan Repub Dem viewpoints should not be part of what is taken into account. I want prosecutors who will go after tough cases, whether repub or dem
Sparkles — 707
These sports analogies do get a little tiresome….
Whitehouse giving quick synopsis to Leahy and apologizing for sitting in chairman’s seat…
WH giving some love to Comey.
Interesting that Graves said he promoted Democrats in his office. That’s not what K. Rove would want.
Whitehouse put Graves in the same league with Comey.
Leahy’s back.
Heh heh, WH says I see my chairman has returned and I am embarrassingly in his seat.
Thanks Graves and says if you and Comey were running things , the DOJ would be far different.
OFG — It’s good to see you in the threads. Glad you got a day off today. :)
Leahy’s back.
I loved that Whitehouse was sitting in his seat!
All right this is kind of fizzling out. Are they going to ask him some real questions – shed some light on facts?
I like WH, but this was sort of redundant and OT…
radiofreewill @ 103
Don’t know the answer to that one, but at least one of the following statements is true:
1) The Public Integrity Section is run by the White House political operation
or
2) The Public Integrity Section is comprised of such loyal Bushies that the White House can trust them to do the right thing (for the White House, politically) without express command on every decision.
Whitehouse on the phrases–I take this to be wrong, since the law requires citing precedents chapter and verse and if they cannot cite precedents they are not competent.
Too bad for Whitehouse here I think since his questions have been so good over the recent hearings.
newtonusr @ 115
Bite your long forked tongue Sparkles!
I think Leahy wants to take Todd home and cuddle with him, jeebus!
OH god, leahy’s law school attny general story. I think I’ve heard that more times than people in his family!
Man, how eff’d we would be if we hadn’t won in November. We haven’t got all we wanted, true, but how much worse it would be if we hadn’t.
Leahy doesn’t sound like he’s ready to pin Graves’ ears back.
Leahy: I always had the highest regard for DOJ. Prosecutors have solemn duty to use discretion to enhance justice, but not for political pressure.
A story about a former ATTY GEn , who made it clear to pres that pres could not interfere with the independence of DOJ. “It was ATTY GEn Robert Kennedy”
RonD @ 133
Not just WORSE — it would have been OVER if we hadn’t won on 11/7.
Leahy: what has been most frustrating in this committee, especially for those of us who have been prosecutors, is you don’t play politics; justice is blind.
anne @ 127
Just having Graves there after Al-VIN’s chipmonk act, as a professional who had prosecuted at state and fed cases AND who respected the law and had a memory was sufficient. Especially after all the Schlozman act had worn incredibly thin since Schlozman had replaced Graves.
Going to recess.
Stand in recess.
neurophius @ 128
As indicated above, a hall mark of the 3rd Reich was Party functionaries did not have to told from above what to do to promote Party ideology or policies. It was known as “working toward the Fuhrer.” It’s frightening to realize that has been adopted by the Republican DOJ under Gonzales.
I don’ think it has been remarked on today but several references were made to a little red book that lay out guidelines for when and how to bring charges in voting rights cases. At the same time, Scholzman said several times that he got the go ahead from Craig Donsanto to pursue charges against ACORN employees pre-elction.
Now I did some googling around trying to find out information about Donsanto. He’s been at the DOJ since 1970 and there have been controversies that swirled around him. Curiously these were often about not prosecuting voter fraud cases.
But what I really found interesting is that Craig Donsanto wrote the little red book that Scholzman says he told him to disregard.
See:
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003107.php
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2…..6365.shtml
Hi MARCY!!! (waves at TV)
and bam! it’s over…what did we learn?
OMG that was Marcy on camera!!!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 125
Thanks, me too. Got a break coming.
Hey! There’s Marcy, right on screen!
I just saw Marcy on c-span!
Now, to order an ACME Subpoena-Blizzard Machine overnight express.
It looks like Marcy is off for beer thirty.. Did everyone see her?
Dang. I missed Marcy.
TR @ 151
Just after they adjourned, Marcy stood up and put on her jacket right in front of the camera…
I missed Marcy too. I can’t be here and watch cspan at the same time.
Well, that was something. Just when you think that it can’t get any worse, they find someone who is even slimier and stupider.
I’d say this guy (I mean alvin) is history–in all possible ways.
Englischlehrer @ 144
Lying weasely amnesiac chipmunks should not be made US attorneys.
TR @ 134
I think it’s smart of them not to attack every Rep from the DoJ they haul up there, makes it look not like a political witch hunt. Besides Graves and Comey seem kinda like upstanding, for the most part, guys. And they both remembered the answeres to questions, which has got to earn them a bit of gratitude. Also, Graves has been gone for so long, that he really didn’t deal with Abu and all the aparatchicks very much. I think it was brilliant timing, putting this guy after Schlozman. It just screams, you got rid of this guy?? For that idiot who can’t remember anything and has no trial experience??? Brilliant showmanship from Leahy et al.
Peterr @ 85
“So, how’d things go today?”
“SNACU! [Situation Normal: All Covered Up!]”
Bob in HI
What I liked about that glimpse of Marcy onscreen was the businesslike way she slung her laptop over her shoulder.
I suspect we’ll be reading something germane over at The Next Hurrah before too much time has passed.
Thanks to Marcy and all the other livebloggers at FDL today! I opened Word and tried to transcribe for a while, but couldn’t type fast enough (or legibly enough) to warrant posting the results.
so no republicans today….hmmm I think you are right, it will be labeled a fishing trip.
The contrast between Graves, who appears to be competent and to have integrity, and the pathetic Alvin, with whom the GOPDOJ replaced Graves, provides a clear vision of what the Bush Administration has been all about.
Heckuva job, Alvin!
Interesting….from today’s Froomkin:
TR @ 151
There’s going to be a politicstv up later.
Gotta step out. Much love to all at the Lake.
whitehouse’s questioning of graves, & leahy’s “summation” to wrap things up w/ graves almost brought tears to my eyes.
when our elected officals & our judicial process works correctly it makes me burst w/ pride to be american.
todays has been a good day for america.
thanks to all @ fdl for making this forum possible
snowbird42 @ 159
The Republicans were simply exercising their form of oversight which is, of course, to overlook this Administration’s crimes and misdeeds.
Josh has the FOX News “mixup” of Chairman Conyers for Dollar Bill Jefferson here if you missed it. If this doesn’t convince the CBC to get outta their FOX debate deal, nothing will.
Hugh @ 165
But at least they didn’t show up and serve as Bushite tools to try to save the floundering Alvin.
Hugh @ 165
As someone mentioned earlier, the Senatorial Republicans are pretty fed up with the Bush DoJ. I think their non-attendance of this hearing was to show the current Maladministration that they will not come to Gonzo et alia’s rescue.
So is Alvin a Patriot Act interim USA in KC?
Did anyone notice how Alvin and AGAG have the same voice? Attack of the clones.
Hugh @ 165
I say again that I do not believe so. Unlike the Repubs on the HJC, I think the ones on the SJc are seriously p*ss’d and chose to not show up to send a message to KKKarl and the WH that they weren’t going to carry the water on this anymore. Kinda a CYA for them if you will.
They don’t have to look like idjits for giving reach-arounds but don’t have to be in your face with KKKarl.
EPU’d:
Shorter Bradley Schlozman: Hannah Arendt was right about the banality of evil.
She was just 46 years early.
Too bad Alvin didn’t say “Senator, I don’t recall being able to recall that” so we could know for sure.
Cheney “deeply saddened:”
Put up a fresh thread for everyone. A little palate cleanser, so to speak (really, it’s a chance for me to finish making tortilla soup for dinner tonight…shhhh, I’m barefoot and in the kitchen *g*).
BS recall? more like: weak, all.
Swordswoman @ 158
Hey, can someone post a replay of the Marcy video on YouTube??? *g*
I didn’t get a chance to see it :-(
Bob in HI
What is it with these wimpy whiney voices?
My high school speech and drama teacher used to say if you didn’t have a voice with a pleasant register that could reach the back row of a packed theater without a mike not to bother going into law or politics.
TeddySanFran @ 169
According to wiki:
because there are so many offices that he has not f*cked up yet.
neurophius @ 160
So, basically, what we learned today was that Mike Brown was not the exception, but the rule?
Bob in HI
dakine01 @ 171
I hope so but it was nice not to hear their whitenoise.
I think the Dems are trying to show how badly damaged the dept is. How compromised and they used Graves to illustrate. By now the AG’s may be crying for help.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 175
Tortilla Soup?? My favorite!
I’m probably in EPUville, but I can’t help but notice that all these slimeballs from DOJ have the same whiny, tinny, little voice. Makes me wonder if they all drive H3 Hummers as p***s compensation. I’ve also noticed that many of them sport some variation of the Grover Norquist facial hair look. These dudes, and their female accomplices, just plain creep me out. Bleah. I just hope they can now find whatever rock they crawled out from under. And they can’t slither back fast enough for my money.
FYI, new thread
Wait a minute. Don’t tell me this. I’m a bit in the dark, didn’t even get to read Chrity’s lead in cuz I ran in from work and started watching CSpan right away; but are you telling me they replaced GRAVES with ALVIN?
Very smart to have “bad” Rep and “good” Rep at the same hearing, particularly when the “bad” rep takes a whoopin’…….
It kind of takes that “partisan witch hunt” tag line away, when you see the difference in treatment is not based on party, but on whether one witness is a lying evasive weasel and the other witness is a competent professional.
i didn’t really understand why graves said, “I wouldn’t put self in Bud Cummins category”
can someone illuminate what he meant by this?
I think having Graves there, and especially having Whitehouse ask questions, was very smart. Because you have two guys on either side of the partisan divide who have mutual respect for one another along with a shared respect for their prosecutorial jobs.
Like I said past thread, there’ll be Republican US Attorneys from time to time, and Republican state prosecutors more often in states where they have a historical lock. The contrast is between those make the distinction between a party’s general priorities and specific prosecutorial decisions, and those who don’t.
Educated Plaintiff @ 164
Roger that, from North of the Border … watching Leahy, Schumer and Whitehouse (missed DiFi & RF)
spank Alvin, then Whitehouse’s mutually respectful conversation with Graves showed the stark contrast
between America at its best and worst.
Great work by SJC, the next few months is gonna be lotsa fun for us and lotsa stress for BushCo.
Educated Plaintiff @ 187
Well, he either meant it as a compliment to Cummins (”I’m not worthy to be mentioned in the same breath”) or he meant that Bud Cummins was asked to leave so Rove’s protege Griffin could have a shot at the job, whereas he, Graves, was not. I thought he meant the former, but maybe someone else knows.
Woodhall Hollow @ 132
i’ve never heard it before. thought it was a nice way to end the session
carolyn urban @ 185
Yeppers!
Sparkles the Iguana @ 190
Self-deprecating moment and compliment to Cummins both…
Sparkles the Iguana @ 190
The former, I think. Cummins is vastly respected.
Geez, I would have put more time into my letter to the good judge if I’d known it was going to be on the toobz.
TeddySanFran @ 136
Exactly.
Todd’s brother, Sam is a conservative congressman. But there is a bit of a feud between the Graves’ and Sen, Kit Bond.
albert fall @ 186
Yupper.
Loo Hoo. @ 195
Wait, that was YOUR letter that was read?
I couldn’t believe that Graves could say that Scholzman introduced himself as a “Kansas City guy” without chuckling about that voice.
Why such a short session with Graves? Anybody have ideas, or was that to be expected?
maybe it’s just me, but everytime I watch one of these hearings and it’s cast of characters, I am reminded of the movie “Revenge of the Nerds”. Maybe that was Rove’s genius, hire a bunch of nerdy guys that will do ANYTHING to be part of the ‘in crowd’! The contrast between Graves and Schlozman was way too good to be true…..