Login Here
Turns out AG Gonzales was less than accurate in yesterday's testimony, says a whole host of folks who were at the classified meeting that he attempted to use as a CYA manuever with a double twist and a half nelson. The weirdness of the testimony at the end regarding who actually suggested that Card and Gonzales go to the ICU sickbed of then-AG Ashcroft raised a whole host of questions yesterday, including this one: who exactly is running the national security apparatus of this country?
And then I remembered the letter that Sen. Rockfeller had sent in opposition to the NSA domestic spying program. And to whom it was sent. To wit:
What he heard alarmed him so much that immediately afterward he wrote two identical letters, by hand, expressing his concerns.
He sent one to Vice President Cheney and placed the other -- as he pointedly warned Cheney he would -- in a safe in case anyone in the future might challenge his version of what happened. Rockefeller proved prophetic. Yesterday the 21-year Senate veteran from West Virginia released his copy of the letter -- which when written, was so sensitive he dared not allow a staffer to read it, let alone type it.
Why did Sen. Rockfeller send his objection letter only to Vice President Cheney, and not to the President of the United States himself? Isn't that interesting? (More on the letter here as well.)
But there is more:
Rockefeller, turning back to the NSA program in his letter, told Cheney: "Without more information and the ability to draw on any independent legal or technical expertise, I simply cannot satisfy lingering concerns raised by the briefing we received."The letter, whose existence was unknown to Rockefeller's staff, indicated that the three briefers were Cheney, then-CIA Director George J. Tenet and then NSA-Director Michael V. Hayden. The letter said the Senate intelligence committee's chairman, Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), was there, and it indicated, without naming them, the presence of then-Rep. Porter J. Goss (R-Fla.) and Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), the ranking members of the House intelligence committee.
About that Dick...I now have a whole host of new questions. As does emptywheel -- why exactly was Cheney given the keys to the DOJ, anyway? And we are no closer to getting answers, are we?
Share This 
Spotlight
Happy Birthday!
zed?
dos…
Christy!
Happy Birthday, Jane.
Got to the Lake just a few minutes ago and missed The Peanut’s letter-thread.
[edited by helpful mod]
This is the best coup d’etat ever!
She’s amazing folks and must be quadridexterous. She live blogs and writes posts and chats with the Peanut and goddess only knows what else!
I meant the Lake…
The edit function box absent for me…
Is that letter in the public domain? Where, please?
From the Muckraker:LINK
HaPpY BiRtHdAy Jane
Edit is missing for me as well.
The uno was supposed to read Happy Birthday Jane!, but I got all excited and whatnot.
I still go round and round on the Cheney is evil/ Bush is just incompetent meme.
No problem with the resolution, though.
Impeach em both - Cheney first.
We might, we just might, see the covers pulled away from Cheney’s presidential takeover. What I can’t quite get my mind around here is Rove’s role. My best bet is that Rove’s role was to ensure that the electoral process kept the thugs in forever. Cheney would exploit that power. But that raises another problem: the succession problem. Cheney is not a well man. Who would be his successor? Monarchical systems have a whole set of inherent problems, when the monarchy isn’t hereditary.
Knut Wicksell @ 12
The Anti-Christ?
It seems like this administration is a bunch of size queens. The bigger the dicks the happier they are.
OT but fun: Did anyone else see Robert Samuelson’s column in the WaPo today? Link here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....inionsbox1
The first half is all about how pointless it is for people to drive fuel-efficient cars in order to reduce greenhouse gases. The second half is Samuelson’s own plan to reduce greenhouse gases. His first suggestion: More fuel-efficient cars!
eCAHNomics @ 211
I like the idea of posting a link to gabble at the head of the post of a live-blogged hearing. It would give folks a place to comment liberally.
I don’t think one can expect a warning about posting too many comments on the thread to be effective or even consistent with the kind of participation this blog wants to encourage. JMHO.
.
When his body fails, Cheney’s brain will be kept in a jar on his desk. Though he won’t be quite as hands on, he’ll still be calling the shots.
Woodhall Hollow @ 63
Maybe she would welcome the opportunity to correct the biggest mistake in her judicial career and thus threatening the peace of the entire world..
She and the other justices that installed this corrupt regime must have deep regrets and would want to make amends..
encore: joyeux anniversaire, Jane!
Happy Birthday Jane!
The more I think about it, the more I think that the strategy should be to impeach Cheney. Impeachment proceedings against the VP would resonate more with the US people (being that he has harnessed and abused more power than any other VP in US history) and impeachment proceedings against Cheney would effectively cripple Bush’s power to do anything, since he doesn’t do anything and Cheney would be otherwise occupied. And impeachment proceeding discovery against Cheney could uncover more about Bush himself, being that Cheney is the one who holds all the keys, like a modern-day Bluebeard.
Shorter Rockefeller: “OH SNAP!”
punaise @ 19
de ma part aussi.
Glenn Greenwald on why Gonzo has to keep lying:
Hugh @ 23
Wow, I’m part Norwegian, don’t get many aussie’s here!
According to news reports, the Democrats are going to wait until September to bring the Contempt of Congress citations to the floor for a vote.
What a bunch of weeenies. Let’s criticize the Iraqi parlement for going on vacation. Well, the US Constitution is in flames. But I guess those pre-paid August vacations are too important to pass up.
No wonder the Congress is ranked so low. How can the citizens answer polster’s question about whether Congress is doing a good job, when they are proving themselves to be “less bad” than the repugs.
Send an email to PBS ombudsman suggesting that live-broadcast important government hearings, as they are PUBLIC, i.e. taxpayer, supported. Not everyone has cable. Also, govt hearings would be more educational for kids than the programming they normally broadcast during the day.
http://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/feedback.html
Knowing how secretive these guys are, I’m wondering WHY they would bother to tell anyone in Congress at all, and specifically why deliberately Rockefeller and Harman and no one else. Harman is from California, which could be a clue. They don’t follow rules in general anyway, I don’t believe that informing members of Congress, as a requirement, was the reason. Stinks to me.
eCAHNomics @ 27
Sorry, but I think Sesame Street is more educational for my 18 month old than the Senate Judiciary Comittee hearings :)
dead last at 26 — Or, it could be that they don’t quite have the votes for it and they are trying to give themselves some time to bring consensus together on it since the division in the House is a very slim margin and the Blue Dogs are not exactly reliable votes. Because, frankly, bringing it to the floor of the House as a whole and losing would not be a good thing, now would it?
How about if we think about these sorts of things in practical terms and stop thinking about them in right wing talking points? Just for starters…
eCAHNomics @ 27
Especially in the summer when teenagers are out of school. I was in high school during the Watergate hearings (16 yrs old) and watched most of them–it was an incredible education.
Hugh @ 23
J’ai deja dit ca a Jane, au-dessus, en anglais…*g*
carolyn urban @ 17
When his body fails, Cheney’s brain will be kept in a jar on his desk. Though he won’t be quite as hands on, he’ll still be calling the shots.
I believe that if his mortal form is destroyed, Cheney will use some junior congressman as a host-body until a permanent replacement body is created using dark magic and fragments of Nixon bones.
That’s how it worked for Voldemort, anyhow.
A double twist and a half nelson? Golly, at his age that’s gotta hurt! ;)
The Marines and the Jesuits say it all starts with character.
Do the Dem leaders have any character? Is this all for some useful purpose? Or are they impotent and lacking in any character? I guess we’ll know soon.
It’s getting harder for me to believe that the people that Cheney is fronting for are going to be willing to give up power in ‘09 to Hilliary. They are a few SCOTUS decisions away from their goal of the Imperial Presidency. The pace of shredding the Constitution is accelerating and the Federal Judiciary has been subverted by the Federalist Society. The next 18 months are going to be very interesting.
Detachable Pen*s: Has anyone seen Senator Vitter’s Pen*s?
No doubt you heard that Senator David Vitter’s named popped-up on the DC Madame’s phone list. You may also heard the New Orleans Madame seems to know him pretty well too. But did you hear that Senator Vitter has a long history of infidelity – his moral and family values campaign plank notwithstanding? I would usually not dwell on this subject but it galls me to have Senators passing morals legislation who can’t keep their own dicks in their own pants.
In 1999, Mr Vitter had an extramarital affair with a woman named Wendy who brought the affair to the attention of Vitter’s opponent in the Louisiana Governor’s race. This is what Mrs Vitter had to say in response to a theoretical question about her husband’s infidelity:
Has anyone seen Senator Vitter’s Pen*s… or did Mrs. Vitter change her mind about that?
~~ModNote: edited for content to clear filters.~~~
dead last @ 26
Would that they were pre=paid. Alas, the congress-critters have to go on fund-raising missions to pay for their next election.
LS @ 28, it wasn’t just Rockafeller and Harman, but also Porter Goss, and Pat Roberts who were present for those NSA breifings..
LS @ 28
At the time they were not quite as sure of their power plus it was classified program and briefing (Rockefeller typing his own MFR), so the participants couldn’t talk about it without risking charges. Leaking classified info is usually a very big deal and frowned upon, unless it is being used to destroy the wife of an admin critic. /s
Conyers also told Cindy Sheehan the other day that the House doesn’t have the votes for impeachment…
cancer_cures @ 38
True, but Porter Goss and Pat Roberts are part of the cabal - that makes sense to me. Rockefeller and Harman don’t.
Biodun @ 32
Mais naturellement, ca sonne mieux en francais.
Steve-AR @ 36
Speaking of Hillary, it is no secret that I have been very ambivalent about the idea of another Clinton presidency…but I have to say that my respect for her increased enormously after I read the letter that she recently wrote to Gates, smacking down one of Shrub’s little neocons. And then I remembered her prescient phrase “vast right wing conspiracy” and have begun to entertain the possibility that she may be just the one to unravel the damage done by Bush to the Constitution.
Danziger on Gonzo and Rebuilding the DOJ!
Biodun @ 40
Contempt is not impeachment.
BTW, those are very creepy photos - first chimp with Gonzo, who’s looking up with doglike devotion; then chimp with Harriet: He looks like either a ventriloquist working his puppet, or a puppet; and Harriet - looks like something from a wax museum.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 30
I agree, the whip counted the votes and they don’t have them. They are hoping for pressure during the recess to change a few minds..we have work to do.
Oh, I think we know what the answers are: a sick old man with paranoid delusions occupies the office of the Vice President and runs the country at his whim with unchecked power.
dakine01 @ 39
I believe you are right. But what about the other members of the gang of 8 who were not there and unaware? I remember them saying something at the time that they were keeping the briefing really small to lessen leaking. Why did they trust Harman and Rockefeller?
tommy yum @ 5
Just when I think Bushies are hopeless incompetents, you point out something they are good at, corruptly subverting a legitimate government.
Between Rockefellers letter and the memo Whitehouse pulled out of his hat yesterday, it is starting to look like Cheney and his henchmen are going to be very busy.
What I don’t know is how much Gonzo trusts Deadeye, as he is reportedly Bush’s lackey.
This could get real interesting seeing who covers for whom.
why exactly was Cheney given the keys to the DOJ, anyway?
See, it’s like this — Bush is the CEO preznit, so he delegates the hard work of bein’ preznit to people who like hard work.
But he’s still the Decider, so he deciderated that Dick Cheney should have the keys to the DOJ — right after Dick Cheney told him to hand over the keys.
Now, watch this drive . . .
carolyn urban @ 46
She looks like an aging stepford wife.
Best Wishes for a Happy Birthday, Good Health, and a Long, Long, Healthy Life, J*A*N*E!
LS @ 49
This administration did not invent the gang of eight. There is a tradition, since it is important that the intelligence committee be somewhat bi-partisan. Thus majority and minority are equally represented. Dems get chosen by dems according to the committee process.
Seems like Bill O’Reily’s site is being investigated by the Secret Service about some threats to Hilliary
O’Reily’s site Being Investigated
Has anyone read or heard any reaction by the career attorneys in the DOJ to yesterday’s surreal testimony.
I keep hoping they might come together as a group and take some dramatic action that would bring this matter to a head.
-ck- @ 52
lol!
LS @41,
Be careful about Harman, she is one of the unpredictable Blue Dog Democrats that always seems to be throwing monkey wrenches at progressives.
Also, she -was- under investigation a few years ago by the FBI for “allegedly (with the help of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or A*P*C) enlisting wealthy donors to lobby then-House Minority Leader (and current House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi to retain her position as the head Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee” (Sourcewatch)
Sourcewatch is a site which lists members of congress under investigation..
~~~ModNote: Edited for content to clear filters.~~~
calling all languages:
Feliz cumpleanos, Jane.
Woodhall Hollow @ 43
I have been holding out for Gore but now I have to agree with Steve Soto, he isn’t running. Both Hilliary and Bill have long memories and hold grudges..If she is elected I am hoping she will be the avenging angel on the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.
Why would any House Democrats be against A) exercising their duty of oversight, B)upholding the Constitutional role of the Congress, and C)seeking to hold the worst Administration in our history to account.
Does anyone know of any Democrats who would oppose a contempt citation? Inquiring minds would like to know.
Bustednuckles @ 51
Is there a link to the Whitehouse-cited memo?
Bustednuckles @ 51
I’ll bet Whitehouse showed us the tip of the iceberg of what he actually has. He doesn’t strike me as someone to present just one piece of paper as evidence; rather, I’ll bet he has more evidence to back it up when it gets challenged, and more evidence to back-up the back-up. He knows who he is dealing with. He is so impressive.
punaise @ 59
a git yur, Jane.
Woodhall Hollow @ 53
That is an insult to stepford wives everywhere
Slothrop @ 48
What I would like to understand is why, WHY, Chimpy, who claims to be the Deciderer, would allow Cheney the power and information that he has. What does Cheney have on the Chimp?
Someone mentioned a coup d’etat — and I believe that it has already transpired. This is scary stuff!
BigMitch @ 55
This administration don’t follow no stinkin’ tradition.
punaise @ 59
Yom Guledet Sameach! (Hebrew)
Also woof! (click here)
Someone had a link to the memo yesterday.
I don’t have it.
MoDo today on her sister, W, and Cheney:
(NYTimes link behind TimesSelect firewall.)
Woodhall Hollow @ 21
I’d buy that, for a start.
Happy birthday {{{{Jane}}}}!!!
punaise @ 59
Feliz compleanos…*g*
Woodhall Hollow @ 43
Interesting… I, too, have begun re-thinking Hillary’s candidacy. After being a fan, I was soured by her position on the war (and flag-burining). But she is looking more and more asssertive - sort of presidential, as the pundits put it - and seems to be more up on most issues than her competitors.
And, she is our senator, right WH?
-MS
Sojourner @ 66
There was one single occassion when Bush told the truth. He said, “This is hard work.” Being the president requires focus, intellectual curiosity, dedication, and familiarity with the beaurocracy. And it requires zitzfleisch — that is, the muscles for sitting and doing your homework. He doesn’t have it.
In all of nature, the vacuum that is most abhorent is power. Enter Cheney.
LS @ 63
Isn’t it a little late in the process for the Ds to keep cards up their sleeves? What would be the point?
My Q: Where are the whistleblowers? Did Rove replace everyone who might fall into that category? Or do the Ds have one or more in their pockets? That would be the only thing that would make sense to hold for later that I can think of.
OT: A really disturbing poll from the NY Times
It looks like we are loosing ground in the fight for mind share over the war. This does not bode well for September.
We need impeachment hearings because that is exactly where we can refute any claims that the war was justified.
Everyone get up and dance with Jane.
We’re gonna have a party!
(left you some candles to blow out downstairs.)
Jane, live long and prosper!
—
Big Mitch @ 37
Well, if they actually did the job right, they’d need less money for re-election campaigns, because people wouldn’t be wanting to replace them with better people.
An old report about Rockefeller. Notice the dates.
[CHS notes: Please don’t reproduce entire articles — do a snippet and a link in order not to violate copyright protections. You’ll find that this article is both quoted and linked in my post already as well. Thanks!]
Sometimes Bush seems to care about his place in history. He should stop worrying because his place is secure: he will be remembered as the first puppet president.
Where did Whitehouse get that memo? And, were we to understand that the part giving the OVP access to DOJ was added under abu’s signature (ie AFTER he siged it)?
eCAHNomics @ 75
We’ve seen what happens to whistleblowers in this administration.
LS @ 63
(my bold)
I agree. I think he has emails in his back pocket which point to what the VP has done with that testimony. I would also bet that other members of the committee, who are paying attention (Snarlin Arlen?!) have also seen them, which could also explain why he has decided to throw the Bush admin under the bus wrt this matter in an attempt to save his senate seat. Hopefully, the people of PA will see through his hypocrisy and give him the boot anyway. Just as they did with Santorum.
Michael in Park Slope –
It’s great for you to vote for your Senator to become President. As long as your former mayor doesn’t win.
Emmis.
punaise:
si, cumpleanos…
That article about Rockefeller says the meeting was on 7/17/03. Is that the same date as the hospital visit? Gonzo said the meeting was during the afternoon the same day as the visit.
What has Hillary everdone for NYS? Upsate is still going down the tubes and she can’t even get decent terrorism-prevention funds for NYC.
Besides she’s the worst D for whoring after funds from big business. (Remember in Sicko, they said was either 1 or 2 recipient from Pharma.) Wasn’t that what the Third Way was all about? As Molly Ivins often said, you dance with them what brung ya.
Biodun @ 32
Anch’io.
1,588 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Hardin Smith and the Firepup Patriots:
I think we’re gunna see a split in the rulin’ junta down the lines of Bush/Rove vrs. Cheney/Gonzales with Cheney and Gonzales pitched under the bus and tattooed with responsibility for the illegal surveillance program and obstruction of justice in the Plamegate matter. The quid pro quo will be lettin’ the chimpenfuhrer serve out his 18 mos confined to barracks in the White House.
The Democratic leadership must pursue a united strategy of goin after Cheney and Gonzales to exploit the fissure between Bush and Cheney. We will never get to the point we got with Nixon because the Democrats don’t have the numbers today that they had in ‘74 and the Chimp is a child of the protected class (unlike poor Dick Nixon).
The only way we survive the constitutional crisis confronting us today without consolidating the “unitary executive” by precedent is to exploit any cracks in the ruling elite…make the oligarchy protect itself by givin’ up pretenders to the class.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION…WE CAN’T GET ‘EM ALL AT ONCE!!
Biodun @ 88
u got it…
Michael in Park Slope @ 73
Yep, she is! And look how well she has done in very red way upstate. She is a force of nature and not to be taken lightly.
Were the 4 Republican members of the gang of 8 told the same information about surveillance as the Democratic members?
1)The bugman - now using toxic chemicals outside Congress
2)Frist - healing via videotape worldwide
3)Hastert - manning the backbench hoping nobody asks him any questions about boys wrestling positions
4) Pat Roberts - he’s gonna finish the second part of his investigation any day now
BigMitch @ 87
Emmis, indeed!!! (But he ain’t goin’ nowhere anyway).
-MS
p.s. Happy Birthday, Jane!
Feliz aniversario, Jane.