Tuesday, March 27, 2007
More Torquemada
ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES: What I know is that there began a process of evaluating strong performers, not-as-strong performers, and weak performers. And so far as I knew my chief of staff was involved in the process of determining who were the weak performers. Where were the districts around the country where we could do better for the people in that district, and that's what I knew. But again, with respect to this whole process, like every CEO, I am ultimately accountable and responsible for what happens within the department. But that is in essence what I knew about the process; was not involved in seeing any memos, was not involved in any discussions about what was going on. That's basically what I knew as the Attorney General.
That was March 13th of this year. Of course, since then it has come out that Gonzales was at a meeting where these firings were discussed on November 27th of 2006.
“…was not involved in any discussions about what was going on” indeed. Also note, in the same USA Today article, “Internal e-mails disclosed by the Justice Department have indicated that Sampson worked closely with the White House in developing the plan for removal.” That would be Karl Rove, Harreit Miers, and maybe the president himself involved in firing prosecutors whose performance was hardly bad. And note the emails that indicated that a day after Carol Lam announced she would be pursuing Hookergate Kyle Sampson shot off an email saying that she was a “problem.”
This administration is rotten from crotch to crown.
That was March 13th of this year. Of course, since then it has come out that Gonzales was at a meeting where these firings were discussed on November 27th of 2006.
“…was not involved in any discussions about what was going on” indeed. Also note, in the same USA Today article, “Internal e-mails disclosed by the Justice Department have indicated that Sampson worked closely with the White House in developing the plan for removal.” That would be Karl Rove, Harreit Miers, and maybe the president himself involved in firing prosecutors whose performance was hardly bad. And note the emails that indicated that a day after Carol Lam announced she would be pursuing Hookergate Kyle Sampson shot off an email saying that she was a “problem.”
This administration is rotten from crotch to crown.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
U.S. Attorney Scandal
Mr. Kyle Sampson, you DO indeed have “a real problem.”
Sweet baby Jesus. So many scandals, so little time. Kyle Sampson, who wisely resigned as soon as this scandal broke, is on the record in these emails asserting that the administration had “a real problem” with a US attorney who indicted and convicted Duke Cunningham (R-CA) of the biggest bribery case in US history and was pursuing an investigation into Hookergate, an investigation into crooked Iraq War contracts and hookers (quite a quid pro quo, eh?) involving high-ranking CIA officials. She announced the continuance of that investigation on May 10th. On May 11th Sampson indicated in his email that she was a “problem.” She was later fired.
Democrats (and some republicans) have responded with outrage and calls for an investigation and the ouster of Alberto Gonzales. Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Leahy has been adamant in his call for subpoenas of officials involved like Karl Rove and Harriet Miers. White House Counsel Fred Fielding just sent a letter to Congress saying that he would “permit” Congressional interviews of these people but that "Such interviews would be private and conducted without the need for an oath, transcript, subsequent testimony or the subsequent issuance of subpoenas.”
If I were a democrat on Capital Hill I would tell Fielding to stuff his offer and issue subpoenas. Democrats have already stated that they would insist on subpoenas and oaths, but now Senator Schumer sounds ambivalent, saying that he will “try” to make those things happen.
Sweet baby Jesus. So many scandals, so little time. Kyle Sampson, who wisely resigned as soon as this scandal broke, is on the record in these emails asserting that the administration had “a real problem” with a US attorney who indicted and convicted Duke Cunningham (R-CA) of the biggest bribery case in US history and was pursuing an investigation into Hookergate, an investigation into crooked Iraq War contracts and hookers (quite a quid pro quo, eh?) involving high-ranking CIA officials. She announced the continuance of that investigation on May 10th. On May 11th Sampson indicated in his email that she was a “problem.” She was later fired.
Democrats (and some republicans) have responded with outrage and calls for an investigation and the ouster of Alberto Gonzales. Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Leahy has been adamant in his call for subpoenas of officials involved like Karl Rove and Harriet Miers. White House Counsel Fred Fielding just sent a letter to Congress saying that he would “permit” Congressional interviews of these people but that "Such interviews would be private and conducted without the need for an oath, transcript, subsequent testimony or the subsequent issuance of subpoenas.”
If I were a democrat on Capital Hill I would tell Fielding to stuff his offer and issue subpoenas. Democrats have already stated that they would insist on subpoenas and oaths, but now Senator Schumer sounds ambivalent, saying that he will “try” to make those things happen.
