Comments (151)

jdw wrote on March 28, 2007 1:28 PM:

One wonders what the statute of limitations is for all the wrong doing of the Admin. It looks as those Waxie & Co. will be digging up stuff like this for the next several Congresses. On top of that, we won't get a new DOJ until 2009 at the earliest to prosecute these things with a passion.

Anonymous wrote on March 28, 2007 1:31 PM:

"The Math" for 2008 can't arrive soon enough...

nofltwlt wrote on March 28, 2007 1:35 PM:

Is this what they mean when they say the GOP stands for something? Yes, they stand for incredible cowardice.

Rusty wrote on March 28, 2007 1:35 PM:

Do I smell another person who wants to spend more time with her family? I think so.

The Bobs wrote on March 28, 2007 1:37 PM:

I love the part where she pretends that she has forgotten how to read.

Dab wrote on March 28, 2007 1:38 PM:

I'll say it again. There's something in this Administration's water. Everyone is losing their memory.

Bill from Dover wrote on March 28, 2007 1:42 PM:

A shining beacon of total recall.

Jeff (no, the other one) wrote on March 28, 2007 1:44 PM:

This is a change, or else she's just one of their weakest players. Poor coaching?

"You're supposed to set the tone -- be aggressive -- tell THEM this is government business. OURS. Not THEIRS. You lost, get over it! National security! bluster! Claim you're protecting the children!!!"

ackco wrote on March 28, 2007 1:45 PM:

Nicely done by a freshman member!

Doan might have benefited from taking the fifth on this one...

From the badlands of New Mexico wrote on March 28, 2007 1:47 PM:

Wow! Ollie North in drag.

DB wrote on March 28, 2007 1:48 PM:

In my experience, "brown bag lunch" sessions are quite common in Federal agencies, but they usually cover topics related to the agency's mission (and often involve presentations by career employees of other agencies who are doing work that overlaps across the missions and responsibilities of the two agencies).

But the blatantly political content of this briefing seems very unusual, especially given the GSA mission of wisely doling out federal monies. The "brown bags" are usually pretty well advertised among the intended audiences within the hosting agency (audiences are usually career agency staff, not political staff), and are usually part of a continuing series of brown bag events -- it would be interesting to learn if this particular "brown bag" was widely advertised within GSA headquarters and at whom that advertising/advance notice was directed.

Jack Linthicum wrote on March 28, 2007 1:51 PM:

Everyone please remember that the present GSA HQ building is where Albert Fall and Co. hatched (sic) the Teapot Dome game. It is haunted.

r€nato wrote on March 28, 2007 1:51 PM:

Hey gang, remember when the Republicans were all up in arms over Bill Clinton's parsing the word "is"? Or Al Gore saying there was 'no controlling legal authority'?

Good times, good times. Thank goodness for the Democratic Congress. It's amazing what you find when you turn over a rock...

validation word: crime

Pastor Doodah wrote on March 28, 2007 1:52 PM:

Out to brown bag lunch.

r€nato wrote on March 28, 2007 1:53 PM:

shorter Doan: "I see those words on those slides, but I have no idea what they mean!"

this is pathetic. Every single wingnut who ever bitched about Slick Willie should be forced to watch a video with all of Doan's dissembling and Abu Gonzales' dissembling edited together. Yeah Clinton wasn't always honest but really, these Republicans make him look like the model of sincerity and veracity.

bode wrote on March 28, 2007 1:58 PM:

What an incredibly sickening video to watch. I have the sinking feeling these corrupt snakes and their idiotic cronies, like this one, have already taken the kitchen sink. Full planes to Dubai and Paraguay in December 2007?

Dem-agog wrote on March 28, 2007 1:59 PM:

It is clear that Karl Rove and his minions have infiltrated and corrupted the entire political process to their own ends. When they say they desire one-party rule they mean it and will do anything to get it. Fortunately for us, the voters threw a small monkey wrench into their master plan this past November.

This hearing is fascinating and frightening.

Ron Byers wrote on March 28, 2007 2:01 PM:

ackco is absolutely right. It looks like Doan might want to pack her tooth brush. There is plenty of evidence to put her in Club Fed.

What I really loved was her suggestion that the congressman ask Scott Jennings what he meant. Remember Jennings is one of those SOBs Bush is protecting behind his "invincible" executive privilege shield.

I think we are going to learn a lot more about the Hatch Act in the coming weeks.

nofltwlt wrote on March 28, 2007 2:01 PM:

These GOP operatives have no more intelligence that George (asswipe) Bush! It's incredible!

Watch Doan is like watching a train wreck. Please tell her that the memory ploy did not work for Scooter, she will be going down for violation of the Hatch Act and that she is only embarrassing herself with her pathetic testimony.

The person who sleeps with Doan should be embarrassed too. Can you imagine her children and/or family watching her? They should kick her right out of the family for embarrassing them as well.

So much for standing for something. If she is not suicidal over this it will be a huge surprise.

SeeDee wrote on March 28, 2007 2:10 PM:

'Compassionate conservatives' (oxymoronic, as previously pointed out), Neocons, K-Street GOP whores, the whole lying bunch of them...to the guillotine with them!

And take the lying Joe Lieberman with them.

Memekiller wrote on March 28, 2007 2:12 PM:

It was such a skillful questioning. He didn't give her an opening to plead faulty memory until he had made his case plain as day, step by step. "Could a reasonable person conclude this PowerPoint slide of vulnerable Democratic targets is partisan?" "Are you aware of what the term 'target' means?" "Can you explain how a PowerPoint presentation laying out Democratic 'target' seats and Republican seats for protection advances the GSA mission?"

Chris wrote on March 28, 2007 2:12 PM:

I'm just getting to the end of this debacle. I kept waiting for her cornermen to throw in the towel and lead her back to the lockerroom. I agree with a comment upthread-just sickening to watch.

Rusty wrote on March 28, 2007 2:14 PM:

MAN! What a spankin' this woman is taking. What the hell was she thinking? Must be good to be a ranger.

UncommonSense wrote on March 28, 2007 2:17 PM:

This is just astonishing.

Doan claims to have "no recollection" of the PowerPoint presentation or what she said following it, yet somehow remembers quite clearly every other aspect of the meeting, including what its purpose was and who was in attendance. This is a gap to rival Nixon's 18 minutes. What are the odds?

A rather, pardon the expression, bush-league performance. "Congressman, I do not recall..." is SO twenty years ago! I think Lovely Lurita Meter Maid could use a few pointers from Abu G. Now, there's a liar! Learn from the master, Lu. Learn from the master.

workaday joe wrote on March 28, 2007 2:19 PM:

You really gotta hand it to sites like TPM. No one else cares about this stuff. I really believe this has been the M.O. for Bush since 2000 and maybe before, but the traditional media just tells you the most ridiculous, triangulating, median response to everything.

I seem to recall that just about the time the Congress was (not) debating the Iraq war in Fall 2002, the airwaves were alive with speculation that the commercial for Paula Zahn's new CNN show featured the sound of someone unzipping their pants.

Yes, this is what the Fourth Branch was discussing then. How did that happen?

TPM, thank you.

Memekiller wrote on March 28, 2007 2:21 PM:

Ms. Doan, don't forget your ass an your way out. Here, let me hand it to you. I have a plate.

RickinSF wrote on March 28, 2007 2:25 PM:

A cringeworthy performance.
I can't belive I was squirming with some sympathy for her.

But I'll get over it.

scavok wrote on March 28, 2007 2:26 PM:

I do want to thank the committee for making Rove's PowerPoint available to everyone. It will make Democratic planning for 2008 that much easier.

Just remember that Karl is a genius!

Wile E. Coyote: "Hello, my name is mud"
Bugs Bunny: "And remember kids, mud spelled backwards is dumb"

Code: Pain

Long Memory wrote on March 28, 2007 2:26 PM:

After the beating this lady took for the team today, W ought to give her a Medal of Freedom. After he's finished, they're gonna have to rename that thing. He's given it a bad smell.

Anyway: Another day, another episode of The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.

OkDem wrote on March 28, 2007 2:27 PM:

Hey Josh, Paul, Greg, or whoever, go to wikipedia and check out Ms. Doan's resume. She was an English major and has a masters in Renaissance lit. At some point she started a computer software company with a maximum of 40 employees. Not exactly the qualifications you want. ANOTHER BROWNIE PERHAPS?

StClair wrote on March 28, 2007 2:30 PM:

Google Lurita Doan biography.

Check out her Wikipedia entry.

Tell me about *I don't remember," with this background, education and obvious intelligence.

How can she live with herself after this public admission of stupidity and ignorance?

donviti wrote on March 28, 2007 2:30 PM:

Insert bloated english accent here.....annnnnnndddddd action!!!

this is more political theatre and I for one am disgusted that the democrats have commenced this witch hunt!

carsick wrote on March 28, 2007 2:33 PM:

The unmitigated gall that woman is showing the rule of law, her duty, and the American Way of doing government. I'm certain she does not come upon her contempt for our system of government independently.

tpmlover wrote on March 28, 2007 2:34 PM:

Heckuva job, Doanie!

(someone had to say it)

dolooper wrote on March 28, 2007 2:35 PM:

"Stop calling me 'Mrs. Doan!' I have no recollection of *ever* getting married!"

Code word: flag. Good time for a little patriotic oversight.

Blue Patriot wrote on March 28, 2007 2:36 PM:

Do all Republicans have brain damage, or just their official?
Lying Liars suck.

lucky wrote on March 28, 2007 2:37 PM:

that was great to watch, big kudos to the iowa rep - so great to see people concerned and taking action to root out obvious corruption. I'm guessing this story has more leads to follow.

RockGolf wrote on March 28, 2007 2:37 PM:

Here's what pisses me off. We've video of bare-faced caught-red-handed lying and obfuscation from the head of a major gov't department and yet not one MSM has a single word on Doan's career flaming out in public view. I swear to God, the best source of MSM news is The Daily Show, which I'm quite sure will spend more time covering this hearing than ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN combined. I excluded Fox as I wanted to limit the list to news networks.
And, appropriately, the security code is "fire".

troqua wrote on March 28, 2007 2:38 PM:

Another Brownie indeed... that's what $200,000 in contributions to the GOP gets you.

biggerbox wrote on March 28, 2007 2:42 PM:

Geez, give the woman a break. It was another one of those damn tedious team-building lunches that they're always scheduling, and Lovely Lurita ducked out for a nooner. You can understand why she has no memory of the slides.

Oh, wait. She was actually seen there? She stood up and made remarks afterward? "How can we use the GSA to help our candidates?" Oh my.

Well, there goes her only plausible defense.

It's time to close the "Hatch" on her.

Geoff Potter wrote on March 28, 2007 2:43 PM:

You can hear the entire gallery muttering as soon as "2008 House Targets". I wish I could've been in the room.

Rusty wrote on March 28, 2007 2:44 PM:

"So - she was in on these meetings?"

Nail, meet Coffin. Coffin, this is Nail.

lovedog wrote on March 28, 2007 2:47 PM:

CASTING:

Will Ferrell as Bradley
Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie as Doan

and

Phil Leotardi from THE SOPRANOS as Background guy. . .

Michael Lafferty wrote on March 28, 2007 2:48 PM:

Forgive the snark, but the interaction between Congressman Braley and Chief Doan truly does redefine the term 'bitch slap.'

On a more serious note, I am intrigued that she appeared, apparently without an attorney, testified under oath, and offered (though obviously very little) testimory which is clearly countered in the investigative depositions by her subordinates. Oops.

No support from above, and none from below. How long can she survive?

nickfromdc wrote on March 28, 2007 3:03 PM:

@Lucky

There was a front page story about it in Monday's Washington Post. With the testimony given in this video, I expect even more coverage.

Congress doesn't move quite as fast as the media, and certainly not as fast as the internet. I'm content to wait a week or two. It's more exciting when lots of people decide to leave "to spend more time with their family" or "for personal reasons", if gross incompetence can count as a personal reason.

djcrow22 wrote on March 28, 2007 3:05 PM:

Hahahahahahahahahahaha...I'm in tears. She gave a big no-bid contract to Sun Microsystems and wanted to reduce auditing and oversight at GSA as soon as she got there, check this out...
http://www.pacificviews.org/weblog/archives/002409.html
BTW, can someone tell me how to make this an active link so you could just click on it?? Is it ok to do that?Thanks

Security code:summer,as in Lurita, its going to be a long,hot one. She is going to have to do something with that Stepford Wife hairdo. She'll need to wear it up in prison.

donviti wrote on March 28, 2007 3:06 PM:

rockgulf,

there isn't enough time to bring the public the news these days. Afterall the public needs to know about the infection growing in Anna Nicoles ass!

Seitz wrote on March 28, 2007 3:06 PM:

How can she live with herself after this public admission of stupidity and ignorance?

Option 1) Admit to being stupid and forgetful. Look like an idiot on C-Span. Be forgotten a week later.

Option 2) Tell the truth, maybe go to jail or be fined heavily.

I assume it would be a lot easier to live with #1 than #2.

aqualung wrote on March 28, 2007 3:08 PM:

Amazing isn't it? No one in this administration seems to remember anything they did or said? How in the world did they ever make it this far in government? Most people with dementia reside in nursing homes and wear diapers and dribble on themselves.

pluky wrote on March 28, 2007 3:09 PM:

Properly prepared examiners under oath do not elicit the truth from their witnesses, they confront them with it. If I were dear Karl watching Ms. Doan squirm, I would be dreading my inevitable meeting with Sen. Leahy.

Anonymous wrote on March 28, 2007 3:14 PM:

They are working straight out the Nixon Watergate playbook.

*******************************

The President considers convening a new grand jury to investigate Watergate as preferable to the Watergate committee. The sessions would be private, and rules of evidence would apply.

D: You can take the Fifth Amendment.

P: That’s right.

H: You can say you have forgotten too, can’t you?

P: You can say I don’t remember. You can say I don’t recall.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,908615-8,00.html

Jay Severin has a small pen1s wrote on March 28, 2007 3:16 PM:

She'll make a great organizer for the in-prison team. The rest of her life will be a brown bag lunch.

These people should bear one thing in mind: God punished Ronnie Reagen for his 'memory lapse' during the Iran Contra hearings.

Buck Batard wrote on March 28, 2007 3:19 PM:

Nixonian.

These folks are no different than the communist party was. They almost took the country over the edge of a cliff. Had it not been for the war, they might have succeeded.

Rove needs to go.

Jason wrote on March 28, 2007 3:23 PM:

I just watched the whole clip and honestly I can't remember a word she OR he said.

bobh wrote on March 28, 2007 3:26 PM:

Mister Mica Ignorance of the law is no excuse!

ROCK ON Waxman!

DB wrote on March 28, 2007 3:29 PM:

I understand the glee with which some are reliving Doan's stumbles, but if this briefing was one of these lunch hour brown bags, the content may be outside of the context of her official duties. There may be embarrassment but no foul. Are there any lawyers who could comment?

Scott L wrote on March 28, 2007 3:29 PM:

Truely a fine example of the Bush Banana Republic of the United States.

edward ripple wrote on March 28, 2007 3:31 PM:

First Gonzales now this toadie; "I am the boss but I really don't know what's going on"

Its CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN newspeak for: "I was just following orders".

Austin Cooper wrote on March 28, 2007 3:32 PM:

This parade of the Worst and the Ethically-Challenged just goes on and on and on.

I am more than embarrassed; I am actually ashamed of the condition of the government of my country. The Republicans have sold off generations of experience and tradition, cheap, in a deluge of lies and corruption.

I don't know what country Doan lives in, but in my opinion she isn't an American. She's a proud member of the Greater Republic of Doing Whatever Sounds Like It'll Get Me Something.

(Code: Desire)

foggylady99 wrote on March 28, 2007 3:32 PM:

WAPo lengthy article reveals a lot more about
Doan, including her "no bid contract to a friend" and etc. Adds depth to the few minutes of video above. ( She's from the 9th Ward, for one thing).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/18/AR2007011801758_pf.html
Can hardly wait for C-Sspan to put up the entire
hearing.

Watched the FBI hearing this am..another study in duplicity.

Andrea wrote on March 28, 2007 3:38 PM:

Come on have some sympathy. Who amongst us does not sleep through powerpoint presentations.

bushyinsanity wrote on March 28, 2007 3:38 PM:

The old "brown bag lunch" defense. not gonna fly. this lady is simply not smart enough to lie convincingly.

party-of-one wrote on March 28, 2007 3:40 PM:

I'm still naive I guess, but it amazes me to see such blantent examples of how thorgoughly our government has been turned to pure partisan politics and the horrible effects of Bush cronyism. Heck of a job Doanie girl.

fat karl wrote on March 28, 2007 3:42 PM:

I was waiting for her to say that her family was just a small importer of olive oil.

Bob Ewing wrote on March 28, 2007 3:44 PM:

In reply to DB's question, there is a foul. Even if it could somehow be argued that a lunchtime meeting, for salaried employees, is somehow not "work time", the Hatch Act prohibits the use of governmental equipment (the teleconferencing equipment, the video projectors, etc.) and government resources (the cost of the videoconference/telephone lines) for political purposes, and further mandates that such political work not be undertaken on governmental property (the meeting room).
Try to think back to the flap about Al Gore supposedly using White House telephones to make fundraising calls, even though the telephone charges for such calls were paid for by a campaign committee and not by the government.

Lakisha Jones wrote on March 28, 2007 3:47 PM:

You all are a bunch of racists who hate to see a black woman make it in this world. Unless she kisses the ass oF the DNC and Jessie Jackson, you could care less about her accomplishments in reaching one of the most important positions in govt. You are a bunch a hypocrites!

Gene wrote on March 28, 2007 3:48 PM:

What I find most amazing, is that people like this can actually sit in front of a national audience and flat out lie about damn near everything that is asked, and with a straight face no less.

I've been in sales and marketing for 30 years and I find it impossible to believe that someone could not only sit in the same room, listen to the presentation, watch the presentation, and then actually provide closing comments...without remembering ANYTHING that was said, presented or even said by she herself.

It's nothing more than an insult to the American public.

Gene wrote on March 28, 2007 3:49 PM:

Lakisha,
You're joking, right?

Personally I didn't realize she was even black.

Is she??

DB wrote on March 28, 2007 3:50 PM:

Thank you, Bob. I am able to think back that far, thank you. I understand you to be saying that there is a controlling legal authority.

Gene wrote on March 28, 2007 3:54 PM:

U, DB...it's the General Services Administration...and she's the Chief.

You can't really believe the DOJ can throw Republican or Democratic strategy sessions, with PowerPoint Presentations, in government faclities, using government equipment, etc...DO YOU??

whidbeygrl wrote on March 28, 2007 3:57 PM:

According to the Post, she hated oversight, and told a staff meeting, "There are two kinds of terrorism in the United States — the external kind, and internally, the Inspector Generals."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/03/opinion/schieffer/main2223564.shtml

bobh wrote on March 28, 2007 4:03 PM:

"You all are a bunch of racists who hate to see a black woman make it in this world. Unless she kisses the ass oF the DNC and Jessie Jackson, you could care less about her accomplishments in reaching one of the most important positions in govt. You are a bunch a hypocrites!"

Yeah. Democrats are out to get the black folk.

Dumbass.

DB wrote on March 28, 2007 4:06 PM:

that's precisely the question I asked and Bob answered, Gene. wipe the spittle from your mouth and calm yourself.

I don't have to prove my f***ing bona fides here, I paid for a tiny slice of this microphone, to quote a precedent. if a serious question can't be asked and calmly answered here, then in what way is it all that different from any other wack or wingnut website?

bolono wrote on March 28, 2007 4:14 PM:

Doan donated $5000 to Bob Ney's American Liberty PAC in February 2004. At the time Ney was the Chairman of the Committee on House Administration, so Doan's company might well have stood to benefit from the donation. Most of her political donations have been made as President of New Technology Mgmt Inc., but the donation to Ney's PAC lists her as homemaker. Given the national security - implications of her company's work, I wouldn't expect details about any contracts to emerge anytime soon.

jdw wrote on March 28, 2007 4:14 PM:

You know... looking at the list over here:

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/mar/28/check_out_karl_roves_list_of_targeted_2008_house_racesinsight_into_gop_dem_openings_in_2008

You find some people like this:

Heather Wilson, New Mexico

Who are popping up elsewhere in a certain story well covered by TPM.

Does anyone want to connect any others on Karl's Slide to the USAG story?

Martiki wrote on March 28, 2007 4:16 PM:

Looking at Doan's background I would say she is not dumb at all. During her testimony she was successful several times in running out the time with wide eyed innocent long winded nonsense.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

barrelhse wrote on March 28, 2007 4:16 PM:

Lakisha- get a life, bitch.

malcontent wrote on March 28, 2007 4:19 PM:

It's funny, I went over to RedState.com today to see what the crackpots were talking about and they were all psyched for this moronic chick to testify because they just knew she was going to rip the "Dems" to shreds.

Jeebus.

If that's their idea of one of their crony hacks ripping the Democratic Congress to shreds, I think we're all in for a very exciting two years.

Of course, they're complete cowards over there at RedState and if you ever so much as question Dear Leader you're immediately banned for life...not unlike the cowards at FreeRepublic for that matter...so I was unable to comment.

Ron Byers wrote on March 28, 2007 4:21 PM:

Sadly the penalty for violating the Hatch Act "shall be remov(al) from their position, and funds appropriated for the position from which removed thereafter may not be used to pay the employee or individual. However, if the Merit Systems Protection Board finds by unanimous vote that the violation does not warrant removal, a penalty of not less than 30 days' suspension without pay shall be imposed by direction of the Board." http://www.osc.gov/ha_fed.htm#penalties

John Latimer wrote on March 28, 2007 4:25 PM:

My favorite line was when the Senator, I mean the Congressman, asked her if she knows what a target is, and she said, "Yes. I think I am one."

Her testimony raises a few important questions:

Has anyone ever seen a Republican carry a brown bag lunch? And if so, what was in it?

And when do you think Bush will give her a medal of honor?

John Doe wrote on March 28, 2007 4:33 PM:

I just saw the video, but one follow up question would have been along the lines of "Didn't any alarms go off, as soon as you saw politics come up in this presentation, that it could be illigal to use your office for such a meeting?"

a wrote on March 28, 2007 4:35 PM:

Doan doesn't want her fingerprints on anything. Literally!

http://nitpicker.blogspot.com/2007/03/doan-totally-paranoid.html

Doan "totally paranoid"

Listening into the live webcast of the GSA hearings just now, the camera was down, but the audio was still up and you could here GSA Administrator Lurita Doan griping about the investigation and telling one of her people to take her glass, cause she doesn't want "them to have my fingerprints. They've got me totally paranoid!"
<<<

We need to get the audio of this (with a video-still photo) up on YouTube, pronto. Anyone at CrooksAndLiars.com reading this, and have access to it? Thanks!

TruthSeeker wrote on March 28, 2007 4:37 PM:

So, I guess it's impossible to scheme and plan the demise of your opponents while brown bagging it. Poor Lurita, those mean ol Dems mischaracterized your friendly little lunch. Boo Hoo...

chris wrote on March 28, 2007 4:44 PM:

One person above suggested that the "brown bag" lunch dodge may be effective in covering the participants because the time would suggest "on their own time." If so (and that time issue may be questionable), the remaining problem with that excuse is that participants would still seem to be potentially implicated in violations of the Hatch Act and/or other improper use of government property (e.g., offices and phones and presentation equipment.) And, as I have recently noted in other threads, these violations can and do have serious consequences. There is a lot of case law with the various agency enforcement offices. It is becoming increasingly interesting that the politicization of government agencies with this bunch may be more extensive than even Nixon's teacher F. Malek would have dreamed.

Englischlehrer wrote on March 28, 2007 4:47 PM:

Imagine this testimony was a US Attorney who was using partisan techniques/activity while at a non-political job. It's some chick at GSA whose answers are awful, awfully talking pointed but seriously, after wondering what the other 85 US Attorneys didn't or were doing the kind of "go get 'em" spirit that is showing here. Imagine Iglesias pushing out the indictment or iffy voter fraud to help win an election. Is that illegal?

You fuckin' better be.

Seriously, do we know yet about the other 85 US Attorneys, let's make our own scale and rate them all. All of the US Attorneys need to be reviewed and start a clean slate, if nothing else for the collective conscience of our society.

Steve S. wrote on March 28, 2007 4:51 PM:

Heckuva job, Brownie
Heckuva job, Judge
Heckuva job, Lurita

Even when we've seen it all, this tape takes one's breath away. It's not just the partisanship, it's the sheer incompetence.

Ron Byers wrote on March 28, 2007 4:53 PM:

Chris,

The Hatch Act itself was weakened considerably in 1993, but you are probably right about violations of other statutes. Which ones?

Mark Richards wrote on March 28, 2007 4:58 PM:

Let's see hour our {insert name of government agency here} can march forward to aid the Great Cause of The One And Only Party.

Break out the flags, banners, and trumpets, but pardon me while I dry-heave.

Gee. We not only have an illegal war started on lies, the loss of an American city, the suspension of The Great Writ, state-sanctioned "rendition" (aka kidnapping), torture, and a string of other malfeasance that makes the ordinary civilian criminal seem tame, but we now have entire government agencies lined up to further the Republican Cause.

I'd say The Party's over.

Had she a brain beneath that cute republican mop of hair she would have consumed a fifth, and then taken it, rather than the completely unbelievable "I don't remember anything about that meeting".

Clearly the "team building" was a failure, otherwise she would have left with strong and pleasant memories.

There were so many great comebacks offered to the questioner whose opportunities passed by. The Democrats have more class than I. It would have been a pleasure to so humiliate this worm and shred her story so thoroughly that she'd still be there beneath the table picking up the pieces.

She ought to polish the performance. A jury consisting of nothing but brain stem would have sent her to prison straight away. Let's hope there's one waiting.

By the way, who were those skanky-looking characters to her rear? Protection? Or is this another demonstration of the often-used mal-administration tactic to place threatening, grim-looking types as backdrops? It tends to add an unspoken but well seen element of threat for the inquisitor. A visual whisper in the ear from Guido. Apparently this was not a factor.

I'll take myself to the woodshed if someone reveals these were reporters, but I bet they were lackeys or mal-administration handlers.

kmsor wrote on March 28, 2007 4:59 PM:

DB & Bob--another thought. If a representative of the White House was coming to speak I'll bet my last dollar that this "brown bag" luncheon for "team building" was not considered an optional meeting for GSA employees. Do we know if attendees were required to be there?

Also, I buy the possibility that she slept through the powerpoint presentation, but did she also sleep through her own statements? Maybe Lurita has some sort of sleep disorder or neurological disorder and is deserving of sympathy not to mention disability benefits for the rest of her life.

Grome wrote on March 28, 2007 5:01 PM:

My dad was Asst. Postmaster at the local P.O. He was also a Democratic Committee Man & Block Captain for our neighborhood. He had a reserved parking spot on P.O. property & would NEVER permit a candidate's bumper sticker on his car, lest he be subject to dismissal from employment.

The Hatch Act has come a long way from the 70s, eh ?

chris wrote on March 28, 2007 5:03 PM:

The "weakening" of the Hatch Act in 1993 primarily concerned expansion of career employees First Amendment rights beyond the workplace. I am quite sure that overt political activities of this nature would be reached by the Act. The Office of Special Counsel should have additional info about the compendium of prosecution in this area.

Anonymous wrote on March 28, 2007 5:07 PM:

OUTRAGEOUS !! - PLACE HER ON LEAVE PENDING CHARGES UNDER THE HATCH ACT. SHE IS EITHER TOTALLY UNETHICAL, AND INCOMPETENT OR A TOTAL CRROK THAT SHOULD BE IN JAIL WITH ALL HER CO-CONSPIRATORS.

RickinSF wrote on March 28, 2007 5:08 PM:

"Brown bag lunches" are attempts to blur the line between the bosses and the workers. It may be a "casual atmosphere," but don't for a minute think that one's attendance, or what one says, isn't being noted.

RickinSF wrote on March 28, 2007 5:10 PM:

"Brown bag lunches" are a means to blur the line between the bosses and the workers. It may appear to be an "informal atmosphere," but don't for a minute think that one's attendance, or what one says, isn't being noted.

RickinSF wrote on March 28, 2007 5:11 PM:

oops!

DB wrote on March 28, 2007 5:12 PM:

kmsor -- thanks. My bet would be that "team building" refers to political appointees within GSA, and doesn't really include career civil servants. That such a carve out of politicals from the civil service staff within an agency would be encouraged itself speaks volumes, Hatch Act violations aside. It would be interesting to know who attended the brown bag. (it's not clear to me why so many on this thread doubt the existence of these "brown bag" sessions within Federal agencies. they are commonplace, and many people bring their lunch with them from home, often in a brown bag. The cafeterias in federal facilities often leave a lot to be desired.)

smoore wrote on March 28, 2007 5:19 PM:

WHY did this lady NOT have legal representation with her?!!! This was better than watching Jack Nicholson's courtroom scene in "A Few Good Men." Aaron Sorkin could NOT have written this any better. This is truly, truly, truly unbelievable...and shameful. The problem (for the white house)is that the tentacles of corruption and lawlessness in this administration are so expansive that there is no way humanely possible to coach everyone in a timely manner. The rats are jumping off the ship. Soon it will be every man and woman for themselves. Amazing... and shameful. Can any RATIONAL person still doubt that this administration was NOT elected TWICE but subverted the law on State and local levels to CLAIM victory? Remember the first election when Bush almost jumped out of his seat when they told him he was not winning Florida? He was sincerely sure that that was not the case, and as we can figure now, because of the extent of assuring a claimed victory. I KNOW all Republicans are not crooks, no more than all Iraqis hate Americans, but BOY...a RATIONAL person might start believing otherwise.
slm

Jen wrote on March 28, 2007 5:23 PM:

I'd like to have seen him ask if this sort of presentation (regarding helping in elections) was so ordinary as to be unmemorable. You'd think if *nothing* like this had ever happened before, you might remember it.
Ha.

Rebel wrote on March 28, 2007 5:31 PM:

The BROWN BAG defense just isn't going to fly and it doesn't matter if these participants were at lunch and on their own time. Why? Because the Hatch Act as revised in 1993 does not permit employees to-

engage in political activity while

1- on duty
2- IN A GOVERNMENT OFFICE (my highlight)
3- wearing an official uniform
4- using a government vehicle

http://www.osc.gov/ha_fed.htm#may

Uncle toby wrote on March 28, 2007 5:31 PM:

Isn't a "brown bag lunch" the type of deal the White House is seeking for the Rove's and Mier's testimony?

melandell wrote on March 28, 2007 5:34 PM:

fyi - braley was a former Atla (the plaintiff's trial lawyer group) member, and his trial skill really showed in this clip. He knows how to cross examine a witness. Now, more than ever, we need more Democratic lawyers in this congress. Maybe even a democratic, trial lawyer, president?

"You're familiar with what a target is, right?"
"yes, i think i am one right now"

"That's right..."

gex wrote on March 28, 2007 5:57 PM:

What was in the brown bags I wonder? Did it look, smell, and taste like cash?

otob wrote on March 28, 2007 6:03 PM:

I just watched the video. Something interesting I picked up on: many of her responses to the difficult questions were prefaced by "honestly."

In my experience, when someone explicitly states "I'm not gonna lie" or "now honestly," - it makes me question 1) were you lying before? 2) why do you need to tell me you are being honest now?

Now, I want to say that if she were charged with a crime, I would have no trouble giving her the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise. That is not where I'm going.

What I'm saying is that, is that she obviously really wants people to believe that she doesn't remember the power point. But the way she phrased it, I think she's being less than truthful. I'm not accusing her of lying. I think she's using "weasel words" to cover something else up.

When does Jennings testify?

p.s. code? SCREW! :)

Mark wrote on March 28, 2007 6:12 PM:

I'm going to take her at her word, and believe that she does not know what these slides mean.

Therefore, I can only conclude that this is the dumbest person in the world.

M

DB wrote on March 28, 2007 6:15 PM:

These people -- Doan, the guy from Justice, even AG AG perhaps -- are being hung out to dry and abandoned. They are being left out to distract and misdirect, literally like red herrings. They know it, and naturally they're a bit fretful -- hence Doan's testimony. Shouting about Doan's Hatch Act violations may not be the best use of energy -- there are bigger fish to fry and those fish are struggling hard to stay away from the pan.

block those metaphors! (coincidentally, the code I have to type in is "snake" -- nice)

Books Alive wrote on March 28, 2007 6:40 PM:

This is from the www.osc.gov website. Can someone explain if it applies/how it applies since the GSA is in the list.

>>Who is not protected by OSC from prohibited personnel practices?

OSC has no jurisdiction over prohibited personnel practices committed against employees of -

- the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and certain other intelligence agencies excluded by the President;
- the General Accounting Office;
- the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
- the U.S. Postal Service (except for nepotism allegations; see above); and
- the Postal Rate Commission.<<

Thanks.

Books Alive wrote on March 28, 2007 6:42 PM:

Aarg, sorry, mixed up GSA and GAO.

Yikes.

Yikes wrote on March 28, 2007 7:54 PM:

Just imagine how much more of this crap was going on for the last 6 years when Republican control of Congress prevented hearings. Even Nixon didn't get up to as many democracy-subverting shenanigans as this.

I'm a public employee and yeah, they'd fire us for this. Rightly. You don't use work time and you don't use your building and you don't use your e-mail and you don't use your authority as a boss and basically any political stuff you get up to is totally, totally separate from work. The principle is not hard to grasp.

There better be people going to prison. Let people off and some Democrat's going to try the same crap and you're back with a 19th-century spoils system.

NEVERvoteRepublicanagain wrote on March 28, 2007 7:57 PM:

Her pants are on fire! Does she recall how she got to work this morning? She an incompetent liar and a typical RepubliCON. Throw her ass in jail for lying to Congress.

joel wrote on March 28, 2007 7:57 PM:

Rep. Braley cited some of his information coming from one Justin Bush, a political appointee who participated in the investigation and depositions. By brain is asking for three bits of follow-up on that:

1) Any relationship to the President?

2) Any relationship to the Justin Bush who graduated from Regents School of Law? (They're *everywhere*, those Regents grads...)

3) Any relationship to the Justin Bush cited in this Atrios post (http://atrios.blogspot.com/2003_08_01_atrios_archive.html) as verifying that Jack Van Impe was asked to advise then-NSA Dr. Rice on her "Roadmap to Peace" for the Middle East? (I shudder to think what his input might have been.)

absentminded amle wrote on March 28, 2007 8:36 PM:

Great video.... does anyone recognize the man over Doan's right shoulder? He looks very chagrined during her testimony.

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Mabel's Wig Shack wrote on March 28, 2007 9:02 PM:

I honestly can't remember how I got to this web site.
It's a matter of interpretation whether I am even here.
I'm having a brown bag lunch.

Wait. How can I remember that?

Steve Garrett wrote on March 28, 2007 10:25 PM:

Do you think she understands the just saying "I don't remember" is not some clever way to avoid telling the truth under oath but that it is actually a lie? Had she told the truth she just looses her job now she will likely face criminal charges as well. Does she really expect anyone to believe that she has total memory loss about a meeting that she did in fact have a roll in and that occurred just two months ago?

This is sickening. How many more of these incompetent toadies have these people spread around the government?

The Eye of Ra wrote on March 28, 2007 10:35 PM:

Sadly, because of the numerous ongoing scandals currently welling up out of Washington the mainsteam media and therefore the majority of the public won't even notice this on their radar.

Kim Fox wrote on March 29, 2007 12:22 AM:

D0es a statute of limitations apply if the non-timely prosecution is caused by your co-conspirator's bad acts?

mbhdude wrote on March 29, 2007 1:59 AM:

I hope Rep. Bruce Braley gets to handle all questioning for witnesses on every panel. He did a great job.

buck turgidson wrote on March 29, 2007 3:01 AM:

I know it's hard to take a finer look at the tape--the self-destruction is so thorough, it's hard to be distracted from the whole picture. But take a closer look at Doan's face--she has an incredibly high blinking rate. Don't they have false testimony seminars for Bush appointees? Don't they teach them that the first clue to a lying witness is an inordinate amount of blinking?

Ewastud wrote on March 29, 2007 3:07 AM:

What is implied in this clip is that the whistleblowers in the bureaucracy have been really empowered by the Democratically-controlled Congress. This means there will be lots of fun to come.

raindawgs4ever wrote on March 29, 2007 4:44 AM:

I would certainly remember a team building brown bag meeting that had a power point presentation with over 500 (FIVE HUNDRED!!!) slides. That would be the day that I swallowed the barrel after slide #200.
How do you whip through 500+ slides in one lunch hour???

froghog50 wrote on March 29, 2007 6:56 AM:

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Lawrence wrote on March 29, 2007 9:25 AM:

Starting to sound like Reagan and his statement that, "I don't think I can remember", during the Iran-Contra investigation.

Wretched Refuse wrote on March 29, 2007 10:11 AM:

Books Alive asked:

"This is from the www.osc.gov website. Can someone explain if it applies/how it applies since the GSA is in the list.

>>Who is not protected by OSC from prohibited personnel practices?"

That does not mean the Hatch act does not cover GAO, just that the OSC does not investigate it for that office.
So the question remains, which office investigates GAO violations of the hatch act?

Wretched Refuse wrote on March 29, 2007 10:13 AM:

Actually, it would be Whitehouse personnel violations of the Hatch Act, not GAO personnel. The WH is the one doing the subversion of GAO personnel.

Guillaume Gelot wrote on March 30, 2007 4:09 AM:

Good. He kicked her all over that room. She seems like a retarded soccer mom. I liked how he kept his cool instead of being flabbergasted by her sht and just kept on grilling her. It actually felt good for me. Thanks.

ConcernedCitizen wrote on March 31, 2007 9:05 AM:

I think an administration wide screening for early stage dementia is in order here

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simply building the case for systemic and wholesale corruption...the count in less than 3 months as holding the majority is:
DOJ, GSA, VA and Interior....next up is undoubtedly EPA, DOD, Education, FCC, FEC, Energy, Treasury just to get started.

Remember what O'Neil said in his book, 'Price of Loyalty' there was no conscience to govern compentently. Just imagine what that really means...

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