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The Daily Muck
White House Politicization of Federal Agencies
"In 2005, Ken Mehlman declared he wanted to create 'The George Bush Empire.' 'One of the things that can happen in Washington when you work in an agency is that you forget who sent you there,' Mehlman explained. 'And it’s important to remind people you’re George Bush people. You work for the secretary, but you are George Bush people.' This concept has birthed a bureaucratic partisanship that now permeates the federal government." (Think Progress)
The Loyalty Enforcer
"The role of Monica Goodling, a former GOP 'oppo' researcher who became a top aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, is getting new scrutiny in the U.S. attorneys flap. Justice confirmed it's investigating whether Goodling improperly assessed the political loyalties of applicants for career assistant U.S. attorney posts." (Newsweek)
New Story for Firing Emerges
"D. Kyle Sampson, former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, told congressional investigators that he believes he may have recommended former U.S. attorney John McKay's removal in March 2005 because of conflicts with senior Justice officials over the investigation of the 2001 murder of federal prosecutor Tom Wales, according to congressional aides and Sampson's attorney. The suggestion of a connection between the firing and the unsolved Wales murder case generated angry reactions from McKay and others in western Washington yesterday." (Washington Post)
Tenet's Version of a Crucial Pre-Iraq Episode is a Lie, Former Deputy Aide Says
"Tyler Drumheller, head of the Clandestine Service’s Europe Division when he retired in 2004, says George Tenet's assertion in his recent best-seller that he didn’t know that a key intelligence source for the attack on Iraq was bogus is 'a lie.' 'This is a defense that he and Harlow cooked up,' Drumheller said in an interview last week, referring to Tenet and his writing assistant, former CIA spokesman Bill Harlow." (Congressional Quarterly)
George Tenet Cashes In on Iraq
"The reported $4 million advance George Tenet received from publisher HarperCollins, should provide the former CIA director with more than enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his days and leave a substantial fortune to his children. But those monies are hardly Tenet's entire income. While the swirl of publicity around his book has focused on his long debated role in allowing flawed intelligence to launch the war in Iraq, nobody is talking about his lucrative connection to that conflict ever since he resigned from the CIA in June 2004." (Salon)
Judge Says NY Surveillance Data Can Be Made Public
"Six hundred pages of documents relating to intelligence that New York City gathered before the 2004 Republican National Convention should be made public, a federal judge ruled on Friday. The city had argued their publication could influence potential jurors in a larger case, yet to go trial, in which about 90 protesters who were arrested at the convention are suing the city alleging their rights were violated through mass arrests, prolonged detentions and blanket fingerprinting." (Reuters)
Doolittle Hits Back at Feds Over Home Search
"GOP Rep. John Doolittle accused the government Sunday of leaking word of an FBI search on his home to coincide with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' Senate testimony on the fired U.S. attorneys controversy. 'I do not believe it was a coincidence that the leak came the day before Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified before Congress on charges that his office was overly partisan in its firing of eight U.S. Attorneys,' wrote Doolittle, 'especially considering Gonzales specifically cited his recent prosecution of Republican members of Congress as evidence to the contrary.' (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Doolittle: FBI Still Holding Wife's Files
"Nearly three weeks after an FBI search of his Virginia home, U.S. Rep. John Doolittle said his wife Julie's files are still in the hands of investigators. Doolittle said during a conference call with the media Thursday that the missing files put his wife's Sierra Dominion Business Solutions at a disadvantage, particularly when it came a day before the deadline to submit tax-return information." (Auburn Journal)
Many Detainees at Guantanamo Rebuff Lawyers
"Many of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are no longer cooperating with their lawyers, adding a largely invisible struggle between the lawyers and their own clients to the legal battle over the Bush administration’s detention policies. The detainees’ resistance appears to have been fueled by frustration over their long detention and suspicion about whether their lawyers are working for the government, as well as anti-American sentiment, some of the documents and interviews show. 'Your role is to polish Bush’s shoes and make the picture look good,' a Yemeni detainee, Adnan Farhan Abdullatif, 31, wrote his lawyer in February." (NY Times)
Comments (16)
Anonymous wrote on May 7, 2007 10:17 AM:Interesting to note that USA Taylor complained about Goodling's role in hirings.
Everything that I've read about Taylor does not lead me to believe that he would care one iota about not being able to hire a 'liberal democratic type'.
He happens to hold a unique position with regards to this and any other investigation of the Repub's.
Are they trying to distance him from this scandal, so that he stays in the key USA DC post as the Republican damage control officer?
One thing seems clear, they are trying to pin Goodling with as much as possible.
Anonymous wrote on May 7, 2007 10:21 AM:Forgot to include the Newsweek quote.
"Justice confirmed it's investigating whether Goodling improperly assessed the political loyalties of applicants for career assistant U.S. attorney posts. Two government officials...told NEWSWEEK the inquiry began after Jeff Taylor, the interim U.S. attorney in D.C., complained that Goodling tried to block the hiring of a prosecutor in his office for being a "liberal Democratic type."
PJ White wrote on May 7, 2007 10:24 AM:"Justice e-mails show Goodling also played a pivotal role in selecting which U.S. attorneys were fired. When the e-mails surfaced in March, a distraught Goodling went to see veteran DOJ official David Margolis and "bawled her eyes out," saying, "All I ever wanted to do was serve this president," and "everything is unraveling," according to Margolis's confidential testimony to congressional investigators."
Yes, looks like Goodling is their scapegoat now. She probably realizes now that if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. I wonder if she's rethinking her mindless loyalty to Bush and his minions.
The whole thing makes me smile (sc).
Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 7, 2007 10:24 AM:The People request a list George Bush people. We want to build a stage on the White House lawn for you to take a single bow upon. Each and every one of you will place your neck into Dr. G's Grand device. Melman gets to be first . . .
Although July does not seem so far away, I hope that I will have time to learn to knit.
bordersmuggler wrote on May 7, 2007 10:45 AM:The Grand device is too forgiving.
Arkansan wrote on May 7, 2007 10:52 AM:The transformation of the government into a totalitarian system is about the only mission the Bushies accomplished in an even remotely competent fashion. If they had run the government anywhere nearly as effectively, they almost certainly would have pulled the takeover off.
As it is, with their bungling of every single thing they’ve touched, they still may very well realize the neocon revolution. If they don’t they’ll have only themselves to blame, the opposition barely raised a finger to stop them.
Wordsmith wrote on May 7, 2007 10:53 AM:"Everything is unraveling..."
Unravel - 2. To separate and clarify the elements of (something mysterious or baffling); solve.
Anonymous wrote on May 7, 2007 10:58 AM:My mother used to say the best Jews are the converts. I think she was right, when people chose their religious devotion it is more meaningful than if they are born into it.
If Monica questions her devotion to the God Republican, it will crumble. What replaces it would be a force to be reckoned with. The WH had better be sure someone is pouring Monica's spiked Kool-Aide by the gallon.
foggylady wrote on May 7, 2007 11:25 AM:Re: Salon article on Tenant cashing in...
mentions that Cofer Black and Robert Richter both involved now/recently with Blackwater, and Tenant's role on boards of companies with defense contracts. I know, I know, business as usual.
Add the Think Progress piece today on the possibility of Repubs forever, and knowing how unorganized Dems have been......
I am rarely pessimistic, but............
.
Pissed Off American wrote on May 7, 2007 11:37 AM:.
The fact of the matter is that Gonzales was confirmed, despite the fact that he apparently openly lied about his role in Bush's recusal from jury duty when he was governor of Texas. So our Congress knew they were confirming a perjurer and a Bush lackey into the seat of the most powerful law enforcement position in the nation. Is it supposed to be a suprise that Gonzales continued his criminal conduct after his confirmation? Or that he would encourage criminal conduct within the ranks of his hand picked minions? Each and every politician that voted for his confirmation is culpable, because it was widely known what role he played in Governor Bush's recusal. Furthermore, the Democratic ranks knew as well, yet did not launch a filibuster. So the whole damned slew of these posturing pieces of shit in Washington KNEW they were foisting a perjuring criminal off on the American people, yet they did so without reservation or opposition. And, true to form, Gonzales acted perfectly in character.
What did Congress expect, honesty?
bordersmuggler wrote on May 7, 2007 12:04 PM:Pissed Off American
The blame does go all around. With Congress itself running lean on integrity, the impetus for a correction must come from the outraged ranks below, which is the blogosphere venue is so vitally important. If a correction is not made soon, this too will become a target. At that point, all is lost.
Anonymous wrote on May 7, 2007 12:07 PM:Posted by: Pissed Off American
Date: May 7, 2007 11:37 AM
------
You said it.
Even now, why haven’t Articles of Impeachment against Gonzales been introduced in the House? This happened and continues with the tacit support of the Democrats, no doubt about it.
Just now, I was discussing the Presidential election with a friend; if the Democratic nominee is either of the anointed, I’ll withhold my vote. There is no way I’ll settle for Republican light again, stick a fork in me, I’m done.
parrot wrote on May 7, 2007 12:10 PM:In one of the article on John Doolittle, I was particularly struck by his need to imply that the FBI's investigation into his wife's affairs had ceased to be delayed. Is Doolittle arguing that Doolittle should have indicted him before the 2006 elections or that the FBI routinely investigates someone for three years and then finds no merit to a case of fraud?
parrot wrote on May 7, 2007 12:17 PM:In the Think Progress article, one is struck by the lack of Congressional oversight over the preceding six years, rather than by how lawful the conduct of the Bush Mob has been.
It does look like various newspaper reporters were allowed to report over the period but that the party controlling Congress thought it best to just let Hatch Act violations slide...and let the violations continue for six straight years. I'm also guessing that it was Alberto Gonzalez who probably formed an opinion with regard to the legality of these violations...a tumbleweed opinion that appears to not have been informed by the law or the adherence thereto.
Weasel Watch! wrote on May 7, 2007 12:36 PM:Re McKay's firing - Suddenly, Kyle Sampson, known weasel, remembers he fired McKay in 2006 over a 2001 murder? I suppose, in Sampson's position, that is a better reason than saying he fired McKay for not prosecuting Democrats.
freepatriot wrote on May 7, 2007 4:16 PM:so we've moved from speculationm to accumulating overwhelming evidence
reminds me of the scooter libby investigation
we went from "There is NO evidence scooter broke the law" to "We The Jury Find The Defendant Guilty"
and the freepers are still crying "There's No Underlying Crime"
no wonder the repuglican party is on life support
these fucking hypocrites impeached Bill Clinton for a fucking BLOW JOB
thius isn't the criminalization of politics
this is the politicalization of POLITICS
so when the voters choose the Democrats, we're right to appoint a bunch of partisan hacks who target repuglicans for prosecutions
oh yeah, and you repuglicans can stop applying for government jobs cuz you stupid fuckers belong to the wrong party
what comes around goes around
so I'm guessing that we'll hear no complains from the repuglicans once our government is dedicated to arresting and imprisioning them
security code: taste
as in "A taste of your own medicine"