Comments (47)

Sn00t wrote on June 13, 2007 3:23 PM:

Just a minor observation - while Waxman was tearing her down with this scathing demonstration of her actions - and about to call on her to resign, I thought that while the camera was on Waxman - you could actually hear her laughing ....

anyone catch that?

Princess Sparkle Pony wrote on June 13, 2007 3:28 PM:

Here's what I'm confused about: if Bush ignores the OSC's call for Doan to be punished, then what happens? I haven't been able to find out how the Hatch Act is enforced at that level. Is it, in fact, enforcable?

guyermo wrote on June 13, 2007 3:31 PM:

i heard the laugh, too. just my opinion, and i'm sure others here will give theirs, but it sounded like a 'let them eat cake' kind of laugh.

wheel..as in when wheel these clowns be gone?

mc wrote on June 13, 2007 3:32 PM:

that is weird Snoot because I was going to say that same thing before I clicked to the Comments. I was waiting for Waxman to stop his statement and say something dramatic (like "You are a DISGRACE!) but he didn't. Probably a good thing too.

KilgoreTrout XL wrote on June 13, 2007 3:35 PM:

Sn00t:

I thought I heard precisely the same thing.

But perhaps she's right to laugh. She is, after all, serving at the pleasure of our god-chosen monarch.

Anonymous wrote on June 13, 2007 3:36 PM:

Sn00t

Her laughing at Waxman reflects the attitude of all the parasites in the republican clique. They are above the law; the lower species who consider the rule of law to be important deserve only their sneers.

AnneW wrote on June 13, 2007 3:37 PM:

Well the R's on the committee weren't bothered by her performance.

Their biggest concerns were that she's a pretty African American, she's being investigated by Bloch (solid Repub) who's not to be trusted, and "everyone does it".

Throw in Clinton, Gore and Berger and you'll get the feel of their part of the hearing.

AnneW wrote on June 13, 2007 3:46 PM:

I left one of the Republican talking points out...Valerie Plame needs to be issued a subpoena.

Waxman finally said that Valerie had willingly testified!?

Anonymous wrote on June 13, 2007 3:51 PM:

Sparkle Pony-

Looks like OSC is the one who files an administrative complaint for a Hatch Act Violation (that puts it back in Bloch's court, right?)

http://www.osc.gov/ha_role.htm
When warranted after investigation of an alleged Hatch Act violation, OSC will prosecute violations before the Merit Systems Protection Board. When violations are not sufficiently egregious to warrant prosecution, OSC may issue a warning letter to the employee involved.

cflynn wrote on June 13, 2007 3:52 PM:

laugh is at @ 2:30 or is it a whimper

colin flynn wrote on June 13, 2007 3:54 PM:

laugh is at @ 2:30 or is it a whimper

colin flynn wrote on June 13, 2007 3:56 PM:

laugh is at @ 2:30 or is it a whimper

ihatebeets wrote on June 13, 2007 3:56 PM:

Doan's moaning about not having had the Hatch Act briefing so she didn't know if she actually violated the Hatch Act or not smacked of the same garbage Monica Goodling spewed at her hearing. Remember, she didn't know what she was doing was against the law? Blah, blah, blah.

Goodling, Sampson, Doan, etc, etc. are the most disingenuous people on the face of the planet and, so far, the Democrats have let them get away with pleading ignorance of the law as an excuse to break it.

Brian wrote on June 13, 2007 3:58 PM:

"It will be up to the President..."

Right up until that point, he was schooling Ms. Doan. But when he tacitly admitted that his opinion meant nothing, because it had to be filtered through the opacity of the administration? That's the part that made me laugh.

Yellow Dog wrote on June 13, 2007 3:58 PM:

Oops. Looks like Lorita misjudged Scott Bloch's bushie loyalty.

Or she misjudged her own usefulness as a scapegoat.

Throw another bushie on the barbie!

Schiek wrote on June 13, 2007 4:04 PM:

I'm guessing she adjusted her microphone (about 2:34) and that is the sound. I'd love to be wrong, but that's my guess.

rusty wrote on June 13, 2007 4:18 PM:

If nothing else comes from these hearings, I think there should be a call for a "You better keep good notes because if you say ‘I don’t recall’ your a$$ is going to jail” law. It is amazing how flippant these people are about pretending to not remember when it comes to the part where they broke the law. Maybe it is a cognitive disorder?

In any case, there is absolutely no excuse for it. We need reform, so this cannot happen again. Also, it would make me really happy if violators of laws like the Hatch act could be made personally responsible for the tax-payer dollars they have stolen. I'd love to see Doan, a "successful business woman" repay the money she has taken.

Steve5117 wrote on June 13, 2007 4:44 PM:

I watched the testimony on c-span 3 and did not see or hear her laugh. At some points she leaned back to talk to her lawyer. I think what you are hearing was a chair or microphone moving.

dixiegrl wrote on June 13, 2007 4:56 PM:

I hear the sound also, at 2:30, which sounds like a mike moving,,,whose I can't figure out.
At the end of his statement, when he says he would urge her "to resign" there is another bit of sound, again to my ears sounds like mike, not laughter. I listened closely about 6 times to each sound..
I could be mistaken................

about the hearing....she was very angry, aggressive, and did not appear to feel her job was in any danger.
And repubs were again...well, downright rude and combative, defending the poor thing, and minimizing the issue at every turn. Really appalling behavior.
Almost as appalling as the fisticuffs in the State House here in lil ole Alabammy....

sheesh....

bibimimi wrote on June 13, 2007 5:17 PM:

Posted by: Sn00t
Posted by: colin flynn

I think it was surface noise or furniture squeaking. Had she laffed Waxman would have been well within his rights to call her on it...y'know the frikkin' Joe Pesci treatment!

security code: sheep

nuff said

johnnydoughey wrote on June 13, 2007 5:49 PM:

Re: comment by Rusty...
I totally agree. Until the Dems put teetyh into the laws and make many of the ethic violations criminal, with some hard penalties, these hearings are just a placebo, and we will be going throught the same motions forever. We are seeing factual experiences where the satatus of those in washington exempts them from the laws which govern the rest of us. I see common folk sitting in prison for many years who have committed crimes much less serious than those of these clowns. The pigs really are MUCH more equal than the rest of us....

psyopswatcher wrote on June 13, 2007 6:07 PM:

Is this what they teach at Vassar, verb tense?

Happy to see Waters let her know that she wasn't being persecuted for being female or black. Those references were getting disgusting.

Was I dreaming or did someone actually ask her about an email to her hubby at DHS? Good dig.

Bruno wrote on June 13, 2007 6:11 PM:

It's time to call for an across-the-board impeachment of Bush, Cheney and all their appointees. That is the only way to do it. Get them all at the same time.

Barbara wrote on June 13, 2007 6:24 PM:

Hope (SC) dies hard

HKH wrote on June 13, 2007 6:48 PM:

I can not blame her for laughing at Waxman and the Democrats (if that is what she did).

Don't get me wrong, I think Rep. Waxman is doing a great job.

But the Democrats are the whimpiest, most powerless bunch of whiners I have ever seen. They refuse to vote as a block, they refuse to consider real action including impeachment.

Their non-binding BS bores me and the polls show that while confidence in Bush is at record lows, confidence in the Congress is no higher.

If the Democrats continue to act as they are, why shouldn't administration officials laugh? I'm laughing at them...and crying at the same time.

bjobotts wrote on June 13, 2007 7:04 PM:

If she were asked to resign by the President she would no doubt get a hefty good performance bonus before leaving office. Doan was just so blatantly corrupt and authoritative that her resignation could not eve begin to touch the punishment she should receive, the least of which should be paying back the millions she cost the taxpayers while head of the GSA. But unfortunately, she'll be well rewarded in the private sector for all her... "help". Just pathetic.

Nancy Davies wrote on June 13, 2007 7:19 PM:

We've heard so many minions of the Bushie administration testify in "Alzheimer's mode" (albeit condemningly as in "connect the dots") before Congress. What will it take before we citizens finally get results?

I know Harriet Meiers and Karl Rove's two top aides were subpoenaed today, but will that be enough?

I just wish the MSM would do its job so We the People really know what's going on and would express outrage to our elected representatives.

Unfortunately, the Watergate era (pre-cable TV and independent newspapers, etc.) is long gone. Broadcast and cable news networks don't report the news.

Too many citizens care more about "infortainment" rather than "news". Al Gore is absolutely right. I noticed this trend in "news" since the Gary Condit scandal shortly before 9/11.

I hope we can return to sanity.

RDJ wrote on June 13, 2007 7:23 PM:

Don't hold your breath, Henry.

RDJ wrote on June 13, 2007 7:23 PM:

Don't hold your breath, Henry.

suzinmpls wrote on June 13, 2007 7:42 PM:

What was she reaching for about a minute before the laugh? Was she taping this? It was a reach and press motion. No one noticed?

Bill Arney wrote on June 13, 2007 8:12 PM:

Three words explain it all

Republican
Crime
Family

Anonymous wrote on June 13, 2007 8:54 PM:

I listened to it live today for a while and talk about Jeckyl/Hyde performances. She was either intensively coached since her first hearing or she was playing real dumb then.
Of course, the Rs made horses asses of themselves.

BTW, I've listened to the noise at 2:30 and I'd doubt it was a snicker. She was too collected today to have done that. Today's performance was a mixture of obfuscation and arrogance that, I am sure, garnered a congratulatory call from the WH.

chard wrote on June 13, 2007 8:54 PM:

I listened to it live today for a while and talk about Jeckyl/Hyde performances. She was either intensively coached since her first hearing or she was playing real dumb then.
Of course, the Rs made horses asses of themselves.

BTW, I've listened to the noise at 2:30 and I'd doubt it was a snicker. She was too collected today to have done that. Today's performance was a mixture of obfuscation and arrogance that, I am sure, garnered a congratulatory call from the WH.

heh wrote on June 13, 2007 8:56 PM:

Guess the ethics classes didn't go that well over at the White House.

I wonder about those and who taught them and for how long they had them. Obviously they didn't learn their lessons.

MEG wrote on June 13, 2007 9:47 PM:

The last time I remember a campaign for a cause getting noticed was an organized boycott of a product or service.

The MSM is now the Corporate MSM, money is the bottom line, and everything including truth is secondary. Just about every business acts this way.

I have cancelled my subscription to the local newspaper. They used to be balanced, but now just pump out the neocon BS. Wow, more money in MY pocket and I know their circulation is hurting.

I watch FOX (sometimes) just to write down the sponsors and then send the sponsors a letter advising that I will not purchase their product or service because they advertise on FOX. I can hear them laughing at me.

Some call this “Sitting on your wallet” and as it gains steam, and with organization, THEN it will get noticed.

A long journey must begin with the first step.

Take that step and commit yourself to getting noticed.

Sit on your wallet.

Steve5117 wrote on June 13, 2007 10:19 PM:

MEG

I watch for commericals from local companies that play on Fox, then call the owners or managers and tell them I will not use their product or service because I saw it advertised on Fox.

I let them know that my distain for the distortion of news by Fox is shared by many friends and aquaintenences who will also boycot their products or services.

whizkid wrote on June 13, 2007 11:16 PM:

We need more of this reading them the Riot Act.
But I bet the Chimp and this traitor thumb their nose at the findings.
So yes. Tell Fox sponsors to expect your wallet closed as far as their products are concerned.

heh wrote on June 13, 2007 11:24 PM:

Tom Davis (V) and Chris Shays (?) this pair of nitwits, just went totally gaga kissing up to this lawyered up smart mouth. They kept saying, no one was helped by your allegedly saying "how can we help our candidates"? They make the Rs look like traitors to the rule of law and need to have their asses voted out of the Congress.

Let me just state the obvious, um, that statement didn't have to produce results, it didn't have to. She violated the Hatch act by making those statements and having that power point meeting. damn it!

jimmo wrote on June 14, 2007 1:18 AM:

Posted by: HKH
Date: June 13, 2007 06:48 PM

"Democrats are the whimpiest, most powerless bunch of whiners I have ever seen."

As a Democrat I agee completely. They have both houses and they (Reid, Pelosi, Waxman, and the others) act like they are in the minority. What total spineless wimps. They are up against un-American lying and cheating money hungry thugs.

Start doing something! And put Arlen Specter in a cage, where he belongs. He started this underhanded stuff, by stuffing unseen changes to legislation allowing this to happen with thugs-r-us.

Where is Armani Pelosi? I do think she is getting paid for being on the job.

So, Reid's answer to the democratic
criticism, is ANOTHER vote on an Iraqi withdrawal time table. We fought and scraped to get them in office, and they have been an utter disgrace, so far.

JNagarya wrote on June 14, 2007 9:38 AM:

Goodling, Sampson, Doan, etc, etc. are the most disingenuous people on the face of the planet and, so far, the Democrats have let them get away with pleading ignorance of the law as an excuse to break it.

Posted by: ihatebeets
Date: June 13, 2007 03:56 PM

And what do you propose the Democrats do? The impossible?

But of course: the Republicans are at fault, so you bash Democrats.

Reasonable? No: the actions of a pro-Bushit troll.

Apply for a job at FOX fake news -- they need persons who engage in gratuitious smears against Democrats.

JNagarya wrote on June 14, 2007 9:48 AM:

"But the Democrats are the whimpiest, most powerless bunch of whiners I have ever seen. They refuse to vote as a block, they refuse to consider real action including impeachment."

ASSHOLE: GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD: THE DEMOCRATS DON'T YET HAVE SUFFICIENT VOTES TO DO AS YOU DEMAND.

THEY DON'T YET HAVE SUFFICIENT VOTES BECAUSE THE _R-E-P-U-B-L-I-C-A-N-S_ ARE THE FOOT-DRAGGERS.

HOW MANY FUCKING TIMES MUST YOU TWITS HAVE THE FACTS EXPLAINED TO YOU BEFORE YOU STOP BEING ASSHOLES.

"Their non-binding BS bores me . . . ."

The no-confidence vote was in the Senate, not the House, where the Democratic "majority" is mostly illusion.

"and the polls show that while confidence in Bush is at record lows, confidence in the Congress is no higher."

That's because assholes like you don't know what's going on, don't know how Congress must function, and does function, and can't stand not getting the impossible when you demand it, reality be damned.

"If the Democrats continue to act as they are, why shouldn't administration officials laugh? I'm laughing at them...and crying at the same time."

GROW UP, INFANT! INVESTIGATIONS TAKE TIME; THEY AREN'T LIKE SUCKING ONE'S THUMB, HOLDING ONE'S BREATH TILL TURNING BLUE, AND HAVING ONE'S DIAPER CHANGED.

"Posted by: HKH
Date: June 13, 2007 06:48 PM"

JNagarya wrote on June 14, 2007 10:00 AM:

"As a Democrat I agee completely. They have both houses and they (Reid, Pelosi, Waxman, and the others) act like they are in the minority."

PRO-BUSHIT TROLL: THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY IN THE SENATE IS LARGELY ILLUSION. THE DEMOCRACTIC MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE ISN'T SUFFICIENT BY ITSELF TO MEET YOUR "I WANT IT _NOW!" DEMANDS.

GROW UP -- OR TAKE YOUR MINDLESS HORSESHIT TO FREE REPUBLIC.

"Start doing something!"

YOU MEAN, LIKE, INVESTIGATING? OH -- THEY'RE DOING THAT. YOU MEAN, LIKE, ISSUE SUBPOENAS? OH -- RIGHT: THEY'RE DOING THAT.

INVESTIGATIONS -- RESTORING RULE OF LAW -- _TAKE TIME_. THAT ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE AS RESULT OF YOUR BASHING DEMOCRATS -- ESPECIALLY AS THE FOOT-DRAGGERS ARE THE _R-E-P-U-B-L-I-C-A-N-S_

You determinedly ignorant twits turn my stomach more even that Bushit, et al.: you simply refuse to learn, refuse to accept the facts. Whine, whine, whine, tantrum, tanntrum, tantrum.

_G-R-O-W U-P!_

Posted by: jimmo
Date: June 14, 2007 01:18 AM

JEP wrote on June 14, 2007 11:37 AM:

"But the Democrats are the whimpiest, most powerless bunch of whiners I have ever seen. They refuse to vote as a block, they refuse to consider real action including impeachment."

Wrong on all counts. How can you compare the last six months of oversight to the last six years of Republican deception, and even suggest the Dems are spineless?

These subtle Republican trolls are working their pernicious subterfuge every day, posting as nuetral observers but really they are just provocatuers, posting for Rove as part of his profane fellowship of deceit.

And they are all over the blogs these days, posing as Independents or Democrats or just neutrals, when they are actually Republican Party operatives, some paid and some just habitually pernicious.

They want us all to think that everyone to the left of center has rejected the Democratic party as a bunch of wimps.

Again, if you really are concerned that the Dems are wimps, compare the past 6 months to the past six years, and your frustration at the slow process might be somewhat assuaged.

But i really doubt most of these naysayers are legitimate, they are posers, trying to pull the weak-minded among us back down into their private neocon hell.

Billy Shears wrote on June 14, 2007 11:46 AM:

I find it amazing that so many of these fundies, from religious schools and backgrounds, can lie so effortlessly, and break laws because those don't apply to them. I guess if you believe in the cause, you can justify anything. Like, suicide bombers.

JEP wrote on June 14, 2007 11:53 AM:

"But I really doubt most of these naysayers are legitimate, they are posers, trying to pull the weak-minded among us back down into their private neocon hell."

That was somewhat for your benefit, too, JNagyara, you are absolutely right to respond indignantly, if these people are really what they claim to be (disgruntled Democrats) but if they are just provocateurs, your pleas fall on deaf ears, hooked up to brainwashed minds.

I agree wholeheartedly, any real Democrat who would get on a notable blog and post such driveling, defeatist criticism needs to have their head and their party affiliation examined.

If they really ARE Dems, then THEY are the wimpy Dems, not our Congresspeople.

Let me repeat; all one needs to do is compare the past six months to the past six years, and the difference is glaring. Which makes me think most of these naysayers are really Republican trolls, which you do acknowledge is a possibility, but I suggest it is more a probability.

Mark F. wrote on June 14, 2007 12:56 PM:

Let's be clear: Bush is NEVER going to fire anyone. As far as he's concerned, Congress has no authority, the Executive branch has ALL the authority and, to paraphrase Dick Cheney, I'm pretty sure Congress can just go fuck itself.

Every time the Democrats call for someone to step down and they refuse, it makes the Democrats look like idiots. When will they learn that if they aren't willing to use force, they won't get anything accomplished? The PRESIDENT needs to step down or be impeached. Until that happens, nothing will be resolved.

The president is the source of all of these problems, and the Democrats don't seem to have the spine to go after the source.

chuck wrote on July 14, 2007 11:09 AM:

A little followup - Scott Bloch gets smacked down by Tom Davis in OSC reauthorization hearings: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/jul/14/emails_come_back_haunt_former_lawrence_lawyer/?city_local