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Buzzy Tells Waxman He Told Cookie About Joining Blackwater
We're that much closer to a perjury investigation. Buzzy Krongard has told House oversight committee staff what he told TPMmuckraker on Wednesday: that he told his brother, State Department Inspector General Howard "Cookie" Krongard, about his decision to join the advisory board of State Department contractor Blackwater. Cookie Krongard told the committee on Wednesday his brother had told him no such thing.
Waxman says he'll hold a hearing the week of December 3 to determine if Krongard lied to the committee under oath. Both Krongard brothers will be invited to testify. And you thought your last family reunion was awkward. But will Howard Krongard resign before then?
Here's what Buzzy Krongard told Waxman's staff, according to a just-released Waxman memorandum:
Buzzy Krongard stated that Howard Krongard called him specifically to ask about any relationship he had with Blackwater “in preparation for his testimony” to the Committee. Buzzy Krongard stated: “He asked me whether I had any financial interest or any ties to Blackwater, and so I told him ‘I’m going on their Board.’” According to Buzzy Krongard, “He responded by saying, ‘Why would you do that?’ and ‘Are you sure that’s a good idea?’” Buzzy Krongard then said, “I told him that was my decision, not his, and that we just differed on that.”Buzzy Krongard stated that during the Committee hearing, he was at home watching it live. He listened to Howard Krongard’s prepared opening statement. Then, he heard Howard Krongard offer spontaneously the comment that his brother had no connection to Blackwater. Buzzy Krongard said: “You could have blown me over.” During the hearing, he attempted to reach Howard Krongard by telephone. Before he could reach him, Buzzy Krongard received a call from Howard Krongard and explained again that he was a member of the Board.
Apparently Buzzy called the committee after receiving a letter from Waxman yesterday. As Waxman reiterated at the hearing, lying to committee staff -- even if not deposed under oath -- is a potential criminal offense, and Buzzy offered this account without being subpoenaed.
Update: Just got off the phone with Cookie Krongard's spokeswoman, Diane Quest. Quest says she just saw Waxman's letter and has taken it in to Krongard for review. "I don't see us having any comment on it," she says. No word yet on whether he'll go back to testify at the just-announced hearing. And, for the record: Will Krongard resign? "As far as I know, no."
Comments (45)
steambomb wrote on November 16, 2007 4:52 PM:Who cares if he resigns before the hearing. He is still a suspected perjuror. Whether he resigns or not should have no bearing on whether he is indicted.
RockGolf wrote on November 16, 2007 5:12 PM:All together now... Sing!
Doo doo doo doot clik clik
Doo doo doo doot clik clik
Doo doo doo doot
Doo doo doo doot
Doo doo doo doot clik clik
They're creepy & they're spooky
Pat Kelly wrote on November 16, 2007 5:13 PM:They're altogether ookie.
They're Buzzie & they're Cookie.
The Krongard fa-mi-ly.
Eventually headline: Cookie crumbles.
theWalrus wrote on November 16, 2007 5:16 PM:Within the next few days, Cookie will suddenly decide he needs to "spend more time with my family."
And, after his reluctant resignation, he will fall into that black hole where all Loyal Bushies[tm] who have been caught lying go, never to be heard from again - that is, until the next Republican administration arrives and they'll all be given lucrative jobs.
global citizen wrote on November 16, 2007 5:22 PM:Cain and Abel had nothing on these guys.
Allsburg wrote on November 16, 2007 5:30 PM:The sick thing is, he may not have perjured himself. And Buzzy's statements may in fact exonerate him.
Buzzy says he told Cookie, ‘I’m going on their Board.’ Buzzy did not say, ‘I’m on their Board,’ or ‘I’m currently taking money from them.’ Thus, when Cookie told Congress that Buzzy was not (at the moment) affiliated with Blackwater, this was not a lie. Sure, Cookie failed to volunteer that his brother had plans to join the board any minute. But at the moment Cookie was asked, it hadn't yet (to his knowledge) come to pass.
It's a "That depends on what the meaning of 'is' is" kind of evasion. Technically accurate, substantively a lie. But the technical part may scrape him past a perjury conviction.
surfer-z wrote on November 16, 2007 5:30 PM:More time with his family? I don't see that in his future.
DickTater wrote on November 16, 2007 5:37 PM:Look behind the scenes folks. Just imagine who wins in a power showdown...Military-Industrial-Complex Mob-Like Ties to Buzzy, or next-to-nothing paid State Dept. schlepp
in a powermove, the Blackwater trumped the gov worker.
Buzzy knows where his bread is buttered.
And think, these guys are all trying to work for the same people. What a twisted, arm-twisted world they live in. Something had to give, and it sure wasn't going to be the big money power players who gave.
JWL wrote on November 16, 2007 5:52 PM:Scratch the surface. E-Mail, bank accounts, pertinent record keeping, phone records, etc. Let the full weight of federal prosecutors fall on this guy.
After all, everyone is equal before the law in the USA. If you've nothing to hide, you've nothing to fear.
little peanut wrote on November 16, 2007 5:54 PM:um.... shouldn't his nickname be 'crookie'?
dogeatdogi wrote on November 16, 2007 6:03 PM:Ouch! so much for brotherly love.
Vince wrote on November 16, 2007 6:04 PM:More time with the family? HE SUED HIS FAMILY!!!
v. popvli wrote on November 16, 2007 6:10 PM:still waiting for more axes to drop and heads to roll at state. between blackwater, cookie, iraq corruption, and classifying already-released documents, it's just muck followed by more muck.
it seems like every week there's some major federal agency involved in yet another scandal, like they're taking turns. state, justice, FEMA, DoD, it just goes on and on.
Dreggas wrote on November 16, 2007 6:11 PM:Cookie caught with hand in jar.
litigatormom wrote on November 16, 2007 6:12 PM:Over the river and thru the wood,
Buckley wrote on November 16, 2007 6:13 PM:To grandmother's house we go;
My bro' knows the way
To lie and say nay,
And deny all that he knows, oh!
Over the river and thru the wood,
Oh, how the truth does blow!
It stings the toes,
And bites the nose,
As over to jail we go.
The Dems finally have a Bushie dead to rights.
Could it be that "Cookie" is the one who knows just enough about the criminal activity of this Administration to bring them down?
pv2k wrote on November 16, 2007 6:27 PM:Cookie Krongard's word parsing was a failed ploy. How better than to pretend he had no knowledge of his brother's involvement until after the committee break?
As pointed out before, Buzzy's statement almost and that is "ALMOST" takes Cookie out of the oven. But, Cookie was shown 2 pieces of direct evidence, a letter of invitation for his brother and more importantly an email that "welcomes" his brother to Blackwater's board. Cookie seen these but still denied his brothers involvement. Perhaps he believed his brother had not attended any meetings yet, in which case his b.s. testimony and theatrics to the committee, might pass the perjury smell test.
Once he found out about the meeting, Cookie knew he was burned and did the 180 degree turn in front of Waxman's committee, hoping they turn the heat off.
Helena Montana wrote on November 16, 2007 6:28 PM:.
Federal prosecutors are owned by Mukasey, the quintessential (now) loyal Bushie. I don't think Cooky will ever have to stand trial. And Congress won't do a damned thing to him. They may make threats, but they won't DO anything. I says his job is safe.
Stuart Shaffer wrote on November 16, 2007 6:51 PM:"Buzzie" and "Cookie?" Who names these people?
RickinSF wrote on November 16, 2007 7:09 PM:wanna bet Pelosi and Hoyer have phoned Waxman to "back off?"
MasonMcD wrote on November 16, 2007 7:10 PM:I thought the Krongards were identical conjoined heroin abusing OB/GYNs with creepy tools?
OK. I just made up the conjoined part.
REP wrote on November 16, 2007 7:18 PM:Buzzy and Cookie are cartoon characters.
r€nato wrote on November 16, 2007 7:25 PM:They trip each other just for fun.
They don't know that their self indulgence will trip-up both of them.
Tragic cartoon characters in American history.
""Buzzie" and "Cookie?" Who names these people?"
Let me tell you about this guy Mitt and his son Tagg...
jeffgee wrote on November 16, 2007 7:26 PM:It's gonna be chilly at the Krongard's this Thanksgiving.
brenty wrote on November 16, 2007 7:31 PM:WSJ Online is reporting that Buzzy resigned from the Blackwater Special Advisory Board.
lawrencekansan wrote on November 16, 2007 7:42 PM:I predict nothing will happen to Cookie. I predict he will be able to worm out of it somehow, or the Dems will not pursue anything on this. As much as I'd love for Cookie to be held accountable, this just reminds me of all the other times I've thought, "Wow, they really have this Bushie now," and nothing ever comes of it. I've given up hope.
chuckieboy wrote on November 16, 2007 8:34 PM:What's the big deal. Rethugs don't believe there is such a thing as lying, and babyshitforbrains bush will pardon him if our system of justice does something upatriotic like convicting the asshole.
acubrain wrote on November 16, 2007 8:48 PM:Someone needs to spell out the timeline for this thing. If Cookie was covering for Blackwater before his brother was on the board, then what is the implication of that? That Buzzy was brought on to continue this pattern? Looks like that plan exploded. When I first heard this story I thought it was a long-time deal where one Krongaard was covering for the other for years and denied it. It seems now that Buzzy's tenure on the board was very brief. Who has the complete story?
Nancy Irving wrote on November 16, 2007 9:08 PM:Not that it ultimately matters, being that Blackwater is absolutely not what George Washington intended on this country. Its existence at all is a cover-up of founding American principles.
That's the way it crumbles, Cookie-wise.
W Action wrote on November 16, 2007 9:18 PM:Wanna bet the brothers Krongard also had GOP email accounts which have been disapeared? They're just another branch of the Bush crime family tree.
paul wrote on November 16, 2007 9:24 PM:Doesn't he just get to send them a letter in a few weeks "clarifying" his remarks like the rest of the Bush gang?
EH wrote on November 16, 2007 9:32 PM:Now that brother has resigned from Blackwater after apparently only meeting once with the board, the weasel will probably be that there was no compensation thus not a real conflict, yadda yadda.
Barry Champlain wrote on November 16, 2007 11:10 PM:In light of Josh's comment about Buzzy serving up Cookie (DON'T go there... stay on the high road, kids :-), as a public service, please allow me to re-post what I wrote yesterday:
Moral #1: If you're going to oversee a company, on whose board your brother sits... SOMEONE IS GOING TO FIND THIS OUT. Really not rational, to think you can keep this one under wraps;
Moral #2: If you're going to attempt to bribe someone who will have oversight of your corporation, by hiring his brother... make sure it's a situation where the brothers are, like, SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER?!? Or, at least, care about each other enough that they won't rat each other out?
I really thought our Evil Overlords were a hell of a lot smarter than they're turning out to be.
Of course, if Cookie (jeezus...) doesn't end up going to the Greybar Hotel for perjuring himself, does it even matter? Isn't this [groan] yet another case of the bastards in this administration, getting away with anything they damned well please?
Snarkilicious wrote on November 16, 2007 11:23 PM:Helena Montana has it right, the DOJ can decide not to pursue this, if they want.
But look at it again: Inspectors General are supposed to be *independent* watchdogs. And now, the IG for State had better toe the Bushie line, or else DOJ will let the Dems hang him for perjury.
It really is easy to figure out what Bush/Cheney will do in any situation. Just ask yourself "What would Don Corleone do?"
johnnydoughey wrote on November 16, 2007 11:31 PM:Memory loss... Memory loss... can't convict me for a Memory loss...
BTW folks... don't try this at home... you WILL be prosecuted....
melior wrote on November 17, 2007 12:23 AM:Enhanced interrogation techniques would reveal which of them lied to Congress.
bks wrote on November 17, 2007 12:28 AM:Meanwhile, no one is paying attention to the fact that Blackwater snuffed 14 Iraqi civilians. Krongard mission accomplished.
--bks
sgw wrote on November 17, 2007 1:05 AM:Can't wait to hear about all the presidential pardons and commutations of Republicans that are going to happen at some point between Christmas Day '08 and January 19th '09. I suspect it's gonna be "epic".
Rick Jones wrote on November 17, 2007 2:31 AM:Sure, we'd like to see a perjurer sacked and punished. But, let's not lose sight of the bigger issue. What one brother told the other and when is not as important as the fact that the IG at State tried to stop investigations of fraud, war profiteering, and murder. Who else at State or the White House knew about, authorized, encouraged, or ordered Cookie's actions regardless of Buzzy's involvement with Blackwater?
savvy wrote on November 17, 2007 8:11 AM:Soooo the backstory here is that Blackwater hired Buzzy ONLY because his brother Cookie oversaw Blackwater. Now that their relationship is publically known...Blackwater DIS-invites Buzzy to serve on their advisor board...why pay a guy who is no longer valuable?
Cookie and Buzzy have EGG on their faces, and Buzzy's is scrambled while Cookies is sunny-side up.
Anonymous wrote on November 17, 2007 9:27 AM:The Inspectorr General of the State Department, in time of war, has now been forced to recuse himself from two huge investigations, two of the largest in U.S. history. Why is the man still employed?
Why is Condi Rice never mentioned in this? If Colin Powell was sill Secretary of State his ass would be on the line. Condi gets a pass. The nation suffered enormously because of her INCOMPETENCE as National Security Advisor, and again, as Secretary of State.
Our Congress is dysfunctional. They need to hold these people to account. It is THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY. This is a Bush administration issue, but the Democratic Congress is complicit. Pelosi and Reid should be gone. Is there no one in our government honest and responsibile enough to address these crimes?
Jose Padilla wrote on November 17, 2007 11:37 AM:Apparantly Howard said "that his brother had no connection to Blackwater." If he is about to take a job, but has not taken it yet, that is a connection.
Duckman GR wrote on November 17, 2007 3:02 PM:Allsburg,
wasatoha wrote on November 17, 2007 10:42 PM:No, the intent to join would be sufficient involvement for a conflict of interest, since Crookies actions would have an impact on the conditional joining anyway. No getting around that.
the details be d**ned. Time to organize a "brightwater" and meet them head on! This "terror" needs to by fought!!
anon wrote on November 18, 2007 3:51 AM:...Enhanced interrogation techniques would reveal which of them lied to Congress...
I'd settle for a grand jury, a perp walk, and--a fair trail permitting--twenty years in a medium security federal prison. Torture's not funny and, hey, federal prison isn't torture, right? I do think there might be some mileage in insisting on Patriot Act charges, after all nearly all of the Bushies have been breaking the law for overt political reasons, to unduly influence government. As a rule, if you are found guilty of certain criminal acts that aid terrorists, say, financial fraud or theft, various Patriot Act provisions ask for double sentences and fines. I think the laws are bad, and I doubt the people that wrote them considered they might be used against them, but they are on the books.