Tuesday, July 24, 2007


The Implosion of the Justice Department

First quick reaction to a whole lot of information. I have questions:


Will Specter and company really follow through on appointing a special prosecutor to deal with Bush's shutting down congressional supervision?


Was Gonzo telling the truth when he said he wasn't referring to the Terrorist Surveillance Program (TSP), or was he lying? It's easy to say it was another one of his lies, but stop and think a minute: Did he slip and leak something about an entirely different program, a secret one, that seems to have started on September 11? That's what I wish Schumer had asked him. The good news is that Leahy stepped right in to say they'd follow up.
The dispute centered on an unidentified surveillance activity which Comey and other senior Justice officials had determined they could not reauthorize after a review of its legality. White House officials disagreed and moved aggressively to get the program renewed.

The Bush administration has refused to say which classified program was at issue in the dispute. Some sources have said the dispute was related to a controversial warrantless surveillance program operated by the National Security Agency, the existence of which was later confirmed by President Bush.

However, Gonzales reiterated today that the dispute was not about the program that Bush described. Gonzales also said he misspoke during a news conference in June, when he said it was the same program.

The program he referred to was reinstated March 11 (every six months), which would mean it was in the works before 9/11. So, hmmm, what would that mean?
Gonzales said an emergency meeting was held on the afternoon of March 10, 2004, with the so-called "Gang of Eight," which consists of the bipartisan leadership of the House, Senate and both intelligence committees. Gonzales said congressional leaders agreed that the intelligence activity should continue, and he and Card traveled to George Washington University Hospital that evening to visit Ashcroft, who was recovering from gall bladder surgery.
And what about those political briefings?
In one instance, State Department aides attended a White House meeting at which political officials examined the 55 most critical House races for 2002 and the media markets most critical to battleground states for President Bush's reelection fight in 2004, according to documents the department provided to the Senate committee.
They targeted media outlets. Four radio stations in Ohio, after the 2006 elections, after Howard Dean said those progressive stations might have helped us win, got shut down. The subject of the briefings was raised during the hearings. How will that be dealt with, and when?

Tomorrow: The house contends with contempt issues.

12 Comments:

At 2:51 PM, Blogger GottaLaff said...

There is so much crap going on, I need a daily briefing of my own.

 
At 3:17 PM, Blogger Ashen Shard said...

or a daily dose of intemperance to make it go away and be blissfully ignorant.

btw gottalaff, I forget if i posted this before, but I got your message. I also posted my e-mail in the info section since not really much I can do once I start getting 'investment opportunity' e-mails from Nigerian 'businessmen'. I figure if they already have access to it, there is no reason to shield its existence from anyone else. :-p

 
At 3:23 PM, Blogger GottaLaff said...

Ha! Ashen, thanks for telling me. So now if the Nigerian thing starts up, you have me to blame.

I hang my head in shame.

I'll email you, but offer you no opportunities other than those to point and laugh at my inanities. : )

 
At 3:24 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cliff by now you should know,..Gonzo cannot tell the truth. There are parts missing in his physical make-up that will not allow him to utter anything close to fact. When he was only a small child in third grade the dog ate his homework,.......he told his teacher his mother ate it, his teacher sent her a loaf of bread and cautioned her against jeopardizing little Gonzo's future by snacking on his mathmatical equations.........and thats the whole truth..

I Claudius

 
At 3:31 PM, Blogger GottaLaff said...

I Claudius,
I love your comments. However, as flattering as it is that you confused me with Cliff (he's better looking and a lot smarter), he didn't post this one.

If he had, I'd be commenting on how well it was written while marveling at his insights.

 
At 6:49 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

jottalaff,

You're a cutup,.....sorry I mistook your devilish behavior for that of Cliff.....Blame it on Gonzo, he has led us down more bushy paths than a Crawford, Texas hooker could traverse in a fortnight.......Thank you for setting me straight jottalaff,.........Cliff there will be no more compliments for you today........place the spoon in the bowl and walk away.....

I Claudius

 
At 6:59 PM, Blogger GottaLaff said...

I Claudius,
You crack me up.

Oh, and it's GottaLaff...with a G.

JottaLaff makes me sound like I'm taking notes on my own jokes. And that would be redundant. ; )

 
At 7:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

G gottalaugh I just can't get anything right today. If I promise to do better, will you promise not to tie me to the dunking stool?.......Excuse me will take care of something very important...

gottalaugh....ugh
jottalaugh....not right
gottafaff.....drat
gottalaff.....wow
gottalaff.....wow-wee
gottalaff.....wow I'm jood
gottalaff.....keep it steady
gottalaff.....gust look, I did it

There's a lot to be said for hiring a tootler......

I Glaudius

 
At 7:39 PM, Blogger GottaLaff said...

J Flaudius,
I'm surprised it took us this long to discover our mutual lunaticdom.

Let's not looz mowmentoom.

Goddalaph

 
At 7:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mow-men-tum, my aunt Bessie had lots of mowmentum. Unfortunately for Aunt Bessie one night in December,.... oh I remember it well, we had just finishes wrapping Christmas gifts for the needy, when aunt Bessie said to Uncle Tom, I'm gonnah have just one mo men Tom. Thats when that poleece with muscles on his knuckles entered Aunt Bessies house and made her no.1 on the hit parade. I don't know about "mowmentum" too much mowmentum can be a dangerous thing..............gust ask Aunt Bessie....

I Clawdius

 
At 11:25 PM, Blogger Ulysses said...

Gottalaff--

We can only hope that Specter will be joined by at least a handful of other Republicans who want to defend the legislative branch from this despotic Bush administration. Should be an interesting week! I'd like to hear more about those Ohio radio stations... please keep us updated!

Ulysses

 
At 1:04 AM, Blogger GottaLaff said...

Ulysses,
I'll do my best.

And I hope there ARE a handful of Republicans with principles.

 

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