Attorneygate Heating Up:

[tiffany]

'Partisan records' of Bush's new US Attorneys; one accused
of helping to suppress Democratic vote in Florida: Soon...

Update:

President George Bush and the Justice Department, in selecting U.S. Attorney appointments, have emphasized the prosecution of alleged voter fraud by Democrats in electoral battleground states, a report by McClatchy Newspapers finds.

"Bush, Karl Rove, the president's deputy chief of staff, and other Republican political advisers have highlighted voting rights issues and what Rove has called the 'growing problem' of Democratic election fraud since Bush took power in the tumultuous election of 2000, a race ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court," write Greg Gordon, Margaret Talev and Marisa Taylor for McClatchy.

They continue, "Since 2005, McClatchy Newspapers has found, Bush has appointed at least three U.S. attorneys who had worked in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division when it was rolling back long-standing voting rights policies aimed at protecting predominantly poor, minority voters."

The report adds that a newly installed U.S. attorney, Tim Griffin of Little Rock, Ark., was accused of suppressing Democratic votes during the 2004 election while working as the research director for the Republican National Committee. Josh Marshall's TalkingPointsMemo.com was among the first to raise questions about Griffin's appointment in January. The BBC's Greg Palast also recently explored the Griffin appointment.

Bush's appointments seem to also have been electorally targeted.

"Last April, while the Justice Department and the White House were planning the firings, Rove gave a speech in Washington to the Republican National Lawyers Association," McClatchy reports. "He ticked off 11 states that he said could be pivotal in 2008. Bush has appointed new U.S. attorneys in nine of them since 2005: Florida, Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Arkansas, Michigan, Nevada and New Mexico. U.S. attorneys in the latter four were among those fired."

Rove later thanked the audience for "all that you are doing in those hot spots around the country to ensure that the integrity of the ballot is protected" and added, "A lot in American politics is up for grabs."

Excerpts from the McClatchy Newspapers article, available in full at this link, follow...

Now the Bush administration's emphasis on voter fraud is drawing scrutiny from the Democratic Congress, which has begun investigating the firings of eight U.S. attorneys - two of whom say that their ousters may have been prompted by the Bush administration's dissatisfaction with their investigations of alleged Democratic voter fraud.

Bush has acknowledged hearing complaints from Republicans about some U.S. attorneys' "lack of vigorous prosecution of election fraud cases," and administration e-mails have shown that Rove and other White House officials were involved in the dismissals and in the choice of an aide to Rove to replace one of them. Nonetheless, Bush has refused to permit congressional investigators to question Rove and others under oath.

Taken together, legal experts and other critics say, the replacement of the U.S. attorneys and the changes in Justice Department voting rights policies suggest that the Bush administration may have been using its law enforcement powers for partisan political purposes.

The department's civil rights division, for example, supported a Georgia voter identification law that a court later said discriminated against poor minority voters. It also declined to oppose an unusual Texas redistricting plan that helped expand the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. That plan was partially reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Frank DiMarino, a former federal prosecutor who served six U.S. attorneys in Florida and Georgia during an 18-year Justice Department career, said that too much emphasis on voter fraud investigations "smacks of trying to use prosecutorial power to investigate and potentially indict political enemies."


http://www.rawstory.com

They illegally got away with Bush being Un-elected Pres for 2000 and made sure he got re-elected for 2004:mad:

IMPEACH!!!

[tiffany]

Leahy hints at more 'Attorneygate' whistleblowers David Edwards and Ron Brynaert
Published: Friday March 23, 2007

Thursday night on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee hinted that he might have more "whistleblowers" set to testify on the ongoing US Attorneys scandal, which some have dubbed "Attorneygate."

In the interview with Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Olbermann referred to comments made previously on the show by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) about "really angry career employees," then asked if the Committee had any "rabbits in hats."

"He said that he hoped that the White House would let Mr. Rove and the others testify on the record," Olbermann related to Leahy. "If they did not, there really were enough really angry career employees, prosecutors in the Justice Department who would ensure that this information, the actual facts of the case would get out anyway."

Olbermann continued, "I'm wondering what we should infer from that. Are there rabbits in hats that you have that we don't know about?"

"Keith, I was a prosecutor for eight years," Leahy said. "I've always tried to have a few witnesses honing back in case we need them and I suspect we will have them."

Leahy added, "We saw in the paper this morning people saying we had a $130 billion case against big tobacco companies until the White House said no, you can't hit them with any kind of a fine like that. That's awful, they're friends of ours, cut it down to $10 billion. And, in fact, a career member of the Justice Department was given a summation that she was required to read word for word. I've never known of a lawyer giving a summation to the court where somebody else wrote it and they had to read it. It's never happened in my experience. She's very upset about this. A lot of other people are."

The committee voted yesterday to authorize subpoenas for White House adviser Karl Rove and three other officials, one day after Bush strongly defended his offer to allow unsworn testimony "behind closed doors" by the four in question.

"The White House has said they'll let some of these people come up but only behind closed doors with no transcript of what they say, not under oath, a limited agenda," Leahy told Olbermann. "That's a nonstarter."

Leahy added, "This is a -- I realize U.S. Attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president, but the U.S. justice system does not serve at the pleasure of either this president or any other president. And we intend to find out just what happened."

The following video clip is from MSNBC's Countdown:

[Linnea]

This all IS heating up. The MSM media is even giving it legs. Guess the evil ones think we are too far gone by now for much to be done with the information.

btw - rawstory is a good place to go to take a look at breaking news items, but it is always good to double check their sources - I have found, anyway. Maybe because they are so quick out of the gate with some of their information.

They do get some of this info out there fast.

[Divinorumus]

You realize this is a nothing going nowhere story/issue. All of this is merely another one of those "look this way" distractions for those who are (obviously) so easily distracted. There's something a LOT MORE sinister going on here in the world right now, and nobody seems to think that is important, and now I'm starting to think everyone who isn't noticing DESERVES what is happening! Sorry, but this infighting hair pulling is just too much, conduct unbecoming of adults. I think a BIG LESSON is needed here on this planet and particularly in this country. It seems the small lessons aren't working. Well, okay then, if that is what it will take then !

[Corvid]

Ah hell and sweet Jeebus I give up. No one has studied history sufficiently to realize that, ultimatly and inevitably, it will be hubris that will topple the tyrant...... even tyrants as viscious as these bastards.

If you want to surrender, Div, that is your choice. My choice is to fight the bastards with every legitimate means allowed under the Constitution of the United States of America. I realize that fighting fairly is a disadvantage.... but it is a necessary disadvantage. Any other way we could win would mean decending to a "let the sneakiest evil bastard win" mentality.

When would that stop.... and what kind of hellish world would it birth?

Wansee?

When it comes to a point when the only recourse is a confrontation in the street, and we will know when that comes.... know that I will be there.

IF!

Meanwhile we must do it BY THE CONSTITUTION AND BY THE LAW!

What is so fracking difficult about that concept?

[Divinorumus]

What is so fracking difficult about that concept?

Kind of like just doing nothing UNTIL global warming is dropping pieces of the sky upon YOUR home? oh, I get it now .. see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil .. until it's too late. Sure, okay, lets all go home and just sit and wait like you said then. .. Say, was that a knock on your front door, or another dead cat or dog or child that just hit the floor? NO, we must kill them over there - if they insist! Say, what if this whole pet food poison thing is THEM over there trying to bring their whole end-times war thang over here?

[Joolz]

Kind of like just doing nothing UNTIL global warming is dropping pieces of the sky upon YOUR home? oh, I get it now .. see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil .. until it's too late.

"Doing nothing"? You're WAY off-base here. How do YOU know what Corvid, or I, or anyone else here has, or has not, done in our lives? You don't. You are pointing fingers in the wrong direction. WAY wrong.

[Divinorumus]

I'm addressing the population in general and this mindset and attitude and their actions in general, and I am pointing out how SO MANY are apparently being DUPED and DISTRACTED by this (yet another) INTENTIONALLY CREATED political infighting MAKE-BELIEVE ISSUE when there are REAL DEADLY ISSUES being neglected going on behind our backs.

Those that are causing this DISTRACTION (when we all have better thangs to be getting ready for) are the ones we should be pointing our fingers at! WE DO NOT NEED ANY OF THIS INFIGHTING AT THIS TIME - not here, not in Washington, no where right now!

Well, you'll see what I mean within a few months - all you humons will ! Yes, we all will see together ! And I'm GLAD (wanna guess why?)! What I see is a domestic squabble going on deep within the bowls of the doomed ship (planet earth) being carried on by a bunch of bratty ignorant fighting children THAT DESERVE WHAT IS COMING NEXT !!!

Well, I'm finished here with this .. I didn't mean to distract you from your distractions .. I just thought you might want to know what is REALLY going to happen instead. I mean, this is a life and death situation now!

added:
Just because you bring the army home doesn't mean that this so-called Jihad of theirs over there will suddenly be called off.

[spiritme]

Div
the bully in the mess....usa....why....because this administration has decided that the mideast is his playground and he can do anything he wants!
Are we getting closer to truths that we all knew were there..yes...one mess at a time.
If there is another agenda going on and I am sure there is ..
it will rear it's ugly head soon.....
someone ....everyone ......deserves to feel that the laws are being kept by the very people who put them there.

[Joolz]

I'm addressing the population in general and this mindset and attitude and their actions in general, and I am pointing out how SO MANY are apparently being DUPED and DISTRACTED by this (yet another) INTENTIONALLY CREATED political infighting MAKE-BELIEVE ISSUE when there are REAL DEADLY ISSUES being neglected going on behind our backs.

Those that are causing this DISTRACTION (when we all have better thangs to be getting ready for) are the ones we should be pointing our fingers at! WE DO NOT NEED ANY OF THIS INFIGHTING AT THIS TIME - not here, not in Washington, no where right now!

Well, you'll see what I mean within a few months - all you humons will ! Yes, we all will see together ! And I'm GLAD (wanna guess why?)! What I see is a domestic squabble going on deep within the bowls of the doomed ship (planet earth) being carried on by a bunch of bratty ignorant fighting children THAT DESERVE WHAT IS COMING NEXT !!!

Well, I'm finished here with this .. I didn't mean to distract you from your distractions .. I just thought you might want to know what is REALLY going to happen instead. I mean, this is a life and death situation now!

added:
Just because you bring the army home doesn't mean that this so-called Jihad of theirs over there will suddenly be called off.

Div, your comments are condescending and lacking in depth. Neither Corvid nor I need to be preached at about the "REAL DEADLY ISSUES." We are each actually capable of multi-tasking. We are well aware of the complex issues facing all of us here on this blue planet.

This issue is not a "distraction," as I see it, but a necessary STEP toward what must be done. The Anna Nicole Smith crap, and the Britney Spears crap (which YOU have posted about!) are distractions. THIS is NOT.

So, we disagree. But I am not lacking in the intelligence necessary to comprehend what is going on, nor is Corvid. So, lay off with the "holier-than-thou," "more-advanced-than-thou" crap. OK? And if you mean something in a "general" sense, then SAY SO, and don't just quote someone, and then go off on a rant AS IF you were speaking to them directly. Thanks.

[Shirleypal]

Div give yourself and us a break here, if you don't have anything valid to contribute to this thread than don't post in it, I for one don't like being talked down to either, this is important stuff here and if you don't want to be part of the solution I would appreciate it if you were not part of the problem either. I think Joolz's, Corvid and myself can figure it out for ourselves, we have some very bright people on this board.

[Divinorumus]

Talking down to? Is that what you would call someone trying to warn someone standing in the middle of the road with their back to a big deadly truck headed their way? Fine, just don't ever say I didn't try to warn anyone. And, see if I care anymore then and all I can do is later laugh and laugh and laugh!

[Shirleypal]

Div you post your warning on every thread on the forum, think maybe we got it by now don't ya think?

[tiffany]

Nearly three weeks before seven US attorneys were asked to submit their resignations, the top spokesperson for the Department of Justice expressed little concern and told a senior White House official that the firings probably wouldn't even become a "national story."

The email conversations were revealed in an additional batch of 283 pages of documents turned over by the Bush Administration late Friday night to Congressional members investigating the rapidly developing scandal which some have dubbed "Attorneygate." One Justice official has already resigned, and many Democrats -- and even some Republicans -- have been calling for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to step down or be fired by President Bush, as well.

The communications between Tasia Scolinos, Director of Public Affairs at the Department of Justice, and Catherine J. Martin (pictured above), Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Communications Director for Policy and Planning, transpired on Friday, November 17, 2006, twenty days before the dismissals were carried out on December 7.

Catherine Martin had just been advised of the Justice plan, in an email sent to her along with Debbie Fiddelke, Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, and Jeffery Scott Jennings, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Political Affairs, by Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel William Kelley a half-hour past noon. Concerned about "political juice" some of the Attorneys marked for termination may possess, Kelley was hoping that the other White House officials could help craft possible changes to the plan, which might help the Bush Administration withstand any consequential "fallout."

"The email below, and the attached document reflect a plan by DOJ to replace several US Attorneys," Kelley wrote. "By statute, US Attorneys serve for four year terms, which are commonly (but not always) extended by inaction -- in practice, they serve until replaced. They serve at the pleasure of the President, but often have very strong home-state political juice, including with their Senators."

Kelley added, "Before executing this plan, we wanted to give your offices a heads up and seek input on changes that might reduce the profile or political fallout. Thanks."

Less than an hour later, Martin asked Scolinos, "Are you looped in on this? What is your comms plan?"

"Thanks for flagging - we are not looped in - first I have heard of it," Scolinos replied. "Let me call up there and figure out what is happening here and get back to you."

Later that day, at 5:40 PM, Scolinos wrote back seemingly unconcerned with the plan since it was "only six" out of ninety-four US Attorneys being asked to leave.

"It's only six US attorneys (there are 94) and I think most of them will resign quietly - they don't get anything out of making it public they were asked to leave in terms of future job prospects," Scolinos wrote Martin. Scolinos continued, "I don't see it as being a national story - especially if it phases in over a few months. Any concerns on your end?"

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Top_Justi ... _0324.html

In many of the emails there is always this divsive attitude, this creepy underhanded way of saying what they are saying. They were constantly making it obvious that the way they run things are never honest and above board. To see the emails mentioned above scroll down to the bottom of the article in the link.

[tiffany]

Rove's E-mails

Alexis Simendinger writes in a National Journal story (subscription required): "White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove may have forfeited potential claims of executive privilege over the dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys-- if he communicated about the latter outside the White House e-mail system, using his Republican National Committee e-mail account or RNC equipment. Or at least that's a legal possibility posed by rapidly advancing electronic technology and the evolving work habits of busy White House officials. . . .

"According to one former White House official familiar with Rove's work habits, the president's top political adviser does 'about 95 percent' of his e-mailing using his RNC-based account. Many White House officials, including aides in the Political Affairs Office, use the RNC account as an alternative to their official government e-mail addresses to help keep their official and political duties separate. Although some White House officials use dual sets of electronic devices for that purpose.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... kset/20...
http://www.citizensforethics.org/press/ ... se.php?...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/di ... 389x492538

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So 95% of Rove's Emails were political....and only 5% official.........