Ashcroft Briefed Regularly on Inquiry Into C.I.A. Leak (NYT)

[UpInArms]

http://makeashorterlink.com/?O27D12A46

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 — Attorney General John Ashcroft's top aides have regularly briefed him on key details in the investigation into the disclosure of a C.I.A. officer's identity, including the identities of those interviewed by the F.B.I., a senior Justice Department official told members of Congress on Tuesday.

Mr. Ashcroft's regular, detailed briefings suggest that he has taken a more hands-on role in the politically charged investigation than the department had acknowledged. Senate Democrats said the arrangement threatened to compromise the independence of the investigation, a contention that Justice Department officials rejected.

<snip>

But Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, said he was troubled to learn from Mr. Wray at Tuesday's hearing that the attorney general is receiving regular reports on the status of the inquiry and has been told whom the F.B.I. is interviewing. Mr. Schumer said the attorney general's close personal and political ties to the White House pose a potential conflict if Mr. Ashcroft knows the White House officials investigators plan to interview.

"When the line prosecutors know that the attorney general knows what they are doing, it could hamper their independence," Mr. Schumer said in an interview. "It means someone is watching over them, and that's not what we want in a case like this. It has a chilling effect, and it makes the case for Ashcroft recusing himself stronger."

...more...

[proud patriot]

1. Special Council needs to be appointed

:grr:

[Wickerman]

2. Yep, now we KNOW that its true - Ashcroft can't be trusted

to keep the investigation impartial. We here at DU knew it, but the pols neede proof - here it is.Seize it Dems, and get those lying bastards.

[neverforget]

3. I am amazed that loser is Attorney General!

[baby_bear]

8. Dont' forget, neverforget.....

Ashcroft lost to a dead man!!!!!!!!!


s_m

[MO_Dem]

4. Ummmhmmm!

Johnny trying to get to the bottom of the traitorous leaks NOT (I'm glad somebody is squealing on him!)

[goforit]

5. Does anybody have a camera on this dude????

He needs to be examined on what really is happenning behind the
scene. Some one should have him on the cam every second of every
day!!!

[shanti]

9. ha! turn his technology against him

i like it! :thumbsup:

[stevedeshazer]

6. Bush Briefed Regularly by Ashcroft at Cabinet Meetings

Might as well appoint Henry Kissinger or Arlen Specter or Gerald Ford.

[Nottingham]

7. So Aschcroft is involved in the Investigation! This is so sick!

:bounce:

[farmboxer]

10. The Fox Guarding The Hen House!

Ashcroft is watching out for his rich pal Bush.

[Zhade]

11. Boy, what's next, appointing Kissinger to head the 911 Commission?

Wait a minute...

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. I wouldn't worry too much...

...the CIA keeps good records, too.

Speaking of the CIA, the next shoe on that centipede ought to be dropping real soon, don't you think?

[Octafish]

13. Ashcroft also briefed on "Osama bin Laden and Hijacking" before 9-11

Sure, Assklown's the man to get to the bottom of Rove's leak. The oily turd of the BFEE stopped flying commercial in July, 2001. Why? Because he didn't want to end up flying into the sides of the WTC or the Pentagon. Anyone who wants to know about Bush pre-knowledge, here's the smoking fishing pole:

Ashcroft Flying High

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2001

Attorney General Ashcroft, with President Bush (Photo: AP)

(CBS) Fishing rod in hand, Attorney General John Ashcroft left on a weekend trip to Missouri Thursday afternoon aboard a chartered government jet, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart.

In response to inquiries from CBS News over why Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines, the Justice Department cited what it called a "threat assessment" by the FBI, and said Ashcroft has been advised to travel only by private jet for the remainder of his term.

"There was a threat assessment and there are guidelines. He is acting under the guidelines," an FBI spokesman said. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department, however, would identify what the threat was, when it was detected or who made it.

A senior official at the CIA said he was unaware of specific threats against any Cabinet member, and Ashcroft himself, in a speech in California, seemed unsure of the nature of the threat.

"I don't do threat assessments myself and I rely on those whose responsibility it is in the law enforcement community, particularly the FBI. And I try to stay within the guidelines that they've suggested I should stay within for those purposes," Ashcroft said.

CONTINUED...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/07/26/national/main303601.shtml

[Zhade]

14. Oh, no, there's an easy explanation for this one.

No tinfoil needed - see, Crisco Johnny's glistening appearance and the scent of warm, sweaty shortening made passengers complain. So he HAD to switch to private flights. To, uh, protect the democratic rights of airline passengers to not suffer under the threat of having to shake his slippery hand.

Yeah, that's it.

[Octafish]

20. LOL! He also "looks" different.

I wonder how he got past Homeland Security, ja?

[snippy]

17. Bush was briefed on it too. On August 6, 2001.

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/05/15/bush.sept.11/

http://www.lawrence.com/forum/community_forum/msg/85022013

[Octafish]

19. Oh, yeah.

And it's a wonder of our system of checks and balances that he has not been impeached over it. Thanks a lot, Hastert and Frist. The GOP's guilty, too, of Treason.

[teryang]

15. The Office of Obstruction of Justice

Potential conflict of interest??????????

Thanks for the morning laugh.

[BiggJawn]

16. "Sir? we have information that it was Karl Rove..."

"LA-LA-LA-LA-LA... I have my fingers in my ears. I can't HEAR YOU!"

There, there's your "briefing"....

[snippy]

18. This is outrageous. Totally Bush League.

Democrats should demand to know why the Crisco Christian is requiring that he be briefed on the investigation. Someone really needs to raise hell about this.

On a lighter note - - - Ashcroft in the Oval Office.



http://www.theonion.com/onion3905/ashcroft_orders_staff.html

[tom_paine]

21. Himmler regularly briefed on "Abuse of Jews"

He'll get to the bottom of it and find the culprit any minute now.