What did the WH know, & when did they know it? - TPM on Senate memo theft

[TacticalPeek]

Here are the two paragraphs from Gonzales' letter in which he responds to the Senators' detailed questions about possible White House involvement ...

As I explained, I am not aware of any credible allegation of White House involvement in this matter. Consequently, there has been no White House investigation or effort to determine whether anyone at the White House was aware of or involved in these activities.

As I also advised you, I have no personal knowledge that any such computer files or the documents they may have contained were provided to our office or to others at the White House. So far as I know, moreover, neither my staff nor others at the White House were aware of activity by the Judiciary Committee staff or other Senate employees such as they alleged in public reports on this matter.

I have no personal knowledge ... so far as i know ... rather less than unequivocal, isn't it?

Maybe this gets added to the list of investigations hanging over the White House's collective head.

more
TalkingPointsMemo

(Check out Josh Marshall; he also has a link to a new Kerry/Bush poll with internals)

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Here's the Boston Globe article today about the dueling letters.

And here's the letter to Gonzales. (I'm still looking for his full reply letter.)

And a similar letter to Ashcroft.


Potential criminal liability. Potential White House involvement. What will we tell the chirren?

[hang a left]

1. "so far as i know "

I am sure they have a don't ask don't tell policy. What a scandal ridden administration.

[Stephanie]

2. Of course!

I never even thought of it. Of course the spying on the Dems would have been at least known, if not directed, by the WH. It went on for months - they had to know. It's freaking Watergate. It's bizarre.

[snippy]

6. This White House is obsessed about controlling everything.

I find it impossible to believe that there was no White House involvement in this.

Has anyone looked at the White House reaction to the publishing of the contents of the memos and to the revelation of how the memos were released?

[orwell]

3. Dump Dumbo

I'm telling you, I smell the Intel boys behind all this drip, drip, drip.

I think the word has come down to dump the clown prince.

O

[Stephanie]

4. What about the bugging of the UN?

When is that one going to hit?

[TacticalPeek]

8. I wonder who did the bug work?

Just the Brits, or just us, or both? (Not trusting each other?!?)

On our end, NSA could do the comms, but is that enough? And would NSA play ball on this?

FBI?

CIA?

State?

Aren't those problematic?

I'll bet OSP has their own toys and boys.

[snippy]

7. That is an interesting thought.

I agree that the career spooks have taken aim at the administration on the Plame leak but I had not thought about the possibility of their involvement in disclosing information about any of the other Bush administration criminal behavior.

[TacticalPeek]

5. Kick.

[TacticalPeek]

9. Closed committee hearing today, Senators to comment this afternoon.

Sens. Hatch And Leahy Receive "Memo" Report

Washington, DC – Senate Sergeant at Arms William Pickle Wednesday afternoon presented
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Patrick
Leahy (D-Vt.) with a report on the results of that office’s investigation into the improper access
to Democratic documents from the Committee’s computer system.

In a joint statement, the senators said: “We know this investigation took a great deal of skill,
sensitivity and commitment, and Mr. Pickle and his staff deserve credit for meeting the
challenge with the utmost professionalism.”

The full Senate Judiciary Committee will discuss the report during a closed session on
Thursday, March 4. Chairman Hatch and Senator Leahy will be available for comment
Thursday afternoon at a location and time to be announced.

http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200403/030304a.html

[Stephanie]

10. Will this be on C-Span?

There are beginnning to be too many republican scandals to follow. Haiti hearings, 9/11 hearings, WMD intel hearings, Plame investigation, Judiciary committee documents theft, lawsuit over Dick's energy papers, etc., etc.

My advice is to hold one giant uber hearing. Possibly the Hague is available?

[TacticalPeek]

11. Nothing at the c-span site when I checked,

but they will probably show Senators commenting after the meet, live if nothing is happening on House floor (or Senate, c-span2), but will likely tape it and show it during breaks.

Action under the dome(s) is c-span's bailiwick. (I did notice several interesting 'current video' items listed at c-span.org.)