Ashcroft -- the first to cover up Wilsongate?

[nixonwasbetterthanW]

While he was out prosecuting marijuana growers and seeking to bar reimportation of pharmaceuticals from Canada, look at what Ashcroft was apparently overlooking FOR TWO MONTHS! What was the result of the preliminary investigation, if any, oh wise author of the patriot act (I do not capitalize unconstitutional legislation, unlike, say, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights)?

<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/29/politics/29CND-LEAK.html?hp>

...

A government official acknowledged over the weekend that the C.I.A.'s office of general counsel wrote to the Department of Justice in late July to complain of the disclosure and to ask for an investigation into whether administration officials had indeed been involved in what could be a violation of federal law.

[Jacobin]

1. but but but Tommy Chong was on the loose!!!

Now that he's safely behind bars and no longer a menace to society, Ashcrack can figure out how to whitewash this pesky little problem.

[papau]

2. ABCNote - has these questions for media to ask WH and Ashcroft -

But will they?

From the ABCnote:

"Has President Bush made clear to the White House staff that only total cooperation with the investigation will be tolerated? If not, why not?

Has he insisted that every senior staff member sign a statement with legal authority that they are not the leaker and that they will identify to the White House legal counsel who is?

Has Bush required that all sign a letter relinquishing journalists from protecting those two sources? Has Bush said that those involved in this crime will be immediately fired? If not, why not?

Has Albert Gonzalez distributed a letter to White House employees telling them to preserve documents, logs, records? If not, why not?

Has Andy Card named someone on his staff to organize compliance? If not, why not?

White House officials who might have legal or political exposure on this are going to have to decide whether to hire lawyers or not, and the White House counsel's office is going to have to decide what legal help they can and should provide to officials if and when the DOJ wants to talk to them.

That means that the '90s practice of every Washington bureau of calling members of the bar to see who has hired whom is about to heat back up. The first one to report someone hiring a criminal lawyer wins a prize, as does the first person who develops that lawyer as a source on all this.

A reminder that students of recusal politics will have to consider the Rove-Ashcroft history"

[MO_Dem]

3. There is probably some hookers left in New Orleans

that he hasn't caught yet, and then there's his crusade to prevent doctors from assisted suicide in OR, and then there's all those prayer meetings he has to have with his staff, and then throw in the little matter of him being held in contemp of court for disobeying a judges gag order--so I doubt the poor overworked man will have time to pursue any cases of treason.

[HereSince1628]

4. Stonewalled is more like it and that has brought us to Friday's

disclosure.

In July a friendly letter is sent...not much happens for two months. then a letter is sent with questions which are answered, and not much happens...Then a senior administration official leaks the request to investigate.

IMHO I think that we can safely assume it is George Tenet who is the senior administration official. I speculate that he made a request, was stonewalled, was asked some stupid questions, and got pissed off. In order to get some traction he went to the press.

Well, now much of the nation knows what those of us who paid attention knew last July. Someone broke the law. They've delayed until someone (Probably Tenet) couldn't stand it anymore.

BUT the real tricky part is how Democrats can avoid giving immunity for the criminals' testimonies that will be wanted in the Congressional hearings that I expect to be arranged by late next week.