Dean's "ambition" cited as reason for gubernatorial records seal

[no name no slogan]

From Judicial Watch:

(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and abuse, said today that Vermont State archivist documents concerning the negotiations and decision to seal former Vermont Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean’s records show Dean’s personal political ambitions for the presidency were the reason Dean wanted his gubernatorial records sealed for an unprecedented 24 years. Ultimately, they were sealed for 10 years. Vermont State Archivist Gregory Sanford specifically cited “ambition” as not being sufficient grounds for exempting records from disclosure. Vermont Deputy Secretary of State William A. Dalton stated in a September 4, 2002 e-mail that, with respect to Dean’s request, “. . . even eight years seems extreme.”

Dean’s Legal Counsel, David Rocchio, also sought a memorandum of understanding (also unprecedented in Vermont) with the Secretary of State that would further seal Dean’s records beyond established limits, “In the event Governor Dean is President or a presidential candidate. . .”

--snip--

“Dean’s personal political ambitions and apparent obsession with keeping his public record secret are not consistent with Vermont law, nor are they compatible with principles of transparency and accountability in government. Dean obviously has something to hide,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

link: http://www.judicialwatch.org/3518.shtml

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Uh-huh.

What do you have to say about Willie Horton and Michael Dukakis, sir?

Hawkeye-X

[Cha]

2. Go Hawkeye!

[no name no slogan]

4. Yes, indeedy-do, I've been ZINGED!

Yes, keenly witty comebacks and cleverly animated GIFs are indeed humour of the most clever sort. I myself enjoy a good knee-slapper on occassion to great delight.

However, the article presents a valid criticism of a man who would become the highest law-enforcement authority in this country.

I would advise you to contact the fine fellows at www.deandefense.org or the ever-unflappable Joe Trippi for talking points before you actually address the merits of this criticism.

[Cha]

5. The guy that's doing this is running for Senator

from Florida with the proclamation that he will become Hillary Clinton's Worst Nightmare!

I don't give a Rat Ass what he has to say ...good for you that you care.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

13. Do you give a Rat's Ass what's in those records?

and WHY the good doctor would have them sealed?
And speaking of Dukakis, this is something he would NEVER do, since he believed in open government. Duke had nothing to hide. Whether it was a furloughed prioner gone bad, or other.

[blm]

15. Good point. You either believe in open government

or you don't.

[genius]

18. Anything to distract from the truth. The Deanies don't want to hear it

The good news is that more and more open minded people are waking up about Dean every day.

[shance]

3. Al Gore Media Technique: Mercy for Republicans, JUSTICE for Dems

How much has the Bush/Cheney Administration sealed and/or shredded?

How many people have they intimidated and threatened for telling the truth and doing the right thing?

How many Amendments of the Constitution have the Bush/Cheney Administration tried to essentially eliminate?

[Cha]

6. Yes! A thinking person would see all

of this and go "hmmm?" "Do I really care what larry klayman says?"

[no name no slogan]

7. No, a thinking person would read it

... and keep in mind who Larry Klayman is, and then come to her/his own conclusion.

But of course, I enjoy opening my mind to new thoughts and ideas, and examining them carefully, and then determining if they're valid or not. Then I check into the credibility of the person who proposed such new ideas. Then I determine the merit of the idea.

Of course, your mileage may vary. :eyes:

[Cha]

8. You can roll your eyes all you want at me.

I know what larry klayman is and I know you're against Dean.

So I'm not gonna get real worried about it.

[w4rma]

9. This subject has been hashed for months on DU.

Bush is the most secretive president in the history of the United States. Even more so than Nixon. His governor papers are sealed, his energy meeting papers are sealed, you have to fight his army of lawyers for any piece of information.

Dean has some of his governors papers sealed for 10 years instead of 6.
Clark's NED administration papers are secret.
Every Congressperson has some of their papers sealed.

Larry Klayman needs to go work on Bush who actually has power and whose has many dark secrets that need to be given the light of day. I'm absolutely positive there isn't anything scandalous about Dean's governorship in little Vermont. The only things in these documents are little nothings that the GOP and other unscrupulous political opponents would like to twist and mischaracterize for use as smears.

[Octafish]

10. Actually Klayman HAS gone to work on Bush.

He is representing the FBI agents out of Chicago who Bush ordered off of Osama's money trail in summer 2001. The agents went to Klayman for protection when they decided to blow the whistle on their bosses, who put the kibbosh on their investigation they thought might have prevented 9-11. Remember, one of the groups tied in with good old Grover Norquist? Klayman also printed some documents from Cheney's ENRON Energy task force that showed the nice oil fields and who had dibs on them. While the guy was a major turd re: Clinton, Klayman's carried water in the fight against the BFEE, as well.

BTW: What does Dean know about counter-terrorism? Is that in his papers?

[Egnever]

11. DUH

you think he did it cause he wanted to rtetire and didnt want anyone to know who he flicked buggers at in his emails?

You needed this article to realize this?

WTF?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

17. Good point

given the stream of embarrassing gaffes motor mouth has unleashed in this campaign alone, I imagine there are some real "winners" from those 10 years he'd like kept from the light of day.

[RogueTrooper]

12. The most important question

is who is paying for this JW investigation? If memory serves, JW does not do pro bono witch hunts.

[redqueen]

14. Actually...

They're not pro-bono, but they are non-profit (operate on donations, and who can say how much weight the big donators have to throw around wrt which cases get pursued).

Since they overwhelmingly file cases against mainly Clinton-era corruption, it's rather hard for me to see them in a non-partisan light.

Their work against Cheney was one glimmer of hope, but it is apparently just that -- a glimmer. Just check their 'cases' page to find out how slanted their quest for justice really is. :(

[genius]

16. And we're supposed to trust this guy?

He changes his postion on importan issues on an almost daily basis and we are supposed to forget his record and his last position. It seems like this guy is following in Bush's footsteps.