TPM: Former Rove Aide in on Senate Bypass Scheme?

[babylonsister]

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002818.php

Former Rove Aide in on Senate Bypass Scheme?
By Paul Kiel - March 20, 2007, 1:32 PM

Here's the email frequently cited in today's press reports where Alberto Gonzales' right hand Kyle Sampson, responding to a question about whether U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins should testify before Congress, says, "I don't think he should."

It's clear why Sampson thought so. As Justice Department official Michael Elston wrote, relaying his conversation with Cummins, if he testified, Cummins “would tell the truth about his circumstances.” The truth, of course, was that Cummins had been forced out in order to install Karl Rove's former aide Timothy Griffin in his spot -- something that Cummins knew because he had been told as much. And Sampson didn't want that, as he clearly illustrated.

How would Cummins answer, Sampson wanted to know, several uncomfortable questions? But there's one question in particular that raised even my eyebrows: "Did Griffin ever talk about being AG appointed and avoiding Senate confirmation?"

Sounds to me like Griffin was in on the scheme to have him installed by bypasssing the Senate.

more...

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Something I want to know is...why Arkansas?

My tinfoilhat is warm because it keeps going back to an answer that loads of investigative material must be sitting there ready for sifting. If the sole purpose was to give Griffin a spot as USA, why not put him in CA, NM, or NV?

[eleny]

3. Hillary Clinton's roots there with Bill

And Arkansas now has a Dem governor - if I'm not mistaken. So they wanted a deep insider close to Rove, and who is no stranger to election machinations, for dirty tricks during the '08 election.

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. Well, that's what I'm thinking

but I dare not even hint at that to hubby. He'll whip out the over-used "Crazy Conspiracy Theorist" t-shirt and tell me to put it on. *sniff*

[eleny]

7. Wear that t-shirt proudly

Your hubby sounds like mine! At least when things are proven correct he will concede. And I give him the pass. He's coming along slowly but surely.
:hi:

[peacetalksforall]

9. What more do they have besides what they tried to skewer her for

before - Whitewater? Two or three departments of the government had already cleared the Clintons' on Watergate before Starr started over again with the help of the FBI.

As Atty, they would be trying to do it for a third or fourth time - with taxpayer money?

If not leading another investigation, would Griffin clandestinely direct a political campaign aginst her? Whose job would he have, then - USATTY or Rove aide? It is a crappy move - stinks, smells, because it's rotten and typical.
Did Starr hold something back.

[eleny]

10. Since Griffin is one architect of the caging lists....

My guess is that he'd be involved in voter supression ... erm ... I mean voter fraud investigations. With a Dem governor, Arkansas is primed to go for Clinton in '08.

[peacetalksforall]

11. You're probably right. He is going to have to be extremely clever -

most people are not as gullible now. Thousands of people are going to be watching and monitoring. But the do seem to suffer from delusion at times.

[orleans]

4. the better to stir up more shit on hillary n/t

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. And yet, THIS is the assignment that's under the radar

It's not just that it was for a "Rove aide". It's for a Rove-trained aide to put his hand in the Arkansas cookie-jar.

[eleny]

8. Yeah, Griffin developed the scheme of caging lists of deployed military

I think Palast uncovered that connection.

[eleny]

2. Did you read the Cummins letter on page 32 of doc 1-6?

Two portions - Cummins writing to Elston about Tim Griffin. Looks like Cummins was asked to write a letter of recommendation for Griffin and Cummins' wife was pissed. (Remember Libby's wife coming ut of the courtroom and saying they would "f' them? The wives know the score!)