BREAKING: Documents Show Gonzales Approved Firings

[SlowDownFast]

Documents Show Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Approved Firings of Several U.S. Attorneys


By LARA JAKES JORDAN

WASHINGTON Mar 23, 2007 (AP)— Attorney General Alberto Gonzales approved plans to fire several U.S. attorneys in a November meeting, according to documents released Friday that contradict earlier claims that he was not closely involved in the dismissals.

The Nov. 27 meeting, in which the attorney general and at least five top Justice Department officials participated, focused on a five-step plan for carrying out the firings of the prosecutors, Justice Department officials said late Friday.

There, Gonzales signed off on the plan, which was crafted by his chief of staff, Kyle Sampson. Sampson resigned last week amid a political firestorm surrounding the firings.

The documents indicated that the hour-long morning discussion, held in the attorney general's conference room, was the only time Gonzales met with top aides who decided which prosecutors to fire and how to do it.

more:
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2978026

[Pierzin]

1. Mike Malloy is talking about that right now!! OMG! Amazing!

OMG OMG OMG is this the beginning of the end?

We really need a media that gives us more than sound bites on these people. They are nearly all of them, criminals! There, I said it! take that david spade! I can't beleive it! I am glued to the Malloy show!
but you can get it here!

http://www.novamradio.com/stream.php

[WestHoustonDem]

2. Proud to be #5! On to the greatest page! n/t

[Old and In the Way]

3. He lied to Congress?

The head of DoJ lied? He's a liar? He's a Republican who lied? To the American people? Why does he hate us?

[w4rma]

5. Yes. The United States' Attorney General of Law lied to Congress.

And Bush, of course, stands behind him 100%.

[Old and In the Way]

9. Bush protects the Attorney General who LIES to the American people?

That would make Bush.....a liar.

[jimshoes]

22. But, but ,but.... bushie keeps saying

he's protectin' the American people....... I'm starting to get the feeling he doesn't really care all that much about us plain folk.:grr:

[ninkasi]

15. And they pretend

to feign indignation when we require that they testify publicly, and under oath. Well, this is one of the reasons. We also know that Karl Rove has no qualms about lying even under oath, until he's caught. Lying is automatic with the Bush gang.

[hiaasenrocks]

60. I need info! LOL. Where can I find the testimony or letters

that contain the lies to Congress?

Thanks. I need to SERIOUSLY catch up.

[Qutzupalotl]

77. Why does he hate us?! -- For our freedom!

He took an oath to preserve and defend his sorry ass, evidently.

[Lord Balto]

103. "He took an oath to preserve and defend his sorry ass, evidently."

And he doesn't even do *that* very well. The truth is, the
chimp doesn't do *anything* well. The sad fact is, if the
little simian had stolen the election and then done a good
job, nobody would care. That he would have taken it upon
himself to steal an election for a job that he must have known
he was incapable of performing to even a mediocre level is the
one crime this character should pay for with his freedom.
[Hmm. I just figured out why some people think "I done
it" is good English.]

[chelsea0011]

94. He didn't lie to Congress

Listen. He is a busy guy with alot on his mind. He should be expected to forget certain details when he is dealing with such important issues in these times of terror. :sarcasm:

[spanone]

120. i'm sure he only mis-spoke, which we all know is lying by another name.

[leftyladyfrommo]

126. I think he mostly thinks about fish and biking.

And probably stays up late at night trying to figure out how to get revenge on all the people he detests.

[SlowDownFast]

4. Well, lookie, lookie...

The documents were released Friday night, a few hours after Sampson agreed to testify at a Senate inquiry next week into the firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year.

Earlier Friday, a staunch White House ally, Sen. John Cornyn, summoned White House counsel Fred Fielding to Capitol Hill and told him he wanted "no surprises."

"I told him, 'Everything you can release, please release. We need to know what the facts are,'" Cornyn said.

[Old and In the Way]

8. It's all over now....they are toast.

Republicans support liars who lie to the American people? Who knew?

[tbyg52]

113. *My* senator? MY senator said this?

doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo..... Paging Rod Serling....

[Beetwasher]

6. There's WEEKS Of Revelations Like This Just Waiting To Dribble Out

Death by a thousand cuts.

Yeah, sure Chimpy. Your staff can testify w/ no oath, no transcript and in private because Leahy is a fucking idiot. :eyes:

[aquart]

16. They are so drenched in blood, we'll hardly be able to tell.

[TahitiNut]

20. Too bad there's only one Friday in each week.

:silly:

[WiseButAngrySara]

30. ROFL! ....n/t

[agates]

27. Not just weeks, but months of revelations

This is just the beginning. Criminal conspiracies to cover up crimes are complex.

For those of you who are too young to remember, here's a Watergate Timeline for historical reference.

[ThomWV]

7. Contrary To Sworn Testimony Last Week Before Congress = Perjury

[hang a left]

49. good point

[Lord Balto]

104. Do you see the big picture now?

This is *precisely* why they don't want to testify in public
under oath. They understand (since Nixon showed them) that you
can't keep the truth hidden forever. It's just sad that the
American treasury has been looted and a million Iraqis are
dead because these confabulating loony tunes weren't put away
permanently after Iran-Contra. Are you out there, you
pinheaded "Reagan Democrats"? You should have your
damned heads examined.

[Morgana LaFey]

125. GOOOD point re the Reagan Democrats

And welcome to DU!!

[juno jones]

130. Effin A-men to that...

...we are in this now because everybody thought Reagan was their goddamn grampa. Say now and say it proud: FUCK RONALD REAGAN! I knew he was shit from day one, but then I had graduated from high school in '81 into a town with no jobs, thanks to these bastards. I'm just glad everyone else around me is starting to wake up...

[SlowDownFast]

10. FauxNoise on it, too.

same AP story as OP:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,260801,00.html

[Old and In the Way]

11. hehehehe...Fox: Gonzalas lied under oath!

Gone....now, lets talk about the conspiracy to fire honest USA's....

[kath]

82. And let's also find out what the DIShonest US Attorneys did to KEEP their jobs.

[caligirl]

12. anyone recall the date of Harriet Miers email to Sampson re:Bush approval?

If Nov 27th is at about the time Bush got back from his trip which Miers mentioned in that email, then isn't it possible Gonzo was waiting for that approval prior to the Nov 27th meeting?

[Spazito]

19. The meeting took place during the 18 day "gap" as well

which sure throws out their Thanksgiving "lull" excuse they have been using. Miers e-mail re bush was dated Nov 15th I believe.

[caligirl]

46. Bush was back in DC sometime late Nov. 21st, the Bush twins had a purse theft the 22nd

in Argentina, Bush blessed a turkey at the WH Nov 23. I'd say he had time to meet with Gonzo.

[Spazito]

54. Hmmm, I have him returning from Estonia, Latvia and Jordan

on Nov 30, 2006 according to this WH release:



President George W. Bush waves as he walks from Marine One upon his return to the White House, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006, following his trip to Estonia, Latvia and Jordan. White House photo by Kimberlee Hewitt

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/11/images/20061130-17_p113006kh-0927-770v.html

The Harriet Mier e-mail was on Nov 15th, the meeting which included Gonzales was on Nov 27th and we know from the e-mails on Dec 4th the go-ahead was given so it seems clear to me that between Nov 30th and Dec 4th, bush gave the final okay.

[caligirl]

58. I think your looking at a trip possibly after Thanksgiving, news articles show he was in dc

sometime the 21st and stayed around through thanksgiving,giving him plenty of time to see Gonzo and this plan. I'd be interested to know where he was the 26th and 27th.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/11/20061122-2.html

and this
http://starbulletin.com/2006/11/21/news/story01.html
he Bushes are then expected to leave Honolulu shortly after 9 a.m.

The president is ending an around-the-world journey that took him from Washington to Moscow to Hanoi, Vietnam; Singapore; and Jakarta, Indonesia, before coming to Honolulu.


Nov 27th he left washington for for Estonia:
President Bush today arrived in Estonia for the first of a series of high-level talks about the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Today the Iraq Study Group met in Washington, D.C., to discuss U.S. strategy and options in Iraq.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0611/27/ldt.01.html


So He was in Washington the mornin g of the 27th 2006.

7:00 am THE PRESIDENT departs The White House via Marine One

EST South Lawn, The White House
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2006/11/bush_to_estonia_latvia_and_jor.html

[Spazito]

64. He was in the White House on the 27th, according to the WH

site:

President Signs S. 435, S. 819, S. 1131, S. 2464, and S. 3880

On Monday, November 27, 2006, the President signed into law:


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/11/20061127-1.html

I can't find anything definitive of his whereabouts on the 26th and he was in Latvia on the 28th.

[caligirl]

71. He signed a National methamphetamine Awareness Proclamation

that morning or that day and it went out to all USAttorneys over the next two days. So I am guessing they had a meeting either before he left, or over the AF1 lines of communication. All just speculation.

Bush could have reviewed the final plan before Gonzo met with DOJ officials the 27th.

[Spazito]

74. Yep, the bottom line is that bush was around during those

crucial days and not out of "town" until after the DOJ meeting on the 27th.

[Old and In the Way]

13. My prediction: this will be the thread that gets most nominations...

[troubleinwinter]

56. Count me in.

[Doctor_J]

14. Which outlet of the "Liberal Media" will be first to run with this?

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I crack myself up

[PegDAC]

131. I hear another

"Special Comment" coming from Keith Olbermann!!
:D :bounce: :loveya: :applause:

[SlowDownFast]

17. LBN thread and MSNBC link:

LBN:
Documents: Gonzales OK’d firing attorneys http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2779568&mesg_id=2779568

MSNBC:
Documents: Gonzales OK’d firing attorneys
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17763780

[senseandsensibility]

18. delete

Answered on another thread.

[Rockholm]

21. Bye Bye!!!!!

[Divine Discontent]

65. if he is not fired within 7 days I march....

I'm sure many will join... what the heck, I don't have a job, bush has destroyed the country I loved quite a bit from what I remember int in the 90's and until mid 01 when his dark cloud ascended fully over the white house
www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<---- top 08 stickers and shirts

[truebrit71]

23. So where are the Docs?

Anyone have a link?

[originalpckelly]

32. The others were posted on the House Judiciary Committee's website...

about 2 am ET, 1 am CT, 12 am MT, 11 pm PT:
http://judiciary.house.gov/

[truebrit71]

33. The new ones were posted tonight?

I'll have to check..

[originalpckelly]

34. Not yet, like I said, they'll probably have to scan them into a computer...

because they all look like they were printed out instead of being in electronic form. (Hence the PDF's being images instead of actual text.)

[truebrit71]

39. Okay...cool...I'll keep on checking back...

Thanks!

[LiberalFighter]

43. And that pisses me off. They could very easily had created pdfs from electronic docs

[truebrit71]

38. I'm not seeing them?

I could be a dummy...can you point me in the right direction?

[bleever]

24. "Trey Bohn"? The WH spokesperson is "TREY BOHN"??

This stuff not only writes itself, it has casting covered as well.

[originalpckelly]

35. You might say this is a very good development...

at least for those trying to find out what happened. :rofl:

Damn, that's a funny ass name for anyone who knows even a little francais!

[Patsy Stone]

42. Oui!

C'est si BOHN!

[bleever]

44. Qui donnez vrai frisson!

(image link to Marcel Marceau yelling "NO!" in silent movie)

[flyarm]

111. ahhhh those pesky French!! ..c'est la vie...i just returned from France!!

3 weeks in PARIS AND THE SOUTH OF FRANCE!!

gotta love those french names in the * White House!!


Merci on this story!!

been up since 3 am still on French time zone trying to catch up on what i have missed for 4 weeks!!

bon soir!!

fly

[Patsy Stone]

129. Lucky lady!

:hi:, Mama! :loveya:

[intaglio]

92. Funny in french

but initially he is ...





T Bohn

[Cha]

25. Caught red-handed lying again..no

wonder bush won't fire him..too lonesome in the pod.

[bleever]

26. If someone says, "I was not involved in seeing any memos",

you know they're lying or hiding something, just by the awkward construction.

[EST]

29. However, this is the way it will spin--

USAs serve at the pleasure of the prez, so there is no underlying crime, therefore, no obstruction of justice.
The lying part will be covered by the construction that there are certain communications that are highly classified or sensitive that the exec has to demand coverup at all costs, even under oath, so it really wasn't lying under oath, it was an essential act to preserve national security.

Of course, Leahy ain't that lying, conniving little Spectre and he's pretty unlikely to roll over and expose his genitals to the alpha, ala Spectre.

[bleever]

52. I'm thinking that they keep backing into smaller and smaller

dead ends, shedding scapegoats faster than we can keep up with, and their defense keeps getting progressively tinier, and tinier, until like a cancerous mass deprived of blood, it detaches and is expelled.

Maybe that's Friday talking, but hey, it's Friday.

[Lord Balto]

106. Very Insightful

Welcome to the world of the worst corporate CEO in history.
This is the guy who, as Randi Rhodes keeps pointing out,
couldn't find oil in Bahrain. And that's not just a figure of
speech.

[bleever]

128. Welcome to DU, Lord Balto.

Your website looks likes its full of fascinating stuff.

[crappyjazz]

110. Yeah

cuz, how did they know there were memos? :rofl:

[redacted]

28. Texas Legal Ethics Materials from Cornell Law School

http://www.law.cornell.edu/ethics/texas.html

[loudsue]

89. From that site:

PREAMBLE

Canon 1 Upholding the Integrity and
Independence of the Judiciary.
Canon 2 Avoiding Impropriety and the
Appearance of Impropriety in All Activities.
Canon 3 Performing the Duties of Office
Impartially and Diligently.
Canon 4 Conducting the Judge's Extra-Judicial
Activities to Minimize the Risk of Conflict with
Judicial Obligations.
Canon 5 Refraining From Inappropriate
Political Activity.
Canon 6 Compliance with the Code of Judicial
Conduct.
Canon 7 Effective Date of Compliance.
Canon 8 Construction and Terminology of the Code.

Canon 9 Deleted by Orders of June 30, 1993, and Nov. 4, eff.
March 1, 1994.
Canon 10 Deleted by Orders of June 30, 1993, and Nov. 4, eff.
March 1, 1994.

Code of Judicial Conduct Source:




Just the Index, itself, puts Gonzo in hot water! I wonder what the rest of it says? #2 "Avoiding impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities."

#5 Refraining from inappropriate political activity.

I think Gonzo should lose his license.

:kick::kick::kick:

[peacetalksforall]

31. Has anyone prepared the timeline? If after Bush returned,

how long after - hours or days?

If after, it 'implies' that Bush gave him the go ahead.

We know their history - they will do everything to protect him. From us.

[Spazito]

37. Bush returned on Nov 30, 2006 from trip to Estonia, Latvia and

Jordan:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/11/images/20061130-17_p113006kh-0927-770v.html

So, the meeting to finalize occurred on Nov. 27th, 2006, bush returns on Nov.30th and the go-ahead takes place between then and Dec.4, 2006 when we know e-mails went out saying it was a go. Seems pretty clear to me, via this timeline, bush was the FINAL okay.

Edited to add some clarity re dates/e-mails.

Edited to add: bush was in the White House on the 27th according to the WH site:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/11/20061127-1.html

[notadmblnd]

121. right, but they had to wait for the Patroit Act to be re-authorized, right?

they couldn't force the fired USA's resignations until Specter got their objective (taking power from congress and judiciary) into the Patriot Act, and that passed. Exactly what day was the bill for the PA passed?

Don't these e-mails show that this has been a conspiracy to subvert the constitution? Specter, DoJ and the WH, planning to steal from congress the authority granted to them?

[Spazito]

124. The vote on renewing the Patriot Act was on March 7, 2006

according to this CNN article re the House vote, the Senate vote was the previous week:

Approval sends measure to Bush's desk before expiration

Tuesday, March 7, 2006; Posted: 10:54 p.m. EST (03:54 GMT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Congress on Tuesday renewed controversial provisions of the USA Patriot Act, the 2001 law passed weeks after the September 11 attacks to help the government investigate and capture possible terrorists.

The approval in the House of Representatives, by a vote of 280-138, sent the measure to President Bush for his signature.

The Senate last week voted 89-10 to approve the compromise package, which covers 16 provisions in the act that are set to expire on March 10.



http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/07/patriot.act/

[WiseButAngrySara]

36. Friday night news! KNR. ....n/t

[BeHereNow]

40. NOW will Americans wake up from their soma induced slumber???

What else do Americans need to rouse them to awaken to the grim fact that our
country has been over taken by thugs, thieves and miscreant corporatists?
BHN

[The Witch]

41. Just got home - HOLY CRAAAP!!!!!!!

BUSTEEEEDDDDDD!!!!!!

US:
Gonzo:

hehehe

[SlowDownFast]

45. UPDATE: Another Email Provides Evidence of White House Involvement

Gonzales Was Briefed on Prosecutors Before Firings (Update2)

By Robert Schmidt and James Rowley

March 23 (Bloomberg) -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was briefed on plans for the firings of federal prosecutors 11 days before the dismissals, the U.S. Justice Department disclosed as it began its own investigation into the matter.

Two Justice Department watchdog units will conduct a joint probe to determine why eight U.S. attorneys were removed and if Congress was misled by agency officials' testimony.

``The department needs a thorough and complete investigation into this matter,'' spokesman Brian Roehrkasse told reporters.

Several documents released by the Justice Department tonight, including Gonzales's appointment calendar, show that the attorney general and his deputy, Paul McNulty, participated in an hour-long meeting about the firings on Nov. 27. Another e-mail provided new evidence the White House was involved in the firings.

more:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHi4czdqtVFo&refer=home

[Catherine Vincent]

47. I don't understand. Why would Gonzales lie like that?

:shrug:

[BeHereNow]

48. Cause he's a treasonous sack of shit like KKKarl?

That's my first guess.
BHN
edited to add "treasonous" to subject line...:evilgrin:

[nadinbrzezinski]

88. He never expected to get called to the carpet

[ClintonTyree]

90. He's a Republican.....

and the Republican party's platform is built from the ground up on lies. It's in their DNA. They know that if they didn't lie not one of them would ever be elected to public office.

[TankLV]

100. He's a REPUKE - it comes NATURALLY

First and foremost - for these scum - ALL repukes - is to protect the PARTY.

Last, if they have any time left, and they happen to think about it, is to consider the COUNTRY...

[Lord Balto]

108. No No No--you're all wrong...

This is Alice's Looking Glass World. Everything is backwards. And Al Gonzales is the Red Queen. Do you really expect truth and justice from the Red Queen?

[caligirl]

50. Remember this:Alberto Gonzales Can’t Name A Mistake He’s Made

Nov 27th gonzo meets to discuss firing USA with 5 justice officials. Nov 30th Gonzo tells Wolf he can't recall making a mistake. OOPS! March 13 he denies any involvement in the US attorney selection, discussions etc.



Alberto Gonzales Can’t Name A Mistake He’s Made
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/30/gonzales-mistake/

BLITZER: Looking back on the decisions that you’ve made, at the White House, now at the Justice Department, anything jump to mind? Anything that you deeply regret, a decision that you made?

GONZALES: Oh, I think that you and I would — I’d have to spend some time thinking about that. Obviously I’m not going to say that I am perfect and that I’ve been perfect in doing my job. Obviously I’ve made some recommendations to my client. Some of those recommendations have not been supported in the courts. In hindsight, you sometimes wonder, well, perhaps, perhaps the recommendation should have been something different.


Alberto(Fredo)Gonzales, you made the big mistake when you went to work for Bush, but Nov 27, 2006 and March 13, 2007 is likely your most regretted lie, it will cost you your career.

[Kool Kitty]

75. Oh, for crissakes! Not another one.

Another man who doesn't make mistakes. Gonzo and W. How do they tolerate the gaze of us mere mortals? Shame on us for not bowing to such utter perfection. :crazy:

[July]

95. "MY CLIENT"

Does Gonzales not understand that the Attorney General works for the American people?

[magellan]

51. How many lies does it take to get to the center of a criminal administration?

The world may never know.

[Deb]

53. Why it's a Texas Five-Step

Dance into History cowboy.

[caligirl]

55. Hey Bush, Fredo and Rove, even if you can't read- the rest of us can.

[WinkyDink]

57. WWNS? What Would Nora Say? "You don't trust the White House."

[Marr]

59. Man! It's amazing how our poor, virtuous GW is just cursed with such a lying staff!

They let him down every time! Poor guy!

:sarcasm:

[ClintonTyree]

91. And all dear friends of his as well.....

They say you can judge a man by the company he keeps. "W" should pick his friends better. But this in no way reflects on "W"'s character, he's just a victim of his crooked, lying friends. More :sarcasm:

[hiaasenrocks]

61. Recommended! You know, these lying bastards think that

because they've been allowed to run free over the last six years that they can continue, but they're in for a serious ass-whoopin'.

OVERSIGHT, baby!

[BeHereNow]

62. Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?

Tonight, it is to kick and recommend this thread.
BHN

[Divine Discontent]

63. dirtbag!

he's supposed to be the "top cop" of our country, and he's a complete LIAR!

impeach em all.
www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<--- top new antibush stickers and 08!

[BeHereNow]

66. And fuck the freeptard trolls who are reading this thread.

Trying their best to tell themselves this crime is not really a crime
against the citizens of this country.

They ( the fucktard freeper trolls reading this) are treasonous bastards, every bit as guilty as the people involved
in this travesty against WE, the people,

BHN

[Divine Discontent]

67. amen brother!

I see your creation symbol, my friend gave that to me when he returned from Colo. a few years ago. I'm Christian but I appreciate the meaning of that symbol.

God bless you, and right on, the treasonous dirtbags who keep believing these criminals are for America's best interests are fooling their lil brains... all they care about is GOLDDDDDDDDDD and, GOLD... oh, and GOLD.... they're all about the billions, and nothing more.

[BeHereNow]

69. Make that "sistah' And yes, doesn't it enrage you? As a Christian?

I am a Christian too, and I am PISSED that the so called x-tians bushbots
in our country continue to turn a blind eye to the treason and blasphemy of
the pResident and his criminal KKKabal while wrapping themselves in the flag and spitting on the teachings of Christ.

I want my country and my faith returned by these pharisees and money changers.

BHN

[think4yourself]

98. Right on, Sister

I'm at the point where I think that if Bush was a real Believer he'd want to clean house and do the right thing. Saying he was a Christian was all a lie to motivate Christians to come to the polls to vote. Exploiting decent, religious people in order to get elected is disgusting and he will have to answer for the lies. I haven't seen ONE act that resembles something from this Book I'm reading here.

[Justice Is Comin]

68. They will love you in the Penn Gonzo.

[BeHereNow]

70. Kick...MUST NOT LET THIS SINK!

BHN

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

72. So There We Have It. The Highest Amongst Us Charged With Upholding Law Is A Perjurer To Congress.

Oh that's just lovely.

Looks like it'll be yet another interesting week ahead.

[caligirl]

73. Hey Babs and Poppy, is the 43rd really what you thought you had raised?

[Kool Kitty]

76. Note to W:

George, when it comes time to appoint a new AG (and the time is approaching QUICKLY, dear), please try to pick a person that is competent, you know-someone that actually KNOWS and has RESPECT for the LAW. Not another one of your (or your father's) chums, school buddies or ex-drinking partners. Just a suggestion, you understand. I know that you are the decision-maker. Just please make a decision that isn't completely fucked-up.

[Catherine Vincent]

78. Is this the "drip drip drip" that Leahy was talking about?

Drip Drip Drip...

[MilesColtrane]

79. As I've posted somewhere before, for this gang, lying to the press and Congress...

is a badge of honor.

I'm not going to automatically assume that the Dungeonmaster will be fired for this.
After all, he knows a lot about who is ultimately responsible for Abu Ghraib and the policy of torture implemented by this Administration.

[Eurobabe]

80. What else did Gonzo lie about? n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

81. Betting pool to his quitting

me, Sunday afternoon, well after the morning shows, even perhaps at night

[Jack Rabbit]

83. Well, that's you Friday news dump for this week

. . . at least part of it.

[rodeodance]

84. Bush/Gonzales/Snow's fishy stories about prosecutor firings; plus TPM "don't get distracted"

Forum Name General Discussion: Politics
Topic subject Bush/Gonzales/Snow's fishy stories about prosecutor firings; plus TPM "don't get distracted"
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3178877#3178877
3178877,

Bush/Gonzales/Snow's fishy stories about prosecutor firings; plus TPM "don't get distracted"
Posted by ProSense on Fri Mar-23-07 10:15 PM

So Much for the Unitary Executive
Marty Lederman

I finally got a chance to read the President's address the other night, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one struck by a particular odd turn-of-phrase: "I'm sorry this, frankly, has bubbled to the surface the way it has, for the U.S. attorneys involved. I really am. These are -- I put them in there in the first place; they're decent people. They serve at our pleasure."

"Our" pleasure? I can imagine all the raised eyebrows over at the Federalist Society when they heard that one. What happened to Article II, Section 1, anyway? ("The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.")

<...>

That's fairly remarkable and troubling, if it were true -- that the Attorney General fired eight U.S. Attorneys who are, by statute, removable by the President, and did so without even getting the President's approval for such a serious decision!

That's why it's almost certainly not true. It's virtually inconceivable that the President did not sign off on the removals (even if he was not intimately involved in the discussions that led up to the final choices). The President, in his briefing, undermined Snow's subsequent claim:

"These U.S. attorneys serve at the pleasure of the President. I named them all. And the Justice Department made recommendations, which the White House accepted, that eight of the 93 would no longer serve."

more...



From Talking Points Memo:

<...>

But don't get distracted by the lying or even the cover-up.

Right-wing shills want to chalk the blundering administration response to US Attorney Purge scandal to incompetence. But just as we can infer the force of gravity from the descent of the falling apple, the panicked succession of lies and dodges out of the administration implies not incompetence but guilty knowledge of underlying bad acts.

This isn't about the AG's lies. It's not about the attempted cover-up. It's not about executive privilege and investigative process mumbojumbo.

This is about using US Attorneys to damage Democrats and protect Republicans, using the Department of Justice as a partisan cudgel in the war for national political dominance. All the secrecy and lies, the blundering and covering-up stems from this one central fact.

[MilesColtrane]

86. Re:"They serve at our pleasure."

Oh crap. The Chimp is using the royal we!
Is he accidentally tipping his hand at something?

..."This heinous attack upon the seat of American government and it's unitary executive shall not go unpunished. We have suspended the constitution in order to protect the American people. We shall appoint a new Congress that will help us exact a measure of justice from the perpatrators. We are not fuckin' amused!"

[TankLV]

102. It's about using US Attorneys to damage Democrats and protect Republicans,,,

That's it in a nutshell.

And that's PRECISELY why repukes SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS AT ALL!

THAT is the repuke mindset...

[rodeodance]

85. also see this long DU thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2779568

[19jet54]

87. Rove...

... what about Rove & Bush - Gonzales could not scratch his ass without permission? (A Good Little Soldier)

[Roland99]

93. Bedtime for Gonzo!!

:D

[Rose Siding]

96. WH/DoJ "liaison" has taken a "leave of absence"-

"Another Justice aide closely involved in the dismissals, White House liaison Monica Goodling, has also taken a leave of absence, two officials said."

That might be a subpeona worth issuing.

[jazzjunkysue]

97. Guess we know how the "negotiations" are going. Gonzo got the pink slip.

Don't think for a second that Rove didn't have a dozen little "releases" ready to slow or exhaust the democratic thirst for the truth. This was calculated so that it wouldn't appear that * had fired his beloved Alberto. But he did.

They threatened the fired attorneys to keep quiet, but now that they're on the TV news circuit, we'll find out how many dispensable people * has stacked up in the basement of the white house, ready for the gillotine.

You should never accept a job from a lying, murderous, thieving sack of shit, wraped in the holy bible.

[TankLV]

99. They're caught in ANOTHER lie AGAIN!

I am sooooo shocked!

:sarcasm:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

101. Hey he's a busy dude, can't be expected to remember all the crap he approves :sarcasm:

[leveymg]

105. That's only half of it. Bush approved the firings after he returned 12/04

That's referenced in Harriet Miers e-mail: http://blog.citizensforethics.org/node/749

Home » Topic » George Bush
New e-mails prompt the question: Did Bush make the decision to fire the U.S. Attorneys?
Submitted by CREW on 22 March 2007 - 5:51pm. George Bush | Harriet Miers | Kyle Sampson | US Attorneys
McClatchy's article from earlier today discusses the potentially overlooked role of President Bush in the decision to fire the U.S. Attorneys:

Internal administration e-mails show that the Justice Department postponed the firings for nearly three weeks late last year while awaiting White House approval. The final consent came on Dec. 4, four days after Bush returned from an overseas trip, once several senior White House officials signed off on the plan. It is not known if Bush himself did.

Harriet Miers, then White House counsel, had warned in a Nov. 15 e-mail to the Justice Department that approval of the firings would be delayed if Bush had to OK the plan.

"Not sure whether this will be determined to require the boss's attention. If it does, he just left last night, so would not be able to accomplish for some time," Miers wrote in the e-mail, which was among a batch of e-mails and other internal documents related to the firings that were released by the Justice Department last week.


As you can see by reading that e-mail interaction here, Miers response prompted Kyle Sampson to ask: Who will determine if this requires the President's attention?

Interestingly, as Miers forewarned, the decision was delayed, coincidentally, for the amount of time Bush was away for Thanksgiving and a foreign trip:

The e-mail exchange came the day after Bush left Washington for a weeklong trip to Russia and Asia. He returned for a long Thanksgiving weekend at Camp David, then took off to Latvia and Jordan before returning to Washington on Nov. 30, a Thursday. Four days later, on Dec. 4, the White House signed off on the firing plan.

"We're a go for the US Atty plan," Kelley told the Justice Department. "WH leg, political and communications have signed off and acknowledged that we have to be committed to following through once the pressure comes."

"WH leg" apparently refers to the White House legislative affairs office, the president's liaison to Congress. Rove heads the political office. "Communications" is under the purview of presidential counselor Dan Bartlett.


The "We're a go" e-mail exchange can be found here.

Think Progress and Talking Points Memo both took note of the 18-day gap from Mid-November through early December during which there were almost no e-mails in the documents provided to Congress. That gap coincides with the time that Bush was away. Tony Snow said there was a "good response" for the gap. Is the "good response" that the White House and Justice Department staffers were waiting for Bush to decide what to do?

OK - So, where are the memos that showed Miers talking to "the boss", and Bush signed-off on it? If they kept no records of that, they're screwed on an OOJ rap for avoiding the Presidential Records Act. If Bush indeed approved it, and then permitted DOJ officials to lie to Congress, this is an impeachable offense, with or without records. If Bush honestly didn't know a thing about it, then that proved he's incapacitated and incompetent (I know, I know), and should be removed under the 25th Amendment.

[pinto]

107. Kick.

[Name removed]

109. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[riderinthestorm]

117. I'm finding it hard to believe the Chimp doesn't do any "work" when he travels

(I know, work being a relative term). It makes no sense that he doesn't handle any domestic affairs while he is away - I'm not buying the whole premise that he wasn't involved in any of this while he was gone.

Secondly, he was back 4 days doing no "work" before his aides got around to getting him to sign off on firing these USAs? Plus he was back at Camp David for several days over the T-Day break doing no "work"? The memos indicate that this was a "big deal" brewing with a lot of back and forth over doing the deed which means it's hard to envision the firings sitting on the back burner without any action.

If he is just the figurehead auto-pen signing off on memos/policy/recommendations created by others, there was plenty of time for him to do it although it makes more sense that he was involved in the USA firings and they are trying to hide his involvement.

[leveymg]

118. Check: "they are trying to hide his involvement."

That's the very thing that led to the Watergate Hearings. Until it was shown that Haldeman, Ehrichman, and Mitchell, et al., had been lying to hide Nixon's role, Watergate remained for many in Washington just a "third-rate burglary."

We're rapidly closing in that stage where the GOP is willing to acknowledge that there were (are) impeachable offenses (being) commmitted.

[Zambero]

112. What was the name of that Knickerbockers 1-Hit Wonder Song?

Oh yeah, it was LIES!

LIES! LIES! That's all I ever get from you...

[NastyDiaper]

114. When are these /smacktards gonna realize the information is protected.

Not the liars 'protecting' the information.
Off to jail with 'em.

[symbolman]

115. So that would mean that he

LIES at the PLEASURE of the pResident?

BWAHAHAHAHA!!

GO TO JAIL, GO IMMEDIATELY TO JAIL, DO NOT PASS GO... :)

[NoodleyAppendage]

116. IMPEACH THE SCUMBAG! It's time to clean house and frog march...

Herr Gonzales is toast! Impeach. Impeach. Impeach.

J

[opihimoimoi]

119. Yep, Its all over but the Shouting....TOAST TIME.....

[hisownpetard]

122. REPUBLICAN IMPROVEMENT

Seems the Republics have improved their game over the years. They went from
erasing 18 minutes (under the auspices of Nixon and Rosemary Woods) to
erasing 18 days, under the current administration. They keep gittin'
smarter and smarter, those wascally wascals!

[senseandsensibility]

123. kick

Let's keep this kicked for new developments.:kick:

[tom_paine]

127. Impeach the felon Gonzales!

:grr: :mad: :patriot: :grr:

[ChiciB1]

132. Thanks For The Info.... I Just Want To Post Something Right Now

so I can read this later. I saw a blip, but have to go somewhere right now so need to cut this short as I didn't read info yet!

Thanks again!

[BeHereNow]

133. Saturday Evening Kick

BHN

[Kool Kitty]

134. Late-night kick.

And what is up with all the calls to and from Sen. DiMenici (sp?)?