Office of Special Counsel official quits in protest

[jaysunb]

washington -- James Byrne, second in command at the embattled Office of Special Counsel, resigned his post effective today after leaving his boss, Scott J. Bloch, a stinging letter suggesting that Bloch's "political agendas and personal vendettas" were preventing the agency from fulfilling its mission.

The two-paragraph letter, obtained by The Times, was sent to Bloch last week at a time when the Bush appointee faces a Justice Department inquiry that includes allegations of illegally erasing information on his government computer. James Mitchell, a spokesman for the independent agency, declined to comment on the matter.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-in...



Hmmmmm. There's going to be hell to pay by this time next year.

[wildbilln864]

1. k&r. nt

[babylonsister]

2. Wow. Rec'd. nt

[seemslikeadream]

3. WHO IS SCOTT J. BLOCH REALLY?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5UU0jvoH-M

[defendandprotect]

35. Thank you . .. !! Needless to say I've tried to avoid voting for any

religious nuts --- but it is obvious that we have a huge overflow of Catholics in Congress . . .

and that's been obvious for some time.

Also, crisscrossing this issue, very clearly these fanatics would be prime candidates for the

GOP to look to with help re election steals ---

[thepurpose]

4. That's great. Will the democrats in congress please stand up. You have this administration dead to

rights. Attack!!!

[katty]

30. indeed!! get on with it!!

[seemslikeadream]

5. Federal Agents Raid Office of Special Counsel

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...




Agents remove boxes from the downtown office of Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch. Agents also went to his home. (By J. Scott Applewhite -- Associated Press)


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By Carrie Johnson and Christopher Lee
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Nearly two dozen federal agents yesterday raided the Washington headquarters of the agency that protects government whistle-blowers, as part of an intensifying criminal investigation of its leader, who is fighting allegations of improper political bias and obstruction of justice.

Agents fanned out yesterday morning in the agency's building on M Street, where they sequestered Office of Special Counsel chief Scott J. Bloch for questioning, served grand-jury subpoenas on 17 employees and shut down access to computer networks in a search lasting more than five hours.

Bloch, who was nominated to his post by President Bush in 2003, is the principal official responsible for protecting federal employees from reprisals for complaints about waste and fraud. He also polices violations of Hatch Act prohibitions on political activities in federal offices.

Bloch has long been a target of criticism, some of it by his agency's career officials, but the FBI's abrupt seizure of computers and records marked a substantial escalation of the executive branch's probe of his conduct. Retired FBI agents and former prosecutors called the raid an unusual, if not unprecedented, intrusion on the work of a federal agency.



http://jonathanturley.org/2008/05/07/federal-agents-rai...

[1776Forever]

13. Thank you for the post! Can one dare to hope this is the start of the end of tyranny?

[aquart]

29. And then what happened?

[suffragette]

6. This is major

From the same article:
During his tenure with Bloch, Byrne also oversaw some well-publicized investigations. For example, his inquiry into political briefings at the General Services Administration was followed by the resignation of the former chief of the agency, Lurita Doan. In addition, his task force was actively investigating complaints about politicization and other problems at the Justice Department, including in some U.S. attorneys' offices.

So, he was the one whose investigations actually outed the Bush aligned wrongdoers. That's a big answer to the question of why that Office seemed so schizophrenic. He was doing what was supposed to be done, even with Bloch blocking him at every turn.

Hmmm, I wonder what those "other problems" are. Have a feeling there's some meaty stuff there and some sweating going on.

[BeHereNow]

10. All roads lead back to Rove...

and Cheney.
I hope this guy will out them.

BHN

[suffragette]

15. Exactly and particularly as to Siegelman and the DOJ firings,

I really, really share your hope that Byrne outs them.

[BeHereNow]

19. I wonder if there is any connection here with Rove ignoring the subpoena...

Gotta admit, the timing could appear related.
And WHEN the fuck is the congress going to
have Rove arrested for contempt???
BHN

[suffragette]

21. Great point

It's quite possible.

As for timing, I think the timing of the FBI noting it is investigating Conyer's wife and has "electronic surveillance" that "allegedly" links her to inappropriate conduct is very interesting. Conyers starts really pushing and there's an immediate pushback, using surprise: electronic surveillance. As I've been saying elsewhere, it's not even really about whether they've dug up bad stuff people have done, it's about threatening to put them and their family through the wringer using any and all means at hand.

It's a pretty wild game of chess being played. I hope the next move is holding Rove in contempt.

Hey, that happens and I'll treat you to a drink, well at least a virtual one.




edit: typo

[tridim]

7. Mr Bynre, I'd suggest immediately writing a notarized letter stating that you're not suicidal.

Anyone else see that perfect storm brewing on the horizon?

[wildbilln864]

11. I'll second that.....

else you may wind up like the late Dr. David Graham.

[jaysunb]

16. Like I said in the OP...

Things will be humming by this time next year. If you're a trial lawyer, you might want to set up shop in D.C. for the next few years.

Of course, this is all contingent on Obama winning.


I meant to attach this post to #6

[suffragette]

22. They've stepped so hard on so many toes, it's about time someone

kicks them back for it.

And I hope Byrne kicks hard.

Replying to you here, since I was poster # 6.

Oh no, wait a minute.

I am not a number, I am a DU'er!!! Sorry, couldn't resist the "Prisoner" reference.

[jaysunb]

23. LOL !

I don't believe in revenge...per se, but, when "these" chickens come home to roost, I shall celebrate each day.

[suffragette]

24. What I really want is justice

And I'd be glad to celebrate that with you.

[liberalla]

27. I swear that perfect storm has been brewing for 6+ years!

When it hits, it will be massive.

[bonito]

8. Damn! K&R

[Canuckistanian]

9. There's still an Office of Special Counsel?

I thought it would have been eliminated.

Or at least condemned to a broom closet in the Department of Agriculture.

[jaysunb]

14. LOL !

They used to call them " ghost jobs" back when I worked in the steel mills.

[hvn_nbr_2]

33. They need it to "investigate" themselves.

How else would they find out that they didn't do anything wrong?

[BeHereNow]

12. K&R-

BHN

[libnnc]

17. I wonder if Dan Abrams will talk about this?

[jaysunb]

18. Better, will the MSM other than the LA Times report it.

so far, nothing.

[underseasurveyor]

20. Oh man.. this is getting good

The pendulum... it begins to swing the other way.

or

Perhaps it's karma coming to claim what it is owed

I suggest that if there is a Mr. Byrne on the passenger list.. take the NEXT flight.

[progressoid]

25. "Hell to pay..."

One would hope so but it's hard to be optimistic given the track record of the last seven + years.

[jaysunb]

26. Oy

That's like a dash of cold water. LOL !

Let's hope a Democratic admin & a super majority Congress will help our leemings grow some....whatever.

[Frisbee]

28. I must agree...

I'll believe it when I see it, but not until then, and maybe not EVEN then. The last 7.5 years have made me very cynical.

[Indenturedebtor]

32. I'm with you. Though it's good news all the same n/t

[kay1864]

31. You mean SCOTT FUCKING HOMOPHOBE BLOCH?

That Scott Bloch?

Thought so. Heard about him on NPR a few weeks back.


In the immortal words of Der Chimperor...Bloch is a Major-League Asshole.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Bloch#.22Sexual_orie...

[L. Coyote]

34. Bloch is under attack from the Rovians.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

36. He wants to be on the right side of history. nt

[defendandprotect]

37. And thank you to James Byrne --- for whistleblowing . . . what courage!