Sidney Blumenthal: What Bush Is Hiding

[Hissyspit]

Sorry if this is a dupe. Parse it for details, please, if it is not. - H'spit

http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/03/22/attorneys

What Bush is hiding

In the U.S. attorney scandal, Alberto Gonzales gave orders, but he also took them -- from Karl Rove, who plotted to turn the federal criminal justice system into the Republican Holy Office of the Inquisition.

By Sidney Blumenthal

March 22, 2007 | Leave aside the unintentional irony of President Bush asserting executive privilege to shield his aides from testifying before the Congress in the summary firings of eight U.S. attorneys because the precedent would prevent him from receiving "good advice." Leave aside also his denunciation of the Congress for the impertinence of requesting such testimony as "partisan" and "demanding show trials," despite calls from Republicans for the dismissal of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Ignore as well Bush's adamant defense of Gonzales.

- snip -

Just after Bush's reelection and before his second inauguration, as his administration's hubris was running at high tide, Rove dropped by the White House legal counsel's office to check on the plan for the purge. An internal e-mail, dated Jan. 6, 2005, and circulated within that office, quoted Rove as asking "how we planned to proceed regarding the U.S. attorneys, whether we are going to allow all to stay, request resignations from all and accept only some of them, or selectively replace them, etc." Three days later, Sampson, in an e-mail, "Re: Question from Karl Rove," wrote: "As an operational matter we would like to replace 15-20 percent of the current U.S. attorneys -- the underperforming ones ...The vast majority of U.S. attorneys, 80-85 percent I would guess, are doing a great job, are loyal Bushies, etc., etc."

The disclosure of the e-mails establishing Rove's centrality suggests not only the political chain of command but also the hierarchy of coverup. Bush protects Gonzales in order to protect those who gave Gonzales his marching orders -- Rove and Bush himself.

- snip -

When the scandal first broke, Rove personally offered a talking point on one of those fired, claiming on March 8 that the U.S. attorney for San Diego, Carol Lam, "refused to file immigration cases ... at the direction of the Attorney General, she was asked to file, and she said I don't want to make that a priority in my office." Though there was pressure on Lam to pursue more immigration cases, a heated issue for Republicans, three months before she was dismissed, the Justice Department had sent a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., noting that Lam's office had devoted "fully half of its Assistant U.S. Attorneys to prosecute criminal immigration cases."

Next page: What did Rove know and when?

MORE (DAY SITE-PASS)

[Solly Mack]

1. In the email discussions on the "plan" - well, those not missing that is

they speak of sending everything to "Karl's Shop" BEFORE executing the "plan" to make sure it is OK.

The plan being who to fire and how to go about doing it - the timing, who to call, when to call etc.

[annabanana]

2. I wish early onset Alzheimer's on Rove. . .

This is not something I would ordinarily to to anyone. But no matter where on Earth this guy is living, or under what circumstances, if he is sentient, he is busy destroying America.

[Swamp Rat]

3. k&r

[Karenina]

4. Me too!!!

:kick:

:hi:

[Tennessee Gal]

5. One mistake in the article ..................

The House Judiciary Committee did not issue subpoenas yesterday. Otherwise, the article is excellent.