Bush Goons Stalk Ashcroft In the Hospital to Authorize Illegal Program

[seemslikeadream]

http://newsbloggers.aol.com/2007/05/15/bush-goons-stalk-ashcroft-in-the-hospital-to-authorize-illegal-p/

Bush Goons Stalk Ashcroft In the Hospital to Authorize Illegal Program

Posted May 15th 2007 3:27PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Breaking News, Scandal, George Bush, Young Turks, Republicans, U.S. Attorneys, Alberto Gonzales, Crime

Former Deputy Attorney General, James Comey gave some damning testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee today. He explained how the White House sent Alberto Gonzales and Andy Card to the hospital to intimidate John Ashcroft into going along with a program that the Justice Department thought was illegal.

Here's how Comey described the situation in the hospital that night:

"I was very upset. I was angry. I thought I had just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very sick man, who did not have the powers of the attorney general because they had been transferred to me."

The New York Times has the dramatic details of that night as recounted by Jim Comey. The story is complete with security details being set on alert that they might be confronted by other executive branch officials. This goes to show how little regard the Bush White House had for the law. They were told their warrantless wiretapping program was not legal and they refused to accept that determination to the point of risking an inter-executive branch standoff.

Jim Comey then contemplated whether he should resign if the Bush administration insisted on breaking the law. He told the Senate, "I couldn't stay, if the administration was going to engage in conduct that the Department of Justice had said had no legal basis."

He was going to resign along with John Ashcroft until the Bush administration gave in and changed parts of the program. But before they gave in, the White House reauthorized the program for some time without Justice Department approval! This White House wanted to engage in actions that were so clearly illegal that John Ashcroft was going to resign. That's unbelievable. There are only about three people in the country to the right of John Ashcroft.

[rocktivity]

1. All of which, of course, Gone-zalez will be unable to recall

:eyes:
rocknation

[pinto]

2. Amazingly telling story. (It's getting play on cable, even with today's other news.)

[Missy Vixen]

3. I've posted this several times already today

This was the most amazing testimony I think I have heard since Watergate.

James Comey self-identified as a Republican. I call him a patriot and a hero in this matter, no matter what he calls himself.

>This White House wanted to engage in actions that were so clearly illegal that John Ashcroft was going to resign.<

If this does not shake every American to their core, nothing will. Even those on the other side of the aisle knew the stakes and finally stood up to defend all of us.

Julie

[seemslikeadream]

4. I just got in and saw it on Tweety's show

COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS HEARING,

Was there a hearing today with Comey?

[Missy Vixen]

5. Yes, there was

It wasn't highly publicized. One of my friends IM'ed me very early this morning to tell me to watch it.

In the meantime, please see the transcript here. http://thinkprogress.org/comey-testimony

Again, the testimony is stunning.

Julie

[Marie26]

6. Wow

"But before they gave in, the White House reauthorized the program for some time without Justice Department approval!"

High crimes & misdemeanors, anyone?