9-11 Panel Director May Have Conflict of Interest (with Condi Rice)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_3205.shtml

The families of some of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, suicide hijackings are calling for the staff director of the commission set up to investigate the attacks to be removed from a large part of the inquiry.
They say he has a conflict of interest in investigating the National Security Council, because of his previous relationship with national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.

"We believe staff director (Philip) Zelikow should remove himself from any and all portions of the investigation addressing the NSC," the Family Steering Committee wrote in a letter sent to the commission Friday.

The families say that Zelikow, who was a part of the Bush transition team, drafted a memo for Rice on reorganizing the NSC. Finding out why that body failed to anticipate or defend against the Sept. 11 attacks is a major part of the commission's mandate.

"Really, if he's looking at the NSC, he's investigating himself," said Lorie Van Auken, , whose her husband died in the attack on the World Trade Center and one of the authors of the letter.

[Jinx]

1. Conflict of Interest

Someone in the Bush Administration having a conflict of interest on something they're supposed to be overseeing? Never! Failing to recuse themselves? Never! Rigging the results in a favorable way? Never!

Now, Replace the 'Never!'s with 'Always!'s and we're getting somewhere.

[Eloriel]

2. These people don't know anyone

who's not a walking conflict of interest to start with.

Eloriel

[cthrumatrix]

3. I would be more upset if I had any hope of the commission doing

anything other than a whitewash...with this director or a replacement. B

Business as usual.

[zekeson]

4. I find this encouraging

No, really. Who the hell knew that there was an actual investigation goign on? Sure, DUers hear about the ends and outs, but our media ain't got an interest in telling the story for whatever reason.

[ozone_man]

5. I guess it's better than having Henry Kissinger investigate.

I wonder what his conflict of interest was anyway, Saudia Arabia or Israel? Maybe the trail leads back to Bush (LIHOP).