US Treasury seeks probe into papers taken by O'Neill

[RamboLiberal]

http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/story.jsp?id=200401121550000281155&dt=20040112155000&w=RTR&coview=

WASHINGTON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury has asked the U.S. inspector general's office to investigate how a possibly classified document appeared on Sunday in a televised interview of ex-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, a department spokesman said on Monday.

"It's based on the (CBS program) '60 Minutes' segment, and I'll be even more clear -- the document as shown on '60 Minutes' that said 'secret,"' Treasury spokesman Rob Nichols told reporters at a weekly briefing.

In a new book about his term as Treasury chief, O'Neill, who left the job in December 2002 in a shake-up of President George W. Bush's economic team, criticized White House policies and provided author Ron Suskind with thousands of administration documents.

While Nichols said it is customary for departing officials to take documents when they leave, this probe will focus on how possibly classified information appeared on a television interview as one of O'Neill's papers.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

1. What about Valerie Plame?

n/t

[cthrumatrix]

7. nope...this is about the documents...not about the content...

they are not looking into going after shrub...just O'Neill

This is the way of a dictator who has been caught

[Eurobabe]

39. yeah it sucks

but keep it in the news cycle. bad press for the cabal.

amazing how they dismiss outing Wilson's wife, but the minute this happens, they are all over it in a nanosecond.

[cally]

2. They can't find time to investigate the outing of a CIA agent

but they are right on the investigation of this. 9/11 investigation...nope. Same old, same old.

[jbfam4]

3. Interesting, isn't it

How fast they are getting on this story....guess you can tell how really important they think this is...

[Beetwasher]

4. Good, Keep it in the headlines

Make a fuss about it...

[skypilot]

5. Yeah, if we're lucky...

...there will be something really damning to Bush in the document.

[underpants]

20. If O'Neill stalls or puts up a fight it will stay in the news

and they will sell a lot more books. Ha! I love it they try to strongarm someone and it get thrown back in their faces (I hope).

[snippy]

49. It reminds me of Fox News suing Al Franken.

[stevedeshazer]

6. And it took six months

for the Kean Commission to get started, and that was AFTER Kissingerus Interruptus. And they're still not getting their documents.

Less than 24 hours after the 60 Minutes report, they're on it.

And where is that person who mailed anthrax to Democratic senators?

[jbfam4]

8. amazing...........

What anthrax ? That's not important since it only went to Dems....NOW if the pubs got it, we would know by now who sent it.

[jbfam4]

11. that old memory hole

is getting pretty full.......doncha think?

[Jim Sagle]

50. In the Oval Office, of course.

[louis-t]

9. ok, so this is step 2 in Rove's

destroy Paul O'Neill crusade. 'Now, see, we make him out to be a traitorous, unpatriotic, criminal. We put out fake stories and say 'hoax' a lot. Then we Photo Shoppe some pics of him with prostitutes an' then, see, he has this accident...'

[maxrandb]

46. Some Web-Site was already publishing

pictures of O'Neill with Bono in African garb on their trip to Africa. I am so sick of this shit! When is the "liberal" media going to stop whoring for Bush.

With this Mis-Administration it is all about loyalty and appearance and smoke and mirrors. My Gawd! Could you imagine if this were Robert Rubin during the Clinton presidency (lowercase) "presidency" until we end this nightmare.

[hellhathnofury]

90. That trip brought about the weak AID's initiative.

[fearnobush]

106. There is no Liberal Media. Only the Rove Media.

Welcome to Pravda USA-Fascist style. If I want the real news, Gotta go online or over seas or listen to Pacifica Radio - Free Speech Radio News.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

10. A better question is "why is the document classified?"

[jbfam4]

15. Ma be it is or maybe it isn't...

how possibly classified information appeared on a television interview as one of O'Neill's papers.

[oneighty]

19. Yes!

Some folks be pretty free with their unauthorized SECRET stamp.

180

[Just Me]

30. Perhaps a declassified document was re-classified as classified,...

,...for purposes of this linching!!!

Wouldn't surprise me. Hell, nothing surprises me anymore.


<edit declassified>

[snippy]

51. Bush has done something similar to that before.

[salin]

69. Isn't this the same document that was on DU months ago?

Was it part of what got released (a few things slipped through) during the various cases to get Cheney et al to release papers related to the energy task force?

The document looked very familiar - and It think it is one we have seen before - re: it isn't classified - or someone else leaked it (months ago) first.

[NashVegas]

79. Judicial Watch?

IIRC, they posted some pdfs of the maps in question last year.

[salin]

96. Sounds about right.

n/t

[WherestheOutrage]

12. We'll get you O'Neill!!

My guess is that this is response not only to the outing by O'Neill of *'s complete lack of engagement, but as well, the comment by O'Neill that he's rich and old, and they can't do anything to him. These guys play dirty and they play for keeps. I can hear Karl conniving a way to put O'Neill through the ringer.

[Voltaire99]

127. And your little dog, Toto, too!

Exactly my thinking.

We might reformulate this as O'Neill's Law: When you are dealing with evildoers, never brag that they can't touch you.

[JailForBush]

13. That Blew Me Away, Too

I LOVED the program, but I was stunned when they showed SECRET documents on TV. It isn't that I object to them showing secret documents; I just couldn't understand how O'Neill could take such a risk.

As others have more or less suggested, he may be playing a game of chicken; if the administration comes after him, they will 1) only give him more publicity and 2) make people ask why Valerie Plame and other Bush scandals aren't being vigorously pursued.

They might also run the risk of more secret documents being disclosed - including some that could REALLY sink Bush.

I just hope that author they interviewed on 60 Minutes isn't as stupid as Saddam Hussein. He should make copies of those 19,000 documents and share them with as many people as possible!

[RamboLiberal]

16. They mentioned they were on CD-Rom

Bet Suskind made a few copies. Wonder if they'll try to stop the book!

[underpants]

18. They said he asked what he could have and they told him

I thought it was odd that as secretive as these yahoos are that they would let him take ANYTHING without a fight but they said it had been cleared (I am guessing by consel). I dunno but this is that shocking that they would do something to come after him. Good keep it in the headlines.

[muchacho]

25. Bad strategy = Great sales

>>Good keep it in the headlines.

Yea, seems like a classic FOX/O'reilly move to me. Should send sales through the roof.

[RamboLiberal]

26. Better get that book before Bushie's try to get it yanked

I wouldn't be surprised they're in the courts already.

[underpants]

27. I just called Barnes &Nobles they will have it tomorrow

And don't yell at me for buying (sometimes) from Barnes & Nobles.

[RamboLiberal]

32. I'm going to be at a B&N too tomorrow

probably lunch time. Think I'll have an early lunch.

[Enraged_Ape]

40. Don't sweat it; the big chains need to know...

what the people are reading too.

I'm getting mine at Hastings tomorrow, and I don't care who knows it.

[peterh]

28. Hmmm….taking bets that the offices/homes of….

Paul O’Neill, Ron Suskind and publisher Simon & Schuster have already had visits by badge carrying Treasury and Justice officials where an array of various documents have already been confiscated.

Even thought it’s Treasury making the noise, I’m sure there’s a rotund A.G. slimball salivating at this very moment.

[DoYouEverWonder]

57. Suskind was a reporter for the WSJ

I'm sure he knows exactly what he's doing.

[October]

92. What would make O'Neill take such a risk...

Could he be seriously ill?

Does he have family?

Is he just fed-up/disgusted?

Hey, maybe he's a patriot?

Perhaps he's just figuring "sue me." (a la Cheney)

Does he think that because he has so much damaging info within those 19,0000 pages, that public opinion will turn against Bush* everyone will forget that the documents were "secret."

Other ideas?

Wishful thinking allowed.

[Pikku]

99. Serious illness

Actually, I was thinking that, too. Something about that "They can't do anything to me" comment.

[October]

114. Yeah

I don't want to start any rumors...but it struck me as an odd thing for him to have said -- it's like he has nothing to lose.

[Carni]

93. IT WAS A COVER SHEET ONLY

Which alluded to the secret document...that is what Suskind and O'Neill are stating. IMO the WH doesn't have jack and can do nothing about this.

[fearnobush]

110. Until a well timed terror attack or war that breaks out in the next

few days or weeks. But I suspect that O'neil is no Dummy. He must have something seething up his hat of truth. When over 5 million copies sell this month, I'm sure those readers will have new Bush truths to remove him with.

[DBoon]

97. He should scan them and put them on Kazaa

immediately!

[stevedeshazer]

14. Rove re: O'Neill

We will f*** him! Do you hear me?! We will f*** him!

[oneighty]

17. Poor Bush*

His actions and words scattered far and wide! Oh what to do?

Too late.

IMHO

180

[Pikku]

101. Cons versus Neocons

I think we're seeing the first battle of the war that will tear the right wing into pieces. O'Neill vs. Cheney.

Nothing left to do but make popcorn.

[Robb]

21. Er, correct me if I'm wrong, intel-heads...

...but if we assume the document he had was from Treasury, which was his department, wouldn't he have been the classification authority (and as such have had the word on declassifying the information)? :shrug:

Note: before I posted this, I decided to read through EO12958, and I figured out how O'Neill is toast. Sec. 3.3(b)(5): "An agency head may exempt from automatic declassification under paragraph (a), above, specific information, the release of which should be expected to reveal actual U.S. military war plans that remain in effect."

In other words, if I understand it correctly, even if he declassified the information, they can re-classify it retroactively and charge him.

[Occulus]

37. that's not what it says

"An agency head may exempt from automatic declassification under paragraph (a), above, specific information, the release of which should be expected to reveal actual U.S. military war plans that remain in effect."

What that means is that document normally earmarked for routine and scheduled declassification can remain classified at the instruction of the department head. It says nothing about retroactive declassification, the presumption obviously being that once it's declassified, someone could already have looked at it by the time it's reclassified.

Retroactive reclassification would be rather transparent, too. I doubt they'd try it.

[Robb]

70. Actually

I was confusing myself, you're absolutely right; interestingly, though, "retroactive reclassification" is one of the contingencies * re-worked into the EO:

Check out the before and after here, but here's the salient bit:

Information may be reclassified after declassification and release to the public under proper authority only in accordance with the following conditions:

(1) the reclassification action is taken under the personal authority of the agency head or deputy agency head, who determines in writing that the reclassification of the information is necessary in the interest of the national security;

(2) the information may be reasonably recovered; and

(3) the reclassification action is reported promptly to the Director of the Information Security Oversight Office.

...Who says ya can't put the genie back in the bottle! :eyes:

[Occulus]

107. the key word there is 'promptly'

I don't think anyone would try it if the documents have ever been accessed. Now, documents nobody knows about, well, that's a different story.

I think perhaps this provision is an acknowledgement by our government that government employees can indeed make some big whoopsies from time to time. I really doubt a damning document, accessed after being declassified once, would be reclassified; it would just make the document look that much more damning.

Unless the person(s) who accessed said document were suicided.

[goforit]

117. Hmmm..........These felons abide by laws that they choose, not our laws.

?

[banana republican]

22. O'neill must be telling the truth

if they are getting that interested...

[Manix]

23. Let the right-wing smear campaign begin!

How dare anyone tell the truth!!

[muchacho]

24. fire with fire

The Bush cabinet of retribution instead of personal responsibility is demonstrated yet again.

Let's hope it lights a fire under the Dems...

[mbperrin]

29. Post the entire CD-ROM to the net!

Then they can prosecute the whole Internet community for reading secret stuff!

Incidentally, I guess if it's classified, it's true, right? And so everything he said is right!

[ozone_man]

88. That would be a reasonable assumption.

I'm sure a number of copies of that CDROM exist. I think it's time to put that O'Neil book on the NYT best seller list.

[fearnobush]

108. Amen to that !!!

There is a flash point building here. All we need now is one more Bushie to defect. If Christy (Queen Whitman) was to come out of the closet, it would be the end of the NEO-CONNS. Rove can only use the same tactics for so long.

[emalejim9]

31. There may be others to speak

These actions make be believe that there are others considering outing this administration and this sends a message that repercussions will occur to those that speak.

[murielm99]

34. I think you are correct.

After all, many people were interviewed for this book. O'Neill was just the only one willing to go public. There may be others, and they may get braver, depending on what happens to O'Neill.

[nolabels]

55. * sucks

Now this somebody ACLU needs to protect and represent. They should know they are doing it for their Country and the things they swore an oath to. Be brave, because the Chickenhawks are not, they stumble when people stand up and give notice. Scurlous crud always finds the low place it can reside

[newyawker99]

137. Hi emalejim9!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[chookie]

33. O'Neill and Suskind are not fools

They knew what they were doing when they released this material, and what risks they faced in doing so.

WH is just trying to distract from the issue -- that a former insider -- someone who is well-respected in the traditional (as opposed to piratical) corporate world, spoke the truth about the disfunctional culture within the WH. He provided documents to back up what he was saying, lest he be accused of having personal motives.

For his leadership, for trying to give His Chimperial Highness good sound advice and warning him of the consequences of his ill-thought out policies, and now, going public with his personal knowledge of what goes on in this highly secretive administration, O'Neill deserves our gratitude.

Just wondering.... O'Neill and Teresa Heinz Kerry are good friends. She praised him in public for his honesty, intelligence and integrity when she spoke at last year's commencement at Carnegie Mellon University, and acknowledged the price he had to pay for telling the truth.

[Malva Zebrina]

38. I don't know where O'Neil is coming from but wherever it is, I praise him

He is one of the bravest of men. He deserves a medal of honor. I think this is not over and I think that there will be more to come. There is little that Bush can do about it--because O'Neil the "big O" as Bush called him, is smart--he got it all down and protected himself that way, but he also is letting us all know about it too.

[mike1963]

43. Exactly, and they certainly had to know what a splash it would make also.

That O'Neill was a CEO of a big company doesn't automatically (to me) indicate he's a scumbag (he might be, in ways), but I have worked with a large number of extremely wealthy and important people and some of them are actually decent people. I won't name names, but Ted Turner and Geo. Soros come to mind as okay types.

Bottom line, truth is truth no matter whence it comes.

[TheDonkey]

35. This is going to boil this controversy even more!!!!

This is good news for those fearing that O' Neil story would be ignored asap.

This is more wood on the fire.

[NotTooPrettyBad]

36. Will this be as BIG as the "Bush Knew" breakthrough

Will this be the big one that brings him down again? It needs a catchy headlike like "BUSH KNEW!!!" first...

[kainah]

74. needs a catchy headline

Yup! It needs theme music and a logo or it will be another * scandal to fall down the rathole that is this (mis)administration.

And, welcome to DU, NotTooPrettyBad!!! :hi: :toast:

[pinto]

41. on CNN: a cover sheet was used on TV, no documents there (per CBS)

and (per Suskind) documents in O'Neil's possession came from Treasury Dept lawyers after he left. Both sources say documents are with O'Neil. He didn't "turn over" anything. And, imho, he wouldn't, he's been in the biz a long time.

This is bs.

[NNN0LHI]

42. We are teetering on the edge of a Watergate type constitutional crisis

This could get very interesting very quickly.

Don

[NotTooPrettyBad]

44. It is our turn to impeach this time isn't it?

We nailed Nixon and they hounded the greatest and smartest president in US history - and Clinton got off. We'll take down Bush and they will fail again when it's their turn. I'm guessing they will cry Uncle since we always win these types of battles.

It may take a couple of years to regain 100% control but then we can continue where we left off with elimininating the dangers of private gun ownership, settle the gay marriage issue once and for ALL, shut down all federal forest lands for Wilderness use only, force the SUV gas hogs into the junkyards of history, remove the use and need for oil energy and every thing we have backed up on our inboxes from the correct thinking people of the US.

(spell check)

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

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

[NNN0LHI]

53. "Swish" n/t

[NotTooPrettyBad]

76. What is "swish"?

Insider speak for a secret handshake. Address which of my points in inaccurate instead of the cute gang mentality "swish" crap please.

[number6]

119. where the hell did that come from ????

"It may take a couple of years to regain 100% control but then we can continue where we left off with elimininating the dangers of private gun ownership, settle the gay marriage issue once and for ALL, shut down all federal forest lands for Wilderness use only, force the SUV gas hogs into the junkyards of history, remove the use and need for oil energy and every thing we have backed up on our inboxes from the correct thinking people of the US."

:wow::eyes::crazy::eyes::crazy::eyes::crazy:

[Name removed]

80. Deleted message

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

[Cooley Hurd]

81. Maxrandb DID answer you, point for point.

I understood it. Why can't you? :shrug:

[NotTooPrettyBad]

84. No, he called me a repub and lead by republikkkkkkkkkkkkkans

Neitehr is true and he was wrong and against the rules to do it.

[maxrandb]

134. Regret my insensitivity

I will try to answer what appear to be your Republican "talking points" one by one. I'm not accusing you of using Repuke talking points, only that it appears that way.

1. You wrote: "It may take a couple of years to regain 100% control"

- Please show me anywhere in history where one party had 100% control. You might argue that Dems controlled the WH and Legislative branches during FDR's time, but the courts have always been independent. That was until what many here feel was the most blatant partisan action on behalf of a party in the short history of our country. No one here is advocating 100% control by either party. All most want is a return to fair elections, and for someone to stand up to the repuke "Uber Juggernaut". If you think that is wrong, then there are many countries that have 100% control you can visit to see if you would prefer living there.

2. Your wrote: "but then we can continue where we left off with eliminating the dangers of private gun ownership, settle gay marriage once and for all, shut down all federal forest lands for wilderness use only, force SUV gas hogs into the junkyard of history, remove the use and need for oil energy and every thing we have backed up in our inboxes from the correct thinking people of the US."

- Where to start. If you open your eyes and read some of this message board you will see that there are, believe it or not, several gun owners, and even military and former military members on these boards. You take the very republican view that any type of sensible gun laws will lead to removal of the 2nd amendment. Smarter people than you and I have debated this "ad nauseum". Your "tongue in cheek" argument is directly from the Rove playbook of obfuscation and fear. It's is all a lame attempt to convince people that they need to be afraid of government. Funny, but at the same time you worry about guns being taken away, your civil rights, and even the right to peaceably assemble are being taken away (see the 1st amendment zones, if you don't believe me).

- When you say solve the gay marriage issue once and for ALL, why do I here the sound of history saying "final solution"? My point by sighting the icons of virtuosity in the Republican Party like "divorce my 4th wife on her death bed Newt, I behaved badly Livingston, youthful indiscretion in my 40's Henry Hyde, and doped up Rush" was to illustrate the point that , when it comes to "family values", the right wing has no business lecturing you or I. I am so much more impressed with the intelligent, thoughtful young woman that Chelsea has become, than the "girls gone wild" dysfunctional twins. You can tell a lot about a family by the way their kids turn-out. I would argue that the republican leaders better spend some more time lecturing their own, than me.

- As for the "environmental wacko" stuff you seem to think we all support, I can only say to open your eyes and your ears. Read some of this board. You might see that there is balance between the "cut and burn" right, and the tree hugging left. Somewhere in there you can find the idea that we should protect the land that we have, that by expanding technology in the environmental protection area you will see a great expansion of jobs and industry in that area.

If you are not a troll, then welcome to DU. If you are, I hope you will look around here a little bit. You may realize that this party is more representative of the average American, and more Christian like than you think.

Hope I'm not wasting my time.

[Name removed]

87. Deleted message

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

[DBoon]

98. Sounds like a....

[NotTooPrettyBad]

100. Does it start with an "F" perhaps?

So cute and wrong. If the Dems are going to win it will be without the secret agent wrongness of the self-appointed cops.

[Thor_MN]

54. don't forget doing something to prevent executive orders from

screwing with the Presidential Records Act of 1978. I would like all the Dem candidates promise to release the Reagan and Bush I papers that * have been hiding.

[Logansquare]

58. Easy now

You don't want to get tombstoned before 10 posts,now do you?

[NotTooPrettyBad]

73. Tombstoned for what?

Speaking the truth? What is inaccurate in my post?

[Cooley Hurd]

77. Read post #52

It says it best...

Welcome to DU.

[NotTooPrettyBad]

82. #52 is a pile of blabbering accusation with no facts

If that's what is best then the IQ level need raised.

[Cooley Hurd]

83. Uh... okeydoke.

If that's what is best then the IQ level need raised.

I couldn't have said it gooder myself... :eyes:

[NotTooPrettyBad]

86. gooder? A sarcastic response?

He attacked me for no reason and with lies. Is that your idea of "gooder"?

[bemildred]

94. Much gooder.

Much gooder plus ditto.

[Bridget Burke]

59. Needs work....

You left off closing down all the Christian churches & compulsory distribution of condoms to all schoolchildren above the age of 9.

Ho. Ho.

We'll skip impeachment & just settle for an honest election. Your little idiot didn't manage to get elected last time--let's hope he doesn't get another "social promotion".

[NotTooPrettyBad]

72. Cut the crap

Which of the items I mentioned are not on the list to be dealt with by a solid Democratic platform? Which?

[pinto]

60. why are you so angry? Repugs are put off with this anger/hate thing.....

LOL.

[NotTooPrettyBad]

71. Who cares what repugs think?

Who here really does not want 100% control by Democrats? You? Who?

All the items I mentioned are on the list to be dealt with. Name one that is not.

[Occulus]

138. 100% control by either party

is called Heading In The Wrong Direction.

I'd also like to point out that your list is on the extreme side.

Very extreme.

[TacticalPeek]

123. ROFLMAO!

Touche, pinto.

[dax]

121. just gonna try....

Eliminating untrackable gun ownership is a bipartisan issue ie the crooks will still get guns because they can always steal them but why make it easy for distraught people to run out and buy one without even a one day wait, no license etc-noone I know is really against private gun ownership! Noone wants to lock up wilderness from every use- just lets not lease it out subsidizing industry to destroy it, subsidizing loggers with roads so they can cut down the kind of trees that don't burn-that is public policy that makes sense-I hate paying so much in taxes to support rich people when we need health care, education, affordable housing and investment in renewable technologies. Nothing wrong with SUVs-lets just insist that they are: energy efficient, non-polluting, and HEAVILY TAXED if they are not the technology already exists-instead of selling credits between companies to subsidize their pollution factories, why not tax them so high it makes sense to redesign and give a credit for that! think of all the jobs we could create that would move this country in the right direction. It is not really about partisanship- the Republican party has hijacked Christianity and the concept of Personal Responsability to insist that Corporations should be able to function without having to acknowledge either and all us people who work for a living are supposed to pay for their destruction of our communities, our elderly, our children, our very lives while they can just continue to consolidate 95% of the wealth into even fewer than 5% of population-and pay NO TAXES because those who make money on money will pay NO TAXES under their plan- then that 5% of 5% of the entire WORLD's POPULATION wants to to dictate the rules for everyone else as well or own the pre-emptive force to blow them up if they don't cooperate. Your post was sarcastic or naive I just cannot tell which.

[DoYouEverWonder]

61. Yep, this is scarier than when it happened with Nixon

Sam Irving spoke about talks he had with folks at the DOD just in case Nixon tried to pull off a military coup. It was something that he was definitely concerned about and he asked the military what they would do. They all agreed they would not support Nixon if he tried such a thing. But that was 30 years ago, this time around I somehow doubt that Bu$hler will go down quietly.

[TacticalPeek]

124. Not to be too scarey,

but aWol (i.e. Rummy, i.e. Cheney) has purged many top brass and replaced them with loyalists, even reaching into the retired bin.

With Tricky Dick, after he reached the talking-to-presidential-portraits stage, the JCS would diplomatically countermand his more outrageous orders, pleading bad weather, etc.

Of course, that does not fit comfortably with civilian control of the military, but thank God they did it (some civilians in leadership concurred). But those were insane times.

Lord preserve us from going there again.

[chelaque liberal]

45. I can't believe that Suskind and O'Neill didn't get this cleared

through lawyers before they went public. They are both experienced in these circles. I think ever thing they did was carefully planned.

(Just hope they are right)

[Enraged_Ape]

47. Oh, it was cleared all right. This was well planned.

I really feel that there's a LOT more to the story than O'Neill has told us so far. That's why I have a particularly good feeling about this whole thing.

[Carni]

95. I agree with you and

O'Beill practically dared them to come after him at the end of last night's CBS piece. At least that was the way I read it...IMO this is only the tip of the ice berg and if they go after him more will follow.

[DoYouEverWonder]

63. Who said they didn't?

I am sure Suskind knew to what he was getting into and has access to the best advice available.

[chelaque liberal]

116. I'm saying that they did

[kskiska]

48. They're out to "Get O'Neill" Big Time

and they'll find a way – somehow. As O'Neill said, these people are nasty and have long memories. They'll try to find a way to pull the book off the shelves, too, so get your copy soon!

[nolabels]

67. I know very little about what O'Neill said as far as I can tell so far

But all the things I have read down the pike point to the same thing, and exactly like you have stated what he said.

As O'Neill said, 'these people are nasty and have long memories.'

One of their former members in the click calling them vindictive ugly shits, how surprising

I wonder if some of them folks ever thought that other people that have gotten screwed them might be looking for a little retribution also.

The only thing I really do know is the pen has been around a lot longer than the pistol and always musters up more power in the end.

[snippy]

56. Is this about the "Foreign Suitors for Iraqi Oilfield Contracts" document?

If so, the document is online.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/IraqOilFrgnSuitors.pdf

http://www.judicialwatch.org/IraqOilGasProj.pdf

[demgrrrll]

62. That's it! I wonder if this is a brier patch scenario. Why show a cover

sheet that clearly reads "secret" on national television.
Top Secret! Keep Out! This Means You! He is either a cagey
old dude or he isn't...time will tell.

[snippy]

64. This was a document of Cheney's energy task force I think.

[kayell]

68. Yep, they're luring the bushies in

They made quite a big point of the Secret classification and the picture on 60 minutes. 60 minutes' lawyer would have had to have seen that also and figured they were safe.

[haele]

65. From what I could see, the papers shown were not classified -

But there were indications on them that within the reports, there was classified information - which may or may not have been redacted or included in the papers Susskind was given.

I've dealt with security/classified materials enough to know that as long as the actual classified paragraph/table/memo is not availible, any document can be considered open source and availible to anyone.

It was very clear the three documents that were shown on 60 minutes long enough to me to read were marked "Unclassified with Secret Materials enclosed" and the one mention of the "secret memo" was not the memo itself, but an unclassified log/synopsis of the memo on a record sheet.

Haele

[0007]

66. The page to the link has been taken down

[RamboLiberal]

85. Well it's all over the net now

And the link I posted - it was only 4 paragraphs in length, so my top post is all of it.

[Hobarticus]

75. Just pull a Novak and refuse to name a source...

Why that smug hack isn't under subpeona is beyond me.

[0007]

78. Scare O'Neill is the name of the game.

I wish O'Neill would have a prime time press conference every time an article appears.

[louis-t]

89. As I said before...

bushrove will do everything it can to discredit/destroy O'Neill. Isn't it amazing how fast b*sh declassified documents when his butt was on the line a few months ago. Can't remember the issue. Just remember him disclosing formerly secret information to prove something.

[hellhathnofury]

91. We need photocopies.

[gauguin57]

103. *print* *iron-iron-iron*

Oh. Excuse me. Just creating my "Free Paul O'Neill" T-shirt.

The Bush Administration is the biggest bunch of p*ssies the Supreme Court ever installed in the White House. And I hate the word "p*ssy." But it's the best word I can think of to describe Bush & Co.

Paul thinks all Democrats are Socialists. But I'll forgive him for now, since he's done his country a good service.

The media is pissing me off by talking about how O'Neill was out of the country during an economic crisis, "in Africa, on tour with rock star Bono." For God's sake ... he wasn't "on tour," as if he were drummer for the backup band. He was on a factfinding tour to discover what the United States can do about the AIDS crisis in Africa. Media doesn't even MENTION that it was a humanitarian factfinding mission.

[bubblesby2002]

102. A quote from the *'s administration

"Nobody listened to him (O'Neill) when he was in the White House, why should anyone listen to him now?" What a bunch of ass---es!x(

[nolabels]

105. He is the proverbial fly on the wall plus he is old & gray

People who have a lot of years under their belt tend to be a little less inhibited. I hope the cabal gets him even more steamed and he pipes up all the more, others will follow.

[Pikku]

109. Just remember that the same people said

http://www.phillyburbs.com/election2000/news/724455.htm

``Our economy is showing warning signs of a possible slowdown,'' said Bush. ``So it is incredibly important for me to find someone who had vast experience, who is a steady hand, who when he speaks, speaks with authority and conviction and knowledge. I found such a man in Paul O'Neill.''


Sounds like sour grapes on THEIR part.

[chookie]

104. Local Pittsburgh news reports O'Neill said he did it because...

He has said he did it because he wants people to stop and think about the policies of this administration.

Wow -- imagine what things will be like that when/if *that* ever happens?

Just in case, I am stocking up on tar and feathers now -- as to avoid the late rush, and a comfy chair in which to watch the impeachment hearings and world court proceedings.

O'Neill is very highly regarded in these parts.

His Chimperial Highness just lost Pennsylvania, for certain now -- although I think it was already lost due to the strongly anti-Republican backlash in the 2003 elections here.

[fearnobush]

111. Let us all bring down the "Chimperial Highness " this summer at

the RNC convention in NYC. May be if 10 million protesters scream ABB, ABB, loud enough, the media might hear it.

[JNelson6563]

112. Sure, let them have all they want

They won't get the copies locked away. haha

O'Neil surely learned something from these mooks during his tenure.

Julie

[54anickel]

113. Here's a new link to a longer story

http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp;:4003575a:4341542093d07f37?type=worldNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=4113353

[nolabels]

122. Couldn't fish up that story from them links (yet) but did find this.......

Pickture



http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp?type=topNews&locale=en_US&storyID=4114601

I am wondering looking at the picture, did * just get back from the dentist or has he switched from pretzels to medium size Jaw Breakers

[IndianaGreen]

115. This is a criminal coverup!

Those documents are evidence that Bush committed an impeachable offense.

Bush planned for a war of aggression against Iraq since before the day he took the oath of office. Bush lied to the nation and the world. Bush conspired with others to lie to the nation and the world. Bush lied to Congress on the State of the Union Address.

Bush is now trying to use security as a pretext to suppress from the public documents bearing on his guilt. This is a potential obstruction of justice!

Bush committed an impeachable offense, and Democrats should file for Articles of Impeachment!

[0007]

118. Yes and we must have a big big investigation

Keeping it is the headline for as long as possible.

[PaDUer]

125. Hasn't he always hid

everything? What about all those files from his pops' time..This evil man must be impeached--he wasn't even Elected! The people, millions, need to revolt quickly and take back OUR house!

[number6]

120. I knew that was coming ...

.."US Treasury seeks probe into papers taken by O'Neill"

[DemonFighterLives]

126. Silly comeback by the gang

Investigate this while all the other important investigations are stalled. :kick:
Suskind and O'Neill are supposed to be on NBC with Katie Couric in the morning.
:party:

[Sideways]

128. The Bush Idiots Have A Tiger By The Tail

And they know it. Having to resort to a Clinton excuse is beyond the pale for these assholes who have nothing but loathing for Clinton's policies and O'Neill has them by their nonexistent balls.

Paul may be a lot of things but stupid he is not. When he was asked to be part of this administration he thought he was going to hanging out with like minded dudes then he realized he had signed up for English as a second language at fucking CLOWN COLLEGE.

He is pissed and has every intention of bringing them down. He might be acting naive and bland when queried about painting the administration with a negative brush but don't believe it for a moment he has his chaps and leather gloves on and he is going to give Bush a real old fashioned Texas horse fucking.

[lowflyer10]

129. This O'neill thing will go nowhere.....

Here's why. It's been U.S. policy before the bush* admin to remove Hussein. It was Clinton's in 1998. They'll just say it was Clinton's plan they were developing. Easy, easy, easy. America will go "oh yeah, that's right." End of story on the evil of a pre-planned invasion.
As far as O'neill taking classified documents, well that speaks for itself. If they're truly secret and earth shattering at the same time, he's looking at jail time. He was corporate crook for Alcoa, anyway. No great loss. I don't know why we're jumping on this guy's bandwagon. He's a idiot. Did you see him on 60 minutes? "Will they be angry with me over this? How can they be angry about the truth?" Geeeeez. If he was playing dumb, he sure did a good job. repugs can make him look like a fool to most americans and it's his own damn fault. Another opportunity lost due to stupidity.
I see so many people on the wrong track here. If wanting to remove Hussein from power is a crime, then more than one admin is guilty. Deceiving everyone is closer to crime. Get off the "pre-planned" invasion thing (which will go NOWHERE) and get on track with deceit to accomplish the policy.
And O'neill is likely going to jail if he produced SECRET documents on a nationwide TV show. Pretty easy investigation if you ask me, and totally destroys his credibility. Be careful about jumping on his bandwagon declaring him hero of the civilized world.

EDIT- There's a lot of things going wrong for chimpy. Focus on the ones that will get traction. Like this WMD find by the Danes/Brits. If this is left over from Iran/Iraq war, it's nothing. WE manufactured those weapons and gave them to Hussein. They didn't manufacture them. So far, NO WMDs have been found, as far as I can see.

[fearnobush]

130. No way in GOP land would he disclose "SECRET" docs on

National TV. These guys have been working on the book for quite some time and I really don't think they would be so stupid as to display classified Material on 60 min... na, These people are real careful like that. I'm sure the "SECRET" seen on 60 min was just typical spin flash to get every one all fired up, - for ratings.

[lowflyer10]

131. You'd think anyone with half a brain wouldn't do it

but he didn't look like the sharpest tool in the shed by the end of the interview. Who knows. Time will tell....

[TacticalPeek]

132. Surpriiiise! Clinton did it!

O'Neill, Suskind and publisher are cool on this.

Apparently, O'Neill did not take boxes of papers with him on his way out the door. He and his top drawer lawyers reviewed what was legally due him. Then they requested it from Treasury. Then Treasury's lawyers reviewed the request, cleared the docs and sent them to him. So this IG inquiry will take about as much time as it took for Novak to write his treasonous column.

Too bad, I'd rather have weeks of coverage of leaks from the inquiry, charge and counter-charge, etc.

The inquiry is all smoke, no cigar.

-----

WASHINGTON (AP) --

snip

On "60 Minutes," CBS journalist Lesley Stahl said O'Neill had gotten briefing materials involving Iraq. Suskind said: "There are memos. One of them, marked secret, says 'Plan for post-Saddam Iraq."' A spokesman for "60 Minutes" said a cover sheet of the briefing materials was shown.

"We don't have a secret document. We didn't show a secret document. We merely showed a cover sheet that alluded to such a document," said CBS spokesman Kevin Tedesco.

David Rosenthal, executive vice president and publisher of Simon & Schuster, the book's publisher, said: "We stand behind the book. Ron Suskind has acted responsibly and properly in the writing of this book."

Nichols declined to comment on whether the cover sheet of the document shown on "60 Minutes" was part of the 19,000 documents Treasury supplied to O'Neill.
snip

http://www.tulsaworld.com/BreakingNewsStory.asp?ID=040112_Br_class12

[lowflyer10]

133. It's not that cut and dried.....

I deal with classified material. Sometimes, just the fact that the document exists is secret. If that's the case, he's in hot water.

[Zerex71]

135. Let's see...

A bogus war started on entirely dubious principles? No inquest needed. Outing a longtime undercover CIA agent? No need to probe that. Secret energy task force meetings? No need to look further. Paul O'Neill taking home some work papers? Holy shnikeys, do we need an investigation! This brought to you by the same people who don't like stained dresses and think it's of worldwide importance to keep track of who does what with his own cigars.

Enough said.

Mike

[Triana]

136. Oh lookie, the Karl Rove Revenge Machine....

...at work (again).

O'Neill will end up apologizing (and backtracking - see other thread) at the behest (read THREATS) of the Bu$h Reich.