Congressional investigators probe why White House aides used GOP-sponsored e-mail accounts

[babylonsister]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070411/prosecutors-white-house

Congressional investigators probe why White House aides used GOP-sponsored e-mail accounts

JENNIFER LOVEN | AP | April 11, 2007 05:57 PM EST


WASHINGTON — The White House said Wednesday it had mishandled Republican Party-sponsored e-mail accounts used by nearly two dozen presidential aides, resulting in the loss of an undetermined number of e-mails concerning official White House business.

Congressional investigators looking into the administration's firing of eight federal prosecutors already had the nongovernmental e-mail accounts in their sights because some White House aides used them to help plan the U.S. attorneys' ouster. Democrats were questioning whether the use of the GOP-provided e-mail accounts was proof that the firings were political.

Democrats also have been asking if White House officials are purposely conducting sensitive official presidential business via nongovernmental accounts to get around a law requiring preservation _ and eventual disclosure _ of presidential records. The announcement of the lost e-mails _ a rare admission of error from the Bush White House at a delicate time for the administration's relations with Democratically controlled Capitol Hill _ gave new fodder for inquiry on this front.

The Republican National Committee set up the accounts for about 20 Bush aides, such as Karl Rove and his deputies, who get involved in politics, spokesman Scott Stanzel said. Having the GOP create non-White House addresses and provide separate BlackBerries, laptops and other communications gear was designed to avoid running afoul of Hatch Act rules barring federal employees from engaging in political activities with government resources or on government time, he said.

Under President Clinton, White House aides used separate equipment for political spadework but did not have separate accounts.

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[Jackpine Radical]

1. Who among us would have ever guessed that emails might go missing?

"The White House said Wednesday it had mishandled Republican Party-sponsored e-mail accounts used by nearly two dozen presidential aides, resulting in the loss of an undetermined number of e-mails concerning official White House business."

I am SO surprised and disappointed in their uncharacteristic clumsiness, innocent though it surely be.

[yourout]

2. You can bet there will be some serious stonewalling by the Pukes.

There is no way they want prying eyes to see the shenanigans that the have perpetrated on humanity.

[peacebird]

3. Clear violation of the Presidential Records Act. Could memoryhole or a similar place have copies?

[Uben]

4. Emails don't go missing

If you delete them, there is still a retrievable DBX file. In order to lose them, one would have to also delete the DBX files, which would have to be done in order to leave no trace of them. No one deletes DBX files on purpose unless they don't want anyone to see them. If the files are gone, that is proof enough of deception.

[texpatriot2004]

5. Missing my ass! They are lying...again, as usual. nm