In May, former Deputy Attorney General James Comey informed Congressional investigators about the March 2004 deadlock between the White House and the Justice Department occurred because Comey refused to authorize the continuation of the warrantless wiretapping program initiated by the Bush administration. In Comey's testimony, his refusal to recertify the spy program and ended in an auto race through the streets to the hospital between he and Card/Gonzales, who’d apparently hoped to overwhelm a sick man and perhaps force an exceedingly sick man to do as directed. If Comey had not arrived who knows what might have happened?
Mueller indicated to Congress that he had recorded and kept notes about the entire incident because of its unbelievable nature.
Mueller’s notes have him arriving at the hospital 20 minutes after receiving a call (at 7:40 p.m.), from Comey saying that Gonzales and Card were racing to the hospital and that he-Comey was requesting Mueller's presence to "witness the condition of the Attorney General." When Mueller arrived, Gonzales and Card had already left. Mueller's notes of the subsequent conversation between Comey, Ashcroft and Mueller uncovered that the Leading law enforcement officer of the United States appeared to have been kept in the dark about the wiretapping program already in place by action of the president.
Mueller says his notes revealed that Ashcroft went over with Gonzales and Card the departments legal concerns about the program. The Ashcroft also told them that he was banned from seeking the legal advice he needed to evaluate the program by the White House."
Representative Conyers affirmed that Mueller ‘s notes confirm Comey's testimony and raises more questions, than it answers, saying "Director Mueller's notes and recollections concerning the White House visit to the Attorney General's hospital bed confirm an attempt to goad a sick and heavily medicated Ashcroft to approve the warrantless surveillance program," adding that "this heavily redacted document raises far more questions than it answers. We intend to fully investigate this incident and the underlying subject matter that evoked such widespread distress within the Department and the FBI." However, Representative Conyers did not make any comment about why Mrs.’ Pelosi is sheltering the subjects in what appears to be mounting evidence of criminal behavior by not initiating impeachment. This is all endless talk with no action.
Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote a letter Thursday, requesting that the Department of Justice Inspector General investigate statements made by Gonzales before Congress, including statements about the disagreement between the White House and the DOJ over the wiretapping program in question.
Comey said, that when Gonzales and Card arrived, "The door opened and in walked Mr. Gonzales, carrying an envelope, and with him was Mr. Card. They came over and stood by the bed." They wanted Mr. Ashcroft to sign an eavesdropping plan that Comey and others at the Justice Department had already called “legally indefensible.” Gonzales had his envelope and immediately informed Ashcroft that they were there "to seek his approval for a matter.” Ashcroft, however, had adjusted and had more on the ball than expected given his condition and status of health. He absolutely refused to sign anything, told them why. He further informed them that said that, nevertheless, Comey was the acting attorney general and with the full powers of the office. Ashcroft "lifted his head off the pillow and in very strong terms expressed his view of the matter" -- that Comey was right. "And as he laid back down, he said, 'But that doesn't matter, because I'm not the attorney general. There is the attorney general.' And he pointed to me."
Gonzales and Card "did not acknowledge me," Comey testified. "They turned and walked from the room."
"I was very upset. I was angry. I thought I just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very sick man."
The Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee stared incredulously. The only Republican there was Arlen Specter (Pa.), he put his head down, apparently in disgust, disbelief, and shame. Comey 6-foot-8, giant of a man, sat a bit slightly hunched in the witness chair, and spun a tale right out of a Hollywood political fiction worthy of Allan Drury.
Haltingly, Comey told the quiet crowd, "I thought I just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very sick man. Comey’s was obviously emotional over the reminiscence and his decision to resign if they persisted in the pressure to sign, "I couldn't stay, if the administration was going to engage in conduct that the Department of Justice had said had no legal basis."
Comey was there before the committee to discuss Gonzales's firing of U.S. attorneys. However, under questioning from Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), he related Gonzales's sleazy, treacherous misadventure. Appropriately enough, the testimony came the morning of the resignation of Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty-- the fourth senior official to resign in the prosecutor disaster. The entire thing had all the trappings of a Mafia St. Valentine’s day Massacre, or a Stalin move to overthrow what little there was left of law in Russia.
Following Gonzales fiasco testimony, which would not have fooled five year olds, Senator Specter offered his assessment of McNulty's “resignation.” It’s embarrassing for a professional to work for the Department of Justice today," he said, the resignation was ample "evidence that the department really cannot function with the continued leadership or lack of leadership of Attorney General Gonzales."
According to Comey, foreseeing the hoodlemism at work, would try to have him thrown out of Mr. Ashcroft’s room, he requested that FBI Director Robert Mueller to restrain such an attempt to intimidate or worse, a very sick man. Within moments after the bedside war of words, Card called the hospital, demanding that Comey come to the White House immediately, Comey said. "I responded that, after the conduct I had just witnessed, I would not meet with him without a witness present."
"He replied, 'what conduct? We were just there to wish him well.' " When Card demanded an answer to whether or not Comey was "refusing to come to the White House," Comey, and the solicitor general, went to the West Wing at 11 p.m. Senator Schumer summed up the appalling behavior of the two men and their monstrous episode by stating that the entire horror show made him "gulp."
Specter in summarizing the firing of the Watergate prosecutor, "It has some characteristics of the Saturday Night Massacre." Everyone knew whom he blamed, as he asked, "Can you give us an example of an exercise of good judgment by Alberto Gonzales?”
Professor Bagnolo is a Renaissance man: Cultural Anthropologist, Architectural designer, painter, writer, novelist, theologian. As a child prodigy, abed with polio for almost two years, with an off the charts IQ, reading at the graduate level by 5th grade, offered an opportunity to skip three grades at age 8. Later He was a recipient of an Art Institute scholarship at age 11, a Ford Foundation Fellowship in Anthropology and in Painting and a merit scholarship in art, and was appointed a Graduate Research Assistant position in college. He holds a triple bachelor's degree in Painting and Drawing, Anthropology, Architectural Design Advertising. MA's in Cultural Anthro, Painting and more. After being tenured he taught; architecture, anthropology, Theology, advertising, painting and drawing, entrepreneuring and Creative Profit Making. He produced a star-studded Music festival, had a radio talk show in Chicago, and cable TV show. Now, retired from Teaching, he paints, writes, and pursues other ventures.
The above bio harvested from the comments of Deans, colleagues, students, clients and collector's.
It's disgusting how Congress, particularly leadership
has responded to Gonzalez' s actions: They reward him. Give him MORE power through the FISA bill. They could be using their power to block Bush's illegal maneuvers right and left. But as you point out, they have only enabled Bush.
If that doesn't sour someone on an ideology that bows to party before the Constitution, nothing will.
by
Kathlyn Stone (39 articles, 213 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 595 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 7:19:54 AM
Well, I have faith in none of them. I have resigned any affliation with the Democratic Party. I place faith in God, me, art and the handful of human beings who have common sense and enlightenment, and shut out the rest as a waste of my precious time.
by
Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo (144 articles, 1 quicklinks, 95 diaries, 1313 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 7:31:31 AM
the dems could have demanded that the power given to Gonzales be taken out of the FISA bill. They should have. Actually, they shouldn't ahve given in on the FISA bill at all. Blame the Bluedog Dems. They're the least principled, most cowardly people in congress.
by
Rob Kall (762 articles, 3852 quicklinks, 321 diaries, 1643 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 9:08:16 AM
It is so disappointing, but damn, we'll just have to figure out another road without them. They just don't get it, Emanuel has them convinced that nothing matters but accumulating cash for the campaign. He is like a doctor of a dying patient-the patient falls and sustains a compound fracture of the arm. the doctor skillfully saves the arm and places the fellow in a cast and is overjoyed, telling the family what a greats success the surgery was and how well the patient did and how the arm will heal perfectly and will be just fine. The fellow however, would die a few days after the arm came out of the cast... but it was well healed and knitted!
They'll have the money they need... maybe, but no voters and maybe no nation. Thanks Rob for all this stuff and this site, it and some others are the last hope of real democracy.
by
Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo (144 articles, 1 quicklinks, 95 diaries, 1313 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 10:57:19 AM
Along with my fellow bloggers who have posted here, I have lost all confidence in the congress, the process and the government itself. Can this mess created by BushCo be reversed? I doubt it, given the track record of those we recently elected. As far as I am concerned, they are all traitors to their pledge to uphold the Constitution of the United States. If that document were introduced to Congress today for a vote, it would never pass. It's far too progressive.
by
macdon1 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 91 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 2:12:20 PM
I agree... on some of what you said, about his congress, but they are a manifestation of the people and the times. weak, obsessed with the high life, rock star pleasure dome existence, of which Obama is the perfect example a man obsessessed with himself and his own persona. I had hoped in him we would find a winner, alas he is just another hope faded too soon. But things are always worse before they get better and this is going to take a long time to heal.
by
Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo (144 articles, 1 quicklinks, 95 diaries, 1313 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 2:51:54 PM
At EXACTLY the moment amazons of righteousness are needed like never before in western history, who do we have?
Puke Peloci & the DLC Hillary Clinton doll
Peloci, however, is worse since she keeps cutting America's throat right before our eyes, over and over and over again. MY GOD what an army of skeletons must be in this traitor's closet, and the pugs clearly know every bone.
Didn't something like this happen with J. Edgar Hoover and organized crime?
What are the pugs giving her to make her so willing to sell America's soul???
by
W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (219 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 485 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 5:16:40 PM
You make some interesting points if one can get past your overtop rehtoric.Just a point, I thought that the point of this site was to discuss various opinions. Your items tend to be raves that preach to like minded a progressive version of a shock jock. Most Progressives are more discerning and often reject the hyperbole. Eg the tirade against Gonzo. What did it achieve and how did it help your arguement? I'm sure many valuable readers are turned off by the inappropriate pointless name calling
by
Andris (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 532 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 5:32:05 PM
she is under the spell of Emanuel Rahm, from Illinois. He, a ballet dancer wannabe is a fundraising dynamo and he showed them devil-be-hanged forget everything but raising money and when the others are broke those with cash win win. Unfortunately he is a onetrick pony and got rich in the market ($17-$18,000,000) and now they all think he knows how to win, which he does in his district, but he intimidated Dean and now they follow his plan, which skips over people's emotions, injustices and focuses on money. By the time they get all they need by ignoring the Bushites, we will all be supporting independents. I urge everyone to cluster and begin to seek out good candidates outside the Main Stream, perhaps some of you all will run. Bush is setting into place a starve-out of children and adults, their goal is , so they can steall all the land. They plan to let the children die, force everyone to take drugs and kill us all off, slowly and then more quickly. Bushites are demanding a cutback on healthcare for children, most people I know cannot afford hospitalization for the whole family, that need will grow and American's will die off like the natives did here 125 years ago. It will be a slow starve out. "Let them eat cake" Let them go to the emergency rooms" The physicians are a part of the treason. I just read my physicians statement they'll share what's wrong with you with any and everyone they want to, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Well, there is one thing, BUY NOTHING, TRUST NOT YOUR DOCTORS, OR CLERGYMEN. SAVE CASH and wait and pray.
by
Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo (144 articles, 1 quicklinks, 95 diaries, 1313 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 5:43:51 PM
The guy below you thinks my writing is unpopular, and if I wrote passionless, dry, unranting, less churlishly, additional jillions of readers would leap into reading my stuff. Gee, I sure hope I can reach deep down and write without passion. I certainly would love to be more popular with the folks who are quietly pedantic, if I could only live up to his expectations, I could be... I know, I could be more lime everyone else, especially the Republicans, they have no passion. Damn why can't I just for once conform to his expectations, or just, even conform. I do so want more popularity. Then I could add to my staff of secretaries who handle all my emails and my requests for art and my three-book deal would become a 9-book deal.
WOW! Popularity, why in Hell didn't I think of that myself? Whatta concept. Okay then here I go becoming very staid and prim and proper because this reader thinks that the purpose here is to discuss, Gee, I wish I could have after just writing one article, have figured that out. Here it took me 100 articles, four novels, three reference book best sellers, and a text book, and countless hundreds of thousands of dollars later, jillions of headlined columns, and I am just now getting it from a, what, one article-rookie. Saints be praised I am saved by an amateur! Hallelujah!
Gee, I think I am going to go on a new site and without researching him, pick a person and launch into a didactic smug and superior person , perhaps, I shall go into the NYT and do what this rookie has done for me and wake up some amateur like Paul Krugman, yeah, that's it, I'll teach Paul how to be popular in the manner this fellow sketches out for us all, launch into making a fool of myself, just like my little friend here, has. Act like a bloodless, emotionless, Neo-con and in that way, I can conserve my emotions and just take al the cash from my books and emotionless paintings and go live in an icebox.
by
Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo (144 articles, 1 quicklinks, 95 diaries, 1313 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 7:02:51 PM
soon there aren't going to any rooftops left to shout from
Prof, I seem to recall that Shakespear was always talking about "in excess" .
At this point the only chance of saving America is "in excess" to the max. This is it, folks, WE'RE ON THE KILLING FLOOR AS WE SPEAK. Not to ealize this is like being in a theatre so absorbed in the previews that you don't smell the smoke from a fire in the basement.
The Prof not only smell the smoke, he's running like hell to get out of the theatre -- and so am I.
ps the smoke started in 9/11 and the moral/rational infrastructure of America is going, going, gone. Our ONLY chance of putting out the fire is to find out WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN 9/11 -- no matter what the cost.
ps2: what's buring is the soul of America
by
W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (219 articles, 44 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 485 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 9:51:32 PM
You already know that I like your writing, and this article in particular shows how people of the lowest character always attempt to surround themselves with someone even worse because it’s the only way they ever feel superior or even mediocre for that matter.At one time I felt that Bush hijacked the Constitution but he didn’t, it’s continually handed to him by the democratic leadership.
They complain like kid’s who hand over their lunch money to a school bully. They don’t like it but they can't muster up the courage to confront him to make it stop.
by
CD Rodgers (6 articles, 1 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 88 comments)
on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 10:02:56 PM
