TPMMuckraker September 7, 2008 - September 13, 2008
Ted Stevens
Ted Stevens' "Trial By Ambush"
The back and forth in the case against indicted Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), continues with the defense filing a rancorous motion charging the prosecution with "trial by ambush."
In a hearing today, the two groups battled over documents and photos, specifically of the Stevens' residence in Girdwood, whose renovation lies at the heart of the indictment, and at one point conducted a length debate over the terminology best used to describe the property.
From the AP:
Defense lawyers indicated they will likely challenge some of the thousands of pictures the Justice Department took of Stevens' house in Girdwood, Alaska, a ski resort town outside Anchorage, which the indictment said the senator often referred as "the chalet."PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (8)"We think some were taken with wide angle lenses that distort the size of the home," said Stevens' lawyer Robert Cary, who noted that real estate agents often do the same thing to sell houses.
"It's a modest cabin in Alaska," Cary added.
"A modest chalet?" U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said.
Prosecutor Brenda Morris pointed out that the government didn't call it a chalet; Stevens did. "It was a modest cabin," but the work expanded it into a ski chalet, Morris said. "We didn't take any pictures to make it look more than what it is," she said.
Topics: Alaska, Ted Stevens
Trooper-Gate
AK Judiciary Committee Votes to Authorize Subpoenas in Trooper-Gate, Including for Todd Palin
The Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee voted today to authorize Trooper-Gate projector director Hollis French (D) to issue subpoenas requested by investigator Stephen Branchflower. The subpoenas are part of the continuing investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin, and include a subpoena for the testimony of the First Gentleman, Todd Palin.
Branchflower requested the power to issue thirteen subpoenas, including a request for the testimony of the governor's husband because he is "such a central figure" to the Trooper-Gate controversy, he thought "one should be issued for him."
The committee debated for over two hours, with Sen. Bill Wielechowski (D) pushing to keep politics out of the investigation and moved to pass the motion in the senate.
Exact wording of the motion from the Senate Records:
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI moved:Pursuant to AK 24.25.010(b), I move that you be authorized to issue subpoenas to the following individuals and for the following documents: Frank Bailey, Diane Kiesel, Annette Kreitzer, Nicki Neal, Brad Thompson, Michael Nizich, John Bitney, Ivy Frye, Kris Perry, Janice Mason, Todd Palin, Randy Ruaro, Murlene Wilkes; cell phone records for Frank Bailey for the period of February 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008. This authorization is contingent upon concurrence of the Senate President.
Passed 3 to 2.
Sen. Charlie Huggins (R) crossed the aisle, voting in favor of the motion, and joined Wielechowski in his plea to move the investigation forward.
"I see all this duck-foot action under the water," Sen. Charlie Huggins (R) said. "And I'm here, on a break from my moose-huntin' trip, to say let's just get the facts on the table. "
Sen. Lesil McGuire (R) attempted to amend the motion so that the subpoenas would not be issued until after the election. The amendment was voted down by Huggins, Wielechowski and French.
The House Judiciary Committee was present as well and voted unanimously in an advisory capacity in favor of allowing Branchflower to issue the subpoenas. The authorization of the motion is contingent on Senate President Lyda Green's (R) concurrence with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (19)Topics: Alaska, Sarah Palin, Todd Palin, Trooper-Gate
The Daily Muck
The Daily Muck
The former employee of Cindy McCain's non-profit who was allegedly fired from his position over his knowledge of McCain's drug use, gave his first public interview in 15 years to the Washington Post. The employee, Tom Gosinski, reported McCain's addiction to the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1993, and later was charged by the McCains with extortion when he sued for wrongful termination. (Washington Post)
The recent investigation into the Interior Department's "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" could mean complications for law makers who vote next week on expanded offshore drilling. The investigation revealed that between 2002 and 2006, 19 government representatives received various gifts and gratuities from oil and gas companies and "frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana, and had sexual relationships with oil and natural gas company representatives." (AP)
A military judge delayed the case of a Canadian detainee at Guantanamo Bay yesterday. The trial of Omar Khadr was originally set for Oct. 8 and a new trial date has not been set. Khadr is accused of throwing a grenade that killed U.S. soldier in the summer of 2002 during a firefight in Afghanistan. Conviction could result in a life sentence. (Miami Herald)
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (10)Topics: The Daily Muck
Trooper-Gate
Alaska Leg. Holds Session Today, Considers Voting on Subpoenas in Trooper-Gate
The Alaska state legislature's House and Senate Judicary Committees are meeting this morning in Anchorage to discuss the possiblity of issuing subpoenas in the investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin.
The move comes after the seven witnesses called to give depositions to the independent investigator Stephen Branchflower, suddenly cancelled their testimony.
Yesterday, senior assistant Attorney General Michael Barnhill wrote a seven-page letter to the legislature stating that "the eyes of the nation have now turned upon us," and that his office would move to quash the subpoenas if they were issued at the hearing today.
The meeting begins at 9 AM AKDT, or 1PM EST. We'll be listening by teleconference, so be sure to check back later.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (11)Topics: Alaska, Sarah Palin, Trooper-Gate
Sarah Palin
Palin Approved Gov't Hiring for Friend and Co-Investor
You'll remember that earlier this week we mentioned that Sarah Palin fired one of her aides, after she discovered he was having an affair with a close (married) friend of the family, Deborah Richter.
Bloomberg reports today that Richter is also an appointee of the Palin administration, and a co-owner with Palin on a land investment of 30 acres of property near a lake in Petersville, Alaska, worth about $47,000. Richter has only a year of college education, after which she's worked "bookkeeping and finance jobs" before serving as Palin's gubernatorial campaign treasurer. Not long after being made governor, Palin approved Richter's hiring as the "director of a division that distributes dividends to Alaskans from the state's oil-wealth savings account."
From Bloomberg:
"It sounds like a patronage deal for someone who ran your campaign; that's pretty normal,'' said Bill Buzenberg, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity in Washington. ``What's not normal is that they have business dealings together.''PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (15)No evidence has emerged to suggest that laws were broken in the appointment, and Richter said she, "didn't go in there with any promises from the governor or the chief of staff or anybody. I turned in my resume'' to the governor's transition team "and I didn't know if anyone was going to call me.''
"She was qualified,'' said Pat Galvin, commissioner of the Department of Revenue and Richter's boss. Galvin said he also interviewed other people for the job and that Richter has done well. He said Palin's office approved his selection of Richter.
Topics: Alaska, Palin's Hiring, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Trooper-Gate: Everything You Need To Know
The Sarah Palin Trooper-Gate saga has taken so many twists and turns lately that we decided it was worth taking a step back, to consider what we've learned to date, and what it might all amount to.
As regular readers of TPMmuckraker know, Trooper-Gate centers on allegations that Sarah Palin fired the former Alaska Public Safety Commissioner for his refusal to axe a state trooper who had undergone an ugly divorce from Palin's sister, and who was embroiled in a bitter feud with the Palin family. But as is so often the case when powerful figures are accused of wrongdoing, the effort to conceal what happened by Palin and Alaska Republicans, apparently with the aid of the McCain campaign, may be just as revealing as the original event.
The whole sordid tale started on July 13th, when the Anchorage Daily News -- which has been all over Trooper-Gate since the start -- reported that Walt Monegan, the state's respected public safety commissioner, had been fired without a clear explanation.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (27)Topics: John McCain, Mike Wooten, Sarah Palin, Trooper-Gate
Trooper-Gate
Palin's Lawyer Investigates Trooper-Gate Investigator, Accuses of Bias
The latest in Sarah Palin's fight against the Trooper-Gate probe is buried in a story in the AP. Apparently, Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, is going on the offensive with the investigation, beginning his own investigation of the investigator, Stephen Branchflower:
According to internal documents in the attorney general's office, Van Flein requested under Alaska's open records law copies of all documents describing the hiring of Branchflower for the Troopergate probe, plus any "minutes, memos, notes and agendas" related to the investigation and e-mails among state lawmakers on the Legislative Council to Branchflower or French.The attorney general's office said it did not have such documents and directed Van Flein to Alaska's Legislative Council, the panel that approved the Troopergate investigation. Van Flein and Kim Elton, the head of the council, said no such further request was made.
Van Flein told the AP he was looking for any evidence of bias in Branchflower's investigation, and sent two letters to Elton and Branchflower on Tuesday calling the probe "unlawful and unconstitutional" and calling Branchflower "seemingly biased" because of his past friendship with former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan, whose firing is at the center of the probe.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (5)Topics: Sarah Palin, Trooper-Gate
Jack Abramoff
Abramoff's Sentence Reduced by Two Years
From the AP:
A federal judge agreed yesterday to shave two years from former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff's prison sentence for a fraudulent Florida casino boat deal because of his extensive cooperation in that case and a wide-ranging political corruption probe that upended Washington politics.The decision by US District Judge Paul Huck guarantees that Abramoff, 49, will serve no more than an additional four years in prison - the sentence imposed by a Washington, D.C., judge last week in the separate corruption case.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (7)
Topics: Jack Abramoff
Trooper-Gate
Palin May Quash Subpoenas in Trooper-Gate Probe
The stand-off between Sarah Palin and the state legislators investigating Trooper-Gate threatens to continue, with the Alaska Attorney General's office saying it may "move to quash subpoenas" if they are issued by legislators in tomorrow's hearing.
From Bloomberg:
"The eyes of the nation have now turned upon us,'' senior Assistant Attorney General Michael Barnhill wrote. "We think there is a legitimate concern that this investigation is no longer being conducted in a fair manner.''Barnhill complained in a seven-page letter about public comments made by Hollis French, a Democratic senator, that Palin or her aides may have broken the law by allegedly obtaining personnel files of the fired state public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan.
Just three weeks ago, Palin had pledged full cooperation with the investigation from her and her staff and had even requested that the state attorney general conduct his own parallel investigation alongside the probe commissioned by state legislators.
But in days following her nomination as vice-presidential running mate John McCain, Palin has hired a lawyer, and seven witnesses who had agreed to give depositions to an independent investigator, have all refused testimony. Allegations of politicization of the probe's legislative overseer, Hollis French (D), have surfaced after French told reporters they could expect an "October surprise" with the investigation's report on Palin.
Topics: Alaska, Sarah Palin, Trooper-Gate
The Daily Muck
The Daily Muck
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) has deferred Wednesday's vote of contempt for Attorney Gen. Michael Mukasey. The vote was over the Department of Justice refusing to hand over subpoenaed documents to the committee. The deferral came in light of a letter from the Justice Department requesting the deferral along with some of the documents in question. (House Judiciary Committee)
Sen. Larry Craig's (R-ID) lawyers yesterday asked a Minnesota Court to void Craig's guilty plea last year to disorderly conduct after he was arrested in a Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport bathroom. Craig's lawyer claimed that the complaint against Craig was not enough to prove him guilty. Sen. Craig is not seeking re-election for his senate seat which expires in January. (Reuters)
House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) sent letters yesterday to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director James Lockhart requesting documents related to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The documents in question are related to the severance compensation for the former CEOs of Freddie and Fannie. (House Oversight Committee)
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (3)Topics: The Daily Muck
Trooper-Gate
Palin Warned of Trooper-Gate "Wolves" by Ethics Adviser, Letter Shows
Sarah Palin was counseled by an ethics adviser on the gravity of the allegations against her in the burgeoning Trooper-Gate scandal -- and encouraged to apologize -- letters reviewed by the Wall Street Journal show.
A former U.S. attorney, Wevley Shea, wrote two letters (pdf) to the Alaska governor, once in July and once in early August, stating that Palin's "'political advisors' have given you poor cousel; the situation is now grave. . . I am extremely concerned about certain 'wolves' if my recommended action is not taken immediately."
Shea gave the following recommendations to Palin in a letter dated July 24:
Apologize for not personally terminating Commissioner of Public Safety Walt Monegan. Apologize for your statements regarding Commissioner Monegan in Press Release no. 08-125. Apologize, with Todd, for overreaching or peceived overreaching on Trooper Mike Wooten. Terminate any "state advisor" who addressed Trooper Wooten with Commissioner Monegan. Withdraw former Kenai Police Chief Chuck Kopp's name as Commissioner of Public Safety. Do not, in writing [as in Press Release no. 08-125], "define" the credibility of state employees.
Palin had previously commissioned Shea in late 2006 to co-write an ethics report recommending new financial-disclosure rules for elected and appointed statehouse officials.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (17)Topics: Alaska, Sarah Palin, Trooper-Gate
Sarah Palin
So What Did Palin Request in Federal Earmarks? Seal DNA Research!
As we've mentioned elsewhere on TPM, Sarah Palin was not quite as conservative as she claims in her requests for earmarks. And here's a great example from just this year.
According to Alaska's 2009 catalog of earmark requests the state's sea life are in great need of federal money. As Politico points out, Palin's office requested $2 million in federal monies to study crab mating habits; $494,900 for the recreational halibut harvest and $3.2 million for seal genetics research.
Those requests for the study of wildlife genetics and mating habits seems pretty antithetical to the long-standig views of Palin's running mate, John McCain.
"We're not going to spend $3 million of your tax dollars to study the DNA of bears in Montana," McCain said earlier this year, referring to a request from Montana for federal money to study the endangered grizzly bear. "I don't know if it was a paternity issue or criminal, but it was a waste of money."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (44)Topics: Alaska, Earmarks, Sarah Palin
Ted Stevens
Stevens Loses Motion to Dismiss Charges; Trial to Begin in 12 Days
Indicted Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) might have handily won his primary, but he's not been so lucky with motions.
A judge ruled against Stevens today in his request to throw out the charges against him,
From Reuters:
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan rejected defense efforts to dismiss the charges on grounds that only the Senate may discipline him for any violations of Senate rules and that the indictment was unconstitutionally vague.
Guess we'll be seeing Stevens in court on September 22, as originally planned.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (8)Topics: Alaska, Ted Stevens
Dusty Foggo
Foggo Threatens To Expose CIA Secrets As Part of Own Criminal Case
In court documents filed late last week, prosecutors in the trial of former executive director of the CIA Dusty Foggo allege that the defendant is attempting to "twist a straightforward case into a referendum on the global war on terror" by taking the spotlight off his charges of corruption and fraud.
In going down this irrelevant path, the government argues, Foggo will expose dozens of confidential programs and people still active in the CIA.
From the government's motion:
Foggo's desire portray himself to the public as a patriotic hero stands in stark contrast to his Section 5 Notice, in which he expresses (albeit in a sealed filing) a desire to expose the cover of virtually every CIA employee with whom he interacted and to divulge to the world some of our country's most sensitive programs - even though this information has absolutely nothing to do with the charges he faces.
Foggo's most recent move -- the process of holding the court ransom with threats to expose classified information -- is common in national security cases and is known as "graymail" and is something the prosecution has already been on the look out for. The prosecution has requested an in chambers examination of the material to be submitted by Foggo and determine its admissibility.
The case against Foggo, is tied closely with that of former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham who took bribes from defense contractor Brent Wilkes, who is a long-time friend of Foggo. Foggo is alleged to have favored Wilkes for contracts and in turn, accepted tens of thousands of dollars in gifts.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (20)Topics: Duke Cunningham, Dusty Foggo
Sarah Palin
McCain Ad Cites Discredited Claim That Dems Sent Team to Dig Up Palin Dirt
Yesterday, John Fund of the Wall Street Journal reported that "Democrats have airdropped a mini-army of 30 lawyers, investigators and opposition researchers into Anchorage, the state capital Juneau and Mrs. Palin's hometown of Wasilla to dig into her record and background."
The story was quickly seized on by Republicans eager to portray a Democratic vendetta against Palin. Sean Hannity repeated it on Fox last night. And now the McCain campaign has released an ad that cites Fund's report, and depicts the Democratic investigators as wolves on the prowl.
There's only one problem: It appears not to be true. Within hours, the DNC's research director, Mark Gehrke, had issued a blanket denial, to The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, who reported: "'Not a single person from DC or Chicago has traveled to Alaska to do research,' [Gehrke] writes. Not a single Obama staffer, not a DNC staffer, not a hired gun, he says." Gehrke repeated that denial to TPM's Election Central just now.
And today, a DNC spokesman sent the following statement to TPMmuckraker: "Like most of what the McCain has been based on lately - this is another lie. A dishonorable and dishonest campaign spreading another lie."
The Obama campaign referred TPMmuckraker to Gehrke's denial. In addition, the chair of the Alaska Democratic party, Mike Coumbe, who has been in close touch with the national party since Palin was named to the GOP ticket, told TPMmuckraker that he has received no information from the national party or the Obama campaign that would support Fund's claim. That was echoed by another top Alaska Democratic Party official, Kay Brown, as well as other leading Democrats in the state.
Fund did not immediately respond to a call and email from TPMmuckraker requesting comment.
Late update: Fund tells TPMmuckraker that he stands by his story -- though he could not be specific about which Democrats he was referring to -- and will have additional information later today.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (27)Topics: John McCain, Palin's Press, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Wooten Says He Hasn't Been Contacted By Trooper-Gate Probers
The Associated Press reports that Mike Wooten, the trooper at the center of Trooper-Gate, says he has not been contacted by investigators.
The independent investigator on the case, Steve Branchflower, has been on the job since around August 1st, and his contract runs through October 31st, though legislators overseeing the probe recently announced their intention to move up the final report's release date by three weeks.
Wooten told the AP he'd cooperate with the investigation if contacted. The AP also reported that former state public safety commissioner Walt Monegan will meet with investigators today.
The case centers on claims by Monegan that he was fired by Sarah Palin for refusing to fire Wooten -- a trooper who had undergone a messy divorce from Palin's sister and had become embroiled in a bitter dispute with Palin's family.
Topics: Mike Wooten, Sarah Palin
The Daily Muck
The Daily Muck
The sexual affair between a former Texas judge and a former district attorney has threatened to complicate the conviction and sentencing of a death row case. The judge, Verla Sue Holland, admitted under oath on Monday, that she and Thomas O'Connell carried on an affair for many years. Charles Dean Hood had been scheduled for execution today, but was granted a stay by the Court of Appeals for a hearing on his challenge to jury instructions. The court dismissed the claims that Hood had not received a fair trial due to the affair. (Chicago Tribune)
Two senators, one Republican and one Democrat, have come together to accuse the Department of Labor for failing to uphold the "spirit and goals" of laws protecting whistleblowers. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) wrote the letter in reaction to a recent Wall Street Journal article that showed the government has ruled in favor of whistleblowers in only 17 out of 1,273 complaints. (Wall Street Journal)
Republicans called for embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) to step down from his post as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee until the ethics complaints against him are resolved. House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-OH) wrote to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) requesting she insist that Rangel step down. Complaints over Rangel stem from his failure to disclose income from a rental property in the Dominican Republic. (Los Angeles Times)
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)Topics: The Daily Muck
Jack Abramoff
Rep. Wilson: DOJ Hasn't Contacted Me On Abramoff
Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) put out a statement last night in response to our report that, according to a federal indictment, her office played a role in the corruption scheme headed by now-jailed ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
TPMmuckraker reported yesterday that excerpts from emails included in the indictment of Kevin Ring, a former Abramoff crony, identify a Wilson staffer as being actively involved in helping Abramoff's lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig, retain its contract with the Sandia Pueblo Indian tribe. We also noted that a member of Ring's lobbying team -- likely Abramoff himself -- believed he had the power to influence Rep. Wilson's decisions with regard to a land deal the tribe was seeking, according to the email excerpts, and that the Wilson staffer received tickets to an LA Clippers basketball game from Ring.
In response, Rep. Wilson says in her statement:
I was completely unaware until today of any former staffer's e-mails ... I have not been contacted by the Department of Justice about this matter at any time..Regarding the March 2003 e-mails between two rogue lobbyists concerning whether they would continue to be retained by the Pueblo, I am not sure whether to be amused or offended that they were operating under the delusion that I would help them retain their contract, or that losing their contract would hurt the Pueblo's longstanding relationship with me. As my constituents, I represent the Pueblo regardless of who they hire to represent them. At no time did I take any action on behalf of Greenberg Traurig with Sandia Pueblo
In reference to the Clippers tickets, the statement adds: "We have very strict rules in our office on gifts -- including tickets to events. We train our staff about House ethics rules and we enforce those rules up to and including dismissal." PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (4)
Topics: Jack Abramoff, Kevin Ring
Sarah Palin
Judge: Bad-Mouthing of Wooten By Palin's Family Was "Form of Child Abuse"
Newsweek reports that in 2005, a judge warned Sarah Palin and her family to stop disparaging Mike Wooten, the state trooper who at the time was undergoing a bitter divorce from Palin's sister and is at the heart of the ongoing Trooper-Gate investigation.
According to court records of the divorce proceedings obtained by the magazine, Judge John Suddock called the attacks on Wooten by the family "a form of child abuse." And an official with the troopers' union told the judge that he had received up to a dozen family complaints against Wooten. The official said he believed the complaints were "not job-related" and that Wooten was being "harassed" by his estranged wife's family.
And in his January 2006 order granting a final divorce decree to Wooten and Palin's sister, now known as Molly Hackett, Judge Suddock threatened to curb Hackett's child custody rights if her family continued to criticize Wooten. It appears that the judge did not ultimately limit those rights.
The Palins' alleged animosity toward Wooten is central to Trooper-Gate. The former state public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, alleged in July that he was fired by Sarah Palin, who was elected governor in November 2006, because he refused to fire Wooten from his job as a trooper. The state legislature has appointed an independent investigator to look into the matter.
Gov. Palin had at first pledged full cooperation with the probe, but since she was announced as John McCain's running-mate, that cooperation has ground to a halt.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (19)Topics: Mike Wooten, Sarah Palin
House Judiciary
HJC To Consider Contempt Citation for Mukasey Tomorrow
Finally! Congress is back from va-cay, and they've got lots of work to do before years end and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) is wasting no time.
Tomorrow morning, the Committee is scheduled to consider a citation for contempt for Attorney General Michael Mukasey for his failure to supply documents in accordance with the subpoena issued in late June.
The meeting is set to start at 10:15 EST. We'll be sure to keep you updated on what happens.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (14)Topics: House Judiciary, John Conyers, Michael Mukasey
Todd Palin
Palin Fired Aide Who Dated Wife of Todd's Friend
The Politico reported Friday that a longtime associate and former gubernatorial aide to Sarah Palin says he was asked to leave the governor's office after the Palins discovered that he was dating the soon-to-be-ex wife of a close friend of Todd Palin.
John Bitney, who grew up in Wasilla with Palin, told the paper cum website:
I wanted to stay with the governor and support the governor -- we're talking about someone who's been a friend for 30 years -- but I understood it, and I have no ax to grind over the whole thing."
Today, the Wall Street Journal added more to the story, reporting that seven weeks after publicly praising Bitney, Palin fired him for what her spokeswoman now describes as "poor job performance."
During that time, Palin had found out from Scott Richter, a friend of Todd Palin's, that Richter's wife, Debbie, was having a relationship with Bitney.
The Journal notes that Palin's office seems to have had trouble keeping its story straight on the reason for Bitney's departure.
At the time, the governor's office cited "personal reasons" for Mr. Bitney's "amicable" departure, according to contemporaneous news reports. Last week, Sharon Leighow, a spokeswoman for the governor's office, said "John Bitney was dismissed because of his poor job performance." She declined to provide further details.PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (19)
Topics: Palin's Hiring, Sarah Palin, Todd Palin, Trooper-Gate
Jack Abramoff
Indictment: Heather Wilson's Office Tied to Abramoff
The Abramoff corruption probe has already snared one GOP Congressman, Bob Ney, and implicated a few more, most prominently Rep. John Doolittle of California. But could there be another to add to the list: Rep. Heather Wilson of New Mexico?
An examination by TPMmuckraker of the indictment of former Jack Abramoff associate Kevin Ring, filed yesterday, suggests that Wilson's office was tied in to Abramoff's corruption network at a level not previously known. And John McCain's 2005 investigation into Abramoff's fleecing of Indian tribes, which McCain conducted as chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, made no mention of that fact.
The Ring indictment contains the following statements from prosecutors:
On or about January 30, 2003, a lobbyist at Firm B emailed a staffer for the New Mexico tribe's U.S. Representative, "Sorry I couldn't hangout last night. I greatly appreciate your taking the time to han[g]out with the [New Mexico tribe]. It meant a lot to [K]evin and I [sic]. BTW, you should be all set for the [Los Angeles] Clippers [basketball] game."
And:
On or about February 14, 2003, a lobbyist at Firm B forwarded an email from the staffer for the New Mexico tribe's U.S. Representative to defendant RING in which the staffer had written, "How did Kevin' s meetings with the [New Mexico tribe] go? If you guys lose that contract I would be disappointed."
And:
On or about March 4, 2003, a lobbyist at Firm B emailed defendant RING, "I'm going to kill [the New Mexico tribe] with [its U.S. Representative] if we don't get hired."
And:
On or about March 7, 2003, a lobbyist at Firm B emailed defendant RING, "[ The staffer for the New Mexico tribe' s U.S. Representative] is going to be in the meeting with [the New Mexico tribe] when they come to town. He's going to give the 'are you guys staying with [Firm B] this cycle? They did a great job on . . . legislation . . . and really cleared the path for you guys . . . . . yadda yadda.' He's gonna gather as much intel as possible for us."
It's clear from identifying details in the indictment -- which refers to a New Mexico Indian tribe that hired Abramoff's firm, Greenberg Traurig around March 2002 -- that the tribe is the Sandia Pueblo Indians, who are represented in Congress by Wilson. So in other words, a staffer for Wilson was actively involved in helping Ring and Greenberg Traurig (Firm B, where Ring worked at the time), retain their contract to represent the Sandia Indians. And Ring's Greenberg partner -- most likely Abramoff himself, but certainly a member of Abramoff's team at Greenberg -- believed he had the power to affect decisions made by Rep. Wilson concerning the tribe's interests.
A spokesman for Rep. Wilson declined to comment on the information in the indictment.
We already knew that Wilson had accepted political contributions from both Abramoff himself and David Safavian, a former Abramoff crony and Bush administration official convicted for obstruction of justice as part of the Abramoff probe. But the information in the indictment suggests that her office worked with Abramoff more closely that has yet been reported.
Wilson has been a stalwart supporter and prominent surrogate for John McCain, painting him as a crusader against Washington corruption. Just last night, she appeared on MSNBC's Hardball to make the case for him, and last week she told NPR: "John McCain has chosen a reformer ... to be his running mate and I think that's a perfect complement to who he is and what he's done in his life."
Wilson may have good reason to hold the GOP nominee in high regard. In his 2005 Senate investigation, McCain had access to the Greenberg Traurig email trove, presumably including the ones cited by prosecutors in the Ring indictment highlighted above. But his final report generally avoided focusing on members of Congress, and omitted any mention of Wilson.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (22)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff, Kevin Ring
John Doolittle
"Good Soldier" Doolittle Prominent in Indictment of Abramoff Ally
The long awaited indictment yesterday of Jack Abramoff associate Kevin Ring contains over 100 mentions of a not-so-mysterious "Representative 5," California Republican Congressman John Doolittle, a long-known crony of Abramoff.
The indictment adds additional information to Doolittle's already thick record with Abramoff. According to the indictment, Ring expensed at least one suite for a sports event, eight concert tickets (including tickets for Dixie Chicks and Faith Hill), and five meals totaling more than $2000 for Doolittle. For Doolittle's staff and his legislative director in particular, Ring bought 29 sports tickets, four concert tickets, nine meals, and one gift from Macy's.
But Ring and Abramoff were well accommodated in return. As the indictment describes, Doolittle proved himself "a good soldier" by chairing a hearing on the Puerto Rico statehood issue for an Abramoff client and held up his opposition to an anti-gambling bill among other favors.
And Doolittle's staff was just as helpful. Doolittle's communications director helped Ring out with tax legislation to "earn [his] Sigs Sushi ;)," and his legislative director was so "tenacious on the appropriations front" that he earned an esteemed compliment from Ring in an email: "You the man."
It's been awhile since Doolittle and his wife Julie have come up, but page after page of gifts and favors in the indictment bring the happy couple back into the muck spotlight.
Julie Doolittle's involvement began when her business records were subpoenaed in 2004 after her "consulting company," Sierra Dominion, was hired by Abramoff. A few years later, in 2007, the FBI raided the Doolittle's home for additional evidence related to their investigation of Abramoff. The same day the raid occurred -- man of the hour, Kevin Ring, a Doolittle staffer prior to his work at Abramoff's Greenberg Taurig -- resigned from his subsequent job at a different lobbying firm.
Meanwhile, Doolittle was having his own problems. After the FBI raid became public, six of his aides were contacted by the feds and others testified before the grand jury related to the investigation.
Together, John paid Julie 15% of the takings from his PAC -- "payment" for money she reportedly raised herself. He also arranged for her hiring by Abramoff, requesting that she be given work, but not "too much," according to an email obtained in Ring's indictment. "Since she has responsibilities at home as a mother and wife." According to the indictment, Abramoff obliged giving Julie a $5000 a month job, as an events planner. As it turned out, all the events that she planned were canceled - but that didn't stop her from getting paid. In the end, Julie was paid $96,000 between 2002 and 2004 by Abramoff's firm.
Despite Republicans clamoring for his resignation, and the downfall of Abramoff and all those around him, Doolittle stood his ground, and until the last moment, maintained he we would run for reelection for his seat in Congress. But in January, he and Julie issued a joint statement, claiming that John would retire after this year, because they were "ready for a change."
Now that Ring pleaded not guilty to ten counts of public corruption, the big player in his indictment -- Representative 5 -- seems like the next tree to fall in the rotting Abramoff forest.
And if legal defense funds are any indication, Doolittle is playing with the big boys. In the last quarter alone he racked up $152,852 in attorney fees.
It appears that they're earning their keep. Doolittle's attorneys released a statement saying that "it is clear that portions of the Kevin Ring indictment were designed to make gratuitous references to the Congressman and his wife. This appears to have been done to titillate the public, with the foreseeable and therefore intended consequence of attempting to embarrass and pressure the Congressman."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (8)Topics: Jack Abramoff, John Doolittle
Ted Stevens
Stevens Defense Could Drag Out Trial
Indicted Alaska senator Ted Stevens has said he wants his trial to be completed before he stands for reelection in November. But his lawyers are seeking materials that, according to legal experts, are likely to drag out the case.
The Politico lists some of the materials requested by the Stevens team:
• Secret grand jury transcripts, including testimony from a Stevens aide called before the panel, to find out whether the Justice Department used information that may be privileged under the Constitution's "speech or debate" clause.• Reports from FBI agents who listened in on 105 of the senator's telephone calls -- a fraction of the more than 2,800 calls agents monitored as part of their Alaska corruption probe.
• Medical records to show whether former VECO Chairman Bill Allen, whose company allegedly provided more than $250,000 in "things of value to Stevens," has suffered from a head injury or any other "cognitive impairments" that might affect his testimony.
• Detailed information on all potential government witnesses: their criminal histories, plea deals and immunity agreements, as well as any information the Justice Department may have about their abuse of drugs or alcohol.
• The photographs of Stevens' Girdwood, Alaska, home taken by FBI agents during a search in July 2007. Stevens' lawyers are suggesting that photos the government wants to introduce into evidence were taken with "wide angle lenses or other optics that distorted the perspective in the photos" to make some of the rooms in the house look larger than they really are.
Politico notes the contradiction at the heart of Stevens' defesne: "While Stevens has put a priority on getting the case done quickly, his lawyers seem determined to present the most aggressive defense possible. Those two interests may collide as the trial date draws near."
Stevens is charged with failing to report gifts from supporters worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on financial disclosure forms.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)Topics: Ted Stevens
The Daily Muck
The Daily Muck
Three out of eight defendants in the supposed plot to blow up trans-Atlantic airplanes were convicted in London Monday of conspiracy to commit murder. However, none of the defendants was convicted of the more serious charge of conspiracy to use liquid explosives on airplanes. The alleged terrorist plot was uncovered in August 2006. (New York Times)
Former Haliburton executive and KBR chief Albert Stanley has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors after pleading guilty last week to bribery for deals in Nigeria. Federal officials believe that Stanley's cooperation could lead to further indictments in the oil industry in cases involving the bribery of foreign governments. (ProPublica and PBS' Frontline)
Vice President Dick Cheney is being sued by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington [CREW]. The liberal watchdog group is seeking a court order to ensure that Cheney complies with the post-Watergate Presidential Records Act and eventually releases records publicly. CREW's lawsuit expresses the concern that Cheney will try to skirt the law by claiming he is not a member of the executive branch. (AP)
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)Topics: The Daily Muck
Sarah Palin
City of Wasilla Document Dump Muckraking Thread
If you think you're hearing a lot about Sarah Palin, just imagine the poor folks over at the Wasilla City Hall, which must be why they set up a one-stop-shop for documents relating to their former mayor on their webpage.
We're looking through them now, but we'd love your help in raking. We've set up this thread for you to post to for items you find interesting. There are over a dozen documents, so in order to keep them straight we've devised a simple shorthand. To let us know which document you're referring to or quoting from, use the capital letters of the title of the document and the year (if there is one), and then the page number.
So a quote from page 6 of the "Certified Annual Financial Report -- FY2000" would be : CAFR2000:6.
The documents are here, good luck raking!
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (14)Topics: Alaska, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Trooper-Gate
Sarah Palin
Palin, Aide, Have Same Lawyer
We learned on Friday that seven witnesses last week cancelled their scheduled depositions in the Sarah Palin Trooper-Gate investigation. This came after Palin's lawyer asserted in a court filing last week that the governor would not herself testify unless the probe were taken out of the hands of the legislature.
But there's additional evidence of a centralized effort to protect Palin. Another possible witness in the case, Palin aide Ivy Frye, has hired Thomas Van Flein, the lawyer representing Palin herself. Asked by TPMmuckraker this afternoon about her role in the inquiry, Frye, described in news reports as a "special assistant" to Palin, responded: "You can call my attorney if you'd like," and named Van Flein.
Palin's office has claimed executive privilege on a group of emails sent this spring between Palin aides, including Frye. Van Flein did not immediately return a request for comment.
As for the seven witnesses who cancelled their depositions last week, we already knew that one of those seven was Frank Bailey, the Palin aide who was heard in a recorded phone conversation telling a trooper official that Palin was wondering why Trooper Mike Wooten -- the figure at the center of the case -- still had a job.
And on Saturday, the Anchorage Daily News reported the names of the other six:
• Annette Kreitzer, Palin's administration commissioner.• Kris Perry, a Palin confidant who managed her gubernatorial campaign and now manages her Anchorage office.
• Nicki Neal, state personnel and labor relations director.
• Karen Rehfeld, the governor's budget director.
• Brad Thompson, state risk management director.
• Dianne Kiesel, a state human resources manager.
Update: When asked about the cancellation of his deposition, Thompson told TPMmuckraker, "no comment." The rest did not immediately return calls.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (16)Topics: Palin's Hiring, Sarah Palin, Trooper-Gate
Sarah Palin
AP: French to Remain As Probe Chief
The Associated Press reports that Sen. Kim Elton, the head of the legislative council overseeing the Trooper-Gate investigation of Sarah Palin, has denied Republican efforts to have Sen. Hollis French, a Democrat from Anchorage, removed from his role overseeing the probe.
On Friday, Rep. John Coghill, a Republican, released a letter charging that French had politicized the investigation, and calling for his removal. And today, Rep. John Harris, the House GOP leader, told TPMmuckraker he supported Coghill's move, saying French had "overstepped his bounds," in talking about the possibility of impeachment for the govenor, and had created "more of a partisan situation." Harris also named Elton, a Democrat, as a possible replacement for French.
According to an associate of French, the Anchorage Democrat expressed concern over the weekend about his ability to effectively run the ongoing investigation, in the face of efforts by Republicans on the committee to challenge his control. Today's declaration of confidence in French by Elton could give French more room to maneuver.
Topics: Sarah Palin, Trooper-Gate
Ted Stevens
In Stevens Case, the Medium is the Massage
Here's a little more dish on the case against indicted GOP senator Ted Stevens. The Justice Department released a new filing today, adding a few items to the list of gifts that Stevens allegedly received from "personal friends" and failed to report on financial disclosure forms. Among those items, according to the filing:
- "a $2,695 massage chair."
- "a $3,200 hand-designed, hand-constructed stained glass window, built to specifications provided by the defendant and his spouse."
and:
- "a sled dog, valued at approximately $1,000."
Stevens' trial is scheduled to begin September 24th. He has denied the allegations of wrongdoing.
Topics: Ted Stevens
Jack Abramoff
Alleged Abramoff Accomplice Kevin Ring Indicted
Kevin Ring, the former underling of jailed former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, has been indicted on ten counts of public corruption.
From the AP:
A 10-count federal indictment unsealed Monday charges Kevin Ring, 37, with conspiring with Abramoff to corrupt congressional and executive-branch officials by giving them things of value as a reward for helping Ring and his clients.PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (7)Prior to becoming a lobbyist with Abramoff, Ring worked for Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif., who remains under investigation in the Abramoff probe.
. . .The Justice Department said the indictment was returned by a grand jury on Friday and unsealed Monday after Ring was arrested. Ring was to appear in court later Monday.
Topics: Jack Abramoff
The Daily Muck
The Daily Muck
The Israeli police have recommended that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert be indicted on charges of bribe-taking, fraud and breach of trust. Olmert is accused of accepting large sums of cash from a Long Island businessman, Morris Talansky, who is currently under investigation by the FBI. Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz is expected to decide whether to prosecute Olmert within a few weeks. (New York Times)
Iraqi leaders expressed surprise and disappointment at the recent revelation in a new book by Bob Woodward that the United States government has been spying on Iraqi politicians. A spokesperson for the Iraqi government said that the report, if true, "reflects that there is no trust" between the two governments. Other Iraqi politicians suggested that the report could make ongoing negotiations about U.S. troop levels more difficult. White House press secretary Dana Perino had no comment on the allegations. (Washington Post)
Leading members of Congress are demanding more information about the FBI's seven year investigation into the anthrax killings, unconvinced by the FBI's declaration that army scientist Bruce E. Ivins was behind the attacks. In a letter to FBI director Robert Mueller, Democratic congressional leaders argued that there were many lingering questions for the FBI to continue to investigate. Ivins committed suicide while under investigation this July. (New York Times)
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (4)Topics: The Daily Muck
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