Comments (33)

melandell wrote on March 26, 2007 9:25 AM:

i am still astonished at the age of the those in the highest reaches of the justice dept/govt. 37 years old? that means he's been an atty for no more that 13 years. in a profession where a 13 year attorney, fully immersed in the field is getting sea legs only after 10 years or so, why was this kid put in this level of responsibility?

it shows that the emerald city is in more than baghdad

i'd like to know how previous administrations did it.

Kimberly wrote on March 26, 2007 9:30 AM:

Sampson is Rove's man, and will tow the party line. I'm sure we will hear plenty of "I don't know", and "I can't remember" from this guy.

C 92 wrote on March 26, 2007 9:51 AM:

This one is pretty simple.

Kyle, please show me the evidence of your concerns that the "system" doesn't adequately prepare officials for Congressional testimony.

And your concerns must be expressed somewhere before you got fingered.

Just show us the evidence and we'll believe you.

John wrote on March 26, 2007 9:52 AM:

I agree. Sampson is a Republican operative and knows which side his bread is buttered. That said, the committee is made up of lawyers and they are going to ask tough questions that are going to be difficult to finesse. The amnesia defense can be used of course but I'm not sure that this is helpful at this stage. It's going to get huge play and if he is seen as evasive it is going to rebound on the admin and it's defenders. He could also be pushed into a serious omission. There is much jeopardy here.

MarkC wrote on March 26, 2007 10:00 AM:

That's the cover story, and it perhaps would be true if Sampson were the one deciding what he is going to say. The real shape of the testimony will be determined by a team of lawyers who will be trying to keep Sampson and his superiors out of legal trouble. For that reason, expect any questions about who signed off to be answered by faulty memory. The Libby case showed that such an approach can effectively shield one's superiors.

Mrs Panstreppon wrote on March 26, 2007 10:28 AM:

This story is creepy. These people talking to Mike Allen about Sampson are not "friends" in the usual sense of the word. Allen would have done his readers a favor if he had defined friends as in "friends in high places" or "GOP operative friends" or "friends of both Sampson and his attorney".

What was with the warm and fuzzies in the middle of the story? Who cares what Sampson told BYU three years ago about putting his children to bed?

It was interesting to learn that Sampson is a Mormon bishop. The Mormons are probably doing a full court press to save one of their own.

Richard L. Adlof wrote on March 26, 2007 10:32 AM:

Let's hope that the committee folk ask real and probing questions. Let's hope that Sampson's wife has to work to feed him and his four spawn if he never works again after not answering them or may he can go back to pleasuring the President . . . Maybe Alberto can find him a desk to sit under.

I have been tired of this crap for six years now.

Side note: How many times does Politico has to be wrong in their conclusions before we can go back to ignoring them?

Mrs Panstreppon wrote on March 26, 2007 10:42 AM:

We better start keeping an eye on these Mormons.

From a 4/10/05 Salt Lake Tribune story about Mormons becoming increasingly influential in Washington DC:

"...Condoleezza Rice's newest assistant at the State Department? Mormon. The lawyer who wrote the famed "torture memo"? Mormon. The CIA analyst who provided the agency's estimate -- faulty, as it turned out -- about weapons of mass destruction? You guessed it..."

The lawyer who turned the DOJ into an extension of the GOP? Mormon.

Lynn wrote on March 26, 2007 10:49 AM:

Kyle is once again the victim of the evil Eric Cartman.

jawbone wrote on March 26, 2007 10:51 AM:

Since many young Mormons learn foreign languages in order to fulfill their years of missionary work, they also do well when applying to the State Dept and CIA or other spy agencies.

Not that they're all like Kyle Sampson, but their church does teach strong adherence to higher authorities.

Scary to have them working for a man who believes in a "unitary executive."

eric wrote on March 26, 2007 11:09 AM:

I wonder if Politio talked to the same "friends" that told them John Edwards was suspending his campaign last week.

Again, sorry, but Politico's credibility is questionable, especially when they only cite "friends".

Mrs Panstreppon wrote on March 26, 2007 11:16 AM:

jawbone@March 26, 2007 10:51 AM

From the same story:

"Mormons are disproportionately represented in the Central Intelligence Agency, which has long sought out Latter-day Saints with language skills.

This link started with LDS Apostle Neal A. Maxwell, a former CIA employee who set the example for future Mormon agents. It was an easy fit, says a Mormon who recently retired as a senior official in the agency. Mormons are patriotic in the extreme, accustomed to respecting authority and not too likely to have secrets or embarrassments in their history..."

mbbsdphil wrote on March 26, 2007 12:14 PM:

Sampson, remember, was savvy and well-connected enough to be considered as Karl Rove's interim replacement, should Rove have been indicted. He is not likely to spill many beans until he*s confronted with a choice between that and serious jail time. He*s twenty years younger than Libby, and likely to be less sanguine about the consequences of a few years in an orange jump suit. His testimony under oath is likely to be most useful in impeaching him later.

Kevster wrote on March 26, 2007 12:15 PM:

Mike Allen is having a bad month as far as "scoops" go. This all very much in line with the Beltway's punditry class urging everyone to "move along, nothin to see here" approach.

We still have not had the following question answered to any satisfaction:

WHY WERE THEY FIRED?

Anonymous wrote on March 26, 2007 12:19 PM:

Mrs. Panstreppon:

Very interesting on the links between CIA and LDS. Does anyone know the religious faith of felon and ex-CIA official Dusty Foggo? Or Wilkes? Or Mitch Wade?

Any chance that CIA money is flowing through the LDS? Any chance that those boys and girls worldwide in shirtsleeves and sametags are doing the government's work?

Mrs Panstreppon wrote on March 26, 2007 12:56 PM:

@March 26, 2007 12:19 PM

Foggo and Wilkes are big drinkers who consort with hookers so I doubt if they are Mormons. If they are Mormons, they are not very good ones.

Re CIA money flowing through the LDS - I'll call my contact at the CIA and get back to you on that one.

Seriously, what might be worth considering is whether LDS missionaries overseas provide cover to the CIA. I know the Russians have long been concerned that the LDS and other faith-based groups like the Salvation Army are operating as more than just religous organizations.

Pompano Pete wrote on March 26, 2007 12:56 PM:

Couldn't pass on the irony of the security for this post - smell. And I think that's all we gotten to thus far - a smell of just how rotten, corrupt and disgusting this administration has been in the operation of our federal justice system.

On many levels this is much worse than Watergate, and I hope the American people come to be convinced of that.

Gwendy wrote on March 26, 2007 1:10 PM:

Assuming for the sake of argument, that Politico got something right, Sampson's light-hearted "oh-whatever" take on the whole thing should make for a fun hearing!

dbrown wrote on March 26, 2007 1:58 PM:

To: MELandell,

RE: Sampson's youth

Some very young men were employed in the Nixon White House as well. Jeb Magruder was only 35 when he was appointed Special Assistant to the President. John Dean was an incredibly young 32 when he was appointed White House Counsel.

DKBrown

Anonymous wrote on March 26, 2007 2:44 PM:

Let's not forget that the Mayor of SLC started out as a Mormon and is calling for impeachment.

regular lurker wrote on March 26, 2007 3:11 PM:

Kindly refrain from religion bashing. Thank you.

pre amerikkkan wrote on March 26, 2007 5:12 PM:

you want to get technical, this is a christian country, is it not? there's room to critique more, not less.

underpinnings of thought and action can sometimes start with how a person believes, why they believe and it's high time we learned some things about each other in this area instead of avoiding it. we have to at least learn enough to know what we don't know and get a plan together. the beliefs of the people are not just One and no One knows it all, can't we get to that place of proudly saying "I don't know"? and let everyone else not know and go from there?

age isn't the issue, it's wisdom at any age that counts.

Anonymous wrote on March 26, 2007 7:36 PM:

Remember from Sampson's earlier statement that the White House involvement in the firings wasn't discussed in preparing for testimony because they didn't "deem it important at the time."

Reading Monica Goodling's deposition to the Senate Committee, I suspect this is exactly the issue that she was worried might incriminate her. I suspect she did discuss WH involvement in preparation for testimony, but if she testifies to that effect, she'd leave others open to charges of perjury. However, if she lies, I suspect there is some evidence out there (RNC e-mails, anyone?) that might leave her vulnerable to a perjury charge.

Kim McCall wrote on March 26, 2007 7:37 PM:

I am surprised to read that Kyle Sampson is a Mormon bishop, if only because it takes a lot of time to serve as one, and his day job must have also been pretty demanding. But let's assume for the sake of argument that he is.

In order to be a bishop, or any other Mormon in the best standing, one has to possess a "temple recommend," a piece of paper signed by a couple of local authorities that testifies to your worthiness to enter the temple (there are currently 124 temples in the world, including one in D.C.). [Anyone is welcome in a regular house of worship, but temples are held to be especially sacred, and the recommend process is intended to preserve that.]

Obtaining a recommend requires giving correct answers to several questions. One of these is "Are you honest in your dealings with your fellow man?" I would like Sen. Leahy (or even Sen. Hatch, a fellow Mormon) to ask Mr. Sampson this directly. Then ask him whether he encourages others to be similarly honest. Then I would like them to read him back the email in which he advocates that administration functionaries falsely pledge to seek Senate-confirmed USAs, pretend to take Senate input, consider Senate recommendations, etc, all in "good faith." (His quotation marks, not mine.)

It is blatantly obvious to me that Mr. Sampson is practicing and advocating egregious deceit and dishonesty in the public sphere. If he indeed considers and comports himself as worthy of a temple recommend, he should be forced to confront his hypocrisy.

[security code: bent]

The Oracle wrote on March 26, 2007 10:24 PM:

How much you wanna bet Kyle Sampson is "adequately prepared" to testify before Congress with RNC lawyers grilling him relentlessly until he gets all the "talking points" down pat?

However, I'd also bet that when push comes to shove, Sampson will take the 5th sometime during the hearing.

Which could explain why Monica Goodling has already stated through her RNC attorney that she'll take the 5th if called to testify under oath before Congress. Who knows what Democratic congressional leaders have uncovered and have up their sleeves, just waiting to pounce and trip up any witnesses.

Hmmmm, popcorn. This is better than anything "reality television" has to offer.

Another Monica at the center of a White House scandal. Another Monica who metaphorically was down on her knees between Alberto Gonzales and Karl Rove in her capacity as the DOJ's White House liaison. And Kyle Sampson who also metaphorically was down on his knees doing the bidding for the most corrupt administration in American history.

And here I was wondering what I was going to do for entertainment this spring, and summer, and fall, and next spring, and next summer, and next fall, leading up to the November 2008 elections. More Republican scandals than one can shake a stick at. Hooyah!!!

foggylady wrote on March 27, 2007 10:45 AM:

"Like other Republicans, Sampson will contend there was no underlying sin, just a botched response."
"A botched response"?
"Mistake were made"

Think back. How many other times has the Administration been caught and used this excuse? Katrina, Gonzo, Iraq, ad nauseum.
Minimization, justification, rationalization, evasiveness, failure to address the issue head on, and focusing on only one part of the bigger behavior pattern/incident are all classic clinical symptoms of denial.
In this Administrations's case, they have deliberately, systematically and intentionally chosen their behaviors, then attempted to deflect inquiry with thin excuses of "mistakes" and a pattern of "what's the big deal?"
Sort of the ultimate " Who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?"

It often works. I do see DiFi and Schumer and Feingold and etc. now speaking of the pattern they are seeing...this is good.

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