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The Daily Muck
Gonzales Preps for Showdown with Senate
"His job on the line, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales shelved plans for a family vacation and began prepping Monday for a showdown with senators over the firings of federal prosecutors. An appearance next week in front of a Senate panel that oversees Justice Department spending is shaping up as a trial run for Gonzales' scheduled April 17 testimony to a separate Senate committee investigating the eight dismissals." (Associated Press)
Republicans Gird for Surge of Investigations
"The hearings over the firings of eight U.S. attorneys are just the start for Democratic congressional investigators, and Republicans at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue know it. For the first time since 1994, Democrats control both houses and have a long list of issues they say demand investigation." (Washington Times)
Lawyers to Ask Charges Against Wilkes, Foggo Be Dropped
"A lawyer for a defense contractor accused of bribing a congressman and committing fraud with a top CIA official said Monday that he would seek dismissal of the charges because details of the investigation were leaked to news organizations. Attorney Mark Geragos said he believed the information was leaked to pressure Justice Department officials in Washington into approving criminal charges sought by prosecutors in San Diego against defense contractor Brent Wilkes and his best friend Kyle 'Dusty' Foggo." (Associated Press)
Stretched Army Sends Troops Back to Iraq
"For just the second time since the war began, the Army is sending large units back to Iraq without giving them at least a year at home, defense officials said Monday. The move signaled how stretched the U.S. fighting force has become. The Pentagon announced that 7,000 troops will be going to Iraq in the coming months as part of the effort to keep 20 brigades in the country to help bolster the Baghdad security plan. A brigade is roughly 3,000 soldiers." (Associated Press)
Pentagon is Asked for Report on Iraq Readiness
"Despite repeated requests from a House committee chairman and government investigators, the Pentagon has failed to hand over its official assessments of the readiness of US-trained Iraqi security units to take over key functions from the US military. But the Defense Department has balked on several requests so far, without giving any official explanation." (Boston Globe)
Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Guantanamo Cases -- For Now
"Detainees at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were dealt a setback Monday by the Supreme Court, which refused — for now — to hear their claim that they were being denied the right to habeas corpus that is protected by the Constitution. On Monday, the justices voted 6 to 3 against taking up the issue of the scope of habeas corpus and deciding it in the current term." (LA Times)
US Immigrant Raids Spur Fear in Children
"As the government's crackdown on illegal immigrant workers has intensified in recent months, so have the consequences for a large group of US citizens: American-born children of illegal immigrants. Until recently, their parents' illegal status had limited impact on these children's lives, because, although every year hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants are detained attempting to cross the US border, once they make it in they are rarely caught. But the increase in raids against companies employing illegal workers is beginning to change that." (Washington Post)
Lawmakers Urge Bush to Fire NASA Official
"NASA's inspector general created a hostile and dysfunctional workplace with his 'aggressive management style' and compromised his independence by appearing to be close to former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, two lawmakers said yesterday after reading an investigative report on his conduct. In a letter to President Bush, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) said that the investigators who reviewed complaints against Robert W. Cobb unanimously 'believed that disciplinary action up to and including removal could be appropriate.'" (Washington Post)
Comments (23)
Arkansan wrote on April 3, 2007 10:05 AM:He should take the vacation. He can prep on the way home. All he'll need are these 10 easy answers which can be interchangeably as reply to any question asked.
1. “I don’t recall that conversation.”
2. “Pleasure of the President, pleasure of the President, Presidential Pleasure …”
3. “There are no documents.”
4. “No email either. We relied on our memories, but I have no memory of…”
5. “10,000 people work at DOJ, you can’t expect me to know what all of them do.”
6. “There was no decision maker, only an assemblage of nonspecific views…”
7. “I take full responsibility, but I had nothing to do with it.”
8. “The President wasn’t informed in writing or orally, but agreed to the dismissals.
9. “All decisions are political, nothing wrong with that. “
10. “Clinton did it…”
Anonymous wrote on April 3, 2007 10:38 AM:Most of the world will be watching!
georgia wrote on April 3, 2007 11:43 AM:Visit://OsiSpeaks.com or http://OsiSpeaks.org
I didn't realize Gonzo was appearing next week. Was that why he told Leahy that he wanted to move the Senate Judiciary hearing up to next week? Was he just trying to minimize the press coverage?
Scott Radtke wrote on April 3, 2007 12:00 PM:Busting Al Gonzalez on this firing thing is like getting Al Capone for tax evasion. It sucks. The man made excuses for the Prezident's torture campaigns in a clearly illegal war. The violation of the Geneva Convention is a violation of The Constitution. He should be in jail. And were bugging him about firing some political appointees? Our Congress has be neutered.
profmarcus wrote on April 3, 2007 12:00 PM:he's got a lot o'preppin' to do...! i'm sure the preparation is all about how to lie without appearing to lie, and how to answer questions without really answering them, and how to appear as innocent as a lamb when you're guilty as hell...
http://takeitpersonally.blogspot.com/
MaxGowan wrote on April 3, 2007 12:27 PM:Yes, I'm confused too. Didn't Leahy just say yesterday there would not be any Gonzo appearances until April 17?
Sojourner wrote on April 3, 2007 1:02 PM:If Mr. Gonzales was going to tell the truth, I don't think there would be much preparation involved! Learning how to sidestep questions with non-answers probably requires a lot of preparation...
'sconset wrote on April 3, 2007 1:04 PM:He is going up to testify before the Approriations Committe that has jurisdiction over the budget at Justice. He knows he will be asked a lot of questions so he is apparently prepping for them.
Leahy did not back down or cave on Gonzo's appearance on April 17. It is still on for that date. However, Leahy is going to be able to ask questions at the Appropriations hearing when Gonzo is before the committee--Leahy isn't even on Aprops.
It is amazing that this little weasel, Gonzalez, has to prep for a hearing--he runs the agency. These facts should be in his head.
MaxGowan wrote on April 3, 2007 1:26 PM:Finally, after close to 6 years with no oversight things are finally starting to happen.
'sconset - Thanks for clarifying. Just my ADD.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on April 3, 2007 2:43 PM:Side conversation:
Sometimes I feel adrift in treetops of some far off hinderland . . . Is my generation the last to have studied civics in fourth grade (I recognize 'Every Child Left Behind' destoyed civics cuz it tain't one o' the three R's)?
Fredo's present job title is the Attorneys' General . . . He is the General of the Attorneys JUST LIKE the DemocratIC Party is the Party of the Democrats.
freepatriot wrote on April 3, 2007 6:35 PM:how do you practice "Unsaying Things" ???
gonzo made the statements, and the evidence shows the statements to be false and misleading
under the US Code, Title 18, Section 1001, providing false and misleading information to any Federal Agency is a FELONY
how do you study up to untell your lies ???
anybody ???
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