TPMmuckraker | Talking Points Memo | Sampson to Comey: There's No "I" in "Team"

Sampson to Comey: There's No "I" in "Team"

By Paul Kiel - May 21, 2007, 10:39AM

Soon after Gonzales became attorney general, his then chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, told Comey that Gonzales's "vision" was to merge the deputy's office with Gonzales's own office. That meant that Comey would have lost some of his autonomy, becoming less of a leader and more of a senior staff member. A source close to Sampson says he merely wanted Gonzales and Comey to operate as a "seamless leadership team," with "harmony rather than conflict," and never meant to "degrade the status or authority" of the deputy. Comey didn't buy it. "You may want to try that with the next deputy attorney general," Comey is said to have responded to Sampson. "But it's not going to work with me."

No wonder Comey didn't last long under Gonzales.

Comments (20)

asdf wrote on May 21, 2007 10:44 AM:

Doesn’t this say that Comey was the first causality in the firing scandal? They were less direct and more manipulative, but it got the job done.

If it weren’t impossible, Comey would make the perfect AG.

Anonymous wrote on May 21, 2007 10:54 AM:

Gonzales "vision" = Karl's orders

chuck wrote on May 21, 2007 11:13 AM:

If the intent was as stated, to merge the Deputy AG function with the AG, then that pretty much puts the lie to Gonzole's dubious statement that McNulty was the "COO" of the Justice Department and independently responsible for the firings.

Too many lies and stories, to hard to keep straight, unless, of course, you stick religiously to the fiction that you "can't remember..."

Anonymous wrote on May 21, 2007 11:30 AM:

Merging the AG and DAG's offices is the type of department level structural adjustment that only Congress could authorize. This idea is not just based on precedent, but on the explicit words of the Constitution.

Gonzales's "vision" once again isn't even within the "grey" territory. It is blatantly unconstitutional.

TheraP wrote on May 21, 2007 11:37 AM:

karl's vision is to "merge" everything!

lotus wrote on May 21, 2007 11:41 AM:

Comey the perfect AG?

If only Jose Padilla had a mind left, we could ask him what he thinks of that idea. But thanks in no small part to Comey, he doesn't and we can't.

Sorry, but even after last week, Comey remains on my list of people who shouldn't be running around with law licenses.

steambomb wrote on May 21, 2007 12:02 PM:

Sorry, but even after last week, Comey remains on my list of people who shouldn't be running around with law licenses.

Posted by: lotus

It is pretty clear that the errant post above suggesting Comey as a perfect AG is a kneejerk reaction to a speck of honesty in a sea of lies.

Legalize wrote on May 21, 2007 12:04 PM:

Gonzo's "vision"? Gimme a break. The only "visions" the little rat has involve looking up while licking his masters' boots. He's a little lap-dog without a clue in his head outside of being a "good Bushie."

Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 21, 2007 12:46 PM:

Yet another example of the barely acceptable variant hiding the heinious natutre of the intended effect. We all jump on the obvious evil only to ingore the real damage and the actual desired outcome.

Yes, merging destroys accountability and the ability for the organization to police itself.

The real issue is imposing autocratic functioning upon the institution. The loss of efficency is more than bonus.

The overwhelming desire of the current Adminiistraion goes way beyond creating the self-fulfilling prophecy . . . It is about inflicting intense order on governmental institutions. It is about utilizing that mindless sense of structure to squelch independence and enforce the concentration of power into the machinery of ecomonically wealth at the expense of literally everyone and everthing else. This is about the destruction and wholesale selling off of the Commons including justice.

Theirs is the vision of a fascist plutocracy. Yes, this is about jack-booted thugs marching through the streets to working for their secure governmental paid salaries. Privatizing everything thing else into the hands of the corporate overlords means nothing for the rest of us.

Merging is just a tool.

Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 21, 2007 12:47 PM:

Yet another example of the barely acceptable variant hiding the heinious natutre of the intended effect. We all jump on the obvious evil only to ingore the real damage and the actual desired outcome.

Yes, merging destroys accountability and the ability for the organization to police itself.

The real issue is imposing autocratic functioning upon the institution. The loss of efficency is more than bonus.

Merging is just a tool.

Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 21, 2007 12:54 PM:

I apoligize for the double post and the typos . . . I have gotta stop posting from my Treo. Sorry.

Mike Valentine wrote on May 21, 2007 1:12 PM:

There is an old saying in the Marines, "you play ball with us or we'll stick the bat up your ...."

Takes a real man (or woman) to step up in the face of such bald faced threats. The fate of our nation rest on the shoulders of patriots such as Mr. Comey.

Allen wrote on May 21, 2007 1:19 PM:

While Comey & Ashcroft are clearly very conservative GOPers, they do operate from a principled position -- no matter how much I might disagree with them. The problem with BushCo is that they are not conservative and they are not principled as, for them, the ends justifies the means.

As Gonzo's days appear to be numbered, the question is, who can Dubya nominate as the next AG? The nominee will have to pass muster with the Democratic members of the Senate as well as the GOP members. It seems, to me, the obvious answer to former Senator John Danforth who seems to have universal respect on both sides of the political spectrum. Danforth's integrity is unquestionable and his ability to work with everyone regardless of party is well known -- unfortunately, these are qualities that Dubya does not and cannot afford to have in an AG.

susan wrote on May 21, 2007 1:35 PM:

Allen:
Danforth would, I agree, be a good choice. but IIRC he's had enough of Bush too. His abrupt resignation from the UN Ambassador's post made that pretty clear.

Danforth wrote on May 21, 2007 2:17 PM:

Danforth was highly involved in choosing Clarence Thomas.

Ducky wrote on May 21, 2007 3:21 PM:

I will apologize in advance for the off topic post.

I believe that as Americans our set of problems is much much larger than Gonzo and the blatant underhanded dealings at the DOJ. I believe our set of problems is just beginning with the BushCo. Jeb is waiting. He ruled Florida with an iron will that dubya could only dream about. And after Jeb there is Neil waiting. "The real politician" according to Barbara.

Bringing down BushCo is only the very tip of the iceberg. The entire crime family needs to neutralized. If the dems keep mucking up and loosing public opinion and the MSM doesn't get their teeeth into some of this. . . The public will drink the koolaid again. Like a group of hypmotized fools.

SC: shame: Shame on us of we let them steal out wonderful representative democracy

litigatormom wrote on May 21, 2007 3:47 PM:

The next AG: Ted Olson? Can the advocate in Bush v. Gore win Senate confirmation? Probably, but I doubt he wants the job.

John Bolton (don't laugh, he's a lawyer): don't think the Senate would go for it.

John Danforth: his principles disqualify him from nomination.

Orrin "Malfoy" Hatch: Senate comity results in easy confirmation. Ugh.

Rudy Giuliani would make a plausible Bush nominee if he weren't running for President. He's got both prosecutorial experience AND a fascist mind set. And he'd win easy confirmation as "the hero of 9/11." Ugh.

James Baker: Dubya probably still hasn't forgiven him for the ISG report.

Wait, I think I've got it!!! Tim Griffin!!!!