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Fired USA: DoJ Should Fire Lying Mouthpiece
Back in August, we pointed out that Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse, unlike virtually the entire senior leadership at the Department, survived the U.S. attorney scandal. In fact, he more than survived it: Despite serving as Alberto Gonzales' attack dog (and giving statements that ranged from misleading to lies), he emerged with a promotion to director of public affairs at the DoJ.
It's all too much for former U.S. Attorney for Little Rock Bud Cummins, who often found himself on the wrong end of Roehrkasse's spin, to bear. So in this issue of the Washington Monthly, he takes aim, calling on Attorney General Michael Mukasey to fire Roehrkasse.
After noting some of hiss biggest whoppers, he observes that the "pattern of deception employed by this young man is deeply unsettling to me....
Now, I don't have any way of knowing how Brian Roehrkasse came to make so many dubious or misleading statements. I've never met the man or communicated with him directly. For all I know, his superiors were writing them, and he was simply reading them. But once you realize you are being repeatedly marched out to say untrue things, integrity dictates that you push back or resign before you do it again. Fool me twice, shame on you. Fool me over a dozen times, I'm a willing liar."
The Washington Post reports that Roehrkasse's reply to Cummin's piece was restrained:
"I've always strived to provide truth and accuracy in my statements based on the best information available to me," Roehrkasse wrote. He declined further comment.
Comments (10)
luneylegume wrote on December 19, 2007 11:33 AM:When your holding all the cards what price is their for restraint ? The position of the executive is that there is no viable authority to hold them liable , for anything . What difference to an attitude of that deafening sort does a day make ?
JandD wrote on December 19, 2007 12:07 PM:Roehrkasse's response is the Costannza Doctrine from Seinfeld, "Remember Jerry, if YOU believe it when you say it, its not a lie."
Egypt Steve wrote on December 19, 2007 1:05 PM:What the hell kind of name is "Roehrkasse"?? My college German suggests it should mean something like "Pipe-cheese." Anyone have any insight here?
parrot wrote on December 20, 2007 1:38 AM:Why isn't Congress wondering the same thing? Oh...yeah..."impeachment is off the table". So, gee, I guess it is okay to lie, cheat, steal, and torture.
Personally, I'd encourage Bud Cummings to sue Roehrkasse in civil court for wasting tax payer money...
kj* wrote on December 20, 2007 2:34 AM:Egypt Steve: laughed out loud at that...let's just go with 'pipe cheese'.
'Best information available to me', let me guess that he did nothing to verify the information and that he passed along what basically amounts to gossip. Just more Bushspeak. Anyone else fed up with these dirty rotten scoundrels?
Al in Austex wrote on December 20, 2007 4:18 AM:Lets appoint H.E. "Bud" Cummins special prosecutor for the obstrution of justice committed when the CIA torture chamber tapes where destroyed . My money says Bud is plenty tough enough to take on the VEEP, Addington , Yoo, and all the other neofascists posing as United States officials. Maybe we can get ex- Congressman Barr to be Bud's assitant special prosecutor.(Barr is a former CIA field officer - he is fluent in 'spookspeech' - )
mrsstella wrote on December 31, 2007 7:58 AM:If the Vichy Democratic leaders Pelosireid wanted to redeem themselves this would be a very good place to start -hire a tough minded special prosecutor for all of these Bushcheney high crimes & misdeamenors...
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brianm0122 wrote on January 15, 2008 5:17 PM:YOUR BELOVED SISTER IN CHRIST.
MRS STELLA
Holy Cow!
The spammers have followed me to TPM!!
phil james wrote on January 15, 2008 5:58 PM:The Dem majority in Congress has taken so long to get anything done so far as holding anyone in the Bush crime family accountable for the USA mess and related goings-on that no one believes anything is ever going to happen except perhaps for additional strongly worded letters. The one thing that Congress did do was hound Gonzo out and wave their hands over Mukasey. Is Mukasey turning things around at DOJ? You bet. He just flipped TPM the bird. So much for accountability. Harry?? Nancy?? Anyone? Anyone?
Jesus wrote on January 16, 2008 1:19 AM:I wish the spammers wouldn't do that in my name so emphatically.