Rumfeld Remains Defense Department ‘Consultant,’ Opens ‘Transition Office’ Near Pentagon
Rumfeld Remains Defense Department ‘Consultant,’ Opens ‘Transition Office’ Near Pentagon
Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld “has left the Pentagon, but not the Defense Department.” The Washington Times reports:
On Jan. 4, Mr. Rumsfeld opened a government-provided transition office in Arlington and has seven Pentagon-paid staffers working for him, a Pentagon official said.
The Pentagon lists Mr. Rumsfeld as a “nonpaid consultant,” a status he needs in order to review secret and top-secret documents, the official said.
The Times reports that Rumsfeld has brought with him close adviser Stephen Cambone, a fierce advocate of the Iraq war and the chief planner of questionable interrogation tactics at military and CIA detention sites around the world.
Rumsfeld’s new office is reportedly raising eyebrows at the Pentagon:
The Pentagon official said former secretaries are entitled to a transition office to sort papers, some of which can be taken with them for a library, for archives or to write a book.
The transition office has raised some eyebrows inside the Pentagon. Some question the size of the staff, which includes two military officers and two enlisted men. They also ask why the sorting could not have been done from the time Mr. Rumsfeld resigned Nov. 8 to when he left the building Dec. 18.
Rumsfeld’s predecessors, William Cohen and William Perry, both returned to private life immediately after leaving the Defense Department. Cohen had “two military personnel…sort through his papers for about six weeks,” while Perry had his papers mailed via compact disk to Stanford University.
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68 Responses to “Rumfeld Remains Defense Department ‘Consultant,’ Opens ‘Transition Office’ Near Pentagon”
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See? They never go away. Rove didn’t really get a demotion, and Rummy didn’t really give up anything. They’re like cockroaches. We need better poison.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:54 amThe transition office has raised some eyebrows inside the Pentagon. Some question the size of the staff, which includes two military officers and two enlisted men. They also ask why the sorting could not have been done from the time Mr. Rumsfeld resigned Nov. 8 to when he left the building Dec. 18.
Because, obviously, this isn’t a ‘transition office’, appearances notwithstanding. Rummy’s still on the job.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:54 amRumsfeld (like Bushiva and L’il Dick)…
…may have to be carried out of government…
…head first on a gurney…
…Cheney’s remarks to Blitzer make it clear…
…they’re DICTATORS…
January 25th, 2007 at 9:56 amDon’t go away mad, just go away.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:56 amFBI needs to do a night raid to secure the papers and prevent the shredding of them.
January 25th, 2007 at 9:57 am…don’t let the door hit you in the ass…
January 25th, 2007 at 10:00 amYou failed totally rummy. Let it go and move on to other disaterous, misguided, thoughtless endeavors.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:01 amRummy is even more so now a part of the SHADOW GOV’T that carried out 9/11. He’s a very dangerous man. He’ll probably have his evil little mitts even more so now that BushCO is teetering on the edge of collapse.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:01 amIs this known, or unknown?
If it’s unknown, only Fox would know.
If it’s known, then Fox would not know.
This is the deal they gave him to resign.
Period.
He didn’t go away, they’re just hiding him.
Dems, grow some balls & get after it.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:01 amTake a stand. We’re with you.
Rummy from a bunker & Bush is bonkers.
Go figure.
Fools on the Hill sez:
This administration probably contracts the FBI to do their shredding for them.
The apple is rotten clear through.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:03 amGood point, Fools on the Hill.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:03 amAnd Congress needs to cut off the funding for this shadow office. This could be an opportunity to see how that strategy is accepted by the public. Maybe Congress would become bold enough to pursue defunding the occupation of Iraq.
I guess they don’t leave, they simply go underground and continue to shred documents.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:06 amThe truth will come out that Rummy is trying to find all that extra pentagon/defense department money that he was hiding. You know, it is like those weapons of mass destruction that they couldn’t find either. They put it there, now they forgot where it is.
The same goes for all the money that Bremmer handed out (to himself, mostly).
January 25th, 2007 at 10:06 amInto the shadows and away from the spotlight. This is where the most evil do their worst.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:08 amRummy still engaging in moronatry. This is just really smelly, it stinks, I don’t like it. He was fired, why does he still have influence in the Pentagon?
January 25th, 2007 at 10:10 amAnd you think that Scooter Libby left the White House/government payroll after he was indicted? Suckers!
January 25th, 2007 at 10:11 amThis is a testimonial to the sheer volume of information that can be obtained through torture!!!!!
January 25th, 2007 at 10:11 amExactly Zooey,
6 months from now when Rummy STILL has his taxpayer funded office, the same excuse will be used whch begs the question…..why is Rumsfeld still viewing classified and top secret info? Unless……….
The Pentagon lists Mr. Rumsfeld as a “nonpaid consultant,†a status he needs in order to review secret and top-secret documents, the official said.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:13 amHah, that picture is awesome. “What, do you want some fries with that illegal war?”
January 25th, 2007 at 10:15 amInto the shadows and away from the spotlight. This is where the most evil do their worst.
Ahhhh — well said!
January 25th, 2007 at 10:17 amIt never ends. We continue to support the senile madman.
http://news.yahoo.com/ s/ afp/ 20070125/ pl_afp/ usiraniraqpolitics
And the lies never end
January 25th, 2007 at 10:18 amSo if the Prez gets impeached, he will still be Prezident?
I don’t get this shit.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:19 amLet us profit from war and send our best to their graves.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:21 amI don’t get this shit.
Comment by ForTruth
Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, Truth, Uncle “Dick” and Uncle Rummy will take care of everything. Hey! Look over there! Obama sounds like Osama!
January 25th, 2007 at 10:22 amSee? They never go away. Rove didn’t really get a demotion, and Rummy didn’t really give up anything. They’re like cockroaches. We need better poison.
Comment by Zooey
How right you are. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Clinton’s cleared out of the White House faster than Rummy is cleaning out his office, and they did it without a military staff to sort out their papers or to be kept on as “consultants” for the incoming administration.
I wonder if he is still privy to a government limo every day? My guess is yes.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:22 amThis is a serious comment.
It is likely that Rumsfeld’s status as a “nonpaid consultant” stems from some inherent powers that the Office of the Vice President claims.
A curious thing appeared in the 2004 so-called “Plum Book” (the published directory of all of the political appointees across the government). Whereas before, the OVP listed its staff members, in 2004 it listed a lengthy discliamer that just resoundingly pointed to David Addington’s handiwork:
The most important passages:
“The Vice Presidency is a unique office that is neither part of the executive branch nor a part of the legislative branch, but is attached by the Constitution to the latter.”
The Office of the Vice President consists of Vice Presidential Employees (…salaried by the White House appropriation and the Secretary of the Senate appropriation…), employees assigned or detailed to the Vice President and consultants engaged by the Vice President.”
The authority to appoint, administratively and determine the pay of and discharge of Vice Presidential employees rests with the Vice President.”
So read this closely, folks. The Vice President is not part of the Executive Branch, nor the Legislative branch. And he can appoint employees at will.
This language has never appeared in the Plum Book before.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:25 amI wonder if he is still privy to a government limo every day? My guess is yes.
Comment by Joe Sixpack
Yes, I’m sure you are correct, Joe, the Clinton’s cleared out nicely. I’m sure Rummy has every perk he ever had, except the title.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:25 amAlright Zooey,
I won’t worry myself over this, they got it all under control.
/sarcasm
January 25th, 2007 at 10:26 amRummy can’t do without ‘Al Cambone’ around.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:29 amAnd Congress needs to cut off the funding for this shadow office.
Comment by PatrioticLiberalChristian(PLC) #11
PLC,
…after what I saw during the SOTU (the civility, reverence, and commity to this criminal regime’s chief criminal)…
…and the consistent “we’re NOT going to cut off funding and endanger troops in harm’s way”…
…I’m not at all sure that…
…we even HAVE a loyal opposition in this country…
…the signs are ominous…
…methinkst we’re being played (yet again)…
January 25th, 2007 at 10:33 amAbsolutly no plans to “sort out papers” and then leave.
Maybe there are too many papers to sort out ie: shred.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:38 ambig papa
You might be right, but I hold some hope that if the public says it’s OK to withold funding and that this is NOT a sign of being unsupportive of the troops, then we might see some moves in that direction.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:38 amYou can thank Dick Cheney (Rummy’s partner in crime) for setting up the transition office. This is a dangerous situation and hope that the Dem controlled Congress nails them !
January 25th, 2007 at 10:41 amAt this rate Bush will be pushed out of office before Rumsfeld. This should have been expected. Cheney’s a Rumsfeld guy, Bush isn’t.
Pity the Foll - that shit about the Plum Report is profoundly disturbing. The shadow government provides proof of the shadow government.
January 25th, 2007 at 10:42 amHere’s the link to my Plum Book reference:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ plumbook/ 2004/ p226_appendix5.pdf
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ plumbook/ 2004/ p226_appendix5.pdf
January 25th, 2007 at 10:51 ambig papa:
It is been like this since the beginning: some part of the government will disagree, some actions will be taken, maybe some guys end up in jail. Justice has been done. Fine. Then, public opinion settle down, people start believing again in institutions, in government. Meanwhile, the same guys who made this all happened, the ones who are unnoticed, the ones you cant point at, the ones who are above any law…are still there. And then it goes again …
January 25th, 2007 at 10:52 amTell me…doesn’t this pic of Dandy Don look like he’s just about to pass out, and is holding on to the back of a chair for support?
January 25th, 2007 at 11:05 amEither that, or he’s extremely constipated.
Could be both. Lack of oxygen to the brain, and full of $HIT
Pretty much defines his legacy!
More proof this is Cheney and Rumsfeld’s war, not Bush’s. Bush is a tool, a puppet. This is the PNAC plan that they are still playing out. The PNAC plan: “Rebuilding America’s Defenses” was co-chaired by Donald Kagan (PNAC). The new plan Bush went with (”New Way Forward” in Iraq) was written by Frederick Kagan, a neoconservative from the AEI, son of Donald Kagan. Robert Kagan, other son of Donald was a co-founder of PNAC. This is the same plan (and all it encompasses that I am sure the AMerican people are not even aware of) just dressed up in different wrappers and given a different label.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:06 amhttp://www.salon.com/ opinion/ blumenthal/ 2006/ 12/ 20/ bush_war/ index.html
Well things will not get better. The marching order into hell still remains their main objective.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:11 amHe’s also still got his government paid subscription to “A-Hole Magazine”.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:12 amRummy has a ranch in Taos, New Mexico, so he needs to go there > PERIOD.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:13 amPity thev Fool:
Let me see if I have this right… The OVP is not a branch of the government however it’s staff is paid by the taxpayer. It’s “attached” to the legislative branch soley due to the VP’s status as President of the Senate.
WTF does “attached” mean?
January 25th, 2007 at 11:15 amI will reveal the big secret that nobody wants to reveal in DC: Cheney and Rumsfeld are Brokeback Mountain partners and cannot live apart from each other, so that is why Dicky has allowed Rummy to stay undercover at the Pentagon. Now do you all understand why Cheney’s wife writes Lesbian Love novels and his daughter Mary is a Lesbian having a baby. You heard it here first all.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:22 amI’m inclined to let Rummy stay in his unpaid position. It says what we all know - the current corrupt president (and his president in charge of vice) won’t/can’t change. Only impeachment of BOTH of the miscreants will ever allow ANYTHING to change!
January 25th, 2007 at 11:24 amThese scum have no shame.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:33 amI know this is trite, but they weren’t SecDef in a time of war.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:35 amJake is it trite to say Congress never declared war? It’s an authorization to use military action? Jeez.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:37 amWe knew that Dick Cheney would keep his man friend close by. Cheney couldn’t survive without his dear Rummy.
3,064 coffins draped with flags all because of lies.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:42 amThe cons have convinced themselves we don’t know what’s for our own good, and they are just gonna do “what’s right” for us, cuz its the work of God.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:44 amStill greedily feeding at the trough, eh Rummy?
Haven’t you hurt America enough already?
January 25th, 2007 at 11:49 amI know this is trite, but they weren’t SecDef in a time of war.
Comment by Jake
Since we are being trite, which declared war are you talking about? Both Iraq and Afghanistan are officially “military operations” and the War on Terror is a joke in itself so what war are you talking about I ask tritely.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:54 amMaybe he has all those people working for him because he served during two wars and was also the longest (2nd longest can not recall) serving Dec of Defense. There are plenty of papers to go thru. Also we do not a repeat Sandy Berger so a couple staffers are making sure nothing is taken.
January 25th, 2007 at 11:54 amBecause when Rummy called to testify, he can say, “In my position of transitioning the leadership of the Pentagon, I continue to view highly classified documents and therefore cannot respond to that question or any other question concerning my tenure at the Pentagon because the information is classified.” Wish I could help, but I must protect the security of the country. Perhaps in 100 years I’ll be free of this awesome responsibility, call me then.”
January 25th, 2007 at 11:57 amWTF does “attached†mean?
Comment by Anacher Forester — January 25, 2007 @ 11:15 am
Precisely. What doest it mean? The American people are left to wonder.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:00 pmComment #47: “…is it trite to say Congress never declared war? It’s an authorization to use military action…”
You live up to your alias, ForTruth! You speak the Truth, though few are listening!
Saturday I plan to be part of what organizers are calling, “March and Rally Against the War in Iraq.” I choose to call it: “March and Rally Against the Occupation and Destruction of Iraq!”
Please keep speaking the Truth, ForTruth. Maybe someone will start listening!
January 25th, 2007 at 12:07 pmwhile Perry had his papers mailed via compact disk to Stanford University.
Hey, Jason Misogynist Hendler! Looks like Perry went to the same IVY League School as you.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:07 pmHuh, whoda thunk?
I wish somebody would send a pic of Rummy and Dicky kissing each other to the press. Those Brokeback Mountain lovers must be outed > lol.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:21 pmGreat! That way, we can keep our eyes on this bastard and he’ll be close by when called in to testify at the war crime hearings. What a creep and what a miserable excuse for a public servant. Maybe he’s more of a PUBIC servant. He is not master of his “domain”.
January 25th, 2007 at 12:27 pmThe transition has already taken place. To spend one more thin dime on this moron would be wasteful.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:32 pmSomebody stomp on this snake until it’s over.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:39 pmYou NEED Rummy close by right now. “Hey, dude, where did you put the 101st battalion?” “There’s 5.5 billion dollars missing here… did you sign something for that?” “How do you get this drawer to stop sticking?” He’s still a vital player in the war on terror.
January 25th, 2007 at 3:25 pmCouldn’t we just “transition” him to the Hague?
January 25th, 2007 at 3:33 pmThis doesn’t make any sense at all. If he is NOT serving in an “official capacity” he should NOT have access to any classified information. This is very, very disturbing.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:33 pmNever Say never Again
January 28th, 2007 at 3:27 pmSo it was Rummy office that made up the whole Pelosi plane scandal.
Rummy go Home!
February 8th, 2007 at 9:56 pmDonald Rumsfeld is still heavly involved in the “The Century America Project.”
see http://www.ichblog.eu/ index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=444&Itemid=2
Thursday, 08 February 2007
By Kelly Patterson
CanWest News Service
Canadian, U.S. and Mexican politicians discussed using “stealth” to overcome public resistance to the integration of the three countries at a confidential meeting last year, according to documents just released under U.S. Freedom of Information laws.
08/02/07 “Ottawa Citizen” — – Top military brass, corporate executives and diplomats also attended the meeting in Banff, Alta., where participants discussed everything from the harmonization of food and drug standards, to common immigration policies, and the pooling of energy resources.
The secret guest list of the North American Forum included then-U.S. secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld, Canadian Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, Pengrowth Corp. CEO James Kinnear and Lockheed Martin executive Ron Covais.
Presentation outlines for the forum acknowledge that the concept of North American integration - which some call a “North American Union” - is unpopular, and note that it might be tough to sell as a concept.
“While a vision is appealing, working on the infrastructure might yield more benefit and bring more people on board (’evolution by stealth’),” the notes said.
“Evolution by stealth” means using regulatory changes, such as food- and drug-safety benchmarks, which don’t require parliamentary approval, to lay the infrastructure for North American integration. This allows for change with little or no public debate, critics say.
Media were excluded from the September forum, and Day, who gave a speech at the event, declined to reveal the contents of his talk.
“It was meant as a private meeting,” said Melisa Leclerc, a spokeswoman from Day’s office, although she conceded he attended “in his capacity as minister for public security.”
etc
February 9th, 2007 at 1:55 pm[…] read more | digg story […]
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:20 pmWelcome to the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex.
Donald Rumsfeld should detained and prosecuted with the R.I.C.O. law
for his complicity in the BushCo racketeering against the U.S. federal taxpayer with its ILLEGAL war in Iraq.
Along with Rumsfeld, try President-VICE Richard Cheney, Condileeza Rice-A-Roni, Colin Powell, Doug Feith, and so on and so forth.
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:24 pm