Waxman Confirms Existence Of Rove’s Politicization ‘Teams’
Waxman Confirms Existence Of Rove’s Politicization ‘Teams’
On Sunday, the Washington Post reported on Karl Rove’s politicization of the federal government. The article highlighted that Rove had organized “asset deployment teams” that allowed the White House “to coordinate the travel of Cabinet secretaries and senior agency officials” to secure GOP victories:
In practical terms, that meant Cabinet officials concentrated their official government travel on the media markets Rove’s team chose, rolling out grant decisions made by agencies with red-carpet fanfare in GOP congressional districts, and carefully crafted announcements highlighting the release of federal money in battleground states.
This morning, House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) wrote to the heads of 18 federal agencies who attended the briefings, confirming the existence of the teams:
As part of our investigation, the Committee has received documents that confirm the existence of this “asset deployment team.” According to the documents, the White House invited 18 federal agencies, including yours, to asset deployment meetings in 2003.
Those efforts extended up to the 2006 midterm elections. In his letter, Waxman reveals an e-mail from the White House Surrogate Scheduler “asking 18 federal agencies to provide press clippings from events that the agency heads did at the suggestion of the White House Office of Political Affairs.” The text of the e-mail reads:
WH Liaisons -
If you could, please have your press shops send me any good clips from the media on surrogate events your principals have done (Secretary and Sub-Cabinet), especially if they were as a result of an OPA request.
Folks over here get very excited when they see the results of all the hard work you and your agencies do on these events.
The White House has already admitted that roughly 20 agencies received PowerPoint briefings created by Rove’s office “that included slides listing Democratic and Republican seats the White House viewed as vulnerable.”
The existence of the “asset redeployment teams” adds more fuel to the controversy surrounding Rove’s unparalleled politicization schemes.
Waxman requested that information from the agencies concerning the details of meetings and coordination with the White House be turned over by Sept. 7.
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66 Responses to “Waxman Confirms Existence Of Rove’s Politicization ‘Teams’”
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Whoa… something actionable?
Cue: 3, 2, 1…
Clinton did it too! Libtards!!! Libtards!!!
August 21st, 2007 at 3:10 pmImpeach President Eddie Haskell and Vice President Lumpy Rutherford. Don’t Leave It to Busher…
August 21st, 2007 at 3:10 pmThe truth has a liberal bias.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:11 pmRove, rove, rove your boat, gently down the stream, life is but an oil-nazi dream…
(repeated, for your reading pleasure…).
August 21st, 2007 at 3:11 pmWHY HAVEN’T HATCH ACT VIOLATIONS BEEN FILED YET???
August 21st, 2007 at 3:14 pmJames?
It’s a little hard to row a boat that’s already sittin’ on the bottom.
Jes’ pointin’ it out.
Sink, sank, sunk, sunken…
Glub… glub… glub…
August 21st, 2007 at 3:15 pmThis explains Rove’s resignation, wonder when he will make the one way to trip to Paraguay?
August 21st, 2007 at 3:20 pmWhoa… something actionable?
Cue: 3, 2, 1…
Clinton did it too! Libtards!!! Libtards!!!
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity
Let us never forget.. Clinton did do it
1. He signed NAFTA
2. responsible for media deregulation
3. helped with WTO
These are the very reasons we do not need Hilliary, as the media does.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:21 pmThe Agencies?
Departments of Justice
August 21st, 2007 at 3:23 pmEducation
Energy
Health and Human Services
Homeland Security
Housing and Urban Development
Interior
Justice
Treasury
Veterans Affairs
Labor
State
Agriculture
Commerce
Transportation
Environmental Protection Agency
Small Business Administration
General Services Administration
United States Agency for International Development
Office of National Drug Control Policy
It doesn’t matter what Waxman found and confirmed, what matters now…is what is he going to do about it.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:24 pmWhile Waxman is talking, Rove is enjoying his time touring major television studios,selectively answering questions,looking to publish a book..and not repsonding to Subpoena.
So, Waxman is all talk, unless he is planning on a big coming confrontational battle with Rove that he is planning to win;
he is simply just talking.
party over country, the new USSR, led by a Nazi and two Al Qaeda supporters. Rove needs hanging, now. Bush and Cheney need to be impeached, bought in chains to the Hague, tried, and imprisoned for life. anybody that supports these three terrorists and traitors needs re-education in North Korea, soonest.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:26 pmThese are the very reasons we do not need Hilliary, as the media does.
Comment by had enough — August 21, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Yeah, I remember when Clinton signed that Media dereg bill in 1996. I didn’t like the sounds of it then, dislike it even more now.
Amazing how wingers want to force everyone else out of the dialogue, but accuse us of being Stalinist.
Kind of underscores the importance of net neutrality all the more, no?
August 21st, 2007 at 3:30 pmKarl Rove stole my nation. It will take years after chimpy leaves office to get it all back. I hold out hope for treasoner Bush to make at least one rational decision now that Karl is transferring his crummy brain back into his own head.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:31 pmThey were really, really good cookies!
August 21st, 2007 at 3:31 pmSo, Waxman is all talk, unless he is planning on a big coming confrontational battle with Rove that he is planning to win;
he is simply just talking.
Comment by tarazan — August 21, 2007 @ 3:24 pm
Well said, and true. Wonder if Cheney has invited Waxman to go hunting w/ him yet?
August 21st, 2007 at 3:31 pmI stand my ground, ready to attack the first troll who enters this thread. Every site I’ve been on — trolls, trolls, trolls. Administrators do little to silence their crummy and hateful language.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:34 pmNo trolls as of yet. I will check the other thread.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:35 pmHatch Act? What Hatch Act?
August 21st, 2007 at 3:36 pm.
ronjazz
If we handed the bush crime family over to the ones they have injured the most, the Iraqis, and let the Iraqi people do as they may as their culture calls for… then wouldn’t the Mid East turmoil come to a stand still?….all the hatred they have rightfully built up towards Americans then be narrowed towards only those truly responsible … an absolutely insane idea, but one that can work but will never happen.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:37 pmEvery site I’ve been on — trolls, trolls, trolls. Administrators do little to silence their crummy and hateful language.
Comment by Anti-Treason — August 21, 2007 @ 3:34 pm
We just have to learn how to fight them better. Free speech is a strange and mysterious thing.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:38 pmSigh — I miss the days when big donors got to stay in the Lincoln Bedroom.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:40 pmlocked and loaded Anti-Treason. Great posts.
I also agree with the posts regarding Mrs. Clinton. I have nothing against her but I would like to see a brand new direction and somebody who can brake the bush,clinton,bush cycle.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:40 pmHad enough notes, “If we handed the bush crime family over to the ones they have injured the most, the Iraqis, and let the Iraqi people do as they may as their culture calls for… then wouldn’t the Mid East turmoil come to a stand still?….all the hatred they have rightfully built up towards Americans then be narrowed towards only those truly responsible …”
Thank you for illustrating the definition of liberalism as a “mental disease”.
Our fundamentalist Koranimal enemies appreciate your empathy and support!!
Tooodles……..
August 21st, 2007 at 3:47 pmSigh — I miss the days when big donors got to stay in the Lincoln Bedroom.
Comment by missmolly
Actually, they still DO. It’s just that they can’t tell you cause it’s a
“STATE SECRET”!
August 21st, 2007 at 3:50 pmvv, that’s like saying every conservative is a godless c*m guzzling f*ck bucket. But we know that’s not true for every conservative. I mean some have to spit.
Our enemies weren’t originally in Iraq. They were in Tora Bora but Bush took his eyes off of our real enemy and allowed the PNAC to guide him to a different agenda.
you follow a fool. Which is worse.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:51 pm++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
——————————————————-
NO, let’s get back to the important news.
the miners in the mine, and what their families think……
that sports guy with the dogs
fighting and what that means to the nation….
—————————————————–
August 21st, 2007 at 3:52 pm++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
hooray for vituperative vagina - she found herself a little, stinky cherry to pick and make a big ol’ stinky pie out of…..all that indoctrination into the cult of Dr. Laura is really paying off, hun…have yourself a kudos bar, tune in to the other Laura, and settle in for an afternoon of self-congratulation!!
August 21st, 2007 at 3:52 pmRove is simply untouchable!
This guy is running circles around libtards. :)
August 21st, 2007 at 3:53 pmvaliant venus, aren’t you implying that Bush would be found guilty by a foreign court?
August 21st, 2007 at 3:53 pmThank you for illustrating the definition of liberalism as a “mental diseaseâ€.
Our fundamentalist Koranimal enemies appreciate your empathy and support!!
Tooodles……..
Comment by valiant venus
Thank YOU for showing that you support the TREASON committed by the Bush and PNAC WAR CRIMINALS.
That support shows that you value TRAITORS and PARTY over the United States of America.
Makes YOU a TRAITOR, too…
August 21st, 2007 at 3:53 pm“Whoa… something actionable?”
It is doubtful that it is actionable. The Hatch Act is entirely toothless. It has no penalties for violating it. The Act recommends dismissal of anyone who violates it, but that’s nothing. And, since Karl Rove has already resigned, there’s no penalty. I really do think Congress should revisit the Hatch Act and attach criminal penalties to violating it. If they don’t, it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:55 pmKarl Rove was the master of playing Americans for fools his plan worked. Now the world see just what no child left behind really means. Americans will follow even a liar and crook. Yes the media makes Rove sound like he’s so smart but he was using God’s name while doing Satan’s work. It’s good to know the Satan is in the White House and the religious leaders fight to get in. So as we pray in our churches on Sunday we know the bible was right Satan is in control of the White House and has used us as fools for the past 7 years.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:56 pm21. Sigh — I miss the days when big donors got to stay in the Lincoln Bedroom.
Comment by missmolly — August 21, 2007
Now we have Mrs Laura Bush permanently in the Lincoln Bedroom instead of sharing the bedroom with old georgie boy. Well, if she is smart, she would be there.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:59 pmLibs are true fundamentalist. Their religion leads to defeat/death of American soldiers.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:59 pmRICO these MOFOs.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:00 pmThis site is suddenly refusing to post my entries.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:05 pmsomebody who can brake the bush,clinton,bush cycle.
sorry, but is that REALLY a ‘cycle’-we have one Bush(H.W.)-ok prez,barf on the Japanese, thousand points..
then Clinton-presides over HUGE growth in the economy, low job rates(good)signs NAFTA(bad)-OH MY GOD HE GOT A BLOWJOB!!!My wife doesn’t give me BJs anymore, so HANG HIM!
Then we have THE WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA(Well, except for maybe Franklin Pierce), who demolishes the constitution, and wipes his a$$ with civil liberties-
It sound like to me, that there is no cycle-we, as a country, have had great and not so great presidents, but the current one far and away is the reason for the early election campaigning and political ads, et al.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:06 pmThere is NO CYCLE
In winger parlance…
Democrat who is “retarded” — libtard
so it must follow then…
Republican who is “retarded” — retard
Interesting. And so true.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:07 pmSo Karl Rove really did have his own math!!! And it wasn’t about votes, or precincts, it was about our tax dollars!!!
And look how far that got him in the 06 election…
August 21st, 2007 at 4:07 pmIn winger parlance…
Democrat who is “retarded†— libtard
so it must follow then…
Republican who is “retarded†— retard
Interesting. And so true.
Comment by ptf — August 21, 2007 @ 4:07 pm
Frikkin
Awesome.
:D
August 21st, 2007 at 4:09 pmComment by Bob — August 21, 2007 @ 3:53 pm
Don’t worry, Bob. There are only so many “Ice Cream Fridays” remaining before the Grand Jury’s brain-freeze wears out.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:10 pmretard. damn good stuff.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:13 pmwhiteyfresh, my reference to the cycle had nothing to do with the good/bad of the presidents. It was to the suggestion that is already being used against Hillary. I don’t hold much stock in the baggage slams against her but I also don’t think she’s the only democratic hope.
For the record, any democratic candidate has already done a better job at president than the current warmer of that chair.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:16 pmQUOTE: Libs are true fundamentalist. Their religion leads to defeat/death of American soldiers.
Comment by Bob — August 21, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
I so love it when the trolls just start stringing words together that they know. It doesn’t even matter to them if they make sense or basis in reality.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:19 pmAll that, and Karl Rove has still managed to lead the GOP to the brink of destruction. I bet lots of Republicans want to thank Karl for that. Look for some payback down the road.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:22 pmfrom the Hatch Act:
“Federal employees should also be aware that certain political activities may also be criminal offenses under title 18 of the U.S. Code”
read it and weep you scumsucking trolls
August 21st, 2007 at 4:22 pm#
RICO these MOFOs.
Comment by RUCerious — August 21, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
I’ve been saying it for months.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:37 pmYes, and all those federal agencies are run by Bush flunkies, like MSHA head Robert Stickler who has run mine safety into the ground, just like Michael Brown did to FEMA.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:38 pmThis administration has left a lot of angry lawyers at the Department of Justice in its wake.
Government officials, political appointees and Cabinet Secretaries do not have absolute immunity when they are appointed to their jobs. They are liable for civil and criminal penalties just like everyone else if they break the law.
Don’t think for a minute that “the good people” at DOJ (you know, the hard-working men and women that Gonzales reguarly pays lip service to their dedication) won’t go after corrupt Bushies, provided they’re given the opportunity.
August 21st, 2007 at 5:07 pmHenry Waxman is my hero! He’s been turning over a heck of a lotta rocks since he became Chairman of the Government Oversight Committee, and uncovering some pretty slimey, sleezy creatures. You go, Henry!
August 21st, 2007 at 5:55 pmIs this illegal?
Can we prosecute?
How much can we punish them?
Hey PETA, march on this!
August 21st, 2007 at 9:07 pmLibs are true fundamentalist. Their religion leads to defeat/death of American soldiers.
Comment by Bob #34
It seems to me…
…that it’s YOU Bushite al Crackers…
…who want to keep the troops in harms way…
…so that you can save your gods’ (Bushiva and L’il Dick’s) legacy…
…so it’s YOUR “religion” that’s leading to the “defeat/death of American soldiers…
…as well as those poor innocent Iraqis…
…whom YOU seem to have conveniently overlooked…
…but do us all a solid Bob…
…when YOUR taxes increase by 30% to pay for YOUR war…
…get so mad that…
…you run out into the streets with that weapon you love so much…
…America could use some cleansing…
August 21st, 2007 at 9:32 pmBob you touch a sore spot on big pappy.
August 21st, 2007 at 9:35 pmBob you touch a sore spot on big pappy.
Comment by I am a TP Moonbat #53
Nah…
…not really…
…you BOTH just make me wanna…
…piss on your graves…
August 21st, 2007 at 9:42 pmSorry big pappy my ashes with be scattered at sea.
So free the pee!
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:13 amI presume that Waxman has requested travel records from the White House Travel Office.
Of course, the “culture of corruption and greed” Bush White House will refuse such a request, but then Waxman could add another subpoena to his growing list of subpoenaes.
I just think it would be interesting to see where and when these “partisan” agency officials, all die-hard “loyal Bushie” Republicans, travelled in their un-American, almost-Communistic attempt to steal elections. And maybe even with whom they were scheduled to meet.
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:39 am“Our enemies weren’t originally in Iraq. They were in Tora Bora but Bush took his eyes off of our real enemy and allowed the PNAC to guide him to a different agenda.”
Comment by hellinabucket — August 21, 2007
Are you kidding? Bush was convinced by Rove that Osama had to live, else, like Daddy in 1998, he’d lose the 2004 election w/o a Bad Guy to target hate on.
Just like Orwell said, you’ve got to have an enemy to blame for all your troubles. It used to be the “terrorists” among us, now it will be the “liberals” among us. Shrub can round any of us up as enemies of the state, and have the Black Ops folks assassinate us. Aren’t you proud to be an American right now?
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:36 amgood lord.
there are actually people cheering and defending rove for this.
it’s hard to imagine why.
August 22nd, 2007 at 7:30 pmMy favorite part about this half-fag eunich is that his stepfather was gay. I make him a GIANT favorite to have been molested.
No wonder his mother committed suicide. Family values, indeed!
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:31 pmWhat about Doan?
She admitted that she gave one of these Power Point “Help The Repugs” shows and nothing has been done to her.
Why isn’t she being hauled up before the ethics com?
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:32 pmComment to “Had enough”…
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:50 pmPlease do a little research before posting. Clinton did sign NAFTA, but he didn’t start it. He simply kept it going. I’m no fan of NAFTA but your post is misleading. He also did NOT deregulate the media. That was Reagan, who also gave us deregulated S&Ls (How’s that working for ya?) and anything else he could leave up to the corporations to write their own laws. Reagan basically took all the teeth out of the FCC and allowed a few major corporations to own almost all broadcasting outlets. He also destroyed the Fairness Doctrine, so almost all talk radio is right wing, as are most TV outlets. So much for “Fair and Balanced”. I also don’t think the media wants Hillary as much as the right wing is trying to push her as the democratic candidate. More media manipulation by the right wing.
#32. I think Rove has really played us, and the Dems in congress. You ask what are they going to do? Nothing. How many hearings has Lieberman had on Katrina since taking over the chair? Zero. Who do you trust?
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:48 pmI just wrote Howie, as I wrote him yesterday, that McNerney needs to be off the Act Blue solicitation list. Wasn’t it Greenwald who said the Dems would move toward staying in Iraq if the Repugs started moving toward getting out? Well, he was correct. Look at Hillary and McNerney. We need to clean house.
I continue to be confounded by the presence of neoconservative trolls on boards like this. They must have very sad, tiny little lives if they feel the need to spend this much time visiting a site whose politics they abhor, solely for the purpose of pissing all over it.
Dudes, take up crocheting or something.
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:16 amWhen Dubya made an oath the faithfuy execute the Office of President of the USA, they should have explained themselves better. At least he succeeded in one thing.
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:53 pmREtarded.
August 24th, 2007 at 4:59 pmREpressive.
REtreat.
REgressive.
REprobate.
REpellent.
REprehensible.
REviled.
REpulsive.
REvolting.
REpublican.
Surely no one is surprised that the slime, Rove, politicized all branches of this administration. However, in the end, I hold ONLY President Bush responsible for the disgusting activities of HIS White House folks.
Remember Rove is probably one of the very few folks Bush has picked to work in his administration that is competent at anything, even if it is skulduggery. Then there is the illustration of the incompetence of most working for this administration. Brownie, the horse lawyer of FEMA fame, or Richard Stickler, of the Mine Safety and Health Administration- both with legend incompetence. Still Bush’s assessment for both would probably be reflected in a statement such as, “you guys did a heck of a job, you guys.”
It is obvious that Rove was a master at diverting resources and assistance from legitimate U S Governmental agencies to such venal activities dispatching “Pep teams from so many Administration Agencies in order to attempt to maintain a Republican majority”. So one could say Rove was wonderfully competent in devising illegalities. I doubt we will know the full extent of his venality till long after the entire Bush administration leaves town.
August 25th, 2007 at 3:47 am