Citing ‘Lawsuits And Things,’ White House Refuses To Release Logs Of When Payne Took Clients To Meet Bush
Citing ‘Lawsuits And Things,’ White House Refuses To Release Logs Of When Payne Took Clients To Meet Bush
Over the weekend, the Times of London reported that Bush fundraiser and federal lobbyist, Stephen Payne, was caught on tape offering access to White House officials, including Dick Cheney or Condoleezza Rice, in exchange for “six-figure donations to the private library being set up to commemorate Bush’s presidency.”
Today, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino tried to downplay the long relationship between Payne and Bush, saying only that the President had “probably met [Payne] on a number of occasions.” When asked if the public would be allowed access to the White House visitor logs to “show whether or not” Payne had brought clients to the White House, Perino demurred:
QUESTION: And last thing — just to clear it up, then — would the White House be willing to release any visitor logs to show whether or not he was here with clients? Because he’s out there telling people…
PERINO: I’d have to check with counsel’s office. And, obviously, we’ve been down this road before with visitor logs. And there’s lawsuits and things. So I’ll have to check with (inaudible) visitors’ log.
Watch It:
Despite Perino’s claims, Payne has had a long — and public — relationship with Bush. Payne served as “George W. Bush’s personal travel aide during his father’s 1988 Presidential campaign.” Later, he bought the title of “Bush Pioneer” by raising $100,000 for Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns. More recently, Payne was appointed to the Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council and currently serves the White House as a “Senior Advance Representative.”
The full extent of Payne’s relationship with the White House may soon be known, as a Federal appeals court last Friday refused to “consider reversal of a lower court ruling last December that the White House visitor logs were public records” and thus subject to Freedom of Information Act Requests.
Even without access to the White House visitor logs, however, the photographic record demonstrates quite clearly that Payne’s relationship with the White House has given him — and quite likely his clients — close access to the President, his inner circle, and even foreign leaders.
Transcript:
QUESTION: On another subject, is the White House disappointed that this lobbyist, Stephen Payne, in on videotape suggesting that he can deliver high-level White House meetings, including with the vice president, in exchange for big contributions to the Bush library?
PERINO: I would say there’s categorically no link between any official business and the Bush library. Steve Payne was never an employee of the White House, but we do use hundreds of volunteers a year, as you know, for helping us do advance work.
And, of course, I don’t know all of the facts about that situation, but we certainly would not advocate for such behavior.
QUESTION: How close is he to the president? And has he ever brought any of his clients to the White House for meetings?
PERINO: That I don’t know. I do know that he has been a Republican fund-raiser for many years, so I believe the president has probably met him on a number of occasions. But he was never an employee of the White House, and so I don’t know particularly about any contacts that they would have had or at the White House.
QUESTION: And last thing — just to clear it up, then — would the White House be willing to release any visitor logs to show whether or not he was here with clients? Because he’s out there telling people…
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: I’d have to check with counsel’s office. And, obviously, we’ve been down this road before with visitor logs. And there’s lawsuits and things. So I’ll have to check with (inaudible) visitors’ log.
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Lessee, met only a few times..
Like Jack Abramoff…?
July 14th, 2008 at 4:41 pmBUSH: Stephen who…?
July 14th, 2008 at 4:42 pmPerino: Despite Long Public Relationship, Payne and Bush May Have Met Only ‘On A Number Of Occasions’
– - Bush, watching Perino on TV, remarked to associates, “Yeah, a number of times. Hunerds a number, right Dick?”
July 14th, 2008 at 4:43 pmAnd why would the President want to assist in a potential investigation on wrongdoing in his White House? That would be like opening the doors of a floodgate…
July 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pmLook at that picture of Condi and tell me that that thing is not an alien from Men in Black.
Or a squirrel on steroids.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pm“The full extent of Payne’s relationship with the White House may soon be known”
I won’t hold my breath. My money is on the “White House visitor logs” mysteriously being deleted.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:50 pmAnother exciting episode of Dancing with the Political Stars, featuring Dana Perino, doing the “Unaccountability Buck-and-Wing.”
Take it away, Dana…
July 14th, 2008 at 4:50 pmWatchout for that Executive Privilidge crap, again……..
How does Dana go to sleep knowing that she is a blatant liar and the MSM does not call her out on any of this Bull$hit…
July 14th, 2008 at 4:50 pmBolton has always said that?
Sheesh. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Stop exaggerating!!
July 14th, 2008 at 4:51 pmHe may be pond scum but after seeing him in frame with The Dick holding a gun and with the Chimp holding a chain saw you have to admit the guy has guts. Wonder how much Vlad kicked in for the Bush Lie-bary.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:52 pmOy, it’s a Monday. I posted the above comment on the wrong thread. **blush**
July 14th, 2008 at 4:52 pmI guess I can’t call Perino “stupid” now.
*pout*
July 14th, 2008 at 4:53 pmAim more to your left!
July 14th, 2008 at 4:55 pmYour left!
Your left, you idiot!!!
“Bush Pioneer”?????
no comment.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:56 pm@12,Zooey Says:
I guess I can’t call Perino “stupid” now.
*pout*
sweetie, zooe-planckton are entitled to disdainfully regard Dana’s dimness…
July 14th, 2008 at 4:56 pmSure you can, Zooey. ;o)
Since she *is* and all.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:56 pm“… lawsuits and things…”
Right next to Linens and Things.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:57 pmZooey, you’re a busy woman; I screw up on a daily basis myself.
As for the real thread, what a Payne in the Ass.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:57 pmTranslation: “We regret that he got caught. We are now in full damage control mode, where we pretend we don’t know him until the heat’s off. However, my wink is a nod to Payne’s clients — we wish to assure them that Payne’s promises will be quietly kept, so please keep the contributions coming…”
July 14th, 2008 at 4:59 pmLooks like President Bush has a Payne in his er…. neck with this video.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:03 pmStephen Payne’s security clearance needs to be revoked, IMMEDIATELY.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:05 pmOh yea just like not really knowing Kenny Boy “whats his name” Lay. Man with friends like these…………..
RIP
July 14th, 2008 at 5:07 pmSGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
Don’t lose sight of “Senior Advance Representative.”
Remember it was the Advance Office that had a manual that said keep out protesters from Official Events.
Advance operatives of the White House have a long history of lying and being shady.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:14 pmIs that a picture of junior trying to run an electric chain saw ? roflmao !
July 14th, 2008 at 5:14 pmHe carries it like the weiner that he is and I have no doubt that he’s incapable of starting one that runs on saw gas !
Who the hell hangs around and watches some mindless , lazy d-bag use a chainsaw ?
July 14th, 2008 at 5:19 pm“… lawsuits and things…”
That is the new technical term for ‘Oh, Shit’
July 14th, 2008 at 5:25 pmPERINO: I’d have to check with counsel’s office. And, obviously, we’ve been down this road before with visitor logs. And there’s lawsuits and things.
Will we be kept informed of the happenings and occurrences of the this and that , them and those parts , Ms Bubblehead ?
July 14th, 2008 at 5:28 pmGlad that Keith Olbermann, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are back tonight — maybe they can treat paid-access, lawsuits “and things” with due diligence.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:41 pmPayne sure has a “Gay” look about him!
July 14th, 2008 at 5:46 pmI know that the Republicans and the Still President think differently, but the White House is owned by the public, and we have a right to know who is going there to try to influence our public servants. Oh, yeah, that’s another thing they like to forget. That they are public servants who must answer to us.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:47 pmIn some ways stonewalling this request would be even worse than the Cheney energy task force fiasco. That one at least arguably related to the business of the executive branch even though you know their conclusion consisted of two simple sentences: “Invade Iraq. Steal its oil.”
July 14th, 2008 at 5:55 pmNow you have Dim Dana saying the Lie-bary is distinct from official business but you just know these ba$tard$ will still claim executive privilege to prevent disclosure of this dillweed’s White House visits.
That they are public servants who must answer to us.
We are the employers of all those ‘public servants’ and any asset they use to do their jobs is our property. If our asset (the WH) was used to hold a meeting with one of our employees, we must know about it. Certainly, at the very least we need to know who they are, what they want, who they represent, what do WE get out of the bargain, whay are they talking to us?
If the American people could stop being the ’sheeple’ bush has pushed around for so long, we might begin to take the power back from the criminals. If we kept in mind – at all times – that we are the bosses, we would get better representation from our employees.
Sadly, when someone (D, R, or I) enters the Congress, they seem to leave the title of public servant at the door, and pick up the attitude of entitlement for themselves.
For the most part, vote out most – if not all incumbents. Let them know there is a huge price to pay for not listening and responding to their employers wishes (end the war, impeach Bush, leave FISA alone, etc…).
BTW, the terrorist watch list now has over ONE MILLION names on it. All the way to fascism, Mission Accomplished. Let’s take back our country – for it is OUR COUNTRY.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:20 pmToday, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino tried to downplay the long relationship between Payne and Bush, saying only that the President had “probably met [Payne] on a number of occasions.”
Kind of like the sad “Kenny Who” Lay. Maybe shook hands wiht him once or twice, but couldn’t pull his face out of a crowd….
You know, pretty much the same as we’ll feel about Dubya once he’s not able to do any more damage….
Cheers,
July 14th, 2008 at 7:39 pmLondon Times says he lobbies for World Strategic Partners which does energy development (pipelines in the “Stans) and military contracting.
nanlichi,
July 14th, 2008 at 8:37 pmKnow who is gonna play Kindasleezy in Oliver Stone’s “W”? Thandie Newton, the hottie from Mission Impossible II.
W and Colin Powell (Josh Brolin and Jeffrey Wright) got arrested for being in a bar fight in Shreveport LA, the other night.
It’s official. “Lawsuits and things”= High crimes and misdemeanors.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:20 pm.
BRIBERY… An impeachable offense.
Was Stephen Payne offering BRIBES on behalf of the president…
… or on his own accord?
.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:51 am“And there’s lawsuits and things.” It’s comforting to know that even braindead valley girls can find a position in the bush administration. What’s next dana, ” like, oh my god, gag me with a spoon, that is sooooo gnarly”?
July 15th, 2008 at 6:33 amIf a private business, I might buy that there is a legal argument to withold records because of potential lawsuits. Of course, once you know the records are there, you initiate a suit and subpoena the records.
But for a federal agency to hold back records to prevent incrimination ? This seems to be a rather novel idea. Not to mention that the very idea suggests that the records contain something worth digging for.
How come the WH that wants to tap your phone is the same one that doesn’t even want to let you know who was on their guest list ?
July 15th, 2008 at 12:08 pm