Report: Bush ‘Personally Directed’ Gonzales To Strong-Arm Ashcroft At His Bedside
Report: Bush ‘Personally Directed’ Gonzales To Strong-Arm Ashcroft At His Bedside
In his May 2007 testimony, describing the infamous strong-arming of John Ashcroft done by Andy Card and Alberto Gonzales to reauthorize Bush’s surveillance program, former Deputy Attorney General James Comey said he believed President Bush made a call to Ashcroft’s wife:
COMEY: Mrs. Ashcroft reported that a call had come through, and that as a result of that call Mr. Card and Mr. Gonzales were on their way to the hospital to see Mr. Ashcroft.
SCHUMER: Do you have any idea who that call was from?
COMEY: I have some recollection that the call was from the president himself.
Days later, Bush dodged the question about his involvement in the matter, stating, “There’s a lot of speculation about what happened and what didn’t happen. I’m not going to talk about it.” Yesterday, however, Murray Waas wrote at The Atlantic that Alberto Gonzales is now telling investigators that Bush was directly involved:
According to people familiar with statements recently made by Gonzales to federal investigators, Gonzales is now saying that George Bush personally directed him to make that hospital visit. … Gonzales has painted a picture of Bush as being very much involved when it came to his administration’s surveillance program.
The revelations come as Gonzales refused to tell the Senate in 2007 who sent him to the bedside of Ashcroft, repeatedly asserting, “We were there on behalf of the president of the United States.” Watch it, via TPM:
Vice President Cheney has also dodged whether he sent Gonzales and Card to the hospital, telling Larry King in July 2007, “I don’t recall that I was the one who sent them to the hospital.” “In describing Bush as having pressed him to engage in some of the more controversial actions regarding the warrantless surveillance program, Gonzales and his legal team are apparently attempting to lessen his own legal jeopardy,” Wass writes.
If Bush did make the call to strong-arm Ashcroft and overrule Comey’s assertion that the wiretapping program was not legal, it should not come as a surprise. Newsweek reported in January 2006, Bush was “miffed” at Comey for not being a “team player” on surveillance.
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This has gone on long enough! Everyone needs to continue to NOT contact their Congresspersons and NOT demand investigations.
Lets all just sit and allow Congress to do nothing about this Criminal Enterprise known as the Bush Administration!
September 27th, 2008 at 1:05 pmI always just assume the worst when it comes to the criminal Bush/Cheney regime.
¶ AIO
September 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pmI wonder what is making Gonzo the “I Don’t Recall” Wimp spill the beans now?
Maybe a book deal in the works?
HMMMMMMM
September 27th, 2008 at 1:11 pmI have yet to hear a cogent explanation of how those grotesque Abu Ghraib sex torture photos helped keep America safe from “teh terraists”. Can’t help but wonder which BotchCo official/s got a chubby from them.
September 27th, 2008 at 1:11 pmYou know, these former Bush Regime stooges, after the fact, confess to being ’strong-armed’, and expect us to feel sympathy for what they endured.
Sorry Gonzo, you have a freaking degree from Harvard Law School and had AG on your resume. You didn’t have to cave to anyone. In fact, you could have, and should have, said ‘no’, just before quitting your job, and cooperating with the autorities to whom you just revealed Bush’s illegal actions.
September 27th, 2008 at 1:14 pmVice President Cheney has also dodged whether he sent Gonzales and Card to the hospital, telling Larry King in July 2007, “I don’t recall that I was the one who sent them to the hospital.”
I thought the Republican tag line was actually supposed to be “I was joking.”
September 27th, 2008 at 1:16 pmDidHeJustSayThat Says: This has gone on long enough! Everyone needs to continue to NOT contact their Congresspersons and NOT demand investigations.
Like our “Representatives” care what we think. I contact mine regularly, and they either ignore me regularly, or send me patronizing responses that show that they have no clue who it is that pays their salary…
September 27th, 2008 at 1:18 pmAccording to people familiar with statements recently made by Gonzales to federal investigators,
TP, which federal investigation is Gonzales supposedly cooperating with? And is he giving sworn statements under oath or affirmation?
September 27th, 2008 at 1:21 pmVice President Cheney has also dodged whether he sent Gonzales and Card to the hospital, telling Larry King in July 2007, “I don’t recall that I was the one who sent them to the hospital.”
A classic “non-denial denial”. He didn’t say it wasn’t true, only that he didn’t “recall” being the one who did it. Psychiatrists will confirm that it is not unusual for people to block out some of the illegal or immoral things that they have done. So his assertion that he doesn’t recall being the one who made the call simply means nothing.
The wording would also lead someone more skeptical than Larry King (like me, or my cat) to ask, “Well, who do you recall as being the one who did?”
September 27th, 2008 at 1:24 pmSo, what’s new?
September 27th, 2008 at 1:25 pmBush and Chenney & Co. should all be handcuffed and taken away imediatly. Arrested these criminals!
September 27th, 2008 at 1:31 pmo they know
and it’s not you and I
September 27th, 2008 at 1:36 pmVice President Cheney has also dodged whether he sent Gonzales and Card to the hospital, telling Larry King in July 2007, “I don’t recall that I was the one who sent them to the hospital.”
___________________________________________________________
Um…do you mean to say that you’re capable of sending a couple of your goons to strong-arm a man in a hospital bed to do something illegal and then forgetting about it?
September 27th, 2008 at 1:42 pmRantingTommy Says: and it’s not you and I
Guess I should have said “legal salary”.
No doubt my necon “Representatives” are owned by Big Oil. I get to vote against one of them in November.
Has this thread been open long enough that we can talk about the debate now? I wanna talk about how anyone who said that the debate was tied or that McCain won should be in favor of national health care so that they can get their eyes and hearing checked…
September 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pmO/T
Paul Newman dies
September 27th, 2008 at 1:55 pmIn this episode of General Attorney (CBS, Weekdays, 1.30 p.m.) James Comey tries to help Bush’s faithful servant Alberto recover from his amnesia which he suffered after being kidnapped and interrogated by the Democrat gang who were trying to blackmail George Bush so they could take over his business empire.
But in trying to stir Alberto’s memory by recounting the arm-wrestling match he had at Ashcroft’s bedside, Comey accidentally reveals that Bush had been telephoning Ashcroft’s wife!!!
Meanwhile Bush’s adopted niece, Mary Cheney admits she’s a lesbian and pregnant, but who is the father?
September 27th, 2008 at 2:00 pmGeneral Attorney (CBS, Weekdays, 1.30 p.m.)
Renewed for a second season!
Renewed for a third season!
Renewed for ETERNITY!!
September 27th, 2008 at 2:04 pmBush was “miffed” at Comey for not being a “team player” on surveillance.
“Team player”? I believe better descriptions would be thug, co-conspirator, or felon.
Bush knew what he was doing was illegal and proceeded with it anyway -which is a patter of behavior we’ve seen over and over again during his time in the White House.
September 27th, 2008 at 2:07 pmSpeaker Pelosi,
I live in Pennsylvania, just a short train ride away from D.C. I have an old, green folding card table, and you say the word and I’ll jump on Amtrak and bring it to Washington.
The legs are a bit wobbly, but I’m certain that it could hold up under the weight of impeachment papers.
Okay, ball’s in your court. Let me know!
PEACE
September 27th, 2008 at 2:08 pmHmmmm, I wonder if Chimpy will live to regret throwing Gonzo under the bus…?
September 27th, 2008 at 2:10 pmGregor Samsa Says:
Bush was “miffed” at Comey for not being a “team player” on surveillance.
“Team player”? I believe better descriptions would be thug, co-conspirator, or felon.
Bush knew what he was doing was illegal and proceeded with it anyway -which is a patter of behavior we’ve seen over and over again during his time in the White House.
September 27th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Kind of proves beyond any doubt that Bush violated his oath of office by not “[taking] care that the laws be faithfully executed.” How are his supporters defending this?
September 27th, 2008 at 2:10 pmKind of proves beyond any doubt that Bush violated his oath of office by not “[taking] care that the laws be faithfully executed.” How are his supporters defending this?
– - David Addington says, “9/11. Now shut the hell up.”
September 27th, 2008 at 2:16 pmFunny thing about “team players.” When they run afoul of the law, they usually aren’t allowed to stay together as a team when they are sent to prison.
September 27th, 2008 at 2:25 pmBadmoodman Says:
- – David Addington says, “9/11. Now shut the hell up.”
September 27th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Yeah, I know, well, to Mr. Addington I say, “You violated the same oath, so STFU.”
September 27th, 2008 at 2:32 pmWayne A. Schneider Says: How are his supporters defending this?
Well, I remember that as soon as the details of the illegal wiretaps started to surface, Bush and his supporters stopped talking about the legality of the program, and focused on its supposed “necessity” -which to me was a tacit admission that they were very well aware it was illegal.
“Hey, how can you stand by as the laws are bent and broken?”
“Oh, well, our Glorious Leader needs to do this.”
So it goes with the personality cult-following types…
September 27th, 2008 at 2:37 pmis there a chance that Gonzo is about to payback the thugs in the white house for not arranging a nice cushy job for his retirement
September 27th, 2008 at 2:40 pmMr Blifil Says: [...]they usually aren’t allowed to stay together as a team when they are sent to prison.
Unless you are talking about a chain gang…. ;-)
September 27th, 2008 at 2:41 pmGregor,
Do you think we can amend the Constitution to add “mental stability” to the list of qualifications to become president? I mean, I know the Framers had such high hopes for their new country, and probably just assumed that we wouldn’t be so dumb as to elect an insane person president, so they never put it down as a requirement. Oh, those Framers were so wacky! They also assumed that we would inform ourselves on the issues. I’m beginning to see where there might have been flaws in their plans. :)
September 27th, 2008 at 2:42 pmcargod Says:
is there a chance that Gonzo is about to payback the thugs in the white house for not arranging a nice cushy job for his retirement
September 27th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Interesting question. I wonder if Gonzales is, what would normally be called, “gainfully employed” right now? And I don’t just mean getting a stipend for having his name on some Board of Directors (though whoever would do that would be, as they say, muy loco en la cabeza.)
September 27th, 2008 at 2:45 pmFor what it’s worth Wikipedia reports no job offers since leaving office last year, only some speaking engagements , a book deal or the spillage of beans may be much more lucrative.
September 27th, 2008 at 2:53 pmand it might keep the lying little f@@k out of prison for a while
Wayne A. Schneider Says: the Framers [...] probably just assumed that we wouldn’t be so dumb as to elect an insane person president
Actually, they wanted democracy ma non troppo: They were afraid of direct democracy (they called it “mob rule”), which is the reason they instituted the Electoral College.
So I guess they did assume people would be so dumb so as to elect the wrong person, and thought the Electoral College would be a safeguard. So much for that check and balance.
September 27th, 2008 at 2:55 pmWe’ve known all along that Bush was in the blood up to his armpits–this is just another confirmation of Dubya’s criminality and of Pelosi’s abrogation of her Constitutional responsibilities.
September 27th, 2008 at 2:58 pmWith a real possibility of jail time in his future, is Al going to drop a dime on Bush and Cheney or is this sudden attack of truth part of his play for a pardon?
-AF
September 27th, 2008 at 3:04 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
I think you’re right, Gregor. I forgot about the reason for that inane Electoral College. (It’s inane if you’re going to lie to people and tell them that their vote actually means something. Since Electors are often not bound by any law to follow what the people in their districts do, it literally means nothing.)
September 27th, 2008 at 3:04 pmThrow these pieces of $hit in jail and throw away the key.
September 27th, 2008 at 3:07 pmI guess if he weasels a pardon he could chase ambulances in San Antonio
September 27th, 2008 at 3:08 pmWayne A. Schneider Says: Since Electors are often not bound by any law to follow what the people in their districts do, it literally means nothing.
Exactly. They are supposed to be there to “correct” a wrong vote; you know, just in case the people don’t know what they’re doing.
I not only find this a concept insulting, but absolutely ineffectual, as the Richard “I am not a crook” Nixon, and George “is our children learning” Bush presidencies have clearly demonstrated, to name only two.
September 27th, 2008 at 3:15 pmShrub’s Pardon Attorney ia very busy at the moment. Gonzo. Cheney, Rumsfeld, maybe Libby?
The ink on the presidential pardons will not be dry by the time Obama is sworn in.
September 27th, 2008 at 3:16 pmAfter his tenure in Washington, this former Texas judge wouldn’t qualify to judge a chili cook-off. He’s a disgraceful example of how politics can corrupt the judicial system.
September 27th, 2008 at 3:20 pmAnd going back to the topic of the thread, someone needs to remind Ace Lawyer Gonzalez that “I was just following orders” has not been a defence since the Nuremberg trials.
Because war criminals is what this pathetic lot are.
Whatever happened to personal responsibility? Oh, that’s right, it’s one of those things that are only for the little people, like the law and other pesky little things…
September 27th, 2008 at 3:20 pmChimpy McFlightsuit
Putting the ASS in compassionate conservative……….
September 27th, 2008 at 3:26 pmQUALAR Says:
After his tenure in Washington, this former Texas judge wouldn’t qualify to judge a chili cook-off. He’s a disgraceful example of how politics can corrupt the judicial system.
My bet Gonzo is holding out for that cushy job asJustice of the Peace in Crawford, TX.
Wants to work all those spousal beatings, DUI’s and bestiality cases.
September 27th, 2008 at 3:29 pmBush should be impeached TOMORROW!
September 27th, 2008 at 4:02 pmWar crimes. Guess the land in Paraguay will be needed after all.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:12 pmBush is guilty of many crimes, including crimes of treason, and crimes against humanity. Why is he still president? The failure to impeach Bush years ago will bring decades of shame upon our country.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:16 pmRaise your hands if this surprises you.
Didn’t think so.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:26 pmWayne and Gregor Samsa, re Electoral College:
As I understand it the EC is an extraordinarily ironic institution and if there’s any serious discussion of electoral reform in the next administration then the EC should be considered for abolition–it isn’t just campaign financing that corrupts the political system.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:35 pmRichard Nixon is like Abraham Lincoln compared to George W. Bush.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:43 pmCan we try Bush/Cheney for Treason NOW Nancy? Harry?
September 27th, 2008 at 9:10 pm