Cheney, Libby Blocked Papers To Senate Intelligence Panel

[RedEarth]

Cheney, Libby Blocked Papers To Senate Intelligence Panel
By Murray Waas, special to National Journal
© National Journal Group Inc.
Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005

Vice President Cheney and his chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, overruling advice from some White House political staffers and lawyers, decided to withhold crucial documents from the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2004 when the panel was investigating the use of pre-war intelligence that erroneously concluded Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, according to Bush administration and congressional sources.



Among the White House materials withheld from the committee were Libby-authored passages in drafts of a speech that then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell delivered to the United Nations in February 2003 to argue the Bush administration's case for war with Iraq, according to congressional and administration sources. The withheld documents also included intelligence data that Cheney's office -- and Libby in particular -- pushed to be included in Powell's speech, the sources said.

The new information that Cheney and Libby blocked information to the Senate Intelligence Committee further underscores the central role played by the vice president's office in trying to blunt criticism that the Bush administration exaggerated intelligence data to make the case to go to war.

The disclosures also come as Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald wraps up the nearly two-year-old CIA leak investigation that has focused heavily on Libby's role in discussing covert intelligence operative Valerie Plame with reporters. Fitzgerald could announce as soon as tomorrow whether a federal grand jury is handing up indictments in the case.

Central to Fitzgerald's investigation is whether administration officials disclosed Plame's identity and CIA status in an effort to discredit her husband, former ambassador and vocal Bush administration critic Joseph Wilson, who wrote newspaper op-ed columns and made other public charges beginning in 2003 that the administration misused intelligence on Iraq that he gathered on a CIA-sponsored trip to Africa.

http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2005/1027nj1.htm

[stop the bleeding]

1. Sounds like Dick's getting in more hot water -- ouch!

[UpInArms]

4. I picture it more as boiling oil ...........eom

[Mike_The_Computer]

119. And what happens when a Dick's dunked in hot water?

Shrinkage!

[Miss Chybil]

130. That's cold water.

Hot water makes limpage.

[ms liberty]

140. Had to say...

Welcome to DU! I love your username...one of my favorite books is Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I keep wondering why it's never been made into a movie.

[politick]

154. Because

they'd screw it up.

Wait, that's not a very good argument, is it? I think they purposely see to screw great books up.

I don't know either...

[yella_dawg]

158. Ummm...

You ever see the movie "Starship Troopers"??

And you want them to make a movie of "Moon"?

Oh! The horror!!

[Miss Chybil]

129. A dick in hot water...

not a pretty thought. Unless, it's a hot dog, of course, and Cheney ain't.

See Dick.
See Dick lie.
See Dick lie some more.
See Dick get caught.
See Dick run, run, run all the way home.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

2. Oh what a tangled web we weave

When we practice to deceive.

:evilgrin:

[Fovea]

3. Ruh-Row!

This could be bad, scooby!

[LuckyTheDog]

112. Sure could

So much for the GOPer argument that "everyone had the same intelligence."

:puke:

[OKthatsIT]

138. Rheney,Ribby&Rove reads roo ra rog round..right Rush?

[blm]

5. And Pat Roberts knew damn well and was complicit every step of the way.

THAT is why he won't allow the panel to finish their job that Kerry demanded with nine other senators in that DSM letter of inquiry.

[leftchick]

10. pats name popped into my head immediately

:grr:

[blm]

14. Remember when we mediablasted to get them to notice and no media picked

up on it or even bothered to report it?

Roberts was an obvious suspect when he planted those Rove talking points against Wilson into an official report.

He sealed his complicity when he wouldn't allow DSM inquiry.

[MGKrebs]

12. Yeah, but how pissed must Hatch be? And Snowe?

They were lied to too (presumably).

[blm]

16. Hatch and Bond were in it with Roberts.

I doubt Snowe was.

[stevedeshazer]

18. No kidding, this is really damning to Roberts

<snip>

After the release of the report, Intelligence Committee, Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Vice Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said they doubted that the Senate would have authorized the president to go to war if senators had been given accurate information regarding Iraq's programs on weapons of mass destruction.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ulp.

[katty]

60. Pat aided them all the way - watch the rats run

[rodeodance]

83. I read an article about a month ago of his own blocking of the papers.

But I can not find it now

[jamesinca]

116. Here is the Pat Robertson story

Senate Intelligence chairman quietly 'fixed' intelligence, and diverted blame from White House over Iraq

Larisa Alexandrovna

Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush issued an order to the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Department, and his cabinet members that severely curtailed intelligence oversight by restricting classified information to just eight members of Congress.

?The only Members of Congress whom you or your expressly designated officers may brief regarding classified or sensitive law enforcement information,? he writes, ?are the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, and the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Intelligence Committees in the House and Senate.?

-snip-
But what was said to be an effort to protect the United States became a tool by which the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Pat Roberts (R-KS) ensured there was no serious investigation into how the administration fixed the intelligence that took the United States to war in Iraq or the fabricated documents used as evidence to do so.

Coupled with limited access to intelligence documents, RAW STORY has found that Roberts and a handful of other strategically-placed Washington players stymied all questions into pre-war intelligence on Iraq and post-invasion cover-ups, including the outing of a CIA covert agent, by using targeted leaks and artfully deflecting blame from the White House.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/HowSenate_Intelligence_ch...

[blm]

152. That's a great rundown of the story on Pat Roberts' coverup.

Pat Robertson, of course, is another evil matter. heheh

[neohippie]

155. broken link

can someone point me to this story about Pat Roberts. and the executive order.

That link is broken.

[Independent_Liberal]

141. I hope Roberts gets indicted.

I'd like to see him do the ol' perp walk.

:)

[Cocoa]

6. impeachment

a real possibility...

[Pirate Smile]

17. Yoo hoo! Congress! You've been lied to over and over and over again.

Are you ever going to care?

[ClintonTyree]

48. One side of the aisle might.........

the other side? :shrug: They're all lying right along with them, why should they care? :mad:

[rodeodance]

92. you'd think they would get tired of being lied to.

[MADem]

42. Resignation of the VP is damn likely, at a minimum

Remember, Condi cancelled a slew of appointments in Canada and raced home last night. She is probably the replacement for Cheney.

Question follows: who replaces Condi? Bolton? God save us all!!!!!

Cheney KNEW THIS WAS COMING. Once Judy's lawyer started bitching, he started househunting and bought that mansion right up the road from Rummy. He probably was HOPING it would blow over, but he was clearly planning all along for this eventuality.

[leftchick]

47. I didn't know condi came back to DC!

I have been gone all day and am trying to catch up. That is very interesting. wouldn't her replacement have to go through a senate approval process? How about condi, can he just sit her ass in the VP slot? OMG...

[MADem]

62. Yes, she would have to get a Senate upcheck

But hey, they upchecked her as State. There is no reason why they wouldn't do the same for the VP job, absent any indictments, of course.

[reprobate]

80. Remember, she lied to them too. If they're pissed enough she's toast too.

[bobbieinok]

103. but Hadley was apparently involved; he was her asst when she was

National Security Advisor......he now has her job

if he's involved, isn't she??

as secretary of state, she's high on the list of presidential succession

The Vice President Richard Cheney
Speaker of the House John Dennis Hastert
President pro tempore of the Senate1 Ted Stevens
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of the Treasury John Snow
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns
Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez2
Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao3
Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson
Secretary of Transportation Norman Yoshio Mineta
Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson
Secretary of Homeland Security4 Michael Chertoff
NOTE: An official cannot succeed to the Presidency unless that person meets the Constitutional requirements.
1. The president pro tempore presides over the Senate when the vice president is absent. By tradition the position is held by the senior member of the majority party.
2. Carlos Gutierrez was born in Cuba and is ineligible.
3. Elaine Chao was born in Taiwan and is ineligible.
4. In late July 2005, the Senate passed a bill moving the Homeland Security secretary to number 8 on the list. The bill is awaiting House approval.

[MADem]

109. If she can establish and maintain plausible deniability

she can make it through the gauntlet. Of course, it all depends on who is singing, what indictments come down, and the direction that the Special Prosecutor is taking. She could easily end up as a witness rather than a co-conspirator, depending on how the chips fall.

Of course, she could have rushed home from Canada to take advice from a lawyer--we won't know until the great unsealing!

[rodeodance]

115. I have a feeling that Hadley is on the Fitzmas list.

[go west young man]

134. Shit Ted Stevens! Now thats a psycho.

[Moosepoop]

149. I think that's "upchucked"

not "upchecked". :P

[kitty1]

72. Condi left Canada earlier than scheduled, cancelled some interviews..

She apparently seemed very testy with reporters questions at times. Maybe this plamegate thing is fraying her nerves.

[rodeodance]

82. some Canadian reporter said that after a phone call she flew out early.

[jamesinca]

117. The XXV Amendment

Who ever takes the VP nomination would have to win the support of both houses of congress. Here is the text of the 25th.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
AMENDMENT XXV
Passed by Congress July 6, 1965. Ratified February 10, 1967.

Note: Article II, section 1, of the Constitution was affected by the 25th amendment.

Section 1.
In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2.
Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3.
Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4.
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

[callous taoboy]

49. If he resigns I get to do something special:

I get to remove Dick's evil mug from the school cafeteria bulletin board with "OUR LEADERS" in big red letters above it. It's already been approved by the principal.

[MADem]

61. Sometimes, it is the most local thing that can make us feel ALIVE!!!

We will be with you in spirit! Do poke a tack through his eye before you haul him down for us, now!

[PurpleChez]

147. Truly something to look forward to!

(Poke him in the eye for me, too!)

[DoYouEverWonder]

51. Condi is a WHIG

she will not be replacing anybody.

The only thing Bush will be able to do if he is lucky is to nominate the next VP. Then it is up to Congress.

BTW: Where did you here about Condi running home last night? Interesting.

[MADem]

58. How close to that bunch is she, though?

Did they have minutes of their meetings? Has she put anything in writing? Does she have plausible deniability (to quote Nixon's bunch)?

I heard about Condi's fast dash home here--there was a thread on it, somewhere!

[DoYouEverWonder]

66. She was on the trip to Africa

where the memo was passed around. She was in on it from the beginning.

[MADem]

74. Yeah, but she had good reason to be on that flight

She was National Security Advisor at the time. Hell, even the SECSTATE was on the plane.

Her presence on that flight is not in and of itself a warning flag. It is logical to bring your NSA on diplomatic trips, especially when visiting regions we have given short shrift to in the past.

[Demeter]

53. Another Possible CoIncidence--Suspicious Timing

I wonder if Harriet Miers got a letter of intent from the grand jury and withdrew today because of it. It's fascinating, watching the rats scurry--or is it cockroaches in the light?

[MADem]

55. If she touched any of those documents, if she KNEW stuff was

being withheld from the Senate, destroyed, whatever...she is in it up to her ass, and indeed, VULNERABLE. You cannot hide behind privilege when you are breaking the damn law.

You could well be right on that!

[cobaindrain]

127. the far right pulls the strings, condi will not be VP

It'll probably be Vice President Hastert

[MADem]

163. NO, they know Denny is reliable where he is at

Why move him? He gits it done in the job he has. Plus, he is too fat, does not translate well to the national stage, and does not have a media persona.

If not Condi, it will be some cretin in the Cheney mold--Hastert, with all his faults, is way too moderate for them.

[IndianaGreen]

148. Damn right, all the roads lead to impeachment of Cheney

and if Fitzgerald impanels a new grand jury to look into the forging of Niger documents, as it is being reported this morning, this could well lead into criminal indictment of Cheney and perhaps Bush.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

7. Veeeery interesting

[katty]

63. Preparing the public-these are no longer leaks-more tidal waves

of info

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

145. Yeah!

:thumbsup:

[LeighAnn]

8. Cheney must be impeached before Bush

I look forward to seeing them both brought up on charges, sooner rather than later. Maybe tomorrow, huh?

[Lex]

9. This is not good for them, boys and girls.

Not good at all.

[BadGimp]

11. Is that Blood I smell?

[Generator]

13. I keep thinking about

Joe Wilson's descriptions of the neo-cons as a cult. A small cult that has taken over our government. The good news, there is only a few of them. The bad news is all the enablers that refuse to name them for what they are.

[xxqqqzme]

75. Seymour Hersch as well...I have

heard him on a number of occasions say the invasion; neo-kon agenda; is controlled by 7 or 8 men...the only problem is WHICH 7 or 8?

[Ready4Change]

15. Scooter, Cheney have maybe one, single, "Get out of Jail Free" card

Perhaps Fitz is waiting to see if either one of them will be the first to say "Bush knew too."

Without that, it looks to me like both Scooter and Cheney have some jail time ahead of them.

[joeunderdog]

108. The talk of plea bargaining has to do with the damage a 2-year

televised court proceeding will have on the minds of the voters. "The Iraq War itself will be on trial." But there would be no plea bargain if no one surrenders the bigger fish.

The Pukes didn't out just Joe Wilson's wife, but an entire operation whose purpose was to accurately assess the threat to our national security by middle east nations. What's gonna happen when people realize this wasn't just a poke at Joe?

The War on Terra is being exposed. Stay tuned...

[evolvenow]

19. When the war criminals are indicted, send to Fresh Landkills,gather remain

That would be the best use for them, that way the families that have been trying for years to receive any remains of their loved ones will be found, and the bodies and debris can be tested with proper forensics, the truth will finally be announced to the world about 9/11 and then the whole murderous Cabal can all go to the Hague, and hopefully the war in Iraq will end, and we can have a planet creating sustainable, renewable solutions instead of endless death and destruction for the profits of a small number of wealthy psychopathic killers.



kick for the truth

[proReality]

20. The more that comes out,

the more obvious it is that he has been acting as president and Bush is a figurehead.

[Nothing Without Hope]

21. Sure looks like a concerted effort to leak info that insulates Bush from

the crimes of the Administration. 'Course, that doesn't leave much behind:

[tanyev]

57. Oh, gosh. That cartoon says it all.

[ewagner]

59. Exactly...look at the sources

"...according to Bush administration and congressional sources."

Somebody (maybe Rove?) is trying desperately to throw Cheney and Libby under the bus and keep Dubya's hands clean.

Something big is happening. Really big.

[hang a left]

97. I think you are right. Something very big is happening.

[Emit]

86. Yes, I noticed that immediately...

Vice President Cheney and his chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, overruling advice from some White House political staffers and lawyers, decided to withhold crucial documents from the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2004 when the panel was investigating the use of pre-war intelligence that erroneously concluded Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, according to Bush administration and congressional sources.

[Nothing Without Hope]

91. yeah, all his vaunted loyalty to "friends" gets trumped when his own

sorry ass is threatened. What a bunch of horrors those people are.

[maximovich]

22. It Get's Stickier Everyday

And the "Holier Than Though" align themselves with this scum?! Laughable.

[geek tragedy]

23. Cheney, Libby Blocked Papers To Senate Intelligence Panel

http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2005/1027nj1.htm

<snip>
Vice President Cheney and his chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, overruling advice from some White House political staffers and lawyers, decided to withhold crucial documents from the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2004 when the panel was investigating the use of pre-war intelligence that erroneously concluded Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, according to Bush administration and congressional sources.


Cheney had been the foremost administration advocate for war with Iraq, and Libby played a central staff role in coordinating the sale of the war to both the public and Congress.


Among the White House materials withheld from the committee were Libby-authored passages in drafts of a speech that then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell delivered to the United Nations in February 2003 to argue the Bush administration's case for war with Iraq, according to congressional and administration sources. The withheld documents also included intelligence data that Cheney's office -- and Libby in particular -- pushed to be included in Powell's speech, the sources said.

The new information that Cheney and Libby blocked information to the Senate Intelligence Committee further underscores the central role played by the vice president's office in trying to blunt criticism that the Bush administration exaggerated intelligence data to make the case to go to war.
<snip>

[BadGimp]

24. hhmmm IS that blood I smelll?

[SeattleRob]

27. it is...

The knives are out for Cheney and the rats are fleeing the sinking ship. The main concern now is saving their own slimy selves.

[CoffeeCat]

28. I smell the same thing...

...but I thought it was Dick Cheney's chestnuts roasting o'er an open fire...

[jamesinca]

121. This is going to be a good holiday season

"It's begining to look a lot like Fitzmas", and the other big holiday chart topping smash hit "Cheney's nuts roasting o'er an open fire".

[geek tragedy]

29. Murray Waas is the #1 source for all things related

to this investigation.

[jrthin]

33. Yep. I do believe that is the scent. nt

[central scrutinizer]

25. I'm sure the Senate will get right on this

right after they finish their investigation of the Plame leak.

[displacedtexan]

26. Typical.

The usual suspects always behavior in the usual way.

Anyone surprised by this?

Sickening, but predictable.

[Trillo]

30. I don't think the constitutional writers ever envisioned

such a powerful executive branch. Withhold critical documents from those who pay the bills (congress)?

"Hiding" is what criminals deliberately do.

[HereSince1628]

32. I do. They were quite aware of the excess of Olilver Cromwell

dictator of the English Republic.

[Trillo]

36. Then why didn't they close down the use of

"executive order", which over the course of time leading to today has ascended in practice to defacto legislation?

[HereSince1628]

56. Because in the execution of the law, the governance of the bureaucracy

and the execution of foreign policy, not to mention to direct the military, the actions of the executive cannot or should not wait for an enabling legislation for every move.

The capacity to go to war was not granted to the president because it was so dangerous to the republic. Consider how many of the revolutions of western nations led to military dictatorships. The Americans understood, anticipated, and protected against that.

The founders anticipated bad leaders. That's why there are provisions
for removal.

They tried to set up a form of government that could work to prevent abuse.

Of course checks and balances depend on periodic checking of one branch of government by another. Over time the presidency has been both weak and strong. The current administration seems to exert executive power primarily by denying the other branches the information they need to provide the checks and balances.

Obviously, a one-party government in control of all the branches has little capacity to control against ideological excesses.

As far as de facto legislation is concerned the regulatory agencies exercise tremendous capacity to put in place _rules_ without legislation. In the case of the regulatory agencies, all powers the power to write rules, regulate societal activity under those rules, and judge violations and determine penalties for breeches of the rules rests _inside single agencies_.

These agencies influence our day to day lives much more than executive orders. The reason they operate so independently is that many aspects of regulation require special technical knowledge and understanding that the legislature mostly made up of lawyers simply doesn't have. The executive can direct the agencies to some extent, and congress can attempt to limit their scope of action and budgets, but I'm more concerned about abuse there than I am in executive orders.

[Straight Shooter]

77. Very nice level-headed explanation.

Executive orders, I suppose, then, are the lesser of two evils.

Thanks for the info. History/civic lessons always welcome. :thumbsup:

[Mind_your_head]

95. Wow! Your writing/explanation is so illuminating.....

...I wish somehow your exchange with Simple Trend could have a thread of it's own (so that more people could read your post!)

[ClassWarrior]

31. Hey bleever - What Are They Hiding?

Time to get out the bumper stickers again.

NGU.

[texpatriot2004]

37. What are they hiding? Why are they hiding it? nm

[MADem]

46. overruling advice from some White House political staffers and lawyers

Whaddaya wanna bet one of those lawyers was HARRIET?

[maryallen]

65. Cheney OVERRULED Bush, or that's what this article implies.

Now, tell me who's in charge.

My god, are the American people too dense to see what has happened under their very noses?

Uh, ... yes, it seems so ....

[Festivito]

34. What prompted this revelation today???

Suddenly, what was them saying that the papers reflected "deliberative discussions" among "executive branch principals" and were thus covered under longstanding precedent and executive privilege is not longer important???

[Rose Siding]

89. Cushioning the blow?

The info comes from "Bush administration and congressional sources", so maybe this is something that will be brought out with the indictments :shrug:

[hang a left]

99. Maybe trying to buy time.

Hoping for Fitz to extend the GJ. Syria is in the crosshairs. I am sure they don't want that effed up. Who know, just a guess.

[lovuian]

35. So basicly Cheney & Scooter made up false information and

put it in Colin Powells report!!! Colin was set up to be the fall guy all along!!!

What the hell is a Vice President job??? Its not this stuff!!!

and Halliburton was the winner!!!

[texpatriot2004]

54. So true, especially when combined with Exec Order giving

Halliburton a carte blanch with no legal recourse to Iraq...that was in 2003 I believe.

[av8rdave]

38. This dovetails nicely with a Cheney resignation

Will serve up a tasty response for those who want big heads to roll over Plamegate, and will also nicely dispose of any more of those nasty "fixed the intelligence around the war" accusations.

Cheney will still be able to run the country from his new mansion.

[Mr_Spock]

39. I predict jail time for these folks in the future...

There is just too much evidence of illegal manipulation of critical information here. It's a shame, couldn't have happened to nice people!

[understandinglife]

40. Jane Hamsher: "Boy when it comes to treason these clowns make Aldrich Ames

... look like a piker.

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2005/10/wheels-are-coming-off.html

And, the hurt keeps comin ....


Peace.

[BlueStater]

41. The noose around Dick's neck becomes tighter

[rateyes]

43. This just gets better and better...

and these people have the gall to call themselves patriots! When are the people of this country going to demand that the "people's house" investigate all this treasonous behavior?

This needs to be brought to the attention of someone who can call a press conference and get it reported in "prime time." Over 2000 people of our citizens, and God knows how many others, have died or been crippled for a lie to get us into an illegal and immoral war.

Do the freepers not care about this. Are they so damned blind that they can't recognize the truth when it hits them square in the face? All patriotic Americans should be demanding answers and accountability, NOW!

[bigbrother05]

44. Trying to write History. or rewrite history

they will be written as traitors.

[texpatriot2004]

45. Kick it for later reference.nt.

[burythehatchet]

50. lets not forget their accomplice, Pat Roberts.

[maryallen]

70. And the media ...

Are accomplices, too.

Big time, huh, Cheney?

[dennisnyc]

87. Roberts, the one who's supposed to be investigating this?

My, My, they are smart.
More info on Roberts at www.truthempowered.org

[Freedom_from_Chains]

52. What I would like to see, if this thing takes off,

is for them to bring Powell into court and tell under oath what he knew about the whole Iraq war issue. If that were to happen I think it could potentially be more than just damaging.

[oioioi]

126. What makes you sure that they haven't already?

Where do you think they are getting this stuff if it isn't for good old "Palm Tree" Powell?

My guess is that "Palm Tree" saw the writing on the wall a long time ago and cut a deal.

[alarcojon]

135. I'm with you

Powell would have a chance to choose his country over these evil, corrupt assholes who are masquerading as our leaders. I really believe he would, finally, choose his country.

[bostonbabs]

64. Question?....Could the families of our dead soldiers

based on the (yet to be determined) fact that this evil cabal took us into a war for profit sue in civil court for damages? I would love to see each one of them penniless and behind bars.

[Peace Patriot]

118. Good question, bostonbabs! I tend to think not--there must be laws...

...that try to insulate gov't officials from the consequences of their decisions--but it is worth exploring. It sure has strong moral foundations. Also, they lied and broke laws. Maybe that would remove any legal insulation they might have. I picked up, in the last few days, a rumor that one of Fitzgerald's charges will be a conspiracy to deprive Joseph Wilson of his civil rights. What about conspiring to deprive someone of life itself? Our soldiers. The Iraqis. A massive lawsuit that could, collectively, recover all the money they've looted. And if it won't be permitted here, take it to the Hague, convict them there, and start international boycotts of any companies they are associated with, and any and all war profiteers--starting, say, with the attendees at Cheney's secret energy meetings in early 2001.

I can dream, can't I? But, really, we need some legal minds on the reparations/damages matter.

[NJCher]

132. Dream? It's an absolute necessity

If what you describe takes place, maybe we can then start to hold our heads up as respectable members of the global community.

Unless we do this, we will never regain any respect and we can even expect retaliation in some form or another. We all know how bush has increased the terrorist threat ten thousand fold. Does anyone seriously think there will no retaliation for the horrible wrongs that have taken place in Iraq?

In addition, we must demonstrate to the world that we will not allow something comparable to happen again. This means media divestiture. It means billions to rebuild Iraq, probably under the control of some int'l governing body and the U.S. entirely out of Iraq. It means honest elections because eventually, it's going to come out that that both elections were manipulated/stolen. See this GAO story:

http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1529




Cher

[alarcojon]

136. Where are the good Americans?

the world is watching....and hoping....

[bejammin075]

67. They 'forgot' to send the documents

Yeah, that's the ticket...

[MasonJar]

68. Pat Roberts and Porter Goss are slime just like their co-conspir-

ators in Congress and the White House. They deserve no quarter' they use their power for Bushm not the people that they represent. Goss did such a fine job covering Stump's tail in Congress that he now gets to do it in the CIA.

[goforit]

69. Everybody is scrambling......Fitz will clean house!!!

[Malva Zebrina]

71. and the motive?

Cheney--pure evil greed-for money and for power as if he could never ever get enough, even though his days on this earth are limited and he could never spend any of it. Libby? don't know. Perhaps he is just the hanger on to the wealth and the high of being connected to the wealth and the power and we do not know his worth either at this point.

But, let us not forget or ignore Bush and Condi and Powell and others.

They ALL participated in this. Surely they were not "innocent" in their complicity. If Bush is the leader, he is responsible. If
Condi is as smart as some say in her "intimacy" with Bush, surely she was or should have been aware of this treason.

Ugh it is just too ugly and ultimately too sad when I think of the human life lost on the evil intentions of people like this.

Enjoy your new home in Maryland, Mrs. Cheney, one of the several you and Dick own. I hope everytime you turn on the shower, one of the many installed in your new mansion, it turns to blood before your very eyes.

[David Zephyr]

73. High Crimes and Misdemeanors? Hardly! This is Treason!

Folks, this story should have every American sick in their guts at how these two men tricked Congress and betrayed the American people...

And most of all, how these two men are now to blame for the deaths of 2,000 American soldiers and Marines and 15,000 wounded young Americans.

Call it by its name: it is treason.

[0rganism]

78. To be fair, Treason is oft considered a "High Crime" -- maybe the highest!

But I agree with the rest. The fact that this isn't causing riots in the streets stands as a monument to the apathy of the American people and the effectiveness of the Republican propaganda machine.

[David Zephyr]

110. Hi Organism.

As much as I would like to see Bush impeached by the House and removed from office by the Senate, I would much rather see him indicted for the crime of treason and tried in a federal court where he could be convicted of a crime and sentenced.

But we are on the same page.

[emald]

131. treason and sedition

They have conspired to destroy the peoples United States of America and turn into the Coporate Confederated States of the World.:grr: :grr: :grr:

[0rganism]

76. Wow. The DIRT on these fuckers! This is just freaking AMAZING!

This is going to make Iran-Contra look like a Cub Scout meeting.

[renate]

79. even people who've been unaware that anything has been going on,

who are only just now finding out that BushCo have been misbehaving, and who might have trouble catching up on the whole complicated WMDs = lies story will be able to grasp the relevance of this paragraph:

Had the withheld information been turned over, according to administration and congressional sources, it likely would have shifted a portion of the blame away from the intelligence agencies to the Bush administration as to who was responsible for the erroneous information being presented to the American public, Congress, and the international community.

[leftchick]

81. omg... "the Intel Comm. is still working on the second phase of investigat

Yeah, I am sure Pat Roberts has been up all night for 2 years working on it... :puke:

<snip>

The Intelligence Committee at the time was trying to determine whether the CIA and other intelligence agencies provided faulty or erroneous intelligence on Iraq to President Bush and other government officials. But the committee deferred the much more politically sensitive issue as to whether the president and the vice president themselves, or other administration officials, misrepresented intelligence information to bolster the case to go to war. An Intelligence Committee spokesperson says the panel is still working on this second phase of the investigation.

Had the withheld information been turned over, according to administration and congressional sources, it likely would have shifted a portion of the blame away from the intelligence agencies to the Bush administration as to who was responsible for the erroneous information being presented to the American public, Congress, and the international community.

[rodeodance]

84. they are not working on it. Roberts has not called the committee together

cause he is in the thick of withholding these docs.

[leftchick]

85. I know that

and you know that. apparently No One In The Media Knows that! :grr:

[rodeodance]

90. This was mentioned briefly on Tweety tonight but not elaborated on.

The Left guest mentined it. It is running now. catch it if you can.

[dennisnyc]

88. Dems have to take back the House and get some real investigations going!

OR as Congressman Nadler has suggested, expand the scope of Fitz's investigation to include this, the use of pre-war intel, etc.

Nadler was on Hannity and Colmes talking about this last night.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ny08_nadler/FitzgeraldwarMemo102005.html

Nadler: Fitzgerald Must Broaden Investigation

“Did the Bush Administration deliberately mislead Congress about the war?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In light of recent developments in the CIA leak investigation and other recent revelations, Congressman Jerrold Nadler today called for Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald to expand his investigation to include a criminal investigation to examine whether the President, the Vice President, and members of the White House Iraq Group conspired to deliberately deceive Congress into authorizing the war in Iraq. 

[wiley]

93. This is Treason

Put them in jail.

[rodeodance]

94. Lets all send to Keith Olberman and ask him to report on it.

[AllyCat]

96. This part is nice too:

"A former senior administration official familiar with the discussions on whether to turn over the materials said there was a "political element" in the matter. This official said the White House did not want to turn over records during an election year that could used by critics to argue that the administration used incomplete or faulty intelligence to go to war with Iraq. "Nobody wants something like this dissected or coming out in an election year," the former official said.

But the same former official also said that Libby felt passionate that the CIA and other agencies were not doing a good job at intelligence gathering, that the Iraqi war was a noble cause, and that he and the vice president were only making their case in good faith. According to the former official, Libby cited those reasons in fighting for the inclusion in Powell's U.N. speech of intelligence information that others mistrusted, in opposing the release of documents to the Intelligence Committee, and in moving aggressively to counter Wilson's allegations that the Bush administration distorted intelligence findings."

-----------

Hmmmm...wonder who the former senior official might be? Withholding information during "an election year"? CIA not "doing a good job gathering intelligence" so they just made some shit up? Good job guys. This is NOT bolstering your case.

[rodeodance]

125. there is that ' noble cause' thing!

But the same former official also said that Libby felt passionate that the CIA and other agencies were not doing a good job at intelligence gathering, that the Iraqi war was a noble cause, and that he and the vice president were only making their case in good faith. According to the former official, Libby cited those reasons in fighting for the inclusion in Powell's U.N. speech of intelligence information that others mistrusted, in opposing the release of documents to the Intelligence Committee, and in moving aggressively to counter Wilson's allegations that the Bush administration distorted intelligence findings."

[NJCher]

133. Evidence of how far off course they are

Hmmmm...wonder who the former senior official might be? Withholding information during "an election year"? CIA not "doing a good job gathering intelligence" so they just made some shit up? Good job guys. This is NOT bolstering your case.

This just shows how effing warped they are and how far over the top they've gone. They actually think this is a legitimate excuse.

Sick bastards. Totally, completely, wholly devoid of a conscience, sense of responsibility, or a sense of what is right or wrong.




Cher

[conscious]

98. Indict Bush & Rumsfeld: War Crimes Act of 1996

New evidence from the general overseeing the Abu Ghraib makes it likely that a prosecutor could obtain convictions against top Bush Administration officials, punishable by life in prison or worse, concerning their role in condoning torture.

The full article is posted here:

http://georgewashington.blogspot.com/2005/10/indict-bush-rumsfeld-war-crimes-act-of.html

(This is my first post to DU, so I can't start a new thread. In any event, it is still relevant to this thread.)

[hang a left]

100. Thanks for the link and welcome to DU

Crazy times huh? :hi:

[glitch]

105. love your duer name, welcome to DU and thanks for the link! nt

[Hissyspit]

143. Welcome to DU!

[creeksneakers2]

101. Why doesn't anybody ask the big obvious question?

What did Powell tell Bush about all this? Did Powell knowingly watch this major attempt to place unreliable intelligence before the public without letting Bush know there was a problem? How could Powell not tell Bush that the intelligence Bush was getting from Cheney and Libby was so flawed?

And

If Powell did tell Bush, why did Bush lie up to the last minute, when he said there could be no doubt that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction?

Why doesn't anybody in the press ask this?

[Robert Cooper]

102. Dirty word of the day: Pardon

Boys and girls, aren't we forgetting Bush's ability to grant presidential pardons?

Figure it this way:

1. Cheney didn't want to be VP to begin with (not far enough from the seat of power to hide in the shadows).
2. He's got a bad ticker (see 3).
3. The legal sharks are circling.
4. Cheney takes blame/credit for everything.
5. Bush grants him a pardon.
6. Cheney retires to new mansion, enjoying the profits from the last bone thrown to Halliburton (New Orleans, that is).

Don't hate me for pointing out the obvious ;-)

[johnnydrama]

104. pardons

the pardon question is tricky.

What would you rather have, those responsible for this war based on lies, convicted and in jail, or the dismantling of the Republican party for years which certainly would happen if tons of pardons are thrown around.

it's a tough choice.

[Robert Cooper]

111. "Tons" unlikely

Bush need only pardon those who get caught. Cheney can take a big part of the charges with him, probably clearing Scooter and Rove, Rumsfeld and Condi.

This isn't Nixon's Republican Party. Thirty years later and Republicans have lost most of their ethics (McCain is an exception).

And what does Bush care? He's done with running again. If your a Rep up for re-election, do you want to admit that Bush, Cheney, Frist and DeLay are all up to their turd blossoms in corruption? Or would you rather sit on this until it explodes like an overused outhouse and hope it doesn't go till after election day?

As for dismantling the Republican Party for years, keep in mind what happened the last time: Ford(1/2), Carter(1), Reagan(2), Bush I(1), Clinton (2), Bush II(2). You didn't keep them down very long last time and you had the press, the youth movement, and more of the electorate cared more for ethics than power.

Bush isn't going to risk what happened to Nixon. Nixon refused to protect his henchmen. For Bush that's just a way of doing business.

btw, with all the concern shown about Miers impartiality when dealing with Bush appeals, did anyone ask that of Roberts? Got the idea they were sizing Miers up for making decisions when it comes time to roll Bush's butt out the WH? Getting two of your cronies onto the Supreme Court ahead of the lynch mob's arrival seems a tad too coincidental to me.

[closeupready]

106. Yes, pardons are almost certain. however,

it doesn't save the pardoned party's party from being damaged in the public eye.

[Don Claybrook]

107. At which point

Bush's entire agenda is deader than Jimmy Hoffa. It's a great plan, if they just want the idiot king to sit around in the Oval Office for 3 years while nothing happens toward furthering the right's agenda.

Oh, and this sort of a move would certainly put his approval ratings into the teens, making it next to impossible for the evil little fuckers in charge of the House NOT to draw up articles of impeachment, if for no other reason than to save their 2006-skins.

[Robert Cooper]

113. They still control the government

All that might happen is Bush has to sign whatever the Republicans put in front of him. They'd probably like that given the curves he's thrown them.

Besides, Bush will get on TV and put out the whole sob story about poor Cheney and how hard he's worked and how much he's contributed and it is better to be a forgiving Christian yadda yadda...

He can't possibly allow Cheney to testify. If Dick were forced to it, he'd spit nails at everyone he could take down, especially the guy who didn't bail him out of this mess.

[Spurt]

120. Don't overlook...

...the fact that the Pres can't pardon in cases of impeachment.

Article 2, Section 2 of the constitution includes....

"...and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0749819.html

I also take issue with Dirty Dick not wanting to be vice. As I understand it he was tasked with identifying Shrubs running mate, and picked himself.

[Robert Cooper]

122. It won't get that far

Nixon bailed when he was certain articles of impeachment were coming. Cheney will get just as much notice and will resign rather than face impeachment for the very reason you've given. Why risk impeachment and no pardon when you can be sunning your toes thanks to Halliburton and Bush's pardon?

And as I recall the story, Bush didn't like any of Dick's choices. Dick was first choice, but refused, so he was tasked to find a VP and couldn't find any Bush liked. That's when Bush insisted and Dick agreed.

I always had the impression that Dick would have preferred to be CoS. In the thick of things without any obvious responsibility when the outhouse burns down.

Seems to me Cheney has redefined the position of VP. It's not just about throwing rockets into the air anymore.

And that Bush/Cheney grand jury interview should be reconsidered. It looks a -lot- more like keeping their stories straight (Bush's memory being what it is).

[NoodleyAppendage]

114. DEM LEADERS NOTICE. "You voted for the war based upon lies."

Here's your out...no more bullshit "hugging the fence" on your Iraq Invasion vote for fear of appearing weak on defense.

YOU VOTED FOR THE INVASION BASED UPON LIES AND DECEPTIONS. IF YOU KNEW THE REAL TRUTH, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED. YOU TRUSTED OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF TO NOT BE DECEPTIVE AND COULDN'T FATHOM HIS ADMINISTRATION LYING TO GET CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT.

The next Dem who doesn't take the tack above when asked about his/her Iraq Invasion vote is NOT really a Dem and/or is completely stupid.

B

[rodeodance]

123. npr on Roberts -Senate Halts Iraq Intelligence Investigation

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4530810

Politics & Society
Senate Halts Iraq Intelligence Investigation

Listen to this story... by Mary Louise Kelly

Morning Edition, March 11, 2005 ·

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says the probe into whether the Bush administration manipulated pre-war intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction is over. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) says since the panel earlier found intelligence to be flawed, there's no need to continue the probe. But other officials say the issue isn't dead yet.

[RedEarth]

150. Well, I wonder if Pat is still acting as arrogant today?

[alarcojon]

137. A-fucking-men to that

and welcome to DU!

[savemefromdumbya]

124. "trouble at mill" UK involved too?

not only doea it implicate the US government in their quest for war with Iraq it also implicates the allied governments. Especially the UK. Most of these countries relied on this garbage intelligence and forgery to go to war to get a cut. Since there was an official UK enquiry into this very thing and Blair got off the hook. Still there is going to be more time....

[Spurt]

142. I'm wondering...

...too. When will the UK & Australian people wake up.
It is quite sad they haven't been on to it earlier, from which I choose to infer that their governments/media are similarly corrupt.
Remember Robin Cook resigned his senior position in Bliars gov't to protest the war. And Claire Short also.
But most parliamentary members chose to sanction the lies, despite being clearly told it was all bullshit.

Makes one think about the state of democracy generally across the western world.

[Robert Cooper]

146. We're fine but we're wondering about you

Democracy is actually doing rather well in the western world. Here we have an innate and well-founded concern for American imperialism. Despite being a banana sharing a cage with a 900-pound gorilla, we've stood firm against Bush's adventurism as well as his shafting us over NAFTA.

I suspect one of the reasons Condi left early had to do with the fact our reporters kept asking her about the softwood lumber fiasco. You don't want the world press constantly witnessing Canada's reaction to being cheated by it's NAFTA partner. Why do you think we were last on her list?

But you guys, two questionable elections in a row? Bush re-elected after the obviously deceitful propaganda campaign to get you into Iraq? No WMDs? Abu Ghraib? Night and Fog for alleged terrorists? Torture, torture, torture?

We're really worried about where you plan to go with this: Fourth Reich? Empire? Or are you finally going to get a grip?

[angryxyouth]

153. NAFTA was bad for Everybody

CAFTA will be worse.

[Robert Cooper]

156. Don't be too sure of that

Despite the fact there is plenty of gasoline for use in Canada, we're paying through the nose for it because our domestic price must match our export price. Needless to say we export to America. Our export price is not as high as it should be because of the domestic market, and the domestic price is too high because of NAFTA.

There are about 30 million Canadians who'd like to see NAFTA trashed so we can jack up the price of gas we sell to America and use some of the profits to support our economy. And Bush is encouraging us to do just that over the softwood lumber dispute.

And right now we have a minority government, which means the current government of Canada lacks the votes to sustain itself through a non-confidence motion. Should it lose such a vote over a money bill, it must resign and we have an election.

Minority governments are usually -very- eager to please as many people as possible. Cancelling NAFTA might be one of those things offered to gain votes.

[DemReadingDU]

128. Murray Waas blog

In my National Journal article, I mention an aide to Cheney whose name hasn't come up before in Iraq pre-war intelligence fiasco and the Fitzgerald investigation, yet has been ubiquitous in both. That is David Addington, the general counsel to the Vice President. Addington has been fairly good at exercsing his authority behind the scenes....

http://whateveralready.blogspot.com/2005/10/i-have-brand-new-national-journal.html

[psychopomp]

139. Somebody put that man on suicide watch

The walls are tumbling down on Libby!

[Hissyspit]

144. Demand resignations! nt

[ihelpu2see]

151. Cheney needs to resign or be indicted himself.

we cannot let the MSM soft ball this, after today all of us should try to email a MSM outlet to force them to keep digging deeper and deeper......

this abuse of power must end

[RedEarth]

157. UPDATE:Jay Rockefeller demands White House turn over docs

This is from Murray Waas' site and deals with this article....

"Lost in the more significant news of the moment, the vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Democrat of West Virginia, last night renewed demands on
the White House to turn over materials regarding Libby's role in allegedly distorting intelligence information to make the administration case to go to war with Iraq.

Rockefeller was reacting to a report that was posted online yesterday in the National Journal, and which I wrote, disclosing that Vice President Cheney and Libby personally overruled the advice of some political staff and administration attorneys that they cooperate with the committee probe. (see post below for more details.)

Here below is Rockefeller's statement:

"In February 2003 the White House provided input to the CIA during the preparation of Secretary Powell's United Nations speech. During the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation into prewar intelligence on Iraq, I believed it was important for the committee to obtain and review the White House drafts.

"On October 31, 2003, I wrote to CIA Director George Tenet requesting this and other White House documents. I repeated that request in writing on two subsequent occasions.

"Despite these and other efforts, the Committee never received the White House documents.

"The fact is that throughout the Iraq investigation any line of questioning that brought us too close to the White House was thwarted.

"For several years, I've called on the Committee and the Congress to get to the bottom of whether this administration misused intelligence in making the case for going to war.

"That question is no less relevant today than it was then."
posted

http://whateveralready.blogspot.com/2005/10/libby-to-be-charged-later-today.html

[demobrit]

159. The fall guys

The fall Guys always have to go.
Those pulling the strings always seem to wriggle out of it somehow

[november3rd]

160. There's something about this ...

There's something about this story that has a familiar ring to it. Are we beginning to see a pattern here?

Anyone want to take bets on how long before Cheney has to resign for health reasons?

[Supersedeas]

161. Documents prepared at taxpayer expense are not available for taxpayer

review....Democracy or Bushtocracy.

[The Judged]

162. Cheney: Just trying to follow Paperwork Reduction Act?

Preliminary reports indicate that Cheney was just trying do do his part in supporting the Paperwork Reduction Act, according to a "person" close to the inner workings of an allegedly top secret cabal in the WH who cannot be named because they are forbidden from acknowledging that such a cabal exists and it would be illegal if they were to have their name attributed to this leak, but they will get away with it because I am only saying here that they are a "person" close to the allegedly top secret cabal in the WH.

He would never mislead the nation into war!

Also, he is not the political type.

He just lets those in the intelligence community do their job, and respectfully treats their final determinations as credible.

Notices that being a Republican is not easy because Liberals are trying to criminalize goodness, righteousness, and innocence.