Hastert, ABC spar over investigation report

[katinmn]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/25/abc.hastert/

Feds deny network's claim that speaker is probe target

Thursday, May 25, 2006; Posted: 1:11 a.m. EDT (05:11 GMT)

Hastert, through a spokesman, said the ABC report was "absolutely untrue."

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert is demanding a "full retraction" of an ABC News report that he is being investigated in connection with the Jack Abramoff corruption probe.

The report Wednesday night prompted the Justice Department to take the highly unusual step of denying on the record that the Illinois Republican is the subject of a probe.

"Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department," spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos said.

Usually, when queried by reporters, the Justice Department neither confirms nor denies the existence of an investigation.

[Tempest]

1. ABC News says Hastert 'bribe' story is solid

ABC News says Hastert 'bribe' story is solid

http://tinyurl.com/pc8oh

"Despite a flat denial from the Department of Justice, federal law enforcement sources tonight said ABC News accurately reported that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is "in the mix" in the FBI investigation of corruption in Congress," ABC News' Brian Ross reported late Wednesday.

Excerpts:
#

Law enforcement sources told ABC News that convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff has provided information to the FBI about Hastert and a number
of other members of Congress that have broadened the scope of the investigation. Sources would not divulge details of the Abramoff's information.

"You guys wrote the story very carefully but they are not reading it very carefully," a senior official said. ""Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation."

One focus involves a letter Hastert wrote in 2003 urging the Secretary of the Interior to block an Indian casino that would have competed with tribes represented by Abramoff...

ABC's law enforcement sources said the Justice Department denial was meant only to deny that Hastert was a formal "target" or "subject" of the investigation.

[radfringe]

2. AHHH-HAAA

I knew there was more to this than just Hastert being upset over the raid.

There's something in the documents that's very damaging - and that's why Hastert has his boxers in a bunch over them.

I also think the documents involve more congress members than Hastert - lots more - else why would there be such a show of solidarity/outrage from so many members on both sides of the aisle.


a couple of months ago - a talking head, (discussing Abramoff and other scandals) in an off the cuff side remark mentioned there would be many more "officials" implicated over the summer...

:popcorn: :beer: this summer's frog march is going to turn into a parade...

[PassingFair]

12. Sibel Edmonds, Radfringe....

Just printed this out to have and to hold, courtesy of
another thread regarding this subject:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0804-06.htm

Yowsa, yowsa, yowsa!

[grasswire]

3. Is Rove trying to destroy ABC now?

What the hell is going on?

[annabanana]

4. "Speaker Hastert is not under investigation

by the Justice Department," spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos said

If so, Why the Hell Not??

Why is the State Department so quick to lie for Dennis the Menace?

[DiscussTheTruth]

5. Agenda

I seriously doubt the feds are looking for justice. So what is the political agenda and who is pushing the feds buttons?

GOP, Dems blast FBI for searching congressional office
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/24/jefferson/index.html
The sharply worded statement came just hours after Pelosi sent a letter to the Louisiana Democrat, urging him to resign his post on the House Ways and Means Committee, a request Jefferson refused.

House Ways and Means Committee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Ways_and_Means_Committee

Maybe it has something to do with SSI?
Jefferson might also be a weak link because of the Katrina disaster. He might have started rethinking his loyalties.

William J. Jefferson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Jefferson

----

Either way there seems to be some sort of odd power struggle going on in the Adminstration. Political darts are flying and they are trying to hit their target without getting themselves hit in the process. Any push away or for will give hints as to who threw the darts and the end target will yield the question of why?

[LizW]

6. Are they going after Brian Ross?

I heard that the Hastert investigation first appeared on Brian Ross' blog. Wasn't he the one who broke the story that the government was specifically spying on reporters to find out their sources?

Did they set Ross up to get even with him for going public with that story?

[underpants]

7. They already have been after Ross-tracking his cell phone calls

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/05/federal_source_.html


Federal Source to ABC News: We Know Who You're Calling








http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/21/ross-surveillance/

ABC’s Ross: Surveillance of Journalists ‘Makes Me Feel…As If We Are Drug Dealers or Terrorists’
This morning on CNN’s Reliable Sources, ABC’s chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross — who this week learned he was the target of federal surveillance operations — described the effect that unchecked spying is having on journalists:

ROSS: t makes me feel, in a way — and this is, I think, the disturbing part — as if we are drug dealers or terrorists trying to traffic in information, and should we be using bags full of quarters like old Mafia capos to avoid having our phone calls traced? I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong; I don’t think any other reporter is, either. We’re trying to cover these stories, which are difficult, but which are very important.

Ross also revealed that the surveillance has had a chilling effect on his sources, who now risk being exposed:

I’m working on a big story now with people who are confidential sources inside the Federal Air Marshal Service. They were all alarmed that they might be exposed as talking with me in violation of rules. So it’s of great concern.

[DiscussTheTruth]

8. Fear and Terror

The American people don't seem to understand the main reason as to why it is so dangerous to spy on your own people. All Bush Admin has done is cause fear and divide this country. By allowing this spy system in place it has paralyzed any real media truth because everyone on all sides would be afraid to say anything. Even if that truth might help the people they can't say anything without fear of retaliation to their families or friends. Personally I think this sword does more harm than good as criminals will find other means to communicate.

So ask yourself this. It would have served us better if that information wasn't ever leaked and the system was in place silent. If it was leaked on purpose it sends a message that the adminstration is not afraid to spy on people and it scares the media and their contacts. It doesn't send any message to terrorists but it sure as hell does send a message to the media watch dog. If huge amounts of crime money are changing hands in the government they can't break the story because the government is watching them and they have no idea who the good guys are.

[rodeodance]

9. I am surprized that Justice Dept jumped in so quick.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. Really?

[KansDem]

11. Now the question is: Why is ABC doing this?

The Corporate Media has been whoring for the GOP for some time now. Why now does ABC decide to shift into "investigative journalism" mode. Why are they choosing now to act like the Fourth Estate?

[coalition_unwilling]

13. Interesting question\point -- I think it has to do with professional

journalists being outraged that they are on a BFEE "enemies list" vis-a-vis the NSA wiretapping program. First they help break story of NSA wiretapping, then find out they themselves are being targeted by that same wiretapping program. At some point, the professional ethics of journalism trumps journalism's role as corporate lackeys. Hard to say exactly where that tipping point is.

[katty]

15. agree

[wicket]

14. Now Hastert is threatening to sue ABC:

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-05-25T175312Z_01_N24342688_RTRUKOC_0_US-CONGRESS-ETHICS-HASTERT.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

[katty]

16. soon he'll be too busy hiring lawyers

[wicket]

17. Better pop the popcorn

:popcorn:

:D