Daschle: Gonzales Trying to "Rewrite History" by Blaming Congress for Ashcroft Spying Crisis

[swag]

Source: TPM Muckraker

Tom Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader who received briefings on the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance programs, says Alberto Gonzales isn't telling the truth about what Senate and House leaders were told in March 2004 about the program's utility and legality.

In testimony today to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Gonzales attempted to give "context" for his infamous hospital trip to a convalescent John Ashcroft on March 10, 2004, after acting attorney general James Comey refused to authorize the surveillance program. It was only after a briefing for the so-called "Gang of Eight" bipartisan congressional leaders demanded that the program continue, Gonzales said, that he and then-White House chief of staff went to "inform" Ashcroft of the Gang's wishes.

Daschle was one of that Gang of Eight. In a statement e-mailed to TPMmuckraker, he all but calls Gonzales a liar.

"I have no recollection of such a meeting and believe that it didn't occur. I am quite certain that at no time did we encourage the AG or anyone else to take such actions. This appears to be another attempt to rewrite history just as they have attempted to do with the war resolution."


Read more: http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003768.php

[rodeodance]

1. whow---Gonzo is in Deep poop!!! Wonder when Bush will come out and say He

stands by his man??

[Gman]

2. Gonzales is

one prevaricating mother fucker.

[mikelgb]

3. call Daschle to testify under oath

[natrat]

4. dont let that pos near washington

[broadcaster]

5. I too would value Daschle's testimony. n/t

..and a hundred more Daschels if they would p l e a s e step forward.

[loves_dulcinea]

6. daschle lives!

gruff up that voice (dammit) and rip abu a new one.

[MadMaddie]

7. I say keep putting Gonzo on the stand...because he really is

not that smart and a horrible D-List Lawyer....everytime he testifies he gives up more information because he thinks he is smart....

[SleeplessinSoCal]

8. TPMmuckraker????

Is that what former Leaders of the Senate are reduced to? Has Daschle to other outlet to get the truthout?

[swag]

9. That may be the best venue going. We have seen what NYT and WP, et al.

have been reduced to: public relations outlets for the Executive Branch.

[Supersedeas]

11. beholden to advertisers and marketeers who want consumers to feel good...really good

[aquart]

10. Muckraker is a high status online site.

On account of information is king on the internet, and what Muckraker says is true.

[mantis49]

12. According to NPR this morning,

Jay Rockefeller was part of that so-called Gang of 8 and he, too, denied that ever happened.