ABC News: Dean's Trooper

[GRClarkesq]

What Did He Know About Abuse Allegations; When Did He Know It?

By Brian Ross, Chris Vlasto and Rhonda Schwartz

Jan. 14 — In his presidential campaign, and as governor of Vermont before that, Howard Dean has taken a tough, zero-tolerance stand on domestic violence, accusing the Bush administration of not being committed to the issue. Yet Dean said he had no idea that one of the men closest to him was repeatedly abusing his wife.

snip

On May 23, 1997, Dean inserted himself in the case, filing a three-page affidavit at White's request for use in a custody hearing, in which he described Madore as "a firm but gentle disciplinarian" and a "wonderful parent."

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/WNT/Investigation/dean_domestic_abuse_040114-1.html

[GRClarkesq]

1. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=314133

I would not have posted again if article title had been used.

[robbedvoter]

6. The other thread is locked.

Just an inkling into what the sealed records can bring.

[Cocoa]

13. also justifies Dean's explanation for sealing them

people's personal matters pubicized in order to get to the candidate.

[LuminousX]

24. This wouldn't be in sealed records

And by golly, Dean didn't do a very good job in choosing which records to seal..

[Dagaz]

2. This is disturbing

I don't see how anyone can turn a blind eye to abuse.

[RedSock]

3. what a waste

this was a huge non-story. what a waste. garbage from abc.

[candy331]

5. Keep the dirt coming

Sure was good for Arnold kicked him right on in the Governor's mansion.

[robbedvoter]

9. Ahrnuld is GOP - different standards apply

What for a GOP-er is an indiscretion, for a Dem is impeachment reason. That being said, it's more of an embarassment (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that he didn't know). But Atwater did marvels with Willie Horton.

[seventhson]

23. See my post below (#33). Dean did NOTHING wrong

as far as the facts show about events 7 years ago or more that he was unaware of then and probably still has no direct knowledge of.

This is a Rovian attack which helps Clark and Kerry, two men who HAVE actually killed or helped kill innocent women and children in their careers.

[Cocoa]

28. it helps Bush

all dems get this treatment.

[polpilot]

38. Good post.

Dean '04...

[mouse7]

32. Vermont State Police didn't begin an investigation until 2000

"It wasn't until three years after Dean filed his affidavit, in August 2000, that state police opened an investigation into the domestic abuse allegations.

"...In September 2000, Madore was removed from the governor's detail because of the investigation. He was later fired in December 2000 because "he had engaged in acts of domestic violence during the course of his marriage and had possibly committed perjury during his divorce proceedings," according to the current Vermont attorney general, William Sorrell...."

Looks like Dean removed him from his detail within a month of the investigation beginning. That's a reasonable period of time to react. If the police aren't involved in a case, how is an employer supposed to be involved?

As a matter of fact...

"Madore is appealing his dismissal, which he says was political. "I was treated worse because of my association with Howard Dean," Madore told ABCNEWS. "If I was a lieutenant in a barracks in Middlesex, I wouldn't be here today.""

So Dean may have removed the guy BEFORE it was legal to remove him. Dean, in fact, may have ACTED IMPROPERLY by removing the guy as quickly as he did.

[Toot]

4. I saw that report and..

it said the allegations of spousal abuse didn't come out until the divorce proceedings and Dean wrote the affidavit before the proceedings started. So, how is it Dean's fault that he didn't know his trusted head of security abused his wife if no one knew until the divorce started?

[seventhson]

10. I agree. I hope Dean did not fudge this though as that MIGHT hurt

custody disputes are notoriously nasty and allegations of abuse are common in these sorts of cases.

I doubt Dean is stupid though - and I do not think he would knowingly support a known abuser.

Let's see the afficavit he made and see what he allegedly KNEW before making any judgments.

If this is all they have on him then they are really reaching for the dirt and clearly Rove et al are VERY worried.

I do not think most folks will fall for this crap though.

I expect more dirty shitty (Faux-type) shoes to drop over the next days and weeks leading up to New Hampshire.

If I opposed Dean I would say this smells bad -- but it still is evidence of NOTHING but rabid innuendo at this point.

Hopefully the truth of the sistortions will come out to offset any harm this does.

I suspect they will say DEAN KNEW. But they better have evidence if THAT is the claim.

There is no evidence Dean knew ANYTHING about abuse yet.

But the media, Drudge, et al are spinning it as a big coverup for an abuser.

Sounds like a lot of nothing so far but hot baited air.

[MIMStigator]

7. This will help him with repukes in the south n/t

n/t

[GRClarkesq]

8. ABC News product or oppo research shopped to them?

Vermont probably crawling with oppo research types.

[progressivebydesign]

26. Oppo Research..

Thanks! I kept trying to remember what that was called, and I could come up with was "psych ops". Opposition Research, an innocuous name for the lowest form of political life on Earth. An Rovian specialty, adopted by corporate democrats everywhre. I get the whiff that there are more than a few of our esteemed Dem candidates that are doing it Rove-style. Attack with messengers, and keep your candidate looking and smelling clean. THIS is why so many people have opted out of the politcal process. Sickening innuendos, that's all this non-story is.

[RUexperienced]

11. This has Clinton fingerprints all over it.

I get very nervous about the baggage that Dean carries.

But I get even more nervous thinking about the forces in our own party that are trying to destroy him so they don't lose control.

[robbedvoter]

16. Yesss! The Clenis's fault! Where's a trooper, there's a Clinton!

Brilliant! I was starting to miss the old blame game - why with Saddam and OBL, no one was mentioning the mighty Clenis anymore!
Thanks! I wanted an excuse to post this:

[tabasco]

36. You'd think they would form a federal agency ...

to oversee the awesome power of the Clenis. We have the Nuclear Regulatory Agency. I propose the Clenis Regulatory Agency, with a staff of thousands and a budget of billions.

Absurd. I wonder where some of these "Democrats" come from.

[robbedvoter]

46. I dunno, but they decide who's democrat and who is not, I have to be nice

Not everyone gets to be in the same party as Miller

[Kbick]

12. This is pathetic...

I support Clark, but this is the lamest smear attempt yet.
This has nothing to do with Dean, his character, policies or leadership

The DNC should grow some balls and start watching our backs.

[robbedvoter]

18. DNC? Since when is the DNC in charge of defending candidates?

Did they defend Clinton? Gore? Where do you guys come with this kinda expectations? Is a candidate in charge of his /her campaign anymore?
This DOES look like BS, but it's HD's BS and his job to dispose of it. Not DNC's.

[LuminousX]

14. This is sad

Am I, or you, or everyone supposed to know if everyone we work with or socialize with is an abuser? I've gotten good at identifying signs of someone who is abused, but not an abuser.

Is this an implication that Dean doesn't care about domestic abuse?

I know the source isn't Right Wing, but I would love to have your opinion on this. Do you feel this is a valid story or is it pure shinola, in your opinion?

[absyntheNsugar]

42. I agree

If this is the best Rove can dig up...

[11cents]

15. Both really silly ....

The story itself and the "this has Clinton's fingerprints all over it" auto-response. I notice that one of the "journalists" here is Chris Vlasto, a dependable smear artist who was an eager promoter of the Whitewater pseudo-scandal.

[lancdem]

20. I agree with you

on both counts.

[Cocoa]

22. I love the story's punchline

most readers will read this and ask "what's the point," so ABC spells out their weak "hypocrisy" thesis:

On his campaign Web site, Dean says domestic abuse should be taken into consideration in custody hearings and that men should talk to other men about the issue.

"Ending this cycle of violence begins with leadership," Dean says on the site.

[progressivebydesign]

35. Guys like Vlasto..

How do those people operate? If they work for or contribute stories for ABC, I wonder if they are financed further by other people outside the media. I'm so damn naive.. are there "journalists" who would do that?

This is a terrible smear job. ANd.. it's REALLY telling that it tood 3 people to write the story. Which means A LOT of resoures went into this non-story.

[KittyWampus]

17. The Media Always Finds New Depths

to sink to. How is an employer supposed to know whether someone who works with him is abusive at home?

They say Dean was "close" to the guy... Because he was his security?

:puke:

[IADEMO2004]

19. Pure crap from Brian Ross

I support Kerry but this was just a big smear job.

[progressivebydesign]

29. Thank you..

It's so refreshing and rare to see a non-Dean supporter posting graciously about these smear jobs. This was a doozy! I will unflinchingly support whomever is nominated to unseat King George. It could be Kerry!!

[meisje]

21. Troopergate!

ha ha

[progressivebydesign]

25. Oh my... this is unbelievable.

Hmmm.. I was viciously tormented by my ex-husband. NO ONE KNEW! Not his best friends, not my family, not his employer. NO ONE!! Do I fault any of them? No. Abusers operate secretly on purpose. I have learned, through my own tragedy, that NO ONE KNOW what goes on in anyone's house.. ever.

For ANYONE who considers themselves a decent human being, or a Democrat to act as though this is some indictment of Howard Dean says more about who THEY are, than who Dean is. As a survivor of hellish abuse, I really find those who are using this a political tool to be dispicable. If this defines what the Democrats have sunken to, then there is no hope for us. None. Bush and Rove must be celebrating daily over the work you're doing for them.

[QC]

27. Chris Vlasto?

My books are packed away right now, but anyone who has access to a copy of The Hunting of the President should find this name familiar.

Anyone have access to a copy? Could you post some relevant passages?

Here's an interesting bit from the WSWS site:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/mar1999/mcdo-m26.shtml

[progressivebydesign]

30. Oh WOW! Great find by you!

You have a great memory! I had chills reading about that Vlasto person and what happened to Susan McDougal as a result of his piece. Makes you wonder who's financing the Dean attacks and oppo research right now.

[PaDUer]

51. From the "Hunting of the President"..

3 passages--
1st--pg 251--Another important influence on McDougal's decision, according to Arkansas Mischief, was ABC News producer, Chris Vlasto, who had befriended Jim early in the Whitewater saga. (Vlasto had produced the Dec 19, 1995, Nightline broadcast, in which Hillary Clinton's statement was electronically altered.) Vlasto, McDougal wrote in his book, convinced him that he had been convicted only because his defense lawyer Sam Heuer sold him out. "'Sam wasn't representing you,' Chris said. 'He was representing the CLinton.'" Vlasto further advised McDougal that he didn't have to die in jail: "If you walk in to see Ken Starr," the producer urged, "he'll greet you with open arms."

[Cocoa]

31. imagine if they did this with Bush?

how easy would it be to find some scumbag close to him, and use it to imply Bush condoned it.

Just for kicks, I searched ABC News for "Neil Bush." Did I find a story juxtaposing Neil's sexploits with Bush "defense of marriage" rhetoric?

No, just a single story that doesn't talk about Neil at all, just saying how the revelations has caused an interest in other presidential brothers in trouble: Clinton, JFK, Nixon, LBJ, but NO BUSH.

[seventhson]

33. There is no evidence that Dean turned a blind eye to abuse

There is no evidence that Dean turned a blind eye to abuse WHATSOEVER.

a careful reading of the facts shows this.


FIRST - Allegations which the Trooper's lawyer knew about would NOT have been told to Dean in all liklihood. They may very well have been confidential communications and there is NO REASON that the lawyer would have or should have told Dean before asking him to do an affidavit.

Second - If DEAN was a WITNESS to the care the Trooper had given to his children, he would have been subject to a SUBPOENA to testify; so his offering of an affidavit at the request of the trooper's lawyer is NOT that unusual. There is no evidence whatasoever that Dean KNEW anything about the allegations raised in the case BECAUSE THE WIFE HAD NEVER BEFORE FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST HER HUSBAND!. How could Dean POSSIBLY have known ANYTHING (unless the trooper had confided in him -- and there is no evidence of that)?

a few other points need to be made:

1. The lawyer for the allegedly abused wife is a Dean supporter. I seriously doubt if he would be if this was an agregious situation where Dean had knowingly condoned the abuse of his client.

2. The wife NEVER filed criminal charges against her husband or even made any complaint and these allegations arose in a divorce/custody case and only became publicly known more than THREE YEARS after they supposedly occurred (the STATUTE of limitations had run out and NO prosecution ever took place).

3. Dean had no reason to have ANY knowledge of the supposed abuse until well after it allegedly occurred and AFTER he filed his affidavit. There is no evidnec still that he knew anything about any abuse while it was occurring or until possibly many YEARS afterward.

4. Are YOU responsible for the crimes or abuses of YOUR coworkers which you are not even aware of? If asked to be a witness for a coworker who you believe is a good father/mother based on your observations of their interaction with their kids would you do so if you had no knowledge of abuse?

This is all a HUGE red herring,

This was almost 7 years ago and it involves ONE affidavit Dean signed for the guy whose job was to protect him - and whom he probably really liked and trusted.

There is NO - NONE - ZERO indication that Dean did ANYTHING wrong.

This story was planted to hurt Dean's credibility with women.

Meanwhile men who actually KILLED or helped kill innocent women and children are benefitting from it politically. (Thoise who created this war and those who ran or fought other wars in which innocent civilians were killed)

This is slimeball journalism at its worse.

I will say this though -- Unless and until there is some ACTUAL EVIDENCE that Dean knew ANYTHING about actual abuse by this gut, this is a TOTAL NONSTORY.

I think it id fair to ask the questions -- but the way it is being presented is DIRTY and spun really nastily with NOTHING to base a story of any importance on IMHO.

[progressivebydesign]

34. Read the whole article about "dean's trooper"

If you read the entire thing, you'll see. 1) The guy was fired when he was investigated for abuse. 2) The wife never pressed charges, so he could not be tried for anything. The trooper himself, said that Dean would have fired him if he had thought he was abusing his wife.

Smear job. People are smart enough to see that.

[absyntheNsugar]

43. "Smear job. People are smart enough to see that."

I hope to God people are smart enough...but I worry the spin on this will be blown out of proportion.

[Kahuna]

37. Much ado about nothing. Shame on ABC...

when there are so many valid inconsistencies they can "get him" on.

[David Dunham]

39. Another Story to Drive Dean's Poll Numbers Down Even Further

This story will only drive Dean's already declining poll numbers in Iowa and New Hampshire down further. Bye, Bye, Deanie.

[wabeewoman]

40. Quit salivating....

ain't going to happen. Dean's supporters are smarter than the repugs think-they read the whole story and can tell a non-story. And we have a bigger question -like how come nobody is asking any questions of bush.

[billbuckhead]

41. What do you expect from someone who earned the NRA's "A" ratings 8 times?

Once again Howard Dean proves in real life that not only is he not a liberal, he's not all that principled as conservative either.

[Tatiana]

44. I've gotta say...

This is one of the more lame and weak smear attempts.

[0rion]

45. I don't see this bringing problems....

to the Dean camp.

[Cheswick2.0]

47. keep it up

by posting every imaginary smear you can find on Dean, you just make me more determined that Clark gets nowhere near the whitehouse.

[fabius]

48. My email to ABC News

Letter to ABC Nightly News

re: "Dean's Trooper" story

Thanks for proving once again that our valiant media watchdogs aren't interested in anything more than character assassination.

If our Presidential candidates are to be held responsible for the sins of friends, acquaintances and family, can we see a few stories about George W. Bush's buddies?

Here are some suggestions for you:

"Kenny Boy" Lay
Sheik Abdullah Baksh
The Bin Laden family
Neil Bush
Islam Karimov

OK? Just to get you started.

And if character is suddenly on the table, let's talk about drug and alcohol abuse, vehicular manslaughter, and other interesting subjects.

Or, if you really don't want to get into those subjects, why don't you do some reporting on issues, for a change? Lou Dobbs is putting you people to shame.

If you can't either get some balance in reporting or start focusing on issues that matter, I will be boycotting abc news.

<end of letter>

This is what we're going to be up against folks. First Clark's sweaters and now Dean's Trooper. Remind anyone of Clinton's troopers?

[PatrioticOhioLiberal]

49. Great letter!

I'm constantly amazed (read repulsed) by the nonsense so called "journalists" come up with.

Unfortunately these are the "non issues" all the candidates have to deal with...not because they want to, but because they have to.

It's a crying shame.

[Moderator]

50. Not LBN

This is an editorial/opinion piece, not breaking news.