Robert Parry: Mukasey: Bush's New 'Mr. Cover-up'

[babylonsister]

Mukasey: Bush's New 'Mr. Cover-up'
Bush Administration
by Robert Parry | July 10, 2008


Even Sen. Charles Schumer, whose vote last year ensured Michael Mukasey’s confirmation as Attorney General, was left sputtering as Mukasey returned the favor by rebuffing Schumer’s concerns about the Bush administration’s political prosecutions.

At the end of his round of Senate Judiciary Committee questions, Schumer referred to allegations that White House political adviser Karl Rove had pressed for the selective prosecution of Alabama’s Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman, who was viewed as a threat to Republican dominance of the South.

“Do you think that someone in the Justice Department should ask Karl Rove whether he was involved, whether he did the things that are alleged – someone somewhere – or is there a possibility that no one should ever ask him?” the New York Democrat said, his voice rising.

Mukasey responded coolly that he would not endorse the questioning of Rove. In disgust, Schumer said, “I find these answers very disappointing.”

But Schumer was not alone. At the oversight hearings on July 9, the committee’s Democrats and the ranking Republican, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, voiced varying levels of disappointment at Mukasey’s refusal to look back at the misconduct – including criminal acts – that had occurred earlier in the Bush administration.

Indeed, Mukasey’s evasive answers recalled the stonewalling of his predecessor, Alberto Gonzales. Mukasey’s vague and meandering responses made two things clear, however: George W. Bush’s hubris about what he sees as his unlimited presidential powers continues and Mukasey will serve as Bush's rearguard protector during his final six months in office.

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http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/15765

[Submariner]

1. the ranking Republican, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, voiced varying levels of disappointment

He always does that, but to no avail. It's an act on Specter's part.

[Uncle Joe]

5. I agree with your analysis, Spector did it again on the FISA vote,

they showed him standing up stating "he was troubled because it was never brought up for debate in the full Senate and they were basically voting for a pig in the poke", then of course he voted for it."

I figured this was his way of creating an out, so if it hits the fan, he will claim that he didn't know what he was voting for as if that's a good defense.

[FreepFryer]

2. If anything, this proves that Schumer (who tsk-tsk'ed our opposition to Mukasey) let us all down.

Let's get another Democrat in there, pronto.

Schumer, we told you so.

[babylonsister]

3. Add Feinstein to that list-I agree. nt

[MasonJar]

4. For some reason, Schumer thought McClasey would be different and he talked

Senator Feinstein into backing him too. Schumer has been proven oh so wrong! The Senate should have all seen the handwriting on the wall when during the hearings he totally changed his tune in one day about waterboarding. He obviously got a Bush league lesson in Bush-level politics that evening. If McC had been worth anything notable and noble, he would have withdrawn his name.