David Gergen says it was fine for Bush to divert $700 million as long

[Eric J in MN]

David Gergen says it was fine for Bush to divert $700 million from Afghanistan to Iraq as long as he told Congress ("Countdown" with Keith Olbermann just now).

David Gergen is full of it!

The $700 million didn't belong to Congress. It belonged to us.

If the law says the $700 million goes to Afghanistan, even if Bush personally called a few Senators and told them he was diverting the money to Iraq at the time, it's still the people's money, and Bush is still a criminal.

[unblock]

1. when bush says he "told congress"

he means he told one or two key republican congresscritters.

which is not remotely the spirit or letter of the law.

[LSparkle]

4. let me guess: Tom DeLay and ...

Mitch McConnell.

[LSparkle]

2. and he didn't tell Congress!

Whatever happened to "advise and consent"?

[childslibrarian]

3. I agree

He used it to plan a war he was keeping secret because he knew people would not support him.
it's a crime...
and it's a crime that with a Repub house and senate, nothing will be most likely be done...

[ComerPerro]

5. I really hope this makes people here realize

That the press and the reich wing talking heads (OReiley, Hannity, Rush, etc.) really don't give a shit what Bush does.

It doesn't matter how illegal it is or how wrong it is. He is their guy, and they will let him get away with anything.

[LSparkle]

7. Even a few O'Really callers today were upset

I live in LA so no longer can listen to Air America in my car and subjected myself to the Spinmeister this a.m., and five calls in a row called him on his lack of outrage. Independent my a**(croft)!

[Eric J in MN]

23. How does O'Reilly justify Bush stealing $700 million? (nt)

nt

[ewagner]

6. This is a smoke screen

I think a formal notification to Congress is required and maybe a joint resolution to ratify it.

This is also different from the WH claim today that Bush* had "wide discretionary powers" on how the money was spent.

There better be an investigation.

[Eric J in MN]

10. Only if Congress wriote a new law would it be legal. They didn't.

Only if Congress wrote a new law would it be legal. They didn't. Bush is criminal.

[Katie]

11. I heard Gergen say the opposite, that it would be illegal

Saw him on MSNBC this afternoon saying if Bush did it without the approval of congress it would be disturbing and probably illegal. Wonder what's going on?

[Eric J in MN]

18. Gergen's position is that if Bush told some Congressman

Gergen's position is that if Bush told some Congressmen that he was diverting money, and those Congressmen said "fine," that makes this legal.

I disagree.

A Congressional appropriation isn't undone by a few Congressman saying so.

A Congressional appropriation can only be changed by a new bill being passed.

Bush is a criminal.

Bush stole $700 million of OUR money.

That money didn't belong to any Congressmen Bush talked to, if any.

[TacticalPeek]

8. David better cross his fingers that they didn't use any of THIS dough:

PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
For an additional amount for "Peacekeeping Operations" for
emergency expenses for activities related to combating international
terrorism, $20,000,000, to remain available until June 30, 2003:
Provided, That the entire amount is designated by the Congress
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985,
as amended: Provided further, That funds appropriated by this
paragraph shall be available only for Afghanistan, and may be
made available notwithstanding section 512 of Public Law 107–
115 or any similar provision of law.

FY 2002 Supplemental

[LSparkle]

9. Yes! Very close to a smoking gun

Good point!

[Eric J in MN]

12. TacticalPeak-$700 million is more than $20 million, so even if

TacticalPeak-$700 million is more than $20 million, so even if Bush stole that, he must have also stolen $680 million from somewhere else.

[TacticalPeek]

19. That act authorized about $1.1B or $1.2B for Afghanistan,

in various sections by function, area etc.

Congress and the WH went at each other about it, and there could be further amending acts. Plenty of slush by the look of it. Shrub originally did not want to spend some of it, and may have "parked" it.

Dunno until we get details.

[Eric J in MN]

25. Do you have the Woodward book? (nt)

nt

[TacticalPeek]

29. Nope.

But just googling around gives a picture. afghanistan supplemental appropriation 2002

[Lex]

13. Oh snap!

So how do we figure out exactly WHERE the money Bush decided (on his own) to move from Afghanistan to Iraq came from in the first place? Are you saying it was diverted from this PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS fund? Then all hell should break loose, if so. (yeah right)

Notice BushCo. isn't denying this, they are making excuses about how "it's okay" to do it.

[ewagner]

14. Time for the GAO to get involved

Where did the money come from? Which appropriation? What were the Congressional restrictions on thae use of that money?

Maybe this had something to do with the replacement of the Pentagon IG? (Inspector General)

[PROGRESSIVE1]

26. Grounds for Impeachment!

[bluedog]

27. check out HR 4775 july 2002

I'm having problems with computer now.but I skimmed fast and thought it said $700 million for peacekeeping efforts in Afghanistan.....

[TacticalPeek]

31. It seems to have mostly become PUBLIC LAW 107–206—AUG. 2, 2002

http://www.fas.org/asmp/resources/govern/107th_hr4775pl.pdf

http://www.fas.org/asmp/resources/billlaws.html


There's various bucks tucked around in there.

[OneTwentyoNine]

15. Took money away from the War on Terra??

My,my why the FUCK isn't the all over the news?? Oh I forgot our press is controlled by this Nazi regime.

This is big news...

[Eric J in MN]

21. In fairness to MSNBC, the theft of the $700 million was the featured on

In fairness to MSNBC, the theft of $700 million was featured on tonight's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" and "Countdown with Keith Olbermann."

[alcuno]

16. Gergen could be correct. But if Woodward interviewed 75 people

he must have interviewed members of Congress.

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. Gergen is a Washington whore who likes his toenails painted pink.

*

[Doctor Pedantic]

20. Remember the Constitution?

It's that document that Bush and Ashcroft seem to think is optional at best.

Article I, Section 9: "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law...."

It's that simple. The money wasn't appropriate for the Iraqi war, and therefore Chimpy violated the Constitution when he took $700 million out of the Treasury for that purpose.

Which brings to mind another Constitutional provision..."The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United STates, shall be removed from Office of Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." Article II, Section 4.

Hmmm...if lying about a blow job is a high crime or misdemeanor, what, exactly, would you call stealing $700 million?

[Generator]

22. No, the answer he gave was that it needs to be investigated

It sounded to me he was hedging, and not all that sure.

[Eric J in MN]

24. That is something, but

That is something, but he implied that if there is an investigation, and it turns out that Bush called a few Congressmen and told them he was diverting the money, that makes it legal.

I disagree. It's illegal to divert funds with or without telling Congress.

Telling Congress doesn't change an appropriations bill already passed. Only a new appropriations bill can legally provide the funds.

[nolabels]

28. If anyone would make me think spooks work inside corporate mass media

I would look first to that guy, but then again I am sure you have to have a modicum of REAL intelligence to get in :shrug:

[Junkdrawer]

30. Congress? We don't need no steeking Congress...

Give us the fucking money and make some pretty speaches.

BWAAA HAAA HAAA