Raw Story -- Another Bush Dirty Trick...

[Peter Frank]

I posted this in another thread ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5164903 ) but I think it deserves special attention:


Bush Demoted Acting United States Attorney ...
...for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Frederick A. Black.; in November 2002.
_______________________________

August 23, 2005

Honorable Glenn A. Fine
Inspector General


United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 4322
Washington, DC 20530-0001

"Dear Inspector General Fine:

We write to request that the Office of the Inspector General conduct an investigation into the November 2002 demotion of former Acting United States Attorney for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Frederick A. Black. We are troubled by an August 7, 2005, report in the Los Angeles Times that suggests this demotion was politically motivated (enclosed).1 "

"At the time U.S. Attorney Black was demoted, he was supervising a grand jury investigation into the lobbying activities of Jack Abramoff and conducting an ongoing investigation into possible corruption within the Government of Guam. U.S. Attorney Black had been serving as the Acting United States Attorney for more than 10 years when he was demoted. The timing of President Bush's decision to remove and replace U.S. Attorney Black is questionable and warrants an investigation..."

"...For his lobbying efforts, Mr. Abramoff was reportedly paid with thirty-six $9,000 checks funneled through a Laguna Beach lawyer to disguise the lobbyist's role in working for the Guam Superior Court. These transactions were the target of a federal grand jury subpoena issued on November 18, 2002, which required the Guam Superior Court Administrative Director to release records involving the lobbying contract. It was on November 19, 2002, that President Bush announced he was demoting U.S. Attorney Black. The federal grand jury took no further action in the Abramoff investigation."
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Guam_envoy_to_Congress_ca...

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. God damn SOB

I hope him and his cronies rot in jail for a very long time. Everyday it's another new abuse of power.

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. It's good to be the King!

Rotting in jail for a very long time would be to good for these rotten SOBs.

[rodeodance]

2. an abuse of power if true. lets all make sure Boxer,Polosi et all gets

this.

[napi21]

3. Don't you think the prosecutors in the Jack Amraboff case will

investigate this too?

I must say, I didn't realize how far the Abramoff thing stretched until I checked the link on DU & on Randi's web site that lists all the Pub investigations, by State, and their reasons.

84 different Pubs are linked to Abramoff $$. It loked like candidates in EVERY STATE received $$ through him!

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Some blogs have been saying the Abramoff case makes the Plame one look

like peanuts. Could be true.

[leveymg]

18. Could you post those links, please?

Thanx

[napi21]

19. Here's the list of Pub offenders by State, but I don't have the other

one. It was mentioned by another poster.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2180559&mesg_id=2180559

[napi21]

20. Here's the list of Pub offenders by State, but I don't have the other

one. It was mentioned by another poster.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2180559&mesg_id=2180559

[Peter Frank]

42. Well, If Bush Hadn't Demoted (fired) Brown...

...The American public would know more...

[Just Me]

4. God these people are such scum!!!

:grr:

[Ksec]

5. The stinking stench of rot continues

Why doesnt this surprise me? Its just more of the same. Hide , smear ,mislead ,and abuse power.

[Metta]

6. Yep, looks like * wants to fix it.

I hope we get action on this.

[Sadie5]

7. Every one in Bush's cabinet is a crook

If things keep going there won't be any of the slime left to corrupt anything else. Then they will be a burden on the prison system.

[Metta]

13. Yes, all senior staff should be in jail.

without exception.

[goclark]

25. Maybe some of my African American Brothers

that should never have been in jail will get out of jail free and let them come in.

Or, maybe they can share a cell with a Muslim and a couple of Brothers so they can feel the pain.

Jail is way too good for these criminals.

[Nictuku]

8. Safavian was Arrested

He was involved in the Abramoff probe, so it seems possible that they would be aware of obstruction attempts.

**************************************
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901859.html
Bush Official Arrested in Corruption Probe

By R. Jeffrey Smith and Susan Schmidt
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, September 20, 2005; Page A01

The Bush administration's top federal procurement official resigned Friday and was arrested yesterday, accused of lying and obstructing a criminal investigation into Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings with the federal government. It was the first criminal complaint filed against a government official in the ongoing corruption probe related to Abramoff's activities in Washington.

The complaint, filed by the FBI, alleges that David H. Safavian, 38, a White House procurement official involved until last week in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, made repeated false statements to government officials and investigators about a golf trip with Abramoff to Scotland in 2002.

It also contends that he concealed his efforts to help Abramoff acquire control of two federally managed properties in the Washington area. Abramoff is the person identified as "Lobbyist A" in a 13-page affidavit unsealed in court, according to sources knowledgeable about the probe.

*******************************************************

[druidity33]

23. Iraqi funds oversight

Isn't Safavian the guy CURRENTLY approving spending for Iraq... without ANY federal oversight? I though this thread says he was arrested?

[Peter Frank]

38. He's Facing New Charges...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/05/AR2005100502030.html


By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 6, 2005; Page A05

"David H. Safavian, former chief of White House procurement policy, was indicted yesterday on five counts of lying about his dealings with former Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff and impeding a Senate investigation of him.

The indictment accuses Safavian, who previously served as former chief of staff for the General Services Administration, of falsely telling GSA officials that Abramoff had no dealings with the agency at a time in 2002, the government alleges, that Abramoff was seeking to obtain use of two GSA properties with Safavian's assistance..."

[lovuian]

9. Abuse of power!!! stopping these Judges and demoting them

Its bad people real bad!!!

[FreedomAngel82]

10. So Bush is connected to it

Something would've probably been uncovered. Sign of a guilty person.

[HereSince1628]

11. Damn, Bush's Articles of Impeachment are gonna look like the tax code

There is no end to the manipulation going on in his band of hoodlums.

[swimboy]

15. Wow! I'm going to be quoting you on that!

"Bush's Articles of Impeachment are gonna look like the tax code."
You are brilliant! :thumbsup:

[OzarkDem]

14. Can you say obstruction of justice?

How about conspiracy? I'm more convinced than ever that the Abramoff/ pay to play investigation could end up being tried under RICO.

[WiseButAngrySara]

16. Thanks for re-posting, as I missed the first. This is disgusting. How on

earth do these criminals run on 'moral issues?' They are the most immoral bunch of government crooks I've ever been aware of in my lifelitme.

K & R.

[Peter Frank]

26. Litterally, My Pleasure...

There's more info in the other post -- http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5164903

[rucky]

17. If it came from RawStory, it must not be true!...

kidding.

[arcos]

21. Recommended.... where are the Rawstory haters, btw? nt

[seaglass]

27. Not a rawstory hater, I don't read it but this story is old. I think

it was Josh Marshall who reported on this a month or so ago.

[Peter Frank]

28. It's a Cronicle of Just One of Bush's Dirty Dealings...

The Abermoff case has the GOP scared more than the CIA leak, as there's a broad range of Republican notables involved in some very slimy dealings. For more background, take a look at the thread I pulled this story from -- http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5164903

[seaglass]

29. Yep. I've been following it over at TPM - most think that for

Delay the Abramoff linkage is going to hurt him way more than Ronnie Earle.

[Peter Frank]

30. It' Not Just Delay...

"...Abramoff is at the center of ever more complicated inquiries that touch on subjects as wide-ranging as allegations of influence-peddling in Congress and the White House, a gangland-style slaying in Florida and political shenanigans in Guam."


"...Abramoff has had close connections with leading Republicans, including Bush; U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay of Sugar Land, the former House majority leader; Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania; party strategist Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform; and strategist Ralph Reed, the former Christian Coalition executive director and Bush campaign official who is now running for lieutenant governor of Georgia."

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/10/1...

[stop the bleeding]

22. Rotten to the F**king core!

[Peter Frank]

32. Worse Than That -- The GOP Leadership...

...publically wraps itself in the flag (as if they alone own it), and in a thin vaneer of moral superiority. If you put lipstick on a pig, at the end of the day -- you still have a pig.

[in_cog_ni_to]

31. I cannot wait until the Dems take back the House and Senate.

The investigations will show this was/is the most CORRUPT administration in U.S. history. Well, unless Fitz proves it before that.

[Peter Frank]

35. Given Bush's Poll Numbers, it Looks Like...

...all but the most implacable are beginning to see exactly how corrupt this patently undemocratic administration has been from the very inception.

[Nothing Without Hope]

33. Another indication of Bush being in the middle of all the corruption

He knows, and he's working to CYA. What filth.

[Peter Frank]

34. The Best Part is That He's become a Liability to Republican Candidates...

...so the tipping point should come sooner than later. I'll wager that few Republicans will seek his support in '06 -- even if no smoking guns are found by then.

[Nothing Without Hope]

36. Yes, election fraud will only work if the "winning" candidate doesn't have

so much of a "miraculous" come-from-behind last-minute vote "count" that the public refuses to accept the result. It worked when Saxby Chambliss - a total RW toad - "defeated" Max Cleland with a double-digit come-from-behind "victory" --a practice run for the 2004 hacks, I believe. But now people are not quite as trusting.

Though they are trying to get around this inconvenience of needing to be close to even with the winning Dem opponent before stealing an election by trying to prevent exit polls. (Which are used routinely in other countries to verify the fairness of elections.) I don't know where this sorry and blatantly dishonest move stands currently - does anyone else?

[Peter Frank]

37. Have You Looked Here?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5183345

http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1529

You're absolutely right --- the dirty tricks at the polls are the most despicable of all ...and that's saying allot, given the filthy dealings that we know about.

Hopefully the controversy surrounding '04 "election" will result in sweeping reforms that will include a mandatory paper trail for ballots.

[Peter Frank]

39. This Really Smells...

Federal investigators are known to be looking at trips to Scotland that Abramoff arranged for members of Congress and others, including former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and House Administration Committee Chairman Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio) and Ralph Reed, former executive director of the Christian Coalition and now a candidate for lieutenant governor in Georgia.

Safavian, Ney and Reed all went on the 2002 trip to Scotland, which cost an estimated $100,000.

If convicted, Safavian, who worked as a lobbyist with Abramoff in the 1990s, faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the counts.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/05/AR2005100502030.html

[Vinca]

40. This dirty trick could come back to bite him BIG time.

If anyone is going to bring down Bush, it's Abramoff.

[Peter Frank]

41. And it Would Be Appropriate Punnishment for Blatent Obstruction of Justice