McClellan: NO Comment on ongoing investigations (except DeLay's)

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, February 9, 2006

Q Scott, the National Journal is reporting that Scooter Libby has testified that Vice President Cheney authorized him to release classified material involving the National Intelligence Estimate and Iraq. Do you know anything about that?

MR. McCLELLAN: I heard about this story earlier today, but I think you know our policy when it comes to this ongoing legal proceeding, and it hasn't changed.

Q Do you know anything about any authorization to release any classified material --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, our policy is we're not going to discuss this while it's an ongoing legal proceeding, and that remains our policy.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060209-7.html

December 16, 2005

Bush: I Was “Just Saying He’s Presumed Innocent”

Wednesday on Fox News, President Bush said that he believed Tom DeLay was innocent of money laundering:

HUME: Do you believe he is innocent?

BUSH: Delay? Yes, I do.

The comment caused considerable controversy because the White House has been deflecting comments about the CIA leak for months, claiming it’s their policy not to comment on ongoing criminal investigations.

ThinkProgess has obtained an advanced transcript of Bush’s upcoming interview on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. In it, Bush claims he only meant that DeLay was presumed innocent until proven guilty:

MR. LEHRER: You don’t know. Okay. The–you mentioned Tom Delay. Why did you say he was innocent?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, I was—

MR. LEHRER: This is an interview with Brit Hume.

PRESIDENT BUSH: I did and–but the point I was making was innocent till, until otherwise proven, and I was also asked did I hope he would come back to Congress. The answer was yes.

MR. LEHRER: But you–I looked very carefully at that transcript. I mean, you essentially said he was innocent. I mean, you weren’t–that wasn’t–you weren’t really saying that then? You were just saying he’s presumed innocent?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I–that’s exactly what I was saying.

Bush didn’t make a mistake by violating White House policy. We just misinterpreted what he was saying. Got it?

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/16/presumed-innocent/

U.S. President George W. Bush (2nd R) shakes hands with former House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX) (L) after signing the Deficit Reduction Act in Washington, February 8, 2006. Looking on at right is Delay's successor John Boehner (R-OH). REUTERS/Jim Young

DeLay wins key committee assignment

Thursday, February 9, 2006; Posted: 1:42 p.m. EST (18:42 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Indicted Rep. Tom DeLay, forced to step down as the No. 2 Republican in the House, scored a soft landing Wednesday as GOP leaders rewarded him with a coveted seat on the Appropriations Committee.

DeLay, R-Texas, also claimed a seat on the subcommittee overseeing the Justice Department, which is currently investigating an influence-peddling scandal involving disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his dealings with lawmakers. The subcommittee also has responsibility over NASA -- a top priority for DeLay, since the Johnson Space Center is located in his Houston-area district.

"Allowing Tom DeLay to sit on a committee in charge of giving out money is like putting Michael Brown back in charge of FEMA -- Republicans in Congress just can't seem to resist standing by their man," said Bill Burton, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

http://www.softvote.com/blog/poll_2004/http:/

[Jeffersons Ghost]

1. this is good work and keeping focus on high crime is important

:kick:

[AtomicKitten]

2. and there are MANY high crimes to focus on, to say the least