The Crimes of Dick Cheney

[H2O Man]

Part One

"For a nation that cannot hold its commander-in-chief responsible is something other than a democracy."
-- John Dean

The above quote is from John Dean's article "The Truth About Lewis 'Scooter' Libby's Statement to the Grand Jury Claiming the President Authorized a Leak of Classified Information," in FindLaw.com, April 7, 2006. This was one of Mr. Dean's best essays on the abuses of executive power that define what is known as "the Plame scandal." His wonderful article followed the release of the Government's Response to Defendant's Third Motion to Compel Discovery, or Document 80 in Case 1:05-cr-00394. (This and related court documents can be found in the research forum at the Democratic Underground.)

Patrick Fitzgerald's document confirmed what many people interested in the Plame scandal had long suspected: that both President Bush and Vice President Cheney were far more involved in the operation to destroy Ambassador Joseph Wilson than the administration had let on. It detailed Libby's testimony to the grand jury, in which he outlined his version of how the President and Vice President had declassified parts of a NIE to counter Wilson's exposing the Niger yellow cake fiction.

From the April 5 release of Document 80, to the May 12 release of Documents 105-1 and 105-2, which included VP Cheney's notations on his copy of Wilson's July 6, '03 New York Times op-ed, attention was being focused on the role Dick Cheney clearly played in the Plame scandal. In the two months since, numberous attempts have been made to distract attention from this most important issue. I think it is important that we re-visit the information that John Dean had said were most important.

Dean notes that Libby's testimony -- which he called a "bombshell" -- needed to be properly understood. It was neither proof that the president had authorized the leaking of Valerie Plame's name, nor proof that the president or vice president had absolute authority to declassify on a whim:

"At a minimum," he wrote, "the filing indicates that the President and Vice President departed radically, and disturbingly, from long-set procedures with respect to classified documents -- and that the Vice President, in particular, exceeded his declassification authority. And it may indicate that they, too, ought to be targets of the grand jury."

In pages 20-25 of Document 80, Mr. Fitzgerald details the relevance of the NIE to the case against Libby. He tells of how Cheney viewed Wilson's op-ed as an attack on his credibility, and how selective use of the NIE would bolster Cheney's case, and discredit Wilson. These are the pages that Dean focuses his attention on. He notes two significant problems for the administration in Libby's testimony: First, Dean notes, "Libby 'testified that the Vice President LATER advised him the President authorized' Libby to disclose the relevant portions of the NIE. (Emphasis added.)"; and second, he notes Addington, "Cheney's counsel (now Chief of Staff) 'opined that Presidential authorization to publicly disclose a document AMOUNTED TO a declassification of the document.' (Emphasis added.)"

We know that only Bush, Cheney, Addington, and Libby were aware of this selective classification. Document 80 tells of Libby's efforts to conceal this from Steve Hadley and others, who were working towards later declassifying selective parts of the NIE in the traditional sense. More, as I quoted two days ago, Knight Ridder Newspapers on April 7 noted that, "Much of the information that the administration leaked or declassified, however, has proved to be incomplete, exaggerated, incorrect or fabricated." And the April 9 Washington Post stated that "the evidence Cheney and Libby selected to share with reporters had been disproved months before."

Dean writes that, "The secrecy surely suggests a cover-up. ...Whatever authority Bush may or may not have had, however, it is crystal clear that Vice President Cheney did not have any authority to unilaterally and selectively declassify the NIE." Dean writes this, despite the fact that VP Cheney had recently made the claim to Brit Hume, on a Fox News interview, that he had the authority to declassify national security information. We know that VP Cheney has based his positions on the advice of his now Chief of Staff, Mr. Addington. And we know from the recent US Supreme Court decision, in which President Bush relied upon Addington's advice that he enjoyed unrestricted power, that Cheney is sometimes very wrong. Let's take a closer look at some sources which John Dean believes citizens should be aware of.


Part Two

"The future will depend on what we do in the present."
-- Mahatma Gandhi

Representative Henry A. Waxman, the Ranking Minority Member of the House Committee on Government Reform, was concerned that VP Cheney had attempted to exercise executive authority that he was not entitled to. Thus, Rep. Waxman requested that Harold Relyea, a Specialist in American National Government from the Congressional Research Service, give an opinion on if a vice presdent had the power that Dick Cheney claimed he had.

On March 10, Mr. Relyea sent a 3-page memorandum to Rep. Waxman. It includes this: "The Vice President appears to have some limited declassification authority. However, it appears that the Vice President is not otherwise authorized to disclose or direct or to approve the disclosure of security classified information to persons not authorized to receive it."

Rep. Waxman then wrote a letter to President Bush on April 6, expressing his concerns "grave new questions about whether you, the Vice President, and your top advisors have engaged in a systematic abuse of the national security classification process for political purposes. News accounts suggest that the White House both (1) leaked classified intelligence information to further its faulty case for war and (2) improperly concealed information regarding your personal knowledge of serious doubts about this intelligence."

Again, we know from Murray Waas's fantastic 7-3 article "Bush Directed Cheney to Counter War Critic" that President Bush told Mr. Fitzgerald that he had "directed Cheney, as part of that broader effort, to disclose highly classified intelligence information that would not only defend his administration but also discredit Wilson...." Libby leaked this information to journalists before it was officially declassified on 7-18-03. And, not only is it evident that the timing shows Cheney directing Libby before Bush granted his permission, but that "Bush told investigators that he was unaware that Cheney had directed I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, the vice president's chief of staff, to covertly leak the classified information to the media instead of releasing it to the public after undergoing the formal governmental declassification processes."

Rep. Waxman also notes that Stephen Hadley had been concerned "that the public might learn of a classified one-page summary of a National Intelligence Estimate, specifically written for Bush in October 2002," that documented concerns in the intelligence community over the "evidence" the administration claimed proved Saddam had WMD programs. He quotes concerns that Karl Rove expressed that "Bush's re-election prospects would be severely damaged if it was publicly disclosed that he had personally warned" that the WMD stories had been challenged. Rep. Waxman also quotes both Condoleezza Rice and Dan Bartlett purposefully lying to the media about what Bush knew on this topic.

Rep. Waxman points out that these allegations indicate that White House officials may have violated Executive Order 12958 by "keeping the President's Summary classified and withholding it from the public." He notes that "Any attempt to keep information classified for purely political purposes is not only against the law, but contrary to our democratic tradition of open government. The executive order is explicit on this point, stating categorically that "n no case shall information be classified in order to .... conceal violations of law, inefficiency, or administration error; prevent embarrassment to a person, organization, or agency'."

The White House, of course, ignores Rep. Waxman's requests for a response to this or other letters he and John Conyers have sent on related issues. As citizens of this country, we have choices. We can choose to complain, or look the other way. Or we can exercise our rights, as defined in the Bill of Rights, and demand that the government respond to our concerns.

We can work to elect a democratic House asnd Senate. We can take the steps necessary to provide Rep. Waxman with subpoena powers. Then he'll get an answer to the important questions he asks. The future surely depends upon what we do today.

John Dean has often reminded us that this case is "worse than Watergate." We would do well to remember that a large part of the investigation of the Watergate scandal centered on Section 371. of Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 19 -- Conspiracy. That section reads in part, "Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud United States: If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy..."

That describes -- at the very least -- the activities of Scooter Libby and Vice President Dick Cheney. We need to do our best to make sure that President Bush does not pardon Libby, and that we elect a congress that will begin the investigation of impeachable offenses by VP Cheney.

[stop the bleeding]

1. still reading - but when I first saw the title

I thought - oh brother how much space does H2O have on his computer seems like Darth's list of crimes would be endless ;)

[im10ashus]

2. Great post.

The evidence, and the case for impeachment of both Bush and Cheney, is insurmountable. What will it take to start the proceedings? Another 9/11? Because we are slowly devolving into an unstable democracy without proper leadership.

K&R!

[Octafish]

3. Dean was on AAR this morning, detailing the 'Authoritarian' side of GOP.

He told Rachel Maddow your subject is one double-plus bad authoritarian crooked SOB.

Dean's new book "Conservatives Without Conscience" addresses the disconnect between true conservatism and the neo-con NAZI brand as practiced by the Bush people (BFEE in Bartcopese).

Great post, as always, H20 Man.

[Swamp Rat]

8. I heard it.

:hi:

[H2O Man]

16. I am looking

forward to reading the new book. Dean is one of the more complex, interesting characters in recent history. He knows the deal on White House scandals, obviously. And he is a good example of a true conservative.

[H2O Man]

29. PS ....

One of my conservative friends e-mailed me the following. It sums up how a segment of the population who votes republican is beginning to see the president:


RESUME

GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington , DC 20520

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

LAW ENFORCEMENT
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available.

MILITARY
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam

COLLEGE
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader.

PAST WORK EXPERIENCE
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas , in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock.

I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry, including Enron CEO Ken Lay, I was elected governor of Texas.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS
I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America. I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasur y to the tune of billions in borrowed money. I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history. With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by over 500,000 votes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT
I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week. I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury. I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history. I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period. I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period. I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market.

In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.

I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleeza Rice, had a Chevron oil tanker named after her. I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President. I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations. My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. History, Enron.

My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assur e my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision. I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip- offs in history.

I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed. I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history. I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history. I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States government.

I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history. I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission. I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law. I refused to allow inspectors access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention. I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. election). I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television. I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history. I garnered the most sympathy for the U.S. after the Worl d Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.

I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.

I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world community. I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families-in-wartime. In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and t hen blamed the lies on our British friends. I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security. I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD. I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.

RECORDS AND REFERENCES
All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view. All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. I am a member of the Republican Party.

PLEASE CONSIDER MY EXPERIENCE WHEN VOTING IN THE 2006 MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

[im10ashus]

35. A complete history of doing nothing.

As Robert Scheer said, "there's no there there."

[Imagevision]

50. Until The Gop Lose control/house/senate - what can be done?!!

Any investigations are voted against, it's like one branch of government are the crooks and the other half are it's enforcers...

Bush/Cheney scenario can greatly change if the Dems win back either house and/or senate. Currently the Dems are powerless to get anything done about the present corrupt/vial administration.

[femrap]

42. I'm gonna send this resume to

some of my fundie relatives! thx.

[leesa]

46. So much that was known so long ago....

The question though is would they vote for him again if they had the chance. Probably.

[hootinholler]

48. Have to agree there WaterMan.

Last night he said on The Daily Show that Goldwater Republicans are somewhat left of center these days.

I don't believe it truly, but, I'm sure it feels that way to him.

-Hoot

[dogday]

4. Honored to bring this to #5

As always, I love your insight in this case... Always interesting.....

[G_j]

5. k & r......The Hidden Power

in case you missed this article, :hi:

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060703fa_fact1

THE HIDDEN POWER
The legal mind behind the White House’s war on terror.
by JANE MAYER
Issue of 2006-07-03
Posted 2006-06-26


On December 18th, Colin Powell, the former Secretary of State, joined other prominent Washington figures at FedEx Field, the Redskins’ stadium, in a skybox belonging to the team’s owner. During the game, between the Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys, Powell spoke of a recent report in the Times which revealed that President Bush, in his pursuit of terrorists, had secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on American citizens without first obtaining a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, as required by federal law. This requirement, which was instituted by Congress in 1978, after the Watergate scandal, was designed to protect civil liberties and curb abuses of executive power, such as Nixon’s secret monitoring of political opponents and the F.B.I.’s eavesdropping on Martin Luther King, Jr. Nixon had claimed that as President he had the “inherent authority” to spy on people his Administration deemed enemies, such as the anti-Vietnam War activist Daniel Ellsberg. Both Nixon and the institution of the Presidency had paid a high price for this assumption. But, according to the Times, since 2002 the legal checks that Congress constructed to insure that no President would repeat Nixon’s actions had been secretly ignored.

According to someone who knows Powell, his comment about the article was terse. “It’s Addington,” he said. “He doesn’t care about the Constitution.” Powell was referring to David S. Addington, Vice-President Cheney’s chief of staff and his longtime principal legal adviser. Powell’s office says that he does not recall making the statement. But his former top aide, Lawrence Wilkerson, confirms that he and Powell shared this opinion of Addington.

Most Americans, even those who follow politics closely, have probably never heard of Addington. But current and former Administration officials say that he has played a central role in shaping the Administration’s legal strategy for the war on terror. Known as the New Paradigm, this strategy rests on a reading of the Constitution that few legal scholars share—namely, that the President, as Commander-in-Chief, has the authority to disregard virtually all previously known legal boundaries, if national security demands it. Under this framework, statutes prohibiting torture, secret detention, and warrantless surveillance have been set aside. A former high-ranking Administration lawyer who worked extensively on national-security issues said that the Administration’s legal positions were, to a remarkable degree, “all Addington.” Another lawyer, Richard L. Shiffrin, who until 2003 was the Pentagon’s deputy general counsel for intelligence, said that Addington was “an unopposable force.”

The overarching intent of the New Paradigm, which was put in place after the attacks of September 11th, was to allow the Pentagon to bring terrorists to justice as swiftly as possible. Criminal courts and military courts, with their exacting standards of evidence and emphasis on protecting defendants’ rights, were deemed too cumbersome. Instead, the President authorized a system of detention and interrogation that operated outside the international standards for the treatment of prisoners of war established by the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Terror suspects would be tried in a system of military commissions, in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, devised by the executive branch. The Administration designated these suspects not as criminals or as prisoners of war but as “illegal enemy combatants,” whose treatment would be ultimately decided by the President. By emphasizing interrogation over due process, the government intended to preëmpt future attacks before they materialized. In November, 2001, Cheney said of the military commissions, “We think it guarantees that we’ll have the kind of treatment of these individuals that we believe they deserve.”

<snip>

[H2O Man]

17. "It's Addington.

He doesn't care about the Constitution." -- Very true. Addington views the balance of powers defined by the US Constitution as the enemy of the corporate state he seeks to impose, headed by an imperial executive. He is, of course, part of Cheney's shadow government.

[Me.]

20. Does He Worry Scooter?

Inquiring minds want to know. This is the guy who gave the Scooter bad info/advice and then took his job.

*shadow government*

[H2O Man]

23. Good question.

I think that Mr. Libby must recognize that Addington is colder than Cheney.

[G_j]

51. yes, a good question

a little back stabbing among these treacherous snakes?

[lonestarnot]

6. Closed government. Executive Order 12958 violated.

[Swamp Rat]

7. k&r

Great post!

:kick:

[Straight Shooter]

9. Excellent post, as always.

As an aside, the bush administration railing against The New York Times for publishing the financial tracking story is like a pedophile railing against a parent for appropriately disciplining their child.

The level of histrionics from the bush administration is the most accurate measure of their own guilt.

[seemslikeadream]

10. BANDULU DICK

BANDULU: bandit, criminal, one living by guile
BANDULU BIZNESS is a racket, a swindle



NUH?
YA NO SEE IT?

Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
tell me
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

if ya run to the sea the sea will be boiling
if ya run to the sea the sea will be boiling
if ya run to the sea the sea will be boiling
oh on that day

Downpressorman where ya gonna run to tell me
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
oh on that day

Downpressor man where ya gonna run to tell me
Downpressor man where ya gonna run to
Downpressor man where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

And if ya make your bed in hell I will be there
make your bed in hell i will be there
I say make your bed in hell i will be there
on that day

Downpressorman where ya gonna run to tell me
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
oh on that day

Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

Where are ya gonna fuckin' run to
Downpressorman
where are ya gonna fuckin' run to, Dick

[H2O Man]

18. Peter Tosh ....

remains one of the most important voices!

[Me.]

11. John Dean Really Amped It Up On Keith Olberman Last Night

There is no question how much disdain he feels for the administration and how dangerous he thinks they are. It was fascinating to hear him describe the disconnect between "these" conservative and real ones. These are the fanatics who would go over a cliff if asked. He used Liddy as an example saying that Liddy said knew too much about Nixon and what street corner did they want his to stand on so they could shoot him. What struck me was that Dean said that 23% of the population were on the far fringes (with 1% of that number being on the left) who would follow an authoritarian to hell. So basically this government has been run for the benefit, wishes and ideals of 23% of the country, less than one in four. What about the 77%? Is it because they were apathetic and let others' loud voices take over?

"he had "directed Cheney, as part of that broader effort, to disclose highly classified intelligence information". How do we know that that is even true, B*** could have been saying that to cover up for Cheney. A cover up within the cover-up.

Let me ask you, do you think this administration will ever be held fully accountable?

*shadow government*

[H2O Man]

19. Yes.

Martin often reminded us that although the moral arch of the universe is wide, it is sure.

[Me.]

21. Comforting Words

None Truer.

*shadow government*

[DoYouEverWonder]

33. No one believed

that they would be this bad.

No one believed that anyone could get away with the criminal behavior that we see publicly displayed every day.

BushCo took advantage of that national naivete that we use to have and manipulated the American people to the max. Fortunately the scales are falling from many people's eyes and once you wake up, you will never see the world the same again. This is very traumatizing for some people and they are the ones who will need the most help understanding what has happened in the last 6 years.

[H2O Man]

34. I agree.

At risk of saying the same thing every few months, I can remember thinking that Nixon was the worst possible person who could ever get elected. But even he had some diseased sense of respect for the Constitution. These people do not.

[me b zola]

12. k&r

[leveymg]

13. What did Bush and Cheney tell Fitz about their "declassification"?

The easist case that Fitz could make against the President and Vice President is that they withheld relevant information from the Special Counsel when each was interviewed in June 2004.

As we learned early this year, Scooter Libby testified to the Grand Jury that his "superiors" authorized him to leak a classified CIA National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to the press, which proceeded to do on July 8, 2003, ten days before that document was declassified by the Agency.

Waas seems to be saying that neither Bush nor Cheney, when they were interviewed, revealed to Fitz that they had authorized Libby to leak the NIE. Tell me if you read this the same way as I do:

"Libby leaked (classified information contained in a CIA National Intelligence Estimate) to journalists before it was officially declassified on 7-18-03. And, not only is it evident that the timing shows Cheney directing Libby before Bush granted his permission, but that "Bush told investigators that he was unaware that Cheney had directed I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, the vice president's chief of staff, to covertly leak the classified information to the media instead of releasing it to the public after undergoing the formal governmental declassification processes."

If Libby's testimony is found credible, that would seem to mean that Bush and Cheney lied to Fitz. That would be Obstruction of Justice. In the alternative, it may be that Cheney told Libby that Bush had okayed the leak, but that permission wasn't actually given until after Libby leaked to Judy Miller. In that case, Cheney lied to Libby, misled his staff about the President's orders, and then lied to Fitz to cover it up.

[H2O Man]

22. It could be.

But I think it is more likely that Bush was separating himself from Cheney & Libby. This would be consistent with Wilson's book, which states that Rove was furious when he found out that he may have violated the law when he followed Cheney & Libby's lead, and that he blamed them for the problems the scandal caused the president. Waas's article didn't attempt to identify what Cheney had told Mr. Fitzgerald. I think it was someone close to the OVP who spoke to Waas, in an attempt to tie the president to the declassification. They want a pardon, before Cheney has to testify.

[leveymg]

30. But, anyone pardoned can't plead the 5th before a Grand Jury

That means that Fitz could hold anyone pardoned -- including Cheney and Bush (after he leaves office) -- indefinitely until they agree to testify.

That's a lot of leverage. That's the prosecutor's trump card.

Still, I'm not sure whether you see the same thing I am regarding OOJ. I would be very surprised if Cheney told Fitz in May 2004 that he authorized Libby to reveal classified documents to Miller. Very surprised. All that summary declassification nonsense strikes me as being made up long after the fact -- it took them weeks to come up with that one.

Cheney's claim to insta-declassification power is not going to survive legal scrutiny. There are procedures, and they weren't followed. Declassification of secret documents isn't poetry slam made up on the spot. Follow procedures or go to jail.

[H2O Man]

31. Interesting.

I'm thinking Bush would be more likely to pardon the violations involved in leaking than the lying to investigators and the grand jury. If one is pardoned for lying to the grand jury, it could be difficult to hold them in the future for sticking to the cover story.

[Catrina]

47. I've wondered if Fitz has anything to corroborate Libby's

claim that Bush, through Cheney ordered him to leak to the press. As you said, I doubt Cheney told Fitz anything.

There were several meetings with Cheney and Libby attended by other witnesses. I don't remember that Libby said he and Cheney were alone when he asked if it would be legal to leak the information. So it's possible that Fitz has testimony from witnesses to back up Libby's story. If so, I would think that does give Fitz evidence of OOJ if Cheney lied to him in their private meeting.

Libby also claims that he spoke to Addington, Cheney's Nixonian lawyer who believes that 'if the president does it, or says it, it's legal'. Do we know if Addington has testified before the Grand Jury?

Re your suggestion that Cheney made all this up later? Didn't Addington, according to Libby, 'make it up' before Libby spoke to Judith Miller?

It's true that Cheney's claim that he as VP can declassify information appears to be false anyway. I think it was Addington who came up with the excuse, for Libby, that the information was declassified. I don't remember if his claim was that Bush had done so, or Cheney. And I think Libby must have spoken to him sometime in June of that year, 2003. I could be wrong about that though. But if that's correct, then they had already come up with the 'declassified' story early on.

[malaise]

14. Super post H2O Man n/t

[Me.]

15. Back To Page 1 For This

Too good to let it pass into the netherworld

*shadow government*

[spanone]

24. ...great piece.

Kick and Recommend!

25. High Crimes

I hope Cheney gets exposed and called to justice.

[DemReadingDU]

26. Love your insight into Cheney

Thanks for helping the rest of us understand what is going on

[H2O Man]

27. Thank you.

I'm glad that you enjoy reading the things I write about the case. The attention that VP Cheney got in April and early May created very real concerns among the OVP-WHIG-OSP folks. It is the last thing they want the American public to focus on right now. I think it is important to keep the focus on the person who ordered the crime.

[AzDar]

28. Kick....n/t

[Just Me]

32. Anti-Democracy Plus Anti-Constitution Equals Anti-American.

It never EVER ceases to amaze me just how little regard and respect these,...cultists,...have for their own people. It's,...well, THEY ARE SICK, sick psychopaths. They have to be, having had no second thoughts about betraying/defrauding the people of this nation in so many ways. Of course, the corporacrats and their fools/knaves have their part in cooperating with this malignant circle of sickos.

"For the love of money,..." they have no conscience about their choices and no respect for the rule of law.

If these monsters aren't held to the rule of law, I'll be joining Kurt, except as a woman without a country.

[femrap]

43. And please answer me this....

why aren't the dems speaking these words of anti-democracy, anti-constitution, and anti-american? Why?

I was hoping that someone affiliated with the dem party would make a statement on the 4th of July...you know, reminding us that our great Demcracy and Constitution have been slapped around lately.

Why is everyone so afraid of the neocons? Have they been bribed or threatened? Both? Obviously, they have tapped the dems phones and emails, right? And supposedly something else horrible that Hoesktra (sp?) was alluding to....

You'd think someone could play the 'bad cop' and be the designated spewer at the neocons....I was hoping that would be Dean's job...but the Dems get upset when he starts speaking some Truth.

What country is everyone going to? If we don't get the House or Senate this year...I gotta find a place to live outside of these States....any suggestions?

[bleever]

36. I'm glad you mentioned the Brit Hume interview

in which Hume seemed to go off topic (the Whittington shooting) to ask Cheney if he had the power to declassify on the spot. Cheney seemed caught off guard, but soft-shoed his way onward by saying that yes, the president has the power to peremptorily declassify anything at will, and that this president had signed an executive order giving the same power to the vice president. As far as I know, this supposed executive order has never been mentioned again.

This was to my knowledge the public debut of the "Magic Lips" doctrine, whereby if the president or vice-president reveals classified info, it is automatically declassified by virtue of passing through their lips.

I tend to think that leveymg's right that this is something that would have set off Fitz's radar. Certainly, it is a prime example of what John Dean is referring to when he talks about how a government that can not hold its executive to the laws is no longer a democracy.

I very much appreciate the value of your essays as we make our way through this journey to redemocratize our government, H2O Man. Thanks.

[lala_rawraw]

37. I tip my hat sir

while standing on a bar stool in NYC and this realy nifty little dive in the E. village... i am, yes, working from a bar... anyway, thought i would post my hat tip to you... hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:)

[H2O Man]

38. A good place to

tip a Guinness, too! Good place to work. Looks like moldy Bob Novak is going to spread some disinformation tomorrow, eh?

[lala_rawraw]

39. yep... looks like drudge put on his blue dress on got on all

fours to get that scoop...the only scoop someone with no ability other than all-fouring it usually gets... did i say that out-loud or just think it? then he goes to the mothership to tell his story? odd... one would think he would tell it first in his preferred method of communication, but that is asking too much of Rove's tool.


i must say i am in shock because the girls who work here have no clue who Syd B is... he died as reported today ... i am in mourning... shine on you crazy diamond.

[MagickMuffin]

40. More Misdeeds of Dick

DICK CHENEY : king of spades
(CH, $, L) (what do these signs mean?)

Do Wars profiles in scourge: Dick Cheney, sometimes lives in the Vice President's house

Favorite Secret: His own voting record.

A life devoted to putting the interests of the country as a whole second to his quest for money and power, Dick Cheney yearns for the old days, rolling back environmental protections and rolling out the weaponry:

1981: Water Pollution — Voted against reauthorization
1984: EPA —- Voted against EPA research and development funding
Hazardous Waste — Voted to eliminate right to sue over damages from dumping hazardous wastes
1981: Water Pollution — Voted against reauthorization
1984: EPA — Voted against EPA research and development funding
Hazardous Waste — Voted to eliminate right to sue over damages from dumping hazardous wastes
1985:
Superfund — Voted against reauthorization
Armor Piercing Weapons — Voted against ban
Chemical Emissions — Voted against tracking chemical inventory and any dangerous emissions

1986: Superfund — Voted against reauthorization again.
Clean Water — Voted against reauthorization.
Head Start — Voted against reauthorization.
South Africa — Voted against sanctions 10 times, and against resolution demanding Nelson Mandela's freedom.
1987: Endangered Species - Voted against reauthorization
1988: Terrorist Weapons — Voted against ban.
Gun Purchases Waiting Period —Voted against 7 day wait to check for prior felonies.
Family Leave — Voted against allowing federal employees to take time off for sick family members.
Power to Vote — Failed to vote in 14 of 16 local elections.
For more info: see http://bush-cheney.net/spotlight/numbers.html

Favorite Power Tie — Defense Secretary
Rules are made to be Broken: Cheney changed the rules restricting private contractors' work at military bases. As Robert Scheer writes, "This allowed Kellogg Brown & Root subsidiary of his future employer, Halliburton, to receive the first of $2.5 billion in contracts over the next decade."

Revolving doors gather no moss but pay off in stock options: During the 2000 election, Cheney took credit for his "work" in the business world at Halliburton. As CEO, Cheney oversaw $23.8 million in business contracts to Iraq, getting around American sanctions by working through two European subsidiaries: Dresser Rand and Ingersoll-Dresser Pump.

When Sam Donaldson questioned Cheney about dealings with Iraq, he replied "No. No. I had a firm policy that I wouldn't do anything in Iraq, even arrangements that were supposedly legal." It was not the truth.

Favorite back scratcher — foreign dictators
Political connections also helped Halliburton gain big contracts in Asia. Far from being normal market transactions, they frequently served the interests and policies of brutal dictatorships in Burma (Myanmar), Somalia, Indonesia, and elsewhere. Halliburton increased its involvement in Nigeria's Niger Delta after the military government executed ecology activists and crushed popular protests. In Burma, Halliburton pipeline projects benefited from the government's forced relocation of villages and violence against those opposed.

During his 5 years at Halliburton Cheney's political contacts helped Halliburton's bottom line, bringing in $2.3 billion in federal contracts, up from $1.2 billion the previous five years. Shortly after Cheney left Halliburton, it came under investigation for over charging the government for work performed under his watch. The company settled by paying $2 million. Then the SEC announced a probe into shady accounting practices adopted under Cheney's leadership, practices that inflated its profits. This "creative" accounting was necessary because even with the government contracts, Halliburton was not doing well. He still receives money from Halliburton.

Halliburton = asbestos
Halitosis Cheney's 1998 decision to acquire Dresser brought with it enough asbestos liability to threaten the company's existence. So Cheney, our Vice President, now supports a new federal law limiting damages that can be claimed against former asbestos manufacturers. This law is being considered as we prepare this report, constituting yet another example of corporate welfare and crony capitalism masquerading as legitimate business.

Favorite stock tip — find a patsy
As CEO, Cheney sold his Halliburton stock just two months before its stock plummeted on bad news. He made an $18.5 million profit. Martha Stewart would have been very impressed - she is accused of making $40,000. Of course, Cheney has not been charged, but, as the Washington Post observed, either he did "not know the magnitude of problems at the oilfield services company he ran for five years, or he sold his shares in August 2000 knowing the company was likely headed for a fall." Incompetence or dishonesty? You choose.

He also received a $36 million payoff for his final year of "service' to the company.

See:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/07.18F.cheney.tarnish.p.htm
http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=13577

Showing true grit - standing up for your principles = covering up for your friends
Cheney refuses to allow Congress or the public to know who met with him while he drafted his energy policy. Doing so, he claimed, would discourage frank and honest advice from people in the future. This was a lie, because the Bush administration released to Congressional investigators thousands of documents from the Clinton White House, including candid conversations between Clinton and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The only secrets worth keeping were their own.

The GAO asked for information on the meetings, which Cheney refused to divulge. Before it could get to a non-Bush appointed judge, Republican Congressional leaders threatened GAO's budget if they persisted. They backed down.

Cheney's report concluded there was an "energy crisis." California's blackouts were due to insufficient energy production, not corporate manipulation. Environmentalists, not Enron, were to blame. Cheney also belittled conservation. But there was no energy crisis and conservation and improved technology were the reasons why, as Forbes wrote at the time.

See:
http://www.forbes.com/2001/05/02/0502nocrisis.html http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2001/05/08/energy/ http://www.moveon.org/moveonbulletin/bulletin1.html

Maybe the reason Cheney wants his energy meetings kept secret is that exposure would demonstrate the same level of incompetence he showed while managing Halliburton.

Secret agent man
Cheney has sought to expand secrecy in every dimension of government. He argued vehemently against Congress exploring the events leading up to 9/11, once even suggesting that doing so would be unpatriotic. We now know there were good reasons the administration did not want a good public airing of pre-9/11 events. Conservative columnist Phyllis Schlafly declared correctly that: "The American people do not and should not tolerate government by secrecy." She elaborated that no one's "going to buy the sanctimonious argument that the Bush Administration has some sort of duty to protect the power of the presidency." Unfortunately she was wrong with respect to much that passes for journalism today.

See:
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20020524.html

No-clear nuclear
Cheney has also been a major dissembler and liar regarding the reasons for war with his old customer, Iraq. In Meet the Press, (3/16/03) Cheney informed us that Saddam "has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons." Strangely, in the same interview he also said "it's only a matter of time until he acquires nuclear weapons." Both statements were false - and they contradicted one another. We give credit where credit is due: this is hard to do in a single session.

It now appears that Cheney's office was well aware that Iraq's supposed efforts to get uranium from Africa were not supported by the facts. That his company Halliburton would make money dealing with Hussein, and then make even more money after Hussein was deposed, and do so with the active cooperation and dishonesty of Dick Cheney, should go down as one of the more disgusting episodes in recent American history.

Do Wars salutes...
Dick Cheney for his ability to work behind the scenes, pulling the strings, while maintaining his principles on secrecy, helping corporate friends, and misleading the American people. Think of how much our children can learn about true American values from this principled man about town.

[robertpaulsen]

41. Recommended and bookmarked!

The more details brought to the light of day on this Judas, the better!

[Laurab]

44. This thread is full of interesting stuff - thanks!

K & R & I'll be passing the resume on.

[peacetalksforall]

45. Excellent work, H20man. I will have limited time for awhile - I hope I

can go to your blog to zero in on what is going on with the cover-up and back tracking on this abuse of power.

I feel this subject shares the number one spot with death, destruction, and debt brought to us by Bush-Cheney.

I wish I had more time to make Dem leaders understand that they can't remain silent and polite.

imo - people like Dean, Waxman, Conyers, and many other counter-forces are in a sense running a 'light government' (as opposed to shadow) by constantly helping us with the law as it should be and was intended to be. You and others who focus on the law are helping all of our DU 80+ thousand and we help others to understand, in turn.

We're in a race to stop the death and destruction of our children, Consitution and future. Part of the race is knowledge and insight. Thanks for helping us understand by the way you bring it together.

I'll be checking in at your blog.

[Clyde39]

49. Cheney is amazing.......nothing fazes him

He reminds me of a robot who is programmed to "Stay on message, no matter what".