WH launches internal ethics inquiry into Rove's aide

[Rose Siding]

Harriet Myers taught the WH ethics class, poor thing. This "inquiry" may cut into her alone time with her Special Friend!!!!

The folks around Karl Rove are on the hot seat again. The White House has launched an internal ethics inquiry into one Rove aide in response to new e-mails showing that Rove's office had far more extensive conduct with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff than previously acknowledged......Susan Ralston, may have violated a White House ban on accepting gifts worth more than $20 from lobbyists. At the same time, Ralston—who previously worked for Abramoff—was helping the lobbyist and his associates set up meetings with Rove and providing them with inside info about presidential appointments and White House decision making, including at least one matter relating to a business deal in Iraq for an Abramoff client, the e-mails show. Ralston also discussed future business opportunities with Abramoff, such as her plan to help him capitalize on the "rush to get lucrative government contracts" being awarded by the Department of Homeland Security—another possible breach of ethics rules.

The e-mails show Ralston peppering Abramoff with requests for small perks and favors. "Can we get the row A seats for the 12/22 Caps game?" she asked Abramoff in a Dec. 22, 2001, e-mail about an upcoming Washington Capitals hockey game. "Need 4 for O's on 8/23 and 4 for Springsteen if possible," she wrote the lobbyist on July 26, 2002. Ralston's lawyer declined to comment. A former associate said Ralston may argue that though she apparently never paid for any of the tickets, she did not violate the ethics rules because of an exemption for officials who have a "pre-existing" and personal relationship with the lobbyist. "She was not looking at as a lobbyist," said the former associate, who asked not to be identified because of political sensitivities. "She was looking at him as a friend."

The e-mails show Rove's then chief political deputy, Ken Mehlman, now chairman of the Republican National Committee, had his own repeated contacts with Abramoff—in stark contrast to previous public statements.......

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15081799/site/newsweek

[Nimrod2005]

1. I would start at the very top first, could save everyone a bunch of time

and money.

You will immediately be able to identify the source of it all, and you can conculde that shit always runs downhill...

[IWantAChange]

21. internal investigation?? Medals of Freedom to follow...

Rove, Mehlman and Ralston have to be next in line for sure.

[RedEarth]

2. lol...I'm sure the truth will come out with this internal investigation

...give me a break...

[DrZeeLit]

10. Exactly. Fox. Henhouse. Nothing to see here, move along. n/t

[spinbaby]

3. Looks like a scapegoat to me n/t

.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. The hits keep coming

k&r

[BuyingThyme]

5. ..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2278123&mesg_id=2278123

[ShortnFiery]

6. Rove's Aide! LOL Why don't they throw in one of the young Latina

cleaning ladies into the mix for further investigation? Psst! I hear that this West Wing Maid was working in cahoots with this AIDE. :rofl:

Yeah, The Republican Party - The Party that blames "the little people."

No one in power pays a price. :thumbsdown:

[Brundle_Fly]

7. I think Kissenger is

heading it up.

[Nickster]

8. Let me guess. She was working by herself and in no way had any contact

with anyone including her boss Karl Rove. In no way did Karl know that the flood of tickets to sold out events he received from his secretary were in any way suspicious or worthy of questioning. If anything he is only guilty of loving and caring about his employees too much.:-)

[acmejack]

15. Bad egg...

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Oh, for crying out loud. She wasn't looking at him as a lobbyist, she

was looking at him as a good ole boy. Wake up and smell the coffee, people. These friends and family passes are worse than the cold lobbyist label.

[C_U_L8R]

11. Internal Inquiry = Cover Up

Isn't there supposed to be a Justice Department to investigate crimes such as these ???

[myrna minx]

12. I bet that there will be a whole lot of "not remembering"

going on through out that "investigation." :eyes:

[Hugin]

20. The new term is "Misremembering"...

I've seen it bumping around lately. It not only allows for denial, but, also for
adjusting the facts for some alternate spin.

It's one-stop-shopping for the Reich Wing Bloviators.

[blogslut]

13. If you're looking for your cue, Susan

...now would be a good time to sing. ;)

[librechik]

14. no room under the bus for Susan, Denny's too big

"Let all the snakes come out"


eye on the sparrow


:kick: and R

[Lugnut]

16. White House internal investigation?

IOW it's just one more coverup.

[civildisoBDence]

17. What? No SEX?

And you call that a scandal?

How limp.

Newsprism

[Supersedeas]

18. investigating itself---laughable--only took Rove 5 times to clarify his

emails regarding Plame.

[garybeck]

19. "internal investigation" = whitewash effort

we're going nowhere without an independent investigation.

[bleever]

22. You mean THIS Susan Ralston?

Sitting next to Rover on election night 2004?

Hmmm...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x423695

[mcking]

23. Right ... and Rose Mary Woods was behind Watergate

Give me a break.

[newyawker99]

30. Hi mcking!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[eppur_se_muova]

24. "lucrative government contracts" being awarded by DHS ?!? Wha... wha...

you mean the DHS is only a government boondoggle to enrich Republican contractors? Say it ain't so, Skeletor! :evilfrown:

[Imagevision]

25. Bush will have Rove or Gonzalez investigate to "take care of it"...

[CODEPINK]

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[progressoid]

27. That probe should only take about 50 months (if they time it right).

[caduceus111]

28. Isn't it amazing...

how these crooks only "self-investigate" something when it comes out in the press and their feet are held to the fire? Remember the "ethics" courses that the White House staff had to undergo some time ago?

Unbelievable. I'm getting outrage fatigue...once again...and again...and again.

=caduceus=

[MagickMuffin]

29. here's my take on it....

As far as the WH investigating this:rofl:

[GeorgeGist]

31. Sacrifice the gopher...

and save the goto guy. That's the ticket.