Dan Froomkin: Casual Lawbreaking at the White House

[BuyingThyme]

Casual Lawbreaking at the White House

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, June 19, 2007; 1:14 PM

New evidence unearthed by House Democrats establishes that White House political adviser Karl Rove and many of his colleagues used Republican National Committee e-mail accounts for official business -- even though White House policy is clear that doing so is a violation of the Presidential Records Act.

...

One reason for Rove's use of the RNC e-mail account would appear to be convenience. Rove was equipped with an RNC BlackBerry very early in the Bush presidency -- and by all accounts he uses it constantly.

Another reason, suggested by White House spokesman Scott Stanzel in April, is that some people may have used their non-government accounts for official business due to "an abundance of caution" in order to avoid violating the Hatch Act, which prohibits the use of government e-mail for overtly political purposes. A cynic could even argue that Rove and his operatives have so intertwined politics and policy in this White House that it would be understandably difficult for them to determine whether they should be using RNC or White House accounts.

Yet another possibility, of course, is that Rove and the others chose to use the RNC e-mail accounts for official business as a way to keep their e-mail from public scrutiny, which is implicit in the use of White House e-mail accounts. If that was their goal, they appear to have succeeded.

...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/06/19/BL2007061900924.html

[Zodiak]

1. I would go with #3: for secrecy

This is the most secretive administration EVER, so there is a prima fascia case for #3.

Plus their behavior after being discovered indicates #3, as well.

[Vincardog]

2. Rove and the others chose to use the RNC e-mail accounts for official business as a way to keep

their e-mail from public scrutiny,

DUH ya think? The most secretive mis-administration in US history.

[ThomWV]

3. Look at the order of the possibilities

Oh, it was just done because it was easy and anyone would do that.
or
Oh, it was just done because absolutely everyone wanted to make sure that no law was infringed upon, and anyone would do that.
but only a slight chance that
The one person in this administration who has been known since his childhood years as a Young-Republican to subvert every law, regulation, and ethical standard he has ever come up against just might have been using outside accounts as a way to cover up his unlawful activity; jeesh! Who would ever suspect that?

[BuyingThyme]

6. I can't seem to put my finger on it.

[blogslut]

4. I love this scandal

:)

[librechik]

5. Casual (R) lawbreaking=AOK. Casual (D) Sex=Impeach the bastard

Casual (R) Sex TURN THAT LIGHT OFF! SOMEONE WILL SEE!

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

7. What Stanzel suggests,...is a conspiracy to violate the law.

Is his comment "on the record"?

Rove's ass should have been in the slammer a long time ago. He doesn't give a damn about anyone's best interests other than his own, let alone any respect for this nation's laws or supporting the Constitution or maintaining a democratic system. Hitler would've LOVED this man because Rove sold his soul for position and power the day he stepped into the political scene.

I am a compassionate person BUT when Rove's flabby white butt ends up in either a prison or in the arena of public scorn,...I'll be waiting for him to get out and be armed and ready for his next arsenal against democratic decency and human dignity. The man is evil, incarnate,...without a doubt.

[aquart]

8. Does violating the Nat'l Records Act have a penalty?

Wrist slap? Tsk tsk in the halls? Two or three people saying "For shame"?

Do any of these federal laws have SHARK TEETH?

[Ganja Ninja]

9. There's nothing casual about it.

It's hard work! Breaking laws, coordinating the cover up, concocting the lies, disposing the evidence, you don't just fall into this kind of corruption. It's hard work I tell ya.