From Mr. Waxman: Politicization of the WH Office of National Drug Control Policy

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/24781

Politicization of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
Submitted by davidswanson on Tue, 2007-07-17 16:17. Congress | Evidence

From the Office of Congressman Henry Waxman

Washington, D.C. -- Today Chairman Waxman released new documents regarding politicization of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The documents reveal that at the request of Sara Taylor, the former White House Director of Political Affairs, John Walters, the nation's drug czar, and his deputies traveled to 20 events with vulnerable Republican members of Congress in the months prior to the 2006 elections. The trips were paid for by federal taxpayers and several were combined with the announcement of federal grants or actions that benefited the districts of the Republican members.

A November 20, 2006, memo from Ms. Taylor summarizes the travel Director Walters took at her request. An agency e-mail sent the following day describes how Karl Rove commended the historically nonpartisan Office of National Drug Control Policy and three cabinet departments - Commerce, Transportation, and Agriculture - for "going above and beyond the call of duty" in making "surrogate appearances" at locations the e-mail described as "the god awful places we sent them." Other documents include an e-mail from the Interior Department to Ms. Taylor's predecessor stating: "these folks need to be reminded who they work for and how their geographical travel can benefit this President."

Chairman Waxman wrote to Ms. Taylor to request her attendance at a Committee deposition on or before July 24 and her possible appearance at a Committee hearing on July 30. He also wrote to White House Counsel Fred Fielding, the Republican National Committee, Director Walters, and the Secretaries of the Departments of Commerce, Transportation, and Agriculture requesting relevant documents.

Chairman Waxman's letters and the documents released by the Committee are available online at www.oversight.house.gov or can be e-mailed upon request.

[tanyev]

1. "the god awful places we sent them"

There ya go. Karl Rove hates America and has contempt for the people who vote for the politicians he serves.

[drm604]

2. Actually, it was Doug Simon who said that.

The "god awful places" statement was in a letter from Doug Simon and seems to be his words rather than a quote from Rove.

http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20070717103853.pdf

Not that I'm defending Rove in any way, he likely shares the sentiment.

[tanyev]

4. Oops. Thank you for reading the post more carefully than I did.

And I am also sure that Karl Rove does share the sentiment.

[drm604]

6. No problem.

I nearly posted what you did, so it was an easy mistake to make.

[DBoon]

3. "republicans think you are a loser"

keep repeating it

[Frustratedlady]

5. Waxman is a bulldog.

In fact, it appears to me that Waxman and Conyers are nipping at their heels from all directions...tiring them down.

Surely, some of these hearings will bear fruit. It is so frustrating to watch this all coming down and KNOWING they have been breaking the law in so many areas, and not seeing anything come out of it. I can imagine how Conyers, Waxman, et al. must feel. I hope we begin to reap the benefits of all their hard work, very soon.