Obstruction: McCain tries to delay Troopergate report
By SilentPatriot Monday Sep 01, 2008 9:20pm
ABC News is reporting that the McCain campaign is using stall tactics in order to delay the release of the report, currently slated to be handed down at the end of October.
Is the McCain campaign afraid of an 'October surprise' involving vice-presidential pick Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska?
The Alaska state senator running an investigation of Gov. Palin says the McCain campaign is using stall tactics to prevent him from releasing his final report by Oct. 31, four days before the November election.
I don't know about you, but the number one quality I look for in my elected leaders is their ability to abuse power and obstruct investigations. It would be too much of a radical departure from the Bush years otherwise.
Palin's attorney has decided to pursue a rather bizarre line of defense, arguing against the probe on the following grounds:
"Our concern is that Hollis French [the Anchorage Democrat and former state prosecutor who is project director for the legislative investigation] turns into Ken Starr and uses public money to pursue a political vendetta rather than truly pursue an honest inquiry into an alleged ethics issue," Van Flein said in an interview.
You heard right: Palin's attorney is admitting that Ken Starr's investigation into former President Clinton wasn't an honest inquiry, but rather a politically-motivated vendetta. I certainly have sympathy for the victims of poltically-motivated vendettas, but in this case Sarah Palin isn't the victim; the upstanding public safety commissioner she fired, Walt Monegan, is.
Josh has a great breakdown of the scandal in case anyone needs refreshing.
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McSame.
Is that really going to be on the cover of US Weekly?
Wow!
Gollum @ 2:
I am more concerned about McRove using he arm twisting tactics to make TrooperGate go quietly away.
what about the baby switch?
that's the story I want to hear
Sorry but Ken Starr was investigating a blowjob for a year. This guy is investigating abuse of power that led to the firing of the public safety director for the state of AK.
harley @ 3:
But it's NOT going away. In fact, his stalling tactics are likely going to make it worse.
I JUST GOT ONE THING TO SAY NO WAY NO HOW, NO MC CAIN
She reminds me of women like Patsy Ramsey who drag their little girls to beauty pageants, make up their faces, do their hair and dress them in sexy little outfits.
Then they claim it's all about their darling daughters.
They use their children for their own ego gratification in strange and disturbing ways.
Oh no. What happened to the open thread?
I was chatting with a friend today, about ALL of this:
The absurdity of Palin, and how that whole story is like a
cross between a Jerry Spinger vs. Maury Povich marathon.
How the Rethuglicans assumed that her vagina would win over
all the Hillary supporters. You know, the ones who never have
sex or have to worry about a pregnancy they don't want.
We made the analogy about a drug addict or an alcoholic.
How nothing in their life will change, until they hit rock bottom
What we're witnessing at this RNC is a
live, televised funeral with an audience -
and the slow, withering death of the addicts who refused
to admit they hit rock bottom. All addicts boast that
everything is just fine, and they know what's best.
They just keep repeating their lies over and over inside
their clouded heads, and believe every word of it.
That, to me, is the Republican party in a nutshell.
They allowed the most powerful in their party to get
them hooked on the smack too, so they could all get
as high as they want together.
This is their overdose. This is their death.
All that's missing is Jim Jones and the Dixie Cups.
Fanon @ 9:
Maybe Crooks and Liars were convinced by Fred Thompson great quote of the day : "uhm uhm uhm".
Ms. Buffalo Chip is at the convention smiling like she just got by with stealing money for drugs from her charity and her tax cuts we just made permanent.
Palin's attorney said that with a straight face??
Heeeeere's Joe!
Failin with Palin..........she is a security threat. she steps in mccain during his term we're screwed.
mccain would rather win an election than protect this country.
No open thread for Lieberman??? You're killing me!!
Open thread for Joe!
Lieberman they don't like you....your a tool listen to him
he is out when Obama get's elected.
Can a "politically-motivated vendetta" exist if one of America's two party's refuses to fight?
Which is to say: the democratic party remains the tail of the GOP dog.
What's with the blue screen behind him? will there be special effects?
He gets less applauding than Fred. maybe because he can speak without interruption and Bushism.
Fanon @ 20:
This implies there is a fatal error occurred in his brain
Well, I, for one am shocked, shocked you hear, that the investigation of President Clinton would be referred to as a vendetta. Ken Starr was just an altruistic fellow doing what's best for the country....well, wasn't he?
These people would twist any fact, tell any falsehood, do whatever it takes to distract.
They would even tell the painful truth if it furthered the agenda of the day.In a words, the 'pubs suck.
You, sir, are NO democrat. Aren't you a registered Independent?
this GOP convention is the 'Bridge to NoWhere'
I don’t know about you, but the number one quality I look for in my elected leaders is their ability to abuse power and obstruct investigations.
If everyone is in agreement with this statement, then everyone should be especially concerned with Barack Obama's repeated attempts to block the opening of his files to his role in the Chicago Annenberg Challenge and the depth of his ties to William Ayers. You couldn't possibly be concerned with the Palin trooper investigation and not be with Obama's strong arm tactics on the other without being hypocritical.
You simply couldn't.
This isn't fair. She was properly vetted. She correctly spelled potato. Of course she was born and educated in Idaho. Proximity made her an expert.
There was Holy Joe's Zell Miller moment right there:
"I'm supporting John McCain because we need to put our country first"
Lieberman's a traitor, a warmonger, a chickenhawk and a Zionist pig.
Noun, verb, POW?
dennis @ 26:
dennis, why don't you give us your explanation of what happened in Chicago. No, No, Please do.
Some are still waiting for those McCain POW files to open.
Some are waiting for those missing e-mails from capital hill.
Obama was a child when Ayers pulled his crap. not sure Ayers was convicted of anything.
doesn't the bush family have bin laden family business connections it's weak.........obama is NOT bought mccain is bought ask charlie black,rick davis,randy scheuneman,phil gramm
I think I just heard Liebermann call McCain "The One."
Snake. In. The. Grass.
"God only made one John McCain and he is his own man"
dennis @ 26:
Did he out a CIA agent? Then he's not a traitor.
dennis @ 26:
I trust everyone knows the golden rule on feeding trolls. There is nothing you can say, no rebuttal you can make that will make the troll go away. The best policy is to stoically ignore them.
Gollum @ 6:
And if he gets elected - who will be his first official pardon?
However, have you ever been to Alaska? Corruption is out of control. You scratch my back...we will get you some pork.
dennis @ 26:
Yep. No journalist has looked at that and tried to make their career have they. Your thoughts on building seven Dennis? Wait. That's not allowed here. I'm sure,however, that you're equally well informed on that subject.
Oh, and about Troopergate.....
If McCain's camp is so concerned about something negative being in that Troopergate report, then that means he is willing to use Palin to get elected and then possibly put our country at risk after the election, once that report comes out.
If there is nothing wrong with Palin, then let that report come out before the election!
This stinks to high heaven.
Since they picked her one would have to assume they have already paid off the outcome of the investigation, thus ironically even if they are just stalling it are likely abusing their power in the same way Palin is being investigated for.
Tekras @ 36:
Denis has been providing us with entertainment for quite a while. He is almost a mascot. :)
Lieberman is taking a hatchet to Obama. Disgusting.
dennis @ 26:
Read it for yourself, dennis. The papers all became public on August 26th.
sarah palin is a national security threat. mccain goes down palin steps in we're in trouble.palin is a right wing
ultra-conservative nut. she is being used.
xoites defends Constitution @ 41:
a mascot who will soon be sending his teenage kids off to the war in Iraq! Ain't that right Dennis?
This is like two threads in one.
Some people are posting in the RNC thread, here.
A very important topic is destroyed.
still waiting for those POW mccain papers to be released
Ruthless People @ 45:
Really?
Jesus, Denis! Help them go AWOL or something!
Republicans, Democrats, Americans and the Media treated Bill Clinton like a dog even knowing it was all bull and the GOP was setting him for George Bush to walk in office. Al Gore was robbed and Americans just sit back and looked like they were waiting for the doe. Bill was called everything but Jesus Christ and even Foreign people questioned the sanity of the American people. Now that Sarah Palin used her job to fire her ex brother in law the rules change and the truth comes out to late. Russia and China are waiting to see if Americans make the same stupid mistake and put a Republican in office. Yes it will be much easier to take over the USA with McCain/Palin in charge. McCain can't remember and his a brought and paid for husband. Palin's resume for the job of President or VP is just winning Miss Congeniality in a beauty contest. The Foreign Leaders will just be able to walk in and take over the US with firing a shot with those two idiots in charge.
That's all I can stands I can't stands no more. Thompson didn't make me turn off my TV but Lieberman has.
Later!
mudshark @ 31:
Maybe if we could get at the files, mudshark. Obama got a Justice Dept. order to block access. Your presidential candidate. Not one word about it on this blog. Not one word.
Sorry, mudshark. It's hypocrisy. IOKOIYAD.
General Jack D. Ripper @ 39:
No this is lovely. If he doesn't have access to the report and tries to stifle it he looks guilty as hell. Even if it whitewashed her. Oh Dennnis! Spin this one for us.
xoites defends Constitution @ 48:
No of course not. Dennis, like Lieberman, Bush and Cheney support war is for somebody else's kids to fight not there's.
i'm confused i thought were staying in iraq 100yrs. no time table
Can someone please fix this thread?
Why is the RNC comments posting here?
Help!
our enemies won't fear sarah palin........she is a national
security threat.
dennis @ 51:
How long did it take you to memorize that acronym?
Keep trying until you get it right! And don't forget the"R"!
dennis @ 51:
So your saying you don't know what happened. I see.
harley @ 55:
Simple, that thread was filled and closed.
harley @ 55:
They closed the open thread. Sorry for crashing the thread..
harley @ 55:
Because the RNC thread is closed for comments, and there is no replacement, maybe it is closed by error, maybe there is counter if it goes over 570, the thread is automatically closed. seems the admins of CL are sleeping on the couch. Fred Thompson speech makes everyone sleep including himself.
Each thread has a limit. We reached it and it shut down automatically.
xoites defends Constitution @ 41:
And provides a valuable public service for us. He harvests Republican talking points for us and and presents them saving us considerable gastric distress wading through that crap. Also he is usually quite polite. I'm not sure you could correctly call him a troll. He's pretty upfront about his views. Criticizing him sharpens our perception of the mindset of the right wing.I hope he sticks around.
the Republican party is embarassed of the president.
bush was a big mistake correct dennis.
signing statements
vetos
filibuster
stacked DOJ
torture
inflation
devalued u.s. dollar....about 40%
deficit.....huge
corporate bailouts
unlawful war
missing white house e-mails
xoites defends Constitution @ 59:
There is a second thread on the homepage.
Peter G @ 63:
Agree. I wouldn't construe dennis as a troll. He is good to spar with and usually has more to say than just talking points.
I said it before and I'll say it again. The reason the woman haters party selected a woman is because they though they could win. The reason they selected a woman under investigation is so they can get rid of her after they win.
This seems very obvious to me when i am wearing my conspiracy theorist hat.
harley @ 65:
Thank you, leaving now. Carry on.
More Cafferty on Failin , I mean, Palin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h58sEq38oiw
harley @ 65:
Thank you. :)
RNC thread posters please go here:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/02/republican-national-convention-...
You are in the Trooper Gate thread.
Thanks.
Can they move the VP debate -- to her cell block?
McSame picks his VPs the same way he picks his wives. She looked good at the time.
Jacki @ 49:
I think you're absolutely right on and I hope everyone is prepared to raise hell and riot when they try to steal this election. I don't advocate violence, but we'd better be prepared to rally in HUGE numbers wherever they try fraud. If republicans are allowed rape and rob this country without consequence, there's no hope for the future. America will look like Mexico (2% owning 99% of the capital and everyone else peasants) in less than a generation. I will NOT sit by and allow these supply side zealots destroy my country!
mudshark @ 58:
It should be something that the public has access to find out just how deep his relationship was with this unrepentant terrorist. It should be something you should want to know if what you post on here is sincere, and I've never doubted that you are anything but. The fact that he is blocking it should at least be debated. I doubt if even 5% of the posters who post here know the first thing about this. Too easily dismissed as partisan politics. But this troopergate scandal and the timing of the results, no, only that is something to be concerned about if you are an Obama supporter.
C'mon mudshark. Put on an objective hat for once. Is Obama justified in blocking that access to his files? Should it be of no concern?
awaken @ 13:
Here is Palin's attorney's letter to the Alaska Senator running the investigation saying basically...
A little dueling banjo music is required for proper reading of these letters...
1. That the Personnel Board is required by law to do the investigation... not the Senate Judiciary Committee. (guess who runs that one?)
2. The State AG is forwarding all his information to us and now we want all of your information and witness statemsnts.
3. I want to schedule depositions with your witnesses.
4. Don't contact anyone in the Governors office and we won't contact Senator French.
Link for that letter:
http://media.adn.com/smedia/2008/09/01/13/van-flein-letter-082908.source...
Here is the response letter from the Alaska State Senate Judiciary counsel saying:
1. The Personnel Board is not legally empowered to do the investigation... because no complaint has been filed to make it their statutory duty... (trans: Sorry Charlie... we are on the case and it is going to stay that way)
2. Your suggesting that the legislature has no jurisdiction to do the investigation... Sorry chuckles... we do and any attempt to say other wise will be in violation of the state constitution, besides... we thought the Governor said she has nothing to hide.
3. You want me to give the target of an investigation copies of all the evidence against her.... rrrrright! No you can't have copies of our information and I've instructed everyone not to share information... so piss up a rope!
4. You want to depose my witnesses? Nah... get your client the Governor to respond to the letter we sent her to come in for a deposition first and then we can talk... and don't forget... we sent a letter but the next time it will be a subpoena... K?
XXXOOOXXX
Senator French
Here's the link:
http://media.adn.com/smedia/2008/09/01/13/van-flein-final-response.sourc...
the next president of the united States and the decision makers to pick sarah palin who's being used
*randy scheuneman...lobbyist...georgia
*charlie black....a conflict will mccain
*phil gramm....'whiners'....enron loophole...mortgage
deregulation
*rick davis....lobbyist
*woosely
Peter G @ 63:
And provides a valuable public service for us. He harvests Republican talking points for us and and presents them saving us considerable gastric distress wading through that crap. Also he is usually quite polite. I'm not sure you could correctly call him a troll. He's pretty upfront about his views. Criticizing him sharpens our perception of the mindset of the right wing.I hope he sticks around.
Gee, Peter. I'm speechless. That doesn't happen very often. I don't even know the correct def. of what a troll is, but I don't mind much being called one.
Thanks for the compliment though. I hope it doesn't hurt your blog cred here.
was Ayers convicted of anything?
how old was obama when Ayers was telling us about the weather?
speaking of grasping....NO traction. what about the other
board membes any republicans
dennis @ 74:
Again, the documents became public on August 26th. Look it up for yourself.
Lieberman didn't want to answer the question if mccain had to step down would palin be ready....let's hope nothing happens to john
This story is so much more important than the fact the Obama has no record of accomplishment other than snorting cocaine and hanging out with known terrorists. The only reason legitimate reason I've heard to vote for him is that he is black. Is that really a good enough reason?
constituent @ 78:
When it's highlighted and contrasted what Sarah Palin was doing to work her way up to her current governor's position to what Obama was doing with this terrorist on his way up through the Chicago good old boy political machine, it may not look all that positive for the man of Hope and Change.
I wouldn't be all that dismissive of it, constituent. Not if you really care as much as you pretend to here.
Chaka Nawe @ 10:
Nice analogy. The real Repub party died long ago and got replaced by a malignant mutation led by crack addled Neocon morons.
Obama Bin-Ladan @ 81:
Sorry, I thought you were referring to Bush for a moment...until I saw the word 'black' in there. But then that's what you knucklescrapers are really worked up about, isn't it?
Obama Bin-Ladan @ 81:
take it somewhere else....my guess is he has accomplished much more than you ever have
your proud of bush deficit,inflation,bailouts,war
go watch some NASCAR
From Toronto a good take on Palingate:
Palin's drive for family values hits a bump
"..Astonishingly, some people are trying to claim that Sarah Palin's nomination is another breakthrough for women. In fact, it's an insult to women. It's a triumph of marketing, not governing. The message it sends is that after all these years of so-called equality, tokenism still trumps ability and experience. If Sarah's name had been Stan, she never would have got the
nod..."
"..."I think she is the most inexperienced person on a major-party ticket in modern history," says presidential historian Matthew Dallek. That includes the hopelessly incompetent Spiro Agnew (who was governor of Maryland for two years) and the hilariously clueless Dan Quayle (who couldn't spell "potato"). Nobody knows her views on foreign policy, because she doesn't have any. Let's hope no one asks her a trick question, like how to find Ahmadinejad on a map.
Ev