Via Reuters: Leak grand jury may hear charges today
I hope something happens one way or another soon, as I would like to have some actual information to deal with, rather than endless speculation and leaks of partial information.
Sphere: Related ContentFiled under: Criminal Justice, US Politics | |
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October 26th, 2005 at 9:04 am
Luntz and Melhman have circulated an email telling us what to do: as soon as the indictments come out, we need to immediately start discrediting Patrick Fitzgerald as a party hack.
Here are some underreported aspects of his background:
He was once a staff lawyer for the Democratic Party of Arkansas right out of law school where he worked side-by-side with Hillary Clinton. She called him in a speech to donors, “my dear friend Pat.”
He also was the personal lawyer for disgraced Whitewater figure Susan McDougal for a time. Sources in Arkansas indicate that he was part of some land deals used to defraud savings and loans.
As US Attorney, he has shown too much sympathy for individuals suspected of terrorist actions. He has personally voided important aspects of the Patriot Act because of his sympathy for terrorists. Abdul la Muhhamad–a Sudanese national–was picked up in Chicago for being part of al-Quaeda and Fitzgerald resisted attempts to transfer him to Guantanamo to make it easier to torture him. He also let Muhhamad have access to his lawyer and other dangerous things to help his defense.
There are also questions about Fitzgerald’s personal choices–he was spotted at Chicago’s Gay Pride parade on a big float with signs that said “Hey, Hey, Hey, we are gay, stay outta our way.” He is also known to frequent certain “massage parlors” in untoward parts of the city. To say that he has been “embraced” by Chicago’s rainbow community would be an understatement.
Finally, he has also performed pro bono law work for Planned Parenthood, defending abortion doctors and trying to get protestors–who are simply exerting their first amendment rights–to be thrown in jail.
Given all of these facts, it is clear that Ftzgerald is nothing more than a political hack and opportunist who is looking to create a record for an eventual senate run in ultra-liberal Illinois. It is shameful that he would try and destroy the credibility of the White House to do so. Please spread these facts near and far! Fitzgerald is a partisian hack.
October 26th, 2005 at 9:58 am
Well, I don’t consider myself part of any “we” who has to do anything.
Further, I see no reason for the immediate reaction to be smearing Fitzegerald.
October 26th, 2005 at 10:20 am
Maureen Dowd column today is exceptionally good here is an excerpt:
The Bush hawks presented themselves as protectors and exporters of American values. But they were so feverish about projecting the alternate reality they had constructed to link Saddam and Al Qaeda - and fulfilling their idée fixe about invading Iraq - they perverted American values.
Whether or not it turns out to be illegal, outing a C.I.A. agent - undercover or not - simply to undermine her husband’s story is Rove-ishly sleazy. This no-leak administration was perfectly willing to leak to hurt anyone who got in its way.