Prosecutor: No retaliation from Rove

[DoYouEverWonder]

September 12, 2006

A federal prosecutor said yesterday it was "absurd" to say the government charged a Florida man with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in retaliation for a flood of spam e-mails to President George W. Bush's Web site.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Siegal told U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain she should reject arguments that Bush's chief of staff, Karl Rove, caused the criminal investigation that led to charges against Robert McAllister.

Siegal said lawyers for McAllister, of Jupiter, Fla., made the "patently absurd argument that the U.S. attorney's office in the Southern District is a shield for Karl Rove and has arrested and indicted their client in some sort of vindictive retaliation."

The prosecutor told the judge the government will submit written arguments explaining why she should not stage a hearing to determine whether the government had proper motives to obtain a search warrant.

McAllister's lawyer, Gerald L. Shargel, said yesterday he plans to try to call Rove as a witness in the case.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyspam124888322sep12,0,3227495.story?coll=ny-nynews-print


Of course it's 'absurd', Karl would never retaliate against anybody. :sarcasm:

[acmejack]

1. KKKarl Vindictive & Petty?

Why that would be like W attempting to politicize 9/11...

[Lerkfish]

2. yes, it is "absurd" but that is not a denial.

its absurd but likely true.

republicans have become the masters at the nondenial denial.

[displacedtexan]

3. It's a non-denial denial.

Typical.

[Hissyspit]

4. AP: Lawyer Says Rove Targeted Client

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PRESIDENTIAL_SPAM?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Lawyer Says Rove Targeted Client

By LARRY NEUMEISTER
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Attorneys for a man accused of fraud say he was charged at the behest of presidential adviser Karl Rove in retaliation for a flood of spam e-mails sent to a campaign Web site. A federal prosecutor says the claim is "absurd."

- snip -

McAllister's lawyer Gerald L. Shargel said Monday he plans to try to call Rove as a witness, if the court allows it.

- snip -

The government says McAllister and Millennium tried to inflate the price of the company's stock by "spreading false and misleading information" about the company via unsolicited e-mails, or spam, to potential investors. McAllister could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

- snip -

"Mr. Rove used his power and influence at the White House to seek quick punishment of Millennium, and therefore also Robert McAllister, for daring to spam the president's personal Web site," Shargel said.

The Daily News reported Sunday that e-mails, phone records and transcripts of phone conversations indicate Rove contacted McAllister and at least three stock promoters. The newspaper reported that White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Rove "vaguely remembered" the e-mail onslaught but could not recall whether he or any other White House worker contacted the Department of Justice.

[tanyev]

5. Just because it's absurd doesn't mean it's not true....

[acmavm]

6. Go for it. Blame Rove for everything that happens from now

until Doomsday.

Some of it will stick. People are just that way. (That's Rove's secret weapon, folks.)