David Shuster: The RNC's opposition research: 1,200 pages=Clinton, 1,000 pages=Obama

[babylonsister]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/08/998470.aspx

The RNC's 1,200 pages of Clinton oppo
Posted: Thursday, May 08, 2008 6:13 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Republicans, 2008, Clinton


From MSNBC's David Shuster
Two Republican officials at the Republican National Committee who are involved in "opposition research efforts" in preparation for the general election say the RNC's oppo research dossier on Sen. Clinton runs more than 1,200 pages in length.

According to these officials, the book includes "previously undisclosed information about Hillary Clinton's connections to the Whitewater scandal, travel office firings, and Democratic fundraising efforts." Given that the book has not been shared with us, we've been unable to confirm this assertion. Furthermore, the Republican officials would not describe the nature of the "new information."

However, I was not directed away from a front-page story in today's Washington Times about memos/documents from the estate of Sam Dash, Ken Starr's ethics adviser during the early stages of the Whitewater investigation. The Dash Whitewater memos and documents have been turned over to the Library of Congress (where they were presumably available to the Washington Times reporter/researcher). The documents reportedly show that prosecutors concluded that Hillary Clinton concealed information and misled a federal grand jury about her work for the Savings and Loan at the heart of the Whitewater investigation. The allegation that she concealed and misled is not new, and was sourced by reporters who covered the investigation in the 1990s (including me) to "attorneys close to Starr" or "sources in the office of the independent counsel."

The documents from Dash's estate, however, mark the first available "documentary evidence" that Ken Starr's office drafted a criminal indictment of Senator Clinton, also known as a "pros memo" and debated verbally and through written memos whether Clinton should actually face charges. The documents indicate, according to the Washington Times, that prosecutors in the end decided not to charge Sen. Clinton because of their concern about the strengths of their evidence and the likelihood of obtaining a conviction of a sitting first lady. But such memos, documents, and etc. about the internal debate in the office of the independent counsel could be a gold mine for negative ads, etc.

By the way, to put the RNC's opposition research effort into context, I'm told the dossier on Senator Obama is 1,000 pages in length and that Republican researchers spent a few weeks in Chicago recently collecting information on Obama's ties to the Weather Underground" and separately to Tony Rezko (who is currently on trial for federal corruption charges).

[stray cat]

1. Once again the democrats will pull defeat from victory and defeat each other!

[rurallib]

2. Ken Starr had an 'ethics advisor'? Wow - could never have guessed that

Seriously - Hannity and his little band of cockroaches have tried to gin up big traction on Wright, Rezko and Ayers and so far only a little Wright has stuck. Hopefully our side has tons of stuff on the walking bag of sleaze called McCain. And hopefully the M$M will play a little of it.
Let me add that for the most part the RW echo chamber lives on lies and twisted stories. We should be able to call them out on it.

[babylonsister]

4. Agreed. Rezko's trial is over IIRC, and Ayres? Obama was 8, for crying

out loud. The Keating Five might be worth dredging up if they want to wrastle around in the mud:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_Five

[shaniqua6392]

3. They could not make anything stick to Senator Clinton after years of trying.

I hope Obama does not have too many skeletons in his closet though. It comes as no surprise that the GOP is already getting the ammunition to smear him. This is going to get ugly.

[stray cat]

5. They even made lies stick to Kerry - so I think it will get ugly

the got Bill impeached at least in the house and used him to win back the house and senate.

[shaniqua6392]

6. We will have to be very tough and strong in the fall.

Just make sure Obama does not go wind surfing or anything! LOL! They will stop at nothing.