WH Furious That DOJ Officials Disclosed Rove's Connection To DOJ Firings

[kpete]

Officials rebuked for disclosing Rove's connection to firing of U.S. attorney

U.S. ATTORNEYS
Officials rebuked for disclosing Rove's connection to firing of U.S. attorney
By Margaret Talev and Marisa Taylor
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - The White House's former political director was furious at Justice Department officials for disclosing to Congress that the administration had forced out the U.S. attorney in Little Rock, Ark., to make way for a protege of Karl Rove, President Bush's political adviser, according to documents released late Tuesday.


Then-White House political affairs director Sara Taylor spelled out her frustrations in a Feb. 16 e-mail to Kyle Sampson, then the chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.


She sent the message after Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty told the Senate that unlike other federal prosecutors, U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins wasn't fired for performance reasons, but to make way for former Republican political operative Tim Griffin. Griffin, serving as the interim U.S. attorney, then announced that he wouldn't seek confirmation to the Arkansas post, but would remain until the Senate confirmed someone else. Griffin has since resigned.

..........

The newly released e-mails also showed that:


-The White House counsel's office thought in January that the ousted prosecutors had "disloyally stirred up the senators" but argued against criticizing them publicly because they hadn't "fired any shots" at the administration.


http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/17360352.htm?source=rss&channel=krwashington_nation

[blogslut]

1. bummer

Karl doesn't like bright light, you know. The sunlight makes it more difficult to catch insects for dinner.

[bluerum]

2. Damn the truth. eom

[Buzz Clik]

3. I'm surprised to hear about the anger. I was under the impression that they were beyond caring.

[BridgeTheGap]

9. The scooter libby prison thing

might have them a bit nervous!

[NewJeffCT]

4. What was that Bush campaign pledge in 2000?

to follow not just the letter of the law, but the spirit of it?

Isn't telling the truth part of that pledge?

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. Isn't amazing how easily they fall into this double personality?

They know just what to say to the public, and then break all kinds of laws behind doors to show their loyalty to their inner circle.

It's like a multiple personality issue.

[DS1]

5. Cheney = Abandoned Amusement Park Caretake from Scooby Doo

arrrrggh!!

and we would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddlin kids!

[DRoseDARs]

6. Poor babies. Someone get them some bonbons... n/t

[Eurobabe]

7. dat kkkarl, he did a vewy baaaaaaaaaad ting

[annabanana]

8. McClatchy people are doing some bangup work!

(The only living news in America)

They have links to the originals there too.
(hot stuff)

[Peace Patriot]

17. Yes, they are! I've noticed it, too! I think McClatchey is giving AP (that unreliable

source) a run for its money.

[liberal N proud]

10. How dare the Dept of in-Justice do the Just thing in George Bu$h's Government

:sarcasm:

[Botany]

11. And what will happen because this "truth" has seen the light of day?

Fucking Alberto G. lied under oath and he is still
the Attorney General.

[L. Coyote]

14. Should be very interesting to see? CAUTION: Exciting politics ahead. Maybe Jail time too!

Patience is more difficult in politics than most endeavors. We see the facts, but there is always the two sides problem. In the flood of current corruption, the Justice department has lost its foundation and floated off onto a political shore. Recovery will take even longer than Watergate, and that timeline was painfully slow too, with a President illegally invading soverign nations, etc.

We did it before, we'll do it again. And, sadly, it won't happen overnight.

[Canuckistanian]

12. There's that word again - "disloyal"

If there's one thing that's absolutely criminal to them, it's disloyalty.

Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING else doesn't matter.

[Supersedeas]

15. disloyalty, but without firing any shots (Okay, thank you)

[blueworld]

16. Imagine everyone in the WH being trotted off to the Big House! n/t

[Spazito]

18. In one of the e-mails from Sara Taylor to Kyle Simpson, she

refers to the fired US Attorneys as "our friends" which is fascinating in itself as it connotes, to me, the overarching political agenda in the firings and "interim appointments". Here is the e-mail:

From: Sara Taylor
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 10:09 AM
To: Sampson, Kyle
Subject: FW:USAT - Prosecutor fired so ex-Rove aide could get his job

I normally don't like attacking our friends, but since Bud Cummings is talking to everyone - why don't we tell the deal on him?


Here is Kyle Simpson's response which is equally enlightening, imo:

From: Kyle Simpson
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 10:26 AM
To: 'Sara Taylor'
Subject: FW:USAT - Prosecutor fired so ex-Rove aide could get his job
Attachments: Cummins letter re Griffin.pdf


I was thinking of a different approach, to wit: we are working to get Cummins to submit a letter (or op-ed) that
says (1) everyone knew that I'd been looking since 2004 to leave the office for the private sector, (2) when I was
contacted about moving on I agreed that it made sense, and (3) Tim Griffin is an outstanding U.S. Attorney who -
did tremendous work in the office as an AUSA (see the Cummins letter to Griffin dated August 13,2002, see
attached), who has more prosecution experience that I have now, and who should be supported for confirmation
by Sen. Pryor and Sen. Lincoln.


NOTE the 'Sara Taylor' aspect as opposed to the other e-mails which do NOT have the ' ' punctuation marks. I have had to don my tinfoil hat, one that does not often fit, and wonder if the use of these are an indication the e-mail is actually for Ms. Taylor's boss?? It certainly would be interesting to see how many of Mr. Sampson's e-mails to Sara Taylor have this little indicator versus those that do not, imo.

Edited to add pdf page wrt to above e-mails: pdf page 40