WASHINGTON, April 12, 2007
White House On E-Mails: "We Screwed Up"
Senate Judiciary Committee Seeks Missing White House E-Mails As Part Of Probe Of Prosecutor Firings
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Rage Over Deleted E-Mails
The White House says some e-mails containing key information in the U.S. Attorney firings may have been deleted - just five days before Alberto Gonzales testifies before Congress. Jim Axelrod reports.
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Sen. Patrick Leahy's committee approved new subpoenas to compel the administration to produce documents and testimony about the firings of eight federal prosecutors. (AP /APTN)
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Who's Who
Firings Firestorm
Justice Department at center of controversy over firing of eight U.S. attorneys.
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110th Congress
The balance of power shifts and new leadership takes control as the latest session convenes.
The claim that e-mails sent on a Republican Party account might have been lost was challenged Thursday by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, who quipped that even his teenage neighbor could find them.
"They say they have not been preserved. I don't believe that!" Leahy shouted from the Senate floor as the dispute over the firing of federal prosecutors continued at a high pitch. "That's like saying the dog ate my homework. It doesn't work that way."
"You can't erase e-mails, not today. They've gone through too many servers," said Leahy, D-Vt. "Those e-mails are there; they just don't want to produce them. We'll subpoena them if necessary."
Separately, Leahy's committee approved — but did not issue — new subpoenas to compel the administration to produce documents and testimony about the firings.
Another 1,000 pages of documents are about to be released by the Justice Department investigators, Axelrod reports.
White House officials insisted the administration is making a genuine effort to recover any missing e-mails that had been sent on an account sponsored by the Republican National Committee.
"I understand his point, but he's wrong," said spokeswoman Dana Perino.
But while Perino pushed back on questions about the e-mails, she also made an uncommonly candid admission.
"We're being very honest and forthcoming," she added. "I hope that he would understand the spirit in which we have come forward and tried to explain how we screwed up our policy and how we're working to fix it."
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, fighting to save his job, is to testify to Congress next Tuesday.
In the meantime, Democrats have kept up pressure on the administration with closed-door interviews of department officials and votes to authorize subpoenas for documents and aides involved in the firings.
The investigation has revealed that White House e-mails about official business — on electronic accounts intended for political matters — may be gone, in violation of a law that requires their preservation. Twenty-two White House officials, including political adviser Karl Rove, have the accounts sponsored by the Republican National Committee, administration officials say.
White House spokesman Scott Stanzel on Thursday could not rule out that some of the missing e-mails involved the attorney firings.
The president has asked the legal counsel's office to "take all reasonable steps" to see if the messages can be retrieved, reports CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer. The counsel's office has contacted forensics experts to determine if the issue can be resolved.
For the second day in a row, White House officials would not say whether the missing e-mails could be recovered.
Leahy scoffed.
"I've got a teenage kid in my neighborhood that can go get 'em for them," he told reporters.
Retorted Perino: "I don't know if Sen. Leahy is also an IT expert."
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 197 CommentsMy "fatal career mistake" when I worked at the Justice Department was resurrecting e-mails after the hard-copy file of smoking-gun documents had been purged in the case of "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh. Although the e-mails had been deleted as a matter of course (because I knew there were hard copies in the file I kept), and I had emptied my virtual trash a number of times, someone from technical support was able to help me recover the "missing" e-mails from the computer archives. So when the White House says that e-mails dealing with the U.S. Attorney massacre may have been lost, I say nothing is ever really "lost" when it comes to e-mail--a lesson for which I paid dearly, so let me share my hard-learned wisdom.
The American public certainly aren't as stupid as you wish they were.
Congress is finished with your traitorous actions.
Check-mate.
Use the Patriot Act to turn out and obtain the documents they need without a subpoena or warrant and later say that they thought the White House staff were conspiring terrorists. Under the Patriot Act, they need no proof of that allegation, just a belief. Burn Bush with his own law and see how he likes being on the wrong end of an inquiry into his personal affairs while at the same time exposing the Patriot Act for what it is----a break in the Constitution to allow Bush and his administration the opportunity to do whatever they want to do without being held accountable.
It appears the White House "Justice" Department is claiming they don't practice what they want to impose on everyone else.
Richard Nixon resigned from office after it was discovered his staff had "accidentally" erased 18 minutes of a tape recording. If he had not resigned, he would have been impeached.
When is Congress going to begin the impeachment proceedings?
You4Pres!
Posted by mountainZen at 01:32 PM : Apr 12, 2007
This is very eerily reminiscent of the "Watergate tapes." The tapes were preserved except for the most incriminating parts.
Same as the Bush administration is now claiming in regards to the "smoking emails"
(search on "watergate tapes" for details)
I referred to the erasures as the most "incriminating parts." That was a misstatement. We'll never know what was on the erased parts, they really were erased or distorted beyond all recognition.
Nixon might have been discussing a grocery list with Pat (his wife), but we'll never know.
LETS GET THIS ADMINISTRATION OUT!
Did you know that the Bush Administration has been back filling Ranger Units with Three Week trained Troops that go to a Ranger Familiarization course and then are back filled in Ranger Units to fill up the unit strength so they can deploy them! These are not Black Tab Rangers but soldiers that are Pre-Rangers just to fill a Ranger Slot and forced to go into combat without the full Black Tab Training Course! DO ANY OF YOU THINK THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO TRAIN AND COMMIT OUR TROOPS INTO BATTLE? Currently over 25 percent of Ranger companies are not filled by Fully School Trained Rangers!
If you think Americas sacrifice is worth it contact your ELECTED OFFICIAL and tell them http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
The House Speakers email address: AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
info@gop.com Here is the Republican Party email address too!
democraticparty@democrats.org Here is the Democratic Party email address also!
Bu$h and co. are making Nixon look like a boyscout.
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, connecting the dots:
The day after Carol Lam, U.S. attourney in San Diego, notified the Justice Department that her office would issue search warrants in an investigation involving Republican Rep. Jerry Lewis, (CA) a co-conspirator in the Duke Cunningham bribery scandal, Gonzales aid Kyle Sampson sent an email to the White House mentioning a "real problem" with Carol Lam and that she should be replaced sooner than later. She was soon fired.
In testimony before Congress, Samson said that "the problem" was with her lack of success on imigration cases. However, she was ranked as the third most successful prosecutor of immigration cases in the entire country. Her coviction rate on these cases was 100%. She also received a commendation from the director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency for her performance on immigration cases.
Asked if Lam was notified of "the problem" before being abruptly fired, Samson said "uh......no".
Dan Dzwilewski, FBI special agent-in-charge in San Diego, said of Lam's dismissal, "I guarantee politics was involved." Dzwilewski was subsequently oredered to stop talking to the media.
"You can't erase e-mails, not today. They've gone through too many servers," said Leahy, D-Vt. "Those e-mails are there; they just don't want to produce them. We'll subpoena them if necessary."
More lies and stonewalling by the White House?
What are they trying to hide?
Let's see,
Iraq has WMDs - False
We will not rest until we catch Osama... - False(we would rather go to Iraq)
the list goes on. When will somone call bush and his administration out on their lies?
Bush isn't too bright
Bush isn't very intelligent
Bush isn't very informed
Bush isn't competent
So what is Bush?
Bush is delusional.
Bush is deceptive.
Bush is immature.
Bush is amoral.
So if you're still one of the few left standing beside Bush you've chosen amorality, thievery, thuggery, incompetency and deception.
does anyone in government read these blogs??? AMERICANS are tired of all this krap!!! IMPEACH AND CLEAN UP NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It should be obvious from these postings that no one is fooled by the White House's claims that the emails have been lost, and may be impossible to recover.
We all know that that could only be the case as a result of a deliberate, and incredibly thorough scrubbing operation. Such an operation would have to include the hard drives of everyone in and out of the White House who was copied on the messages, and every ISP server on which backup copies are stored.
Anyone who thinks that could happen by accident needs to read "Email for ABSOLUTE Dummies".
I AM A VET AND WISH I WAS IN THEY WONT LET ME COME BACK BECAUSE I WOULD PUT A STOP TO ANY SOILDGER GOING OVER TO IRAQ. THIS WAR WAS MADE UP ON LIES THAT THIS PRESIDENT AND CHENEY AND RUMSFELD MADE UP IN THERE HEAD SO ALL THERE PEOPLE COULD MAKE BILLIONS ON AND SHARE IT WITH THEM.. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SAFTY OF THIS COUNTRY. YOU KNOW THAT AND STILL YOU AND YOUR CONGRESS IS STILL LETTING THIS MAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER..PLAIN AND SIMPLE THATS WHAT IT IS..
TO SPIT ON THE CONSTITUION AND BILL OF RIGHTS THAT OUR FORFATHERS PUT IN PLACE FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMEICANS.
I JUST WANTED YOU ALL SEE THAT ALL AMERICA IS READY TO HAVE ANOTHER REVOLUTION TO CHANGE THIS.
THIS IS NOT A JOKE... YOU ALL BETTER STAND UP TO THE PRESIDENT.AND YOU ALL BETTER NOT CHANGE YOUR BILL. I WOULD OF TOLD THE PRESIDENT TO HIS FACE THAT AMERICA AND AMERICANS HAS HAD ANOUGH OF THE LIES AND WE ARE DOING OUR JOBS AND OUR OATHS TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY AND TOLD HIM YOU GET NO MORE MONEY PERIOD..THE WAR STOPS HERE..
TO GET BACK THIS IS TRUE AND AFTER YOU READ WHAT AMERICA IS REALY SAYING AMERICA IS GOING TO START A COUP ON WASHINGTON SOON..IT IS OUR RIGHT TO DO THAT..ITS IN THE CONSTITUION THAT WE THE PEOPLE CAN CHANGE OUR GOVERNMENT IF IT NOT DOING WHAT THE WILL OF AMERICA IS SAYING...
Put a little contest on the internet, you'll have those e-mails in no time.
Oh wait, someone's breaking down my front door...
What is impossible to believe is that those email accounts were not backed up. All networks are backed up on an instance fail-over redundant system or on tape. So do not beleive for one minute those accounts are totally deleted.
This corrupt administration is standing in direct violation of an investigation and is committing obstruction of justice. Here is the smoking gun for impeachment....use it congress...THE PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING IT.
3 years ago from reich wing pervert Foley to congressional pages, I think these more recent crimes also can be un-covered.
Keep digging guys. Your digging will help bring us out of the dilemma we are in. Quick, somebody thing of a nut job that's not a hypocritical criminal lier. Ha, I knew you couldn't it was a trick question.
They lied about being warned about 9/11,
they lied about WMD'
they lied about Saddam's connection to terrorists,
they lied about the cost of the war, etc., etc.
At this point only reality challenged and willfully ignorant people still listen to this Bush and his gang. Part of the reason is due to a lack of journalists and the media confronting and exposing this. Why is the corporate media still giving him the front page and not confronting the obvious lies?
We, as a people of a supportive free democracy, really need to find alternative sources of news so we can be better informed.
It took you scumbags 25 years to get back on top after that little debacle. Hopefully after this one we can finally kiss your kind goodbye forever.
Article 2: Abuse of Power.
Using the powers of the office of President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in disregard of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has repeatedly engaged in conduct violating the constitutional rights of citizens, imparting the due and proper administration of justice and the conduct of lawful inquiries, or contravening the laws governing agencies of the executive branch and the purposes of these agencies.
"You can't erase e-mails, not today. They've gone through too many servers," said Leahy, D-Vt.
I'm not sure that's true, Senator.
And they can be tampered with, altered, before you ever see them.
You better call in some experts.
Paging Kim Komando... Paging Kim Komando...
Posted by me4prezz at 12:53 PM : Apr 12, 2007
No thanks. Not before dinner.
START IMPEACHMENT SAVE AMERICA!
LETS GET THIS ADMINISTRATION OUT!
Did you know that the Bush Administration has been back filling Ranger Units with Three Week trained Troops that go to a Ranger Familiarization course and then are back filled in Ranger Units to fill up the unit strength so they can deploy them! These are not Black Tab Rangers but soldiers that are Pre-Rangers just to fill a Ranger Slot and forced to go into combat without the full Black Tab Training Course! DO ANY OF YOU THINK THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO TRAIN AND COMMIT OUR TROOPS INTO BATTLE? Currently over 25 percent of Ranger companies are not filled by Fully School Trained Rangers!
If you think Americas sacrifice is worth it contact your ELECTED OFFICIAL and tell them http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
The House Speakers email address: AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
info@gop.com Here is the Republican Party email address too!
democraticparty@democrats.org Here is the Democratic Party email address also!
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, connecting the dots:
The day after Carol Lam, U.S. attourney in San Diego, notified the Justice Department that her office would issue search warrants in an investigation involving Republican Rep. Jerry Lewis, (CA) a co-conspirator in the Duke Cunningham bribery scandal, Gonzales aid Kyle Sampson sent an email to the White House mentioning a "real problem" with Carol Lam and that she should be replaced sooner than later. She was soon fired.
In testimony before Congress, Samson said that "the problem" was with her lack of success on imigration cases. However, she was ranked as the third most successful prosecutor of immigration cases in the entire country. Her coviction rate on these cases was 100%. She also received a commendation from the director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency for her performance on immigration cases.
Asked if Lam was notified of "the problem" before being abruptly fired, Samson said "uh......no".
Dan Dzwilewski, FBI special agent-in-charge in San Diego, said of Lam's dismissal, "I guarantee politics was involved." Dzwilewski was subsequently oredered to stop talking to the media.
longfella
Lindh was a fundamentalist idiot who decided to fight against his country of birth on the side of a bunch of other fundamentalist idiots.
The majority of the American people are standing shoulder to shoulder with you against these lying crooks.
Stand firm Dems ! Go get 'em !!!
David Iglesias of New Mexico, testified that he felt "leaned on" by Sen. Pete Domenici over a case he was pursuing. Iglesias said the New Mexico Republican and former mentor hung up on him after learning Iglesias would not seek indictments in a criminal investigation of Democrats before the 2006 election. "He said, 'Are these going to be filed before November?'" Iglesias recalled. "I said I didn't think so... to which he replied, 'I'm very sorry to hear that.' And then the line went dead. "I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach," Iglesias testified. "Six weeks later I got the call that I had to move on." The ousted prosecutor also said that Heather Wilson, a Republican House member from New Mexico, had called him about the same issue.
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE:
Another fired U.S. attorney, H. E. "Bud" Cummins of Arkansas, testified that he had e-mailed fellow ousted prosecutors last month, warning them of a threatening message conveyed by a senior Justice Department official. Cummins' e-mail, which was released publicly, quoted the Justice official as warning that if fired U.S. attorneys continued to talk to the media or volunteered to testify before Congress, the department "would feel forced to somehow pull their gloves off" and fight back. The DOJ denied the allegation.
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