Rove Lawyer: E-Mail Deletion Unintentional
Democrats Seek Missing E-Mails While Probing Firings Of Federal Prosecutors
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Play CBS Video Video 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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White House political adviser Karl Rove using his wireless e-mail device while accompanying President Bush in Long Beach, Miss., March 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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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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Interactive 110th Congress The balance of power shifts and new leadership takes control as the latest session convenes.
The attorney said Rove believed the communications were being preserved in accordance with the law.
"His understanding starting very, very early in the administration was that those e-mails were being archived," Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, said.
The issue arose because the White House and Republican National Committee have said they may have lost e-mails from Rove and other administration officials. Democrat-chaired congressional committees want those e-mails for their probe of the firings of eight federal prosecutors.
CBS News White House Correspondent Peter Maer says that Democrats are hinting at Watergate-like coverups, comparing the missing e-mails to the famous 18-minute gap in a Nixon White House tape.
Aides to President Bush improperly used Republican Party-sponsored e-mail accounts for official business, the administration acknowledges, and lost an undetermined number of e-mails in the process.
The "mistake," as the White House is calling it, was discovered inadvertently through Congress' ongoing probe of the administration's dismissal of the U.S. attorneys.
In the thousands of pages of documents the Justice Department has given to congressional investigators were e-mails disclosing that at least one White House official used his party-supplied, non-governmental e-mail account to help plan the firings.
New documents released Friday by the Justice Department may shed additional light, but their release prompted Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' one-time chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, to postpone a closed-door interview with congressional investigators.
One Justice Department spreadsheet on the qualifications of the sitting federal prosecutors shows that along with prosecution experience, political experience and judicial experience, the U.S. attorneys were judged on whether they were members of the conservative Federalist Society.
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, founded by conservative law students, now claims 35,000 members, including prominent members of the Bush administration, the federal judiciary and Congress.
Among those prosecutors noted for being members: Rachel Paulose, the U.S. attorney in Minnesota whose office suffered a revolt this month when three lawyers resigned their management posts. Paulose earlier had served as a top Justice Department counsel and special assistant to Gonzales.
One of the eight prosecutors who were fired, Kevin Ryan of San Francisco, also was a member of the conservative group, according to the document.
The missing e-mails posed some of the weightiest questions of a sprawling political and legal conflict between the Bush administration and Democrats in Congress.
Democrats are questioning whether any White House officials purposely sent e-mails about official business on the RNC server — then deleted them, in violation of the law — to avoid scrutiny.
White House officials said the administration is making an aggressive effort to recover anything that was lost. "We have no indications that there was improper intent when using these RNC e-mails," spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
Luskin said Rove didn't know that deleting e-mails from his RNC in-box also deleted them from the RNC's server. That system was changed in 2005.
Such a configuration is uncommon and makes recovering e-mails "immeasurably harder," said retired FBI computer crimes specialist Joseph Dooley.
"It happens on occasion but usually you're not deleting things off the server," Dooley said. "That's highly unusual."
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
- why would any american in this country follow any laws of this country??"
Posted by forthepeopl1 at 11:34 AM : Apr 15, 2007
When George Bush announced the "Bush doctrine," and then began arguing he was not restricted by any known laws, which congress seemed to support, the US entered into anarchy.
Legally, no one is obligated to comply with any laws upon implementation of the "Bush doctrine" (the invasion of Iraq).
But, as a practical matter, police and courts still enforce laws even though they have no legal authority, under the "Bush doctrine," to do so.
In other words, don't expect the police to ignore you while you rob a local bank. George Bush and cronies are allowed to rob the US Treasury because the GOP refuses to uphold the law (US Constitution).
But you can bet they'll enforce it on people who are not part of the Bush Mafia.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:45 AM : Apr 15, 2007
NOW EVERYONE LETS HAVE SOME FUN.. I AM GOING TO TAKE OUT AND PAY FOR IT MY SELF A FULL PAGE FRONT PAGE IN ALL NEWS PAPERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN YEE HAA.
they want to see a civilwar. they will have one soon , very soon. and we americans are going to take out them all..and put in place a government for the people by the people.. come on america wake up before its to late, no one in the media is telling the truth,wake up..i am a vet and know what the truth is.please everyone listen to me this government is being run for profit only...not for america.. - Reply to this comment
- why would any american in this country follow any laws of this country??"
Posted by forthepeopl1 at 11:34 AM : Apr 15, 2007
When George Bush announced the "Bush doctrine," and then began arguing he was not restricted by any known laws, which congress seemed to support, the US entered into anarchy.
Legally, no one is obligated to comply with any laws upon implementation of the "Bush doctrine" (the invasion of Iraq).
But, as a practical matter, police and courts still enforce laws even though they have no legal authority, under the "Bush doctrine," to do so.
In other words, don't expect the police to ignore you while you rob a local bank. George Bush and cronies are allowed to rob the US Treasury because the GOP refuses to uphold the law (US Constitution).
But you can bet they'll enforce it on people who are not part of the Bush Mafia.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:45 AM : Apr 15, 2007
NOW EVERYONE LETS HAVE SOME FUN.. I AM GOING TO TAKE OUT AND PAY FOR IT MY SELF A FULL PAGE FRONT PAGE IN ALL NEWS PAPERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN YEE HAA.
they want to see a civilwar. they will have one soon , very soon. and we americans are going to take out them all..and put in place a government for the people by the people.. come on america wake up before its to late, no one in the media is telling the truth,wake up..i am a vet and know what the truth is.please everyone listen to me this government is being run for profit only...not for america.. - Reply to this comment
- why would any american in this country follow any laws of this country??"
Posted by forthepeopl1 at 11:34 AM : Apr 15, 2007
When George Bush announced the "Bush doctrine," and then began arguing he was not restricted by any known laws, which congress seemed to support, the US entered into anarchy.
Legally, no one is obligated to comply with any laws upon implementation of the "Bush doctrine" (the invasion of Iraq).
But, as a practical matter, police and courts still enforce laws even though they have no legal authority, under the "Bush doctrine," to do so.
In other words, don't expect the police to ignore you while you rob a local bank. George Bush and cronies are allowed to rob the US Treasury because the GOP refuses to uphold the law (US Constitution).
But you can bet they'll enforce it on people who are not part of the Bush Mafia.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:45 AM : Apr 15, 2007
NOW EVERYONE LETS HAVE SOME FUN.. I AM GOING TO TAKE OUT AND PAY FOR IT MY SELF A FULL PAGE FRONT PAGE IN ALL NEWS PAPERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN YEE HAA.
they want to see a civilwar. they will have one soon , very soon. and we americans are going to take out them all..and put in place a government for the people by the people.. come on america wake up before its to late, no one in the media is telling the truth,wake up..i am a vet and know what the truth is.please everyone listen to me this government is being run for profit only...not for america.. - Reply to this comment
- why would any american in this country follow any laws of this country??"
Posted by forthepeopl1 at 11:34 AM : Apr 15, 2007
When George Bush announced the "Bush doctrine," and then began arguing he was not restricted by any known laws, which congress seemed to support, the US entered into anarchy.
Legally, no one is obligated to comply with any laws upon implementation of the "Bush doctrine" (the invasion of Iraq).
But, as a practical matter, police and courts still enforce laws even though they have no legal authority, under the "Bush doctrine," to do so.
In other words, don't expect the police to ignore you while you rob a local bank. George Bush and cronies are allowed to rob the US Treasury because the GOP refuses to uphold the law (US Constitution).
But you can bet they'll enforce it on people who are not part of the Bush Mafia.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:45 AM : Apr 15, 2007
NOW EVERYONE LETS HAVE SOME FUN.. I AM GOING TO TAKE OUT AND PAY FOR IT MY SELF A FULL PAGE FRONT PAGE IN ALL NEWS PAPERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN YEE HAA.
they want to see a civilwar. they will have one soon , very soon. and we americans are going to take out them all..and put in place a government for the people by the people.. come on america wake up before its to late, no one in the media is telling the truth,wake up..i am a vet and know what the truth is.please everyone listen to me this government is being run for profit only...not for america.. - Reply to this comment
- why would any american in this country follow any laws of this country??"
Posted by forthepeopl1 at 11:34 AM : Apr 15, 2007
When George Bush announced the "Bush doctrine," and then began arguing he was not restricted by any known laws, which congress seemed to support, the US entered into anarchy.
Legally, no one is obligated to comply with any laws upon implementation of the "Bush doctrine" (the invasion of Iraq).
But, as a practical matter, police and courts still enforce laws even though they have no legal authority, under the "Bush doctrine," to do so.
In other words, don't expect the police to ignore you while you rob a local bank. George Bush and cronies are allowed to rob the US Treasury because the GOP refuses to uphold the law (US Constitution).
But you can bet they'll enforce it on people who are not part of the Bush Mafia.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:45 AM : Apr 15, 2007
NOW EVERYONE LETS HAVE SOME FUN.. I AM GOING TO TAKE OUT AND PAY FOR IT MY SELF A FULL PAGE FRONT PAGE IN ALL NEWS PAPERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN YEE HAA.
they want to see a civilwar. they will have one soon , very soon. and we americans are going to take out them all..and put in place a government for the people by the people.. come on america wake up before its to late, no one in the media is telling the truth,wake up..i am a vet and know what the truth is.please everyone listen to me this government is being run for profit only...not for america.. - Reply to this comment
- why would any american in this country follow any laws of this country??"
Posted by forthepeopl1 at 11:34 AM : Apr 15, 2007
When George Bush announced the "Bush doctrine," and then began arguing he was not restricted by any known laws, which congress seemed to support, the US entered into anarchy.
Legally, no one is obligated to comply with any laws upon implementation of the "Bush doctrine" (the invasion of Iraq).
But, as a practical matter, police and courts still enforce laws even though they have no legal authority, under the "Bush doctrine," to do so.
In other words, don't expect the police to ignore you while you rob a local bank. George Bush and cronies are allowed to rob the US Treasury because the GOP refuses to uphold the law (US Constitution).
But you can bet they'll enforce it on people who are not part of the Bush Mafia.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:45 AM : Apr 15, 2007
NOW EVERYONE LETS HAVE SOME FUN.. I AM GOING TO TAKE OUT AND PAY FOR IT MY SELF A FULL PAGE FRONT PAGE IN ALL NEWS PAPERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN YEE HAA.
they want to see a civilwar. they will have one soon , very soon. and we americans are going to take out them all..and put in place a government for the people by the people.. come on america wake up before its to late, no one in the media is telling the truth,wake up..i am a vet and know what the truth is.please everyone listen to me this government is being run for profit only...not for america.. - Reply to this comment
- didntinhale is telling the truth he doesn't inhale
BUT he does swallow. - Reply to this comment
- Karl Rove is just doing what he thinks is best for America as he wishes it to be. Other names for his unitary executive are king and emperor. Iraq was probably intended to be the first in a string of conquests for the perverts new American century and their new empire.
Does anyone actually believe that the RNC doesn't back up and archive data? Don't they keep every bit of information they have about everyone they deal with in order to be able to use that information in future campaigns? If the emails in question were good for the administration, I'd be willing to bet the farm that they wouldn't have been quite as thoroughly deleted as they now claim they were.
The three biggest lies in the world:
anything Bush says
anything Cheney says
anything rove says either of the other two meant. - Reply to this comment
AS SOMEONE SAID IN AN EARLIER POST AT THIS SITE, NOTHING KARL ROVE DOES IS UNINTENTIONAL.- Reply to this comment
- The powerful like Rove should bear the burden of proof for their innocence. These thugs should not remain in power because we lack the evidence to convict them. Criminal or incompetent, what difference does it makes?
- Reply to this comment
- We fools believed them - allowed this to happen. There will be revenge for all this - you can count on it.
Posted by neoconRcrazy at 09:20 AM : Apr 15, 2007
Speak for YOURSELF, there, neoconRcrazy person... A WHOOOOLLLE LOT of US NEVER VOTED for this bunch of LYING THEIVES! - Reply to this comment
- Luskin said Rove didn't know that deleting e-mails from his RNC in-box also deleted them from the RNC's server. That system was changed in 2005.
Such a configuration is uncommon and makes recovering e-mails "immeasurably harder," said retired FBI computer crimes specialist Joseph Dooley.
"It happens on occasion but usually you're not deleting things off the server," Dooley said. "That's highly unusual."
EVERYTHING this administration does is "highly unusual", also HIGHLY ILLEGAL! HANG THE BAS*TARDS!EVERY ONE OF THEM. - Reply to this comment
- "Accidentally" falling into a giant sausage maker meat grinder comes to mind. Or maybe "accidentally" being slow cooked in a giant pottery kiln. Some fun in a modern day Colosseum complete with hungry lions would be fun too. Of course if he were to eat some Chinese wheat gluten by mistake that wouldn't break my heart either.
- Reply to this comment
- Karl Rove is just doing what he thinks is best for our country, and I wish him no ill.
Of course, I would enjoy watching him have a massive stroke and choke to death on his own vomit while he cries out Momma, Momma, Momma!!
Other than that, I wish him the best.
Posted by dallison7 at 12:56 PM : Apr 15, 2007
Oh I don't know man. I can think of much better ways for him to go. No offense but your way is a bit to gentle for all of the things this steaming pile of sh*it has done to America. - Reply to this comment
- why would any american in this country follow any laws of this country??"
Posted by forthepeopl1 at 11:34 AM : Apr 15, 2007
When George Bush announced the "Bush doctrine," and then began arguing he was not restricted by any known laws, which congress seemed to support, the US entered into anarchy.
Legally, no one is obligated to comply with any laws upon implementation of the "Bush doctrine" (the invasion of Iraq).
But, as a practical matter, police and courts still enforce laws even though they have no legal authority, under the "Bush doctrine," to do so.
In other words, don't expect the police to ignore you while you rob a local bank. George Bush and cronies are allowed to rob the US Treasury because the GOP refuses to uphold the law (US Constitution).
But you can bet they'll enforce it on people who are not part of the Bush Mafia.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:45 AM : Apr 15, 2007
NOW EVERYONE LETS HAVE SOME FUN.. I AM GOING TO TAKE OUT AND PAY FOR IT MY SELF A FULL PAGE FRONT PAGE IN ALL NEWS PAPERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN YEE HAA - Reply to this comment
- Karl Rove is just doing what he thinks is best for our country, and I wish him no ill.
Of course, I would enjoy watching him have a massive stroke and choke to death on his own vomit while he cries out Momma, Momma, Momma!!
Other than that, I wish him the best. - Reply to this comment
- Rove - spinless wimp neocon liar - like all the rest of them. There is blood on the hands of every Bush neocon. American blood. Iraqi blood. We fools believed them - allowed this to happen. There will be revenge for all this - you can count on it.
- Reply to this comment
- COVER UP YOU BET. Karl Rove has been represented as the brains behind the White House you cannot tell me he doesn't know how to use a Blackberry. In my opinion he not only deleted the memos, but ordered others to do likewise. He never believed that he would every be questioned, because he didn't expect the Congress to change and no one in the Congress would ask for them and when Bush left the White House there would be not record of this area for anyone to look at and most likely look at prosecution. Guess what Karl, you were wrong and they are going to look for and find enough of these memo to hang all of you.
- Reply to this comment
- [It's really all been a lesson on mass cult recruiting via listening to the drug induced rants of Rush Limbaugh ... Like they were listening to long term subliminal messages, the right wing flock perverted itself.]
it's exactly like that ... it's very sophisticated ... and it's not subliminal (google 'dont think of an elephant' and 'nlp').
they say they don't use polls ... but what they do ... and do very well ... is 'engineer' their messages to have effects on people that some would never believe possible.
careful use of language, phrasing and intonation to convey 'ideas' ... not just a singular policy position.
you've heard them all before ... war on terror ... no child left behind ... family values ... cut and run ... shock & awe ... - Reply to this comment
- That dog won't hunt. Our IT guys could retrieve anything that us technologically handicapped folks screwed up. I had a report that I accidentally deleted. The IT guys got it back. So, Carl you're going to have to come up with a better story. How about my dog ate the emails on the way to the White House.
- Reply to this comment
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