Federal Investigators Probing White House

(AP)  A little-known federal investigative unit has launched a probe into allegations of illegal political activity within the executive branch of government, including a White House office led by President Bush's close adviser, Karl Rove.

The new investigation, which began several weeks ago, grew out of two other investigations still under way at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel: the firing of U.S. Attorney David Iglesias from the state of New Mexico and a presentation by Rove aide J. Scott Jennings to political appointees at the General Services Administration on how to help Republican candidates in 2008.

"We're in the preliminary stages of opening this expanded investigation," Loren Smith, a spokesman for the special counsel's office, an independent investigative and prosecutorial agency, said Tuesday. "The recent suggestion of illegal political activities across the executive branch was the basis we used to decide that it was important to look into possible violations of the Hatch Act."

The office, led by Scott J. Bloch, enforces the Hatch Act, a 70-year-old law that bars federal employees from engaging in political activities using government resources or on government time.

Whether politics played an inappropriate part in the firings of eight U.S. attorneys, including Iglesias, was at the heart of the controversy that has threatened Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' job. Whether executive branch employees violated federal laws that restrict them from using their posts for political activity also is at the center of the controversy about the January meeting at the General Services Administration or GSA.

(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

"Six participants have confirmed that, at the end of the presentation, GSA Administrator Lurita Doan asked all present to consider how they could use GSA to 'help our candidates' in 2008,"' 25 Democratic senators wrote in a letter of complaint on Monday to White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten, seen at left with Rove in a 2006 file photo.

Among questions the senators asked Bolten:

"Why did Mr. Jennings and his staff communicate the presentation materials which bear the White House seal, via a private e-mail account affiliated with the Republican National Committee?"

"Does the White House consider the preparation and delivery of such a presentation to be an appropriate use of taxpayer funds?"

The Los Angeles Times, which first reported the wider inquiry, said Doan does not recall making such comments.

The White House said it had not yet been contacted by the Office of Special Counsel on the matter.

White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said Tuesday that it was entirely appropriate for the president's staff to provide informational briefings to appointees throughout the federal government about the political landscape in which they implement the president's policies. The White House said there have been other briefings at other agencies.

[toldyouso21]

I knew 9/11 was probably a GOP attack when they claimed the passports of the terrorists were found in the rubble on day 2. Impossible. The terrorists were in the planes, the planes hit the buildings and fell first, the buildings fell on top of the plane debris...the passports should have been at the BOTTOM not on TOP unless all the passports had antigravitational devices. Also , the buildings fell exactly in their footprints--as when expertly demolitioned. Buildings do not fall that way unless meticulously planned. I have been skeptical of the Bush version from day one and it does not help that Cheney and Bush refused repeatedly to testify about 9/11 under oath.

[toldyouso21]

This just in, Monica Goodling is being offered immunity to testify. Hope they remember to have a caveat--the immunity will be revoked if she is found to have lied or hid informationduring her testimony--otherwise her loyalty to the neo-cons may mean Conyers has just given her immunity to lie and based on her behavior prior to this--Ms "supposed to be saved and a Christian" can certainly lie with the best of them.

Why is CBS so slow in getting the latest news uploaded?
Posted by toldyouso21 at 12:13 PM : Apr 25, 2007

[jn122736]

Re. Posted by macusweil at 11:08 AM : Apr 25, 2007;
---------
Republicans in general also have opposed Social Security (and later medicare) from its inception. Social security and medicare are funded by direct taxes paid by the working class for that purpose. Social security has accumulated a surplus of over $2 trillion to help cover the "baby boomer" increase in qualified beneficiaries in the near future. The fact is, Due to the huge national debt incurred in the Reagan and now Bush administrations, that entire surplus has been borrowed/stolen along with even more from government programs.

Whether planned or not the effect of the burgeoning national debt very likely will be the discontinuance of the social security program altogether, because huge personal tax increases will be required to continue funding SS (repay the $2 trillion).

Republicans know that they could never pass legislation to end social security with out the threat of massive tax increases.

Sounds like not being able to invade Iraq with out 911 doesn%u2019t it? Coincidence? Probably???

[homespunlady]

I'd like to believe this "investigation" was more than a sham but how could it NOT be as the investigators from what I've read are Bush appointees. Only REAL results will prove otherwise.
As far as prosecutions for the war profiteers wrongdoings, It's a nice thought but I believe that there was a bit of legislation passed GRANTING IMMUNITY FROM WAR CRIMES FOR BUSH & CO that was passed before the Democratic congressional changeover.
Heard an interesting comparison on CSPAN this morning and it may be right. The caller said the New Republicans (neocons) are nothing more than the OLD DIXIECRATS. He has a point; but I suspect it's the old Dixiecrats with a new malicious, lying, greedy twist.
The OLD STYLE Republicans I know are definitely against the incompetent and wasteful mismanagement of our national budget, overreaching intrusion into personal privacy and the ridiculous unchecked spending on an adventure that had no well defined purpose and No WELL DEFINED GOALS.
It used to be the Democrats that were accused of chasing Pie-in-the-sky undefined give-it-a-chance BS. Now that's all we hear from our Neocon "idealists".

[huskerarmy]

"If anything, the ole south hates what the GOP is. The truth is, the DNC has created an illusion, a lie, to promote thier own political powerhouse. DNC was the party of the ole south."
What a load of revisionist hooey! I was born in the late 40's and have, except for service and college, lived in the South my whole life. When LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act, he commented "There goes the South for two generations." The fact is, he was overly optomistic. There has been progress but, there is a great deal of pretence. It's disingenuous to pretend that the "Old South" and "New South" bare no relations. Many of them have moved their racism behind closed doors and still fly the confederate flag regardless who it offends, perhaps even because it does. There is much proress to be made. The real truth is that old Dixiecrats and GOPer segregationists united in the GOP and have voted in block ("The solid South") ever since. Without the South, the GOP couldn't have won national election to dog catcher.

[realpatriot1]

I gotta ask all you experts on the south..how far south have you been, the Hamptons? The Jersey shore?

Give a person a red and blue state map and they think they know everything.

[macusweil]

"If anything, the ole south hates what the GOP is. The truth is, the DNC has created an illusion, a lie, to promote thier own political powerhouse. DNC was the party of the ole south."

Yes that was true 150 years ago, today the party roles have gone 180 degrees.

In the current world the GOP represents big business, southern religious right wingers, neo.cons and special interest minorities like those who oppose civil rights and woman's right to choose.

The DNC today represent the US middle class, labor and ethnic minorities. Ironical the Dems have also taken over the role of fiscal conservatives. They are responsible for producing the first balanced budget under Clinton, and fighting tax cuts for the rich which shift the tax burden to the middle class. The Dems have likewise oppose the GOP's massive spending programs in recent years that have blown the US deficit to record levels.

[jn122736]

What's with all the 9/11 post's? Did something new come out of the GOP closet that was missed?
Posted by adventurepa at 11:01 AM : Apr 25, 2007
----------

Not yet.

[briannorwood]

Is it me, or does this thing smell like dead fish?

[adventurepa]

What's with all the 9/11 post's? Did something new come out of the GOP closet that was missed?