WASHINGTON, May 6, 2008
Special Counsel's Office Raided By FBI
Feds Investigate Whether Nation's Top Protector Of Whistle-Blowers Destroyed Evidence
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Jim Mitchell, communications director with the Office of the Special Counsel in downtown Washington, said about 20 FBI agents with a subpoena searched the work area of Scott Bloch and computers there in Washington, Tuesday, May 6, 2008. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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Scott Bloch, Special Counsel (U.S. Office of Special Counsel)
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Interactive Inside The FBI See the bureau's highs and lows in this interactive portrait of the crime-fighting agency.
Computers and documents were seized during the raid on the special counsel's office in downtown Washington, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing inquiry. At least 20 agents were still on the scene as of mid-afternoon Tuesday.
Bloch's home, in suburban Virginia, also was raided, the officials said.
FBI spokesman Richard Kolko confirmed that agents with the FBI and U.S. Office of Personnel Management executed "a number of court authorized federal search warrants today" but declined further comment.
Jim Mitchell, communications director with the Office of the Special Counsel, confirmed the search of Bloch's work area and computers. He did not immediately return calls and an e-mail message seeking additional comment.
The raids mark the latest twist in what critics describe as Bloch's bizarre tenure at the head of the federal agency responsible for protecting the rights of federal workers and ensuring that government whistle-blowers are not subjected to reprisals.
He has been on the hot seat since he took office in 2004, in part for closing hundreds of whistle-blower cases allegedly without investigating them.
"It's like finding out that your town fire chief is an arsonist," said Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Protection, a whistle-blower group.
"It's just sort of jaw-dropping how bizarre this entire episode has been."
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A group of current and former Office of Special Counsel workers filed a complaint against Bloch in 2005, accusing him of retaliating against those who opposed with his policies through intimidation and involuntary transfers. The employees also accused Bloch of refusing to protect federal workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation.It's like finding out that your town fire chief is an arsonist.
Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental ProtectionThose charges are being investigated by the inspector general at the Office of Personnel Management.
A year later, in December 2006, Bloch paid $1,000 in taxpayer money to have an outside tech company, Geeks on Call, scrub his government computer. In March, a congressional aide said, Bloch told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigators that the data wipe was done to protect government and personal information on the computer, not to destroy it.
Tuesday's raids were done in connection to a criminal investigation of whether Bloch obstructed justice and, potentially, lied to Congress, according to the law enforcement officials.
Bloch has denied any wrongdoing. In the meantime, he has opened an investigation into whether former White House deputy political director and Karl Rove protege J. Scott Jennings violated the Hatch Act by making a presentation to political employees at the General Services Administration. The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activities with government resources or on government time.
Last year, Bloch also recommended that then-GSA chief Lurita Doan be disciplined for engaging in illegal political activities and doling out no-bid awards. Doan abruptly resigned last week at the White House's behest.
Whistle-blower groups demanded that Bloch follow suit, and called on the White House to secure his resignation immediately. White House spokesman Tony Fratto declined comment.
"The fact is, this office is not functioning, this office does not protect whistle-blowers and this office is not meeting its mission," said Debra Katz, an employment lawyer representing the Special Counsel employees who filed the 2005 complaint. "President Bush needs to just tell this man that he needs to resign. There has been misconduct and he should not be allowed to continue his mission."
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See all 21 CommentsAnd this took A YEAR ?????????
Bloch told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigators that the data wipe was done to protect government and personal information on the computer, not to destroy it.
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Ok, so not only did he pay more money out than the PC was worth to just ''professionally clean'' off all the data from that PC, instead of his IT person, but he says it was to protect information-Not delete it........by deleting it. Cant we just execute him and anyone that hired him, and anyone that worked with him to do the terrible things hes done?
Thats exactly why Bush''s administration put him in place.
This is a start.
Now if only the news organizations could
grow some balls and start reporting real
news, and do some REAL investigative
journalism and exposes.
Fat chance.
How is Baba Wawa''s book doing?
How is the senator that porked her doing?
12.) Obsession with Crime and Punishment: Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13.) Rampant Cronyism and Corruption: Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
14. Fraudulent Elections: Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
7.) Obsession with National Security: Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8.) Religion and Government are Intertwined: Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government''s policies or actions.
9.) Corporate Power is Protected: The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10.) Labor Power is Suppressed: Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
11.) Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts: Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts
4.) Supremacy of the Military: Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
5.) Rampant Sexism: The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.
6.) Controlled Mass Media: Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
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1.) Powerful and Continuing Nationalism: Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
2.) Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights: Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
3.) Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause: The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
"It''s just sort of jaw-dropping how bizarre this entire episode has been."
Not really. Just another day in Neocon Nazi Amerikkka.
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Posted by singingrick at 06:37 PM : May 06, 2008
+ report abuse
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thank god we are not living in a facist state just like you rant about everytime..because if we do..then there would not be much to talk about here..DONT YOU AGREE?
Another crooked Bush cronie apointee.
It is surprising that the Great Emperor''s hire''s and appointments have generally fallen into two types. There are those who exhibit the ultimate in stupidity, such as Alberto "The Great Gonzo" Gonzales, and there are those who are cold, calculating, vengeful, and stupidly loyal, such as Karl Rove, VP Darth Vader Cheney, Candy Rice, etc.
The question presents itself: Under what ROCK did the Great Emperor find these people?????? And will "Bagdad John McBush" McCain look under that very same rock should he become Great Emperor????
GOD HELP US ALL!!!!
SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
sig heil, more of the same, McCain!!!!
Do Republicans hate democracy? They''ll do anything to pervert it.
A group of current and former Office of Special Counsel workers filed a complaint against Bloch in 2005, accusing him of retaliating against those who opposed with his policies through intimidation and involuntary transfers. The employees also accused Bloch of refusing to protect federal workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Those charges are being investigated by the inspector general at the Office of Personnel Management.
A year later, in December 2006, Bloch paid $1,000 in taxpayer money to have an outside tech company, Geeks on Call, scrub his government computer. In March, a congressional aide said, Bloch told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigators that the data wipe was done to protect government and personal information on the computer, not to destroy it.
Tuesday''s raids were done in connection to a criminal investigation of whether Bloch obstructed justice and, potentially, lied to Congress, according to the law enforcement officials.
And yet, the Bush/Cheney Crime Cartel aren''t even questioned......
The FBI is a bunch of liberals. Clearly, this man is trusted by our President, so we must also in turn trust him without question.
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