Red Rover, Red Rover...
...Let Susan come over.
Childhood chants during games tend to stick in the mind long after childhood fades away. This one came to mind after the news Friday that Karl Rove assistant Susan Ralston had resigned. It wasn't as big a news point as last Friday's news of Rep. Mark Foley's resignation, but in the long run, it may be just as important in showing the extent of Republican corruption. From an editorial in today's NY Times:
A newly released report, prepared with unusual bipartisan backing by the House Government Reform Committee, paints a different reality. It reveals that between January 2001 and March 2004, Mr. Abramoff and members of his staff had some 485 contacts with key White House officials, including at least 10 direct contacts between Mr. Abramoff and Mr. Rove. Billing records and e-mail messages unearthed by the committee indicate that Mr. Abramoff and his colleagues spent nearly $25,000 on meals and tickets for White House officials.
The report belies Mr. Rove’s description of Mr. Abramoff as merely a “casual acquaintance.” An assistant to Mr. Rove, Susan Ralston, who resigned on Friday, had formerly worked for Mr. Abramoff. The report suggests that she sought Mr. Abramoff’s help to obtain seats for Mr. Rove and his aides at popular sporting events, and often acted as a conduit, passing messages between the lobbyist and top White House officials, including Mr. Rove and Ken Mehlman, the current chairman of the Republican National Committee who was then a senior White House political strategist.
...It is plain that Mr. Abramoff had unusual access. As for his effectiveness, Mr. Abramoff rated the results as “mixed.” But he scored some important victories. In 2002, for example, the administration made the unusual decision to release $16.3 million to a Mississippi tribe Mr. Abramoff represented, notwithstanding the Justice Department’s opposition to the project. The role campaign gifts and contacts between Mr. Abramoff and Mr. Mehlman may have played in this action is a matter warranting close scrutiny by prosecutors, and further digging by the committee. [Emphasis added]
Ms. Ralston's resignation may have come for any number of reasons, but in light of the committee report, it's unlikely that it was prompted by a desire to spend more time with her family. She may be close to indictment. Or, the White House, feeling the heat, may have decided to make her a sacrificial lamb in order to take the heat off the rest of the administration, including Karl Rove. It is doubtful, however, that Ms. Ralston is the only one who has a problem right now.
Congress was no doubt stymied by getting information directly out of the White House. As has been the usual course taken by the White House, there was little direct cooperation, and I doubt that any subpoenas were issued by the House. Still, however, the Justice Department is involved. They may face the same problem as they did in the Valerie Plame matter, but at least the White House can't raise the same kind of unitary executive 'theories' as it has with Congress.
Regardless of what happens, this news comes at a rather handy time: several weeks before an election. It's just another straw on that poor camel's back. Hopefully the American electorate is paying attention.
Childhood chants during games tend to stick in the mind long after childhood fades away. This one came to mind after the news Friday that Karl Rove assistant Susan Ralston had resigned. It wasn't as big a news point as last Friday's news of Rep. Mark Foley's resignation, but in the long run, it may be just as important in showing the extent of Republican corruption. From an editorial in today's NY Times:
A newly released report, prepared with unusual bipartisan backing by the House Government Reform Committee, paints a different reality. It reveals that between January 2001 and March 2004, Mr. Abramoff and members of his staff had some 485 contacts with key White House officials, including at least 10 direct contacts between Mr. Abramoff and Mr. Rove. Billing records and e-mail messages unearthed by the committee indicate that Mr. Abramoff and his colleagues spent nearly $25,000 on meals and tickets for White House officials.
The report belies Mr. Rove’s description of Mr. Abramoff as merely a “casual acquaintance.” An assistant to Mr. Rove, Susan Ralston, who resigned on Friday, had formerly worked for Mr. Abramoff. The report suggests that she sought Mr. Abramoff’s help to obtain seats for Mr. Rove and his aides at popular sporting events, and often acted as a conduit, passing messages between the lobbyist and top White House officials, including Mr. Rove and Ken Mehlman, the current chairman of the Republican National Committee who was then a senior White House political strategist.
...It is plain that Mr. Abramoff had unusual access. As for his effectiveness, Mr. Abramoff rated the results as “mixed.” But he scored some important victories. In 2002, for example, the administration made the unusual decision to release $16.3 million to a Mississippi tribe Mr. Abramoff represented, notwithstanding the Justice Department’s opposition to the project. The role campaign gifts and contacts between Mr. Abramoff and Mr. Mehlman may have played in this action is a matter warranting close scrutiny by prosecutors, and further digging by the committee. [Emphasis added]
Ms. Ralston's resignation may have come for any number of reasons, but in light of the committee report, it's unlikely that it was prompted by a desire to spend more time with her family. She may be close to indictment. Or, the White House, feeling the heat, may have decided to make her a sacrificial lamb in order to take the heat off the rest of the administration, including Karl Rove. It is doubtful, however, that Ms. Ralston is the only one who has a problem right now.
Congress was no doubt stymied by getting information directly out of the White House. As has been the usual course taken by the White House, there was little direct cooperation, and I doubt that any subpoenas were issued by the House. Still, however, the Justice Department is involved. They may face the same problem as they did in the Valerie Plame matter, but at least the White House can't raise the same kind of unitary executive 'theories' as it has with Congress.
Regardless of what happens, this news comes at a rather handy time: several weeks before an election. It's just another straw on that poor camel's back. Hopefully the American electorate is paying attention.
posted by Diane at 3:58 AM
1 Comments:
Isn't the executive branch pretty much forbidden from accepting gifts? It used to be that NIH scientists could not even accept a pizza lunch from an equipment vendor; didn't Mike Espy resign over some sporting tickets? Has the law changed, or is it ignored for these shit?
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