Mukasey plays fast and loose
About a week ago, Attorney General Michael Mukasey was talking up the Bush administration’s surveillance efforts, and raised a few eyebrows when he got choked up while discussing 9/11 and telecom immunity.
But as my friend Sarabeth explained to me yesterday, it was the comments right before Mukasey got emotional that are probably the most important.
Officials “shouldn’t need a warrant when somebody with a phone in Iraq picks up a phone and calls somebody in the United States because that’s the call that we may really want to know about. And before 9/11, that’s the call that we didn’t know about. We knew that there has been a call from someplace that was known to be a safe house in Afghanistan and we knew that it came to the United States. We didn’t know precisely where it went.”
At that point in his answer, Mr. Mukasey grimaced, swallowed hard, and seemed to tear up as he reflected on the weaknesses in America’s anti-terrorism strategy prior to the 2001 attacks. “We got three thousand. . . . We’ve got three thousand people who went to work that day and didn’t come home to show for that,” he said, struggling to maintain his composure.
The AG’s argument seemed pretty straightforward: a terrorist suspect called the United States shortly before 9/11. If we’d known about that call in time, we might have been able to prevent the attacks. Therefore, it’s dangerous — indeed, it could be deadly — to subject the Bush administration to safeguards and oversight when it comes to surveillance.
There are two main problems with this. First, the argument is completely incoherent. Second, it’s almost certainly premised on a transparent falsehood.
Glenn Greenwald took Mukasey’s procedural claims apart quite nicely.
Even under the “old” FISA, no warrants are required where the targeted person is outside the U.S. (Afghanistan) and calls into the U.S. Thus, if it’s really true, as Mukasey now claims, that the Bush administration knew about a Terrorist in an Afghan safe house making Terrorist-planning calls into the U.S., then they could have — and should have — eavesdropped on that call and didn’t need a warrant to do so. So why didn’t they? Mukasey’s new claim that FISA’s warrant requirements prevented discovery of the 9/11 attacks and caused the deaths of 3,000 Americans is disgusting and reckless, because it’s all based on the lie that FISA required a warrant for targeting the “Afghan safe house.” It just didn’t. Nor does the House FISA bill require individual warrants when targeting a non-U.S. person outside the U.S.
Independently, even if there had been a warrant requirement for that call — and there unquestionably was not — why didn’t the Bush administration obtain a FISA warrant to listen in on 9/11-planning calls from this “safe house”? Independently, why didn’t the administration invoke FISA’s 72-hour emergency warrantless window to listen in on those calls? If what Muskasey said this week is true — and that’s a big “if” — his revelation about this Afghan call that the administration knew about but didn’t intercept really amounts to one of the most potent indictments yet about the Bush administration’s failure to detect the plot in action. Contrary to his false claims, FISA — for multiple reasons — did not prevent eavesdropping on that call.
Was there a 9/11-related call from a terrorist safe house to the U.S. before the attacks? Apparently not. No one has heard about this alleged call before now, including The 9/11 Commission, which makes no mention of this.
It’s probably because Mukasey made it up for dramatic effect, hoping that his audience would end up agreeing with the administration’s line on FISA and telecom immunity.
It’s what people who are losing an argument do — they make stuff up. Usually, we like to think the nation’s top law-enforcement official would be above this kind of stunt, but it’s helpful to know that Mukasey is, when push comes to shove, just part of the Bush gang.
Mukasey's tears kind of reminded me of this:
Snip from The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll
"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
These jerkoffs have been making up shit for almost a decade...WMDs, flowery parades, fight em there so we don't have to fight em here...etc. etc.
Mukasey, McCain and Cheney should all be sitting around a little table playing pinocle. And GWB should be anesthesized and sleeping peacefully in a psychiatric ward.
Let's listen in on every phone call coming into the country. Someone could be trying to stuff a bomb into a phone? No? Well, perhaps they are trying to stuff bombs into the millions and millions of packing containers that come into our harbors everyday, and we inspect less than 10 percent of them. Mukasey is just lucky that most people don't keep up on such stuff and this administration can continue to make the average person feel safer without upsetting all the business interests that don't want inspections because that would slow down their business or increase their costs.
These people never tire of trying to scare the electorate.
This always seems to be the plan:
Just repeat the same craptacular lie over and over again, whining, sniveling, tossing toys against walls, wailing, accusing others of malfeasance until the masses, covering their ears, finally say, "Fine! Have it your way! Just please SHUT THE HELL UP."
I'm not saying it always works, but it sure looks like the strategy. Like dealing with 5-year olds or somethin'.
Sources Report Mukasey’s Tears Were Saved for Waterboarding
one ass-kissing aj out the door
and now we have an ass-sucking aj
just as willing to throw the Constitution out
the window to protect bush/cheney for any
and all of their illegal spying on the American
citizens. this is NOT a govt for the people
any longer. it is a fascist govt to protect
the crimes of bush/cheney and most of
the bushco administration.
fuck this administration--criminals
MUST BE PROSECUTED FOR THEIR CRIMES !!!
Yellow Elephant Safari @ 1:
right on the mark---bravo to you.
Either Mukasey made it up or the Bush admin f-ed prior to 9/11 because they could and should have intercepted such a call and had the legal right to do so at that time with FISA.
AND they were wiretapping pre 9/11. So the fact that they didn't do anything about 9/11 just shows that the wiretapping isn't working, wasn't working and will never work! Pre 9/11 we did have arab speaking translators, so that isn't the issue either.
The problem is the gov isn't listening for terrorist, weren't listening for terrorists, and never will be listening for terrorists. They are listening for political opposition.
This admin is the problem, let's get it excised, in the form of impeachment. If they aren't impeached then they will leave with a smattering of credibility, and end up getting jobs as law professors, political pundits, and ambassadors around the world. Impeach them and maybe we can hit them where it hurts, ie the wallet.
Another day, another Bushie lie, or 10, or 100.
BobD @ 10:
bush just recently spent time in saudi arabia holding hands with one of the shaws.
well, intell says that the country providing the most money and aid to the terrorists is
saudi arabia.......so who is a terrorist in America.
that would be bush and cheney.
Kathy in St. louis @ 4:
Political opponents don't use shipping containers. Political opponents use the phone, the internet, email and credit cards.
Political opponents that don't bow to these criminals whims get "talked to" by Condi and Bolton for example, and then they bow to the whims. I bet while being "talked to" they get a good looksee at their phone records!
.
Mukasey is ANOTHER Loyalist who took an Oath to the president...
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Again, this administration and all their shills have absolutely no credibility on any issue. For Mukasey to ask the Congress and American public to believe him or trust him on anything is beyond the pale for me.
Nope. He's talking in the general case. He's not talking about a specific call. I bet it would be rather obvious on the full video, in context with the questions and the tone of the testimony.
I'll now go take a look at the full video.
Mukasey is just another lying creep rubber stamped by the chicken shit congress.
America deserves no better.
Oh yes, Murkasey and his totally incompetent predesessor Big Al the clueless suckup... I forgot to add them to my list of defendants on another thread below about John Yoo.... Two more who needs to stand before a Judge Roy Bean type... Oh and Kathy in St Louis @4? Excellent point... Those pesky container ships which noone seems to want to check properly or give a damn about lest it costs some industry a buck or two to account for....JD
U.S. employers cut 80,000 jobs in March
Most jobs lost in five years; unemployment rate at 5.1 percent
Muwahahahahahahahahaha
Let's alllll vote REPUBLICAN AGAIN!!!
Wait, the video I see he's not even testifying. He's just giving a press conference?
I'd have to say he's obviously talking in the general case.
Oh well.
Just another Bushco hack as stupid as
the man that picked him! His boss "The Prez"
Does he swallow hard when he thinks about the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi's that have died do to his bosses policies????
I am sure he got chocked up because the telecom slush fund is so near and dear to his little heart.
kdoug @ 22:
Repubs don't swallow hard...they like to savor those precious bodily fluids.
Falsehood or fantasy all the same in republican bizzaro world.
Everything they say or do is a lie has been a lie since the days or ronnie the reagan these idiots have been making shit up and nobody has been checking to see how badly the have lied, and about all the things they have been lying, from the economy to the war everything from the republicans over the last twenty years just one big fantasy and a lie!
Let's see, is Mucky War Criminal number 67 or number 68? I've lost track.
Liberal AND Proud @ 19:
Never have and never will!
Liberal AND Proud @ 24:
Even Larry Craig? I thought he swallowed hard and fast as much as he could get.
Liberal AND Proud @ 2:
Don't forget about the "attack" on LA that was foiled that never was.
You have to question an administration that takes its policy cues from the writers of "24".
andy @ 9:
OR...
They let it happen...
They knew, they were warned, several nations warned the Bush Admin. Even the Clinton hold overs warned the Bush Administration. The NSA did intercept several calls, some not translated until days after 9/11 but because of the lack of urgency, care, concern, what have you, ALL of the warnings were given a low priority. Virtually ignored!
If you were driving a car full of passengers and they all scream "WATCH OUT!" yet you continue to plow thru the red light, who's fault is it?
9/11 was LET to happen.
It was to be the NEW PEARL HARBOR!
This is a good read.
Maybe there really was such a call. My guess is that it was from the Taliban to someone at Unocal or Enron, to discuss the proposed LNG pipeline. It was a terrorist plot alright, just a different kind of terrorism.
Mucky just issued a statement. He was so busy dodging sniper fire that day that he mispoke.
Whenever I hear another outrage about Mukasey, I think of the two democratic Senators, Feinstein, and Schumer who gave us this paragon.
This War Blows @ 20:
Well, in general, Mukasey is a LIAR!
Conyers penned ANOTHER letter that asks for clarification to his generalities...
In general, Mukasey is a Loyalist who took an Oath to the president.
In general, Mukasey is legitimising incompetence.
In general, Mukasey admits that the NSA WAS tracking calls but did NOTHING!
In general, THEY LET 9/11 HAPPEN!
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Oh, Mukeebabes, tell it to someone who even takes what you have to say seriously. If you can find someone.
Breaking News.
B-1 Bomber crashes in Qatar on landing.
News Everywhere... CNN, etc..
mackiddo5 @ 29:
I heard that on Democracy Now today too! That they were airing "24" at GitMo.
Can't wait until the Dem's start grilling the lying, Dumbya ass kisser after the corrupt Reslugs stick up for him
"9/11 was LET to happen."
Actually, the truth is that it was all setup by Hillary Clinton to win (back) the WH in 2008. Carefully planned and funded during the first Clinton WH. That's why Georege Bush seems to stop and stutter when he speaks. It's ALL carefully scripted - by HRC! It's true! Barack Obama is really just an out of work actor trying to make a few bucks. John McCain is really a sophisticated Disney animitronic! He will self-destruct just before the election. Obama will get his SAG card and be offered a role in the next Scorsese movie and HRC will glide into the WH.
Liberal AND Proud @ 24:
Well, based upon some recent scandals, I'm sure they're replacing those fluids at many a truck-stop bathroom.
theWalrus @ 39:
Sorry, but April Fools was 3 days ago.
Besides didn't Colbert, or was it Stewart, have a skit about the Cheney-bot 2000?
Yellow Elephant Safari @ 1:
Lewis Carroll would be driven mad by this administration
Yellow Elephant Safari @ 1:
Quite apropos indeed - a masterful observation and analysis. Kudos to you, YES
This is why I appreciate coming to the blogs. We all have jobs, and I have two (well maybe all?). I can't 'catch'. listen, watch, read, and dissect every bit of info, but Glenn makes perfect sense. We need people like you (all of you) to stay on top of this. I am trying to put "food on my family" (or whatever it was frat-boy said: another meaningless soundbite from bu$h.) ...(Not really. I have no family. I spend it travelling.)
The Bush Administration's reasons for giving telecoms immunity continue to be more childish than the last. First they used the fear of another potential terrorist attack to push it through. Since that has failed they are trying sympathy. They want the American people to give them more secrecy and power because if they do not get it *sniff* they just might not be able to protect America which is impossible to do no matter how much power they obtain. I wonder what they are going to try next? Temper tantrums or will they just lay on the floor and start kicking and screaming?
Every reason they give is purely hypothetical and extremely vague in description. Hell, that "Afghan safe house" could be an old lady in a hut telephoning her daughter about a cake for all they know.
Chuck @ 36:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/04/bomber.crash.ap/index.html
This is Mukasey at its best. Give in and then expand the definitions, pin point areas not related to the issues to murky the waters, confuse and then evade, evade, evade. And when confronted, repeat the steps.
Q: How can you tell when a Republican is lying?
A:
oh, f*ck it... Never mind. It's not funny anymore, is it?
Bud @ 43:
Thank you. I knew that English major would come in handy some day.
The reason he got all choked up was because he realised...
That he had just fck dup (big time) and spilled the beans...
Joe O. @ 45:
I'm hoping bush will hold his breath until he has an aneurysm.
It's obvious that no one in the top levels (or bottom) of the Bush administration were ever Boy Scouts (or Girl Scouts). Of course, this could also be said about Matt Drudge, or any other of the lying Republican pundits.
And I don't remember reading that TORTURE was part of the Scout Code, whether in the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, unless, of course, some twisted right-wingers changed the Scout Code, just like they've worked hard, really, really hard, to delete the Bill of Rights and our Constitution, trying really hard to replace these with their totalitarian Fascist Code of Dishonor.
Yep, there are no Boy Scouts (or Girl Scouts) in the Bush administration. And if there were any at the beginning of Bush's first foul term, they've all been weeded out by now, eliminated so they can be replaced with people like Mukasey.
Bonkers Hussein @ 5:
Give these infantile kooks the time out electric chair, I say.
Max-Hussein-1 @ 14:
I believe that just might be backwards:
"Biographical Details: Michael Mukasey was born in 1941 in the Bronx. He received an A.B. from Columbia University in 1963, then graduated from Yale Law School in 1967. Mukasey is an Orthodox Jew, and if confirmed by the Senate will become the second Jewish attorney general in U.S. history.
"Mukasey worked from 1972 to 1976 as the assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York? An up-and-coming young prosecutor named Rudolph Giuliani. To this day they remain friends...
"In 1987, he was tapped by President Ronald Reagan to serve as a judge in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York...
"Mukasey presided over the 1996 trials of two high-ranking terrorists, Omar Abdul Rahman (aka "the Blind Sheikh") and El Sayyid Nosair, in which both were sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles in the original 1993 World Trade Center bombing. During the trial, Mukasey was accompanied by armed law enforcement agents due to threats that had been made against him...
"Mukasey became chief judge of New York's Southern District Court in 2000. In December 2002, he presided over the trial of José Padilla, a U.S. citizen who had been detained as an "enemy combatant" due to his alleged involvement in al-Qaeda...
In spite a couple of "bones" thrown to us dogs over civil rights, his history says he's much more likely deep in the neoconnected neverneverland... Some of the neoconnected don't do their duty until it really counts, like diffusing International War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity and Wars of Aggression and High Treason. GW Bush is a professional puppet-liar, nothing more.
Padilla wasn't on trial in 2002. He spent 5 years in Gitmo.
For over a month all we heard about on the news was Obama's preacher. Now we don't hear a goddamned word about Mukasey's lying/treaonous statement or John Yoo's despicable notes to condone torture. This should be on every newspaper headline and every cable and network news show. But good luck on that one. Fuck you, MSM. Yeah, FUCK YOU!!!!
That's because Obama's Preacher be black and Mukasey be white. Simple.
It's not just the illegal spying on Americans, what about torture? Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and anyone else involved should be charged.
Bush appointed Mukasey because he needed a guy to cover his ass, not because he cared about justice.
these PiecesOfShit ignored a PDB. and they have already bragged about domestic surveillance since early 1991. FISA allowed them to listen in on that imaginary call from afghanistan because it only limits domestic surveillance. so they never needed a warrant or a new law.
so, do we take the sumbeeyotch to task for lying to congress?
or for crying as falsely and hypocritically as boehner?
Spicegal @ 58:
B I N G O !!!
Mukasey. Loayalist, took an Oath to the president, just like Monica Goodling.
If the economy needs to make 150,000 jobs per month JUST TO STAY EVEN, and then we cut 80,000 jobs, isn't that really a net loss of 230,000 jobs?
Them tax cuts are sure working....
How did we get all these politicians and political appointees who don't believe in the constitution? What is the problem with running something by a judge? I read the FISA court never rejects a wiretap anyway.
I don't know who's uglier, Mukasey or that kid with the palette problem. It's freaking me out man!
The really, truly sad thing about all this, at least in my opinion...
Doing all this "repeat it till they believe it" crap works. It really does.
The average knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing person in the good old US of A BELIEVES this.
I hope all of Mukasey's Democratic BFF in the Senate are pleased with themselves now. The idea that Bush might just submit a worse nominee is hardly reason to confirm him as Attorney General. If Bush did that, just keep sending them back to Bush without a Senate confirmation. A 5-year old could figure that out.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey is a damn liar. And the f**king whore Pelosi says "impeachment is off the table".
Sieg Heil!
At least you are "hoping" he made this statement up. Otherwise all of your hootin and hollerin about 9/11 being performed by AQ has merely been in vain! Someday folks'll catch on to that evidence bait that constantly slaps Conyers and Pelosi in the face. It's hard to turn your head while being pummeled by the 2 tons of "obvious(ity)".
I quite honestly do not know who is worse - gonzo or mucusy.
It was obvious from the outset that gonzo's mouth was joined to bush at the cock. Except for his oral skills, he had no qualifications other than being the official legally-sanctioned liar for bush from the early days.
On the other hand, mucusy is presumably a qualified legal mind, with a modicum of intelligence behind it. In fact he used that intelligence to sell out his country by lying his way through his confirmation hearings just so that he could support the domestic and international illegalities of the bush administration.
Both obviously are criminals, and may in fact be criminals of war. Between the two of them, he who is judged "worse" should meet the hangman second, having been forced to watch the fate of the first. Scum of the earth, both of them.
This is stupid. I'm starting to believe this may indeed be true (I'm no Bush supporter, but to deliberately allow a terrorist strike is beyond criminal, it's treason.) and if the Bush Administration wants to get out of this hole, it should clearly explain the statement instead of the typical hedging their bets and hoping for the inevitable loss of memory associated with the U.S. public.
If this is true, this is treason. I'd mention what the punishment for treason is, but.....
General_Rennenkampf @ 70:
In all fairness, there should first be a trial. there a e several punishments. I'd personally vote life in prison.
CoIntelPro - against Divisive Democrats @ 71:
Yes, I have repeatedly stated that Iraq has multiple times crossed the line of the Nuremberg precedent. Bush's group should be tried for war crimes. (Let's not forget, though, that Vladimir Putin of Russia deserves trial for warcrimes as well, vis-a-vis Chechnya.) However, considering how many lives and families have been ripped apart by years of sanctions and slaughter from Bush's (and Bill Clinton as well) vendetta, I'd say a death sentence for the warcrimes and treason is just as appropriate for them as for Saddam.
But, it should come as it did to Saddam and the Nazis and wartime Japanese government, through trial. Let's at least have some respect for the deceny of law and order, something this bunch, and Russia also, have clearly ignored.
Alberto Gonzales, the sequel.
McCain the Liar @ 67:
Again with the mis-placed outrage.
Have you ever thought about why impeachment is off the table? Lack of evidence...maybe. Lack of witnesses? Definitely.
Did you watch the DOJ hearings last spring and summer? Did you notice the stonewalling. The witnesses- those with knowledge of the whereabouts of the "smoking gun"- were absent. Why? Because Stupor Mundi's administration is filled with die-hard loyalists- loyal to the administration, not to the Constitution, not to the Nation. If they fail to give testimonial as to the evidence, and how that evidence is connected to the actions of the administration, then there is no evidence, only suspicion. And I'll grant you that the House could indict- impeach- on suspicion, but the following trial in the Senate requires evidence. And the way that these trials work, the Chief Justice of the SCOTUS acts as a judge in any run of the mill trial, ruling on the admissibility of evidence. And there isn't a judge out there worthy of office who will allow suspicion to be presented as evidence.
The main dilemma we face here is that there is no John Dean in the inner circles of this administration. Richard Clarke is the highest level official who has spoken of the lack of response to 9/11 warnings by the administration, but his access to the decision makers in Stupor Mundi's inner circle of decision makers was...limited. He was frozen out because he was not an administration loyalist.
I agree with the sentiment that the administration should be tossed out on its collective ear. But until you can make a case that has viability- evidence- I can't blame Pelosi.
That's it. I'm never trusting anyone who looks like the Chief of Get Smart again.
Andy K Jong Il @ 74:
So how long have you and Paul in LA been dating?
:D
gemHusseinpei @ 75:
And I apologize most sincerely to Edward C. Platt, 1916-1974
miss_kitty Hussein @ 76:
NOYB! :P
I know you're jealous.
How does it compute that they missed calls from a safehouse pre 9/11 because they couldn't listen and now bush will veto an updated bill to continue to allow listening?
Did I miss LOGIC 101 in school?
Andy K Jong Il @ 78:
But on a serious note, I still believe, no matter the actions of anyone in the administration, that this is a country of laws.
And that's not like I'm saying, "America: Love it or leave it!" I'm saying , "America: Love it or use the legal process to make it something you can love even more passionately!"
Wait, the attorney general of the United States of America is not telling the truth???!!!
No one could have anticipated this, right Condi?
Yellow Elephant Safari @ 1:
What a WONDERFUL start for this thread ! the more so, that the slimy subject is quite mucous-y .. THANKS !!!
this story brought a tear to my eye....
TRY TO REMEMBER THAT JOHN "THE REPUBLICAN" MCCAIN IS READY TO CONTINUE THE WAR IN IRAQ.........
KNOWING AS HE DOES THAT THE ONLY WAY TO SUSTAIN THE WAR MACHINE WILL EVENTUALLY BE TO REINSTATE THE DRAFT
gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama gobama
“It’s what people who are losing an argument do — they make stuff up.”
Or what masters of deception do when they know their deceptions won’t be subjected to the light of day.
Nothing that comes from these a*%holes in the Bush Admin. comes as a shock to me. My real problem at this point is the So called Democratic leadership that have allowed jerks like Mukasey to be confirmed in the first place. Also statements from people like Pelosi that "Impeachment is off the table" What the hell are these "IDIOTS" thinking this Administration has violated the Constitution more than anyone in my life time and I'm 70 years old and that isn't even getting into the "War Crimes" issue.
janeya @ 33:
.
Democratic LABEL does NOT make a Democrat (another loud example: shillary..)
There is MUCH more to it, esp. why usually sneering Chuck is so enamored with Mucasey. Quite mindloggling what a ruthless OCTOPUS we are dealing with !!
.
If you didn't read this in earlier threads, please DO - multiple "unknowns" become clear.
?Bangkok Bob? @ 15:
corruption to the core, and, across the aisle.. this is what I said in the crocodile tears thread:
enough @ 59:
Truth B Told @ 46:
Otay @ 6:
.
Schumer is as bad, if not worse than Sweinstein, but gets a very easy ride, even here @ C&L. Bushbot maybe, but:
US Senators LIEberman-sFeinstein-Schumer: the Axis of AIPAC Zionists. It’s quite obvious that fascist AIPAC, in their Israel over America agenda are responsible for “persuading” these as fascist
politicians/ traitors to vote against the US interests. We are rushing towards the Israeli police state model like a runaway train. Mukasey is a rabid supporter of Zionist Israel, an apologist for Israeli terror tactics in Occupied Palestine, and a racist against ALL non-Jews. LIEberman, Schumer and Mukasey are all Orthodox Jews.
The US is AIPAC's unlimited cash register without any bottom (WE, the PEOPLE, all the taxpayers) . Therefore, it comes as no surprise that they want someone who supports torture and is willing to rape the US Constitution while holding the office of the US Attorney General. To them, the US AG has to have no other loyalty but to Israel and it's 5th Column, the AIPAC (American Israel Political Action Committee). And so the cold shadow of the totalitarian state continues to spread across America.
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How the OCTOPUS works
Mukasey, a Reagan appointed federal district judge for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan for 18 years, was a Chief Judge from March 2000 through July 2006.
Schumer personally introduced Bush's choice to replace Gonzales, former federal judge Michael Mukasey. Schumer RECOMMENDED Mukasey for confirmation. Schumer, along with Sen. Feinstein, allowed the confirmation to move on to the full Senate (betrayed by Schumer & Feinstein, 11-8 vote of Senate Judiciary Committee).
"Schumer was and remains a supporter of the Iraq War Resolution, AIPAC member, and a strident Pro-Israel member of Congress." - wikipedia.
WHY would be publicity seeking media-whore Chuck so enamored w/ Mukasey ?
Chuck Schumer's wife, Iris Weinshall, was appointed Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation by then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani on September 8, 2000, and left the post on April 13, 2007 during Bloomberg administration. Bloomberg testified at some point, that Schumer's wife was one of only TWO Giuliani functionaries he (Bloomberg) was asked by Giuliani to retain on his payroll.
She was shuffled between various NYC posts in various NYC govt departments since she married Chuck in 1980. She screwed up in one, was moved to the next. With education in Public Administration she had no training/ expertise in ANYTHING professional: Environmental Protection, Buildings, Transportation -
but these were the sectors she was put on charge of. We, the Taxpayers were paying her salary, NYC govt cars, protection, etc, etc. ALL HER LIFE !!
Her job as DOT Commissioner came into the spotlight following the 2003 Staten Island Ferry crash that killed 11 passengers, with tens more seriously injured and maimed for life.. The Staten Island Ferry system transports 65,000 passengers a day between Staten Island and Manhattan. After the deadly crash, Iris Weinshall came under harsh criticism for allowing patronage relationships to compromise the safety of the ferry operations.
Mukasey, then a a Chief Judge for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, let her OFF the hook: declared she had no criminal responsibility for the FERRY crash, although she was the NYC DOT Commissioner in charge. However, when the private lawsuits started coming in, she was advised to move on, and PROMOTED: Schumer's wife, Iris Weinshall became a vice chancellor at the City University of New York. Since April 2007 her salary is ~ U$ 250,000, plus the cars, security, etc- TAXPAYERS paid !!!). She is -again- in charge of FACILITIES, subject she knows NOTHING about, having education in public admin.
In the same year 2003, Sen. Chuck Schumer recommended Mukasey as a candidate for a Supreme Court appointment. Didn't work out for crafty AIPAC judge, the 2003 PAYOLA had to be postponed until 2007 AG games. The Kongre$$ proceedings were just the game for unsusspecting taxpayers, and TeeVee..
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Giuliani's WTC 7 Emergency Command Center mystery - resolved
Here's (Mukasey nomination) Chuck Schumer's own Giuliani connection. As associate attorney general in 1983, Giuliani rebuffed Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Ray Dearie, who had recommended Schumer's indictment based on allegations involving his initial election to Congress in 1980.
Schumer's wife, Iris Weinshall, before she took over the transportation job (causing the SI Ferry crash through total negligence and lack of mgmt/supervision), she was a Deputy Commissioner under Giuliani at another agency, NYC Department of Buildings, where she oversaw the construction of the bunker at 7 World Trade Center, owned by Larry Silverstein, another Orthodox Jew. She was the ONLY top NYC official who must have signed -off on the bunker construction and occupancy NYC permits. AGAINST ALL the NYC Building Codes.
That explains how the Giuliani's 'BUNKER' could ever get into the office high-rise, against the LAW, and multiple codes. His friend Mucasey helped out Chuck's wife to AVOID PRISON, she was hired/paid on orders of Giuliani, signed off on documents giving Rudy whatever he wanted. What else was/is going on between Mucasey, Giuliani (solid repigs), and, supposedly dem. Schumer ???
Despite NYC: Ferry Crash Settlement
"The city has settled about two-thirds of 186 personal injury claims in connection with the crash, for a total of more than $34 million, the Law Department said. The largest payments were about $9 million each to a man and a woman who lost both legs. "
It got more interesting last week:
Court Finds City Was Negligent in S.I. Ferry Crash
" A federal appeals court on Thursday found that New York City was negligent for the deadly crash of a Staten Island ferry in 2003 and cannot have its liability limited. The ruling is a major victory
for dozens of plaintiffs who have sued the city, including relatives of some of the 11 people killed in the crash of the ferry, the Andrew J. Barberi. "
Will Schumer's wife be EVER kept accountable for causing death and injuries to the TAXPAYERS paying her salaries, cars, security - ALL HER LIFE ?!! Don't hold your breath ..
So, who really RULES our country:
AIPAC uber Alles !!!
Herr Schumer, Frau Sweinstein, fur Herr Mukasey/AG, und Frau sHillary fur President !
Mukasey is now heading the US Justice Department with indictment of Giuliani’s former police commissioner and business partner, Bernard B. Kerik. Neither presidential spokespersons nor Mukasey would return reporters' inquiries into whether Mukasey would recuse himself from the Kerik case.
Mukasey did swear in the crossdessing mayor Rudy in both 1994 and 1998, he donated heavily to his presidential campaign. The thrice-married Giuliani was also married to Donna Hanover (his second marriage) by ... Mukasey !!!
.
ALL telecoms in USA controlled by/ wired directly to/ ISRAEL
Mukasey got all choked up thinking of Israel - that with ANY telecom lawsuit the following will be BACK on front pages:
It is a FACT that 95% of US telephone billing/directories/calling record for both land-lines and cell phones is handled by ONE private company, AMDOCS, with HQ in Tel Aviv suburb (that explains the real purpose of telecoms ‘deregulation’: to give US $$ -and intelligence- to Israel, in much bigger amounts, and ‘officially’).
Which gives Israeli AMDOCS real-time access to nearly every telephone in the country, including records of phone calls.
The private info of US citizens regarding nearly EVERY single phone call is routed to Israel. Amdocs has been investigated on several occasions by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, for suspected ties to the Israeli mafia, as well as to espionage for Sharon/Netanyahu govts.
In 1999, the National Security Agency issued a TOP SECRET/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information (TS/SCI) report, warning that all American phone records were getting into the hands of foreign governments—particularly the Israeli government. How does that help our national security?
Where/ how is our privacy protected here ?? Tapping into ALL to provide more info to Israel ? Why there is NOTHING done about keeping ALL of this real-time most sensitive INTELLIGENCE info in the US ??
Ask the AIPAC 5th column in the Kongre$$: LIEberman, Sweinstein, Boxer, Schumer, Hillary, Rahm Emanuel, Hoyer, etc, etc, etc..
this mans a human garbage full of shit puss bag!!!!!!!!!
I am sorry, but
AG stand for American Goy, not some gonzalez or other.
/pompous ass mode off
theWalrus @ 26:
don't know, but in my deck of playing cards he's the jack of clubs.
every patriotic american ought to have a deck of "oligarchal war criminal" playing cards.
might help us bring the evildoers to justice. dead or alive. bring it on.
are u w/ me or against me?
Ex-Canuck @ 69:
amen to that!!!!!!!!!!!!
General_Rennenkampf @ 72:
i agree a swift and just trial and then the rope!
I know he's 'supposed' to be a lawyer and all but does Mukassey understand that he can still be tried along with the guilty for being an accessory after the fact?
Letter I've been faxing to all the members of the Judiciary Committees (House & Senate) - feel free to use as a template for your rep:
Could it be that the call did happen and was listened to by US intelligence? We know Bush saw some memos he chose to ignore.
Love this take: "There is no consequence to lying to reporters or to Congress." How often does this seem true? I know, no need to answer.
It's probably another one of their bullshit straw-man stories like, "A smoking gun, in the form of a mushroom cloud." They never quit. They just want to pass along this egregious mess they've made.
This War Blows @ 20:
"We knew that there has been a call from someplace that was known to be a safe house in Afghanistan and we knew that it came to the United States. We didn’t know precisely where it went.”
Where do you get "general case" from that? Seems pretty damn specific, regardless if it was said at a press conference, in a hearing, or in a box, or with a fox.
With all the intel that the incoming Bush administration had from the outgoing Clinton administration, that American was being targeted by terrorists, instead of doing something the Bush administration chose to do nothing. Come on Mucrazy stop lying to us. You & your fellow fascists in the executive branch care nothing of safety for the American people, all you & those like you care about is money & power. Your nothing more than a spineless yes man who dances to the whims of the primary war criminals in the White House: Bush & Cheney ... & before I forget, as if I could forget your also a traitor to the Constitution. Mucrazy the jellyfish.
gwen @ 97:
This is just a case of context. It's OBVIOUS. Trust me. This is exactly why the die-hards on either side can't be trusted. Their allegiances (and/or desire to "break the big story) make objective analysis impossible. Imagine there were lots and lots of calls from safe houses around the world to the US. LOTS of safe houses. They probably have NEVER tapped every single call. The new capabilities they have been using since 9/11 and say they need to retain allow them to at least know the destination of every single one of these calls from a safe house, because they know the destination of EVERY SINGLE CALL coming into the US. Remember, there was a very specific statement made a while back about the details that the administration was getting. Remember, they "weren't getting names, just the phone numbers involved on either side of the call."
Prior to this, they couldn't necessarily determine the destination of all of these calls unless they were tapping the specific lines, something the US Government has PROBABLY NEVER DONE FOR EVERY SINGLE SAFE HOUSE IN THE WORLD.
It's rather obvious if you take a breath and try to think in terms of real-world scenarios. Keep in mind, reality is a lot more boring than many of you have convinced yourself.
- said as a man who wants the entire administration in jail for war crimes
This War Blows @ 99:
That still doesn't explain it. Regardless of how many phonecalls were known to be coming in from supposed known safehouses in Afghanistan, how does he know the orders for the 9/11 attack were given in one of those calls? He either doesn't really know (i.e. he's making the whole thing up) or he's speaking of a specific incident that actually happened. I agree with the general consensus that he made the whole thing up, but there's no way he can claim to be speaking in generalities. He specifically and unequivocally linked the 9/11 terrorist attacks to a call from a known safehouse in Afghanistan.
Easy tears show treachery, not grief.
"Paratae Lacrimae Insidias, non fletum, indicant." - Syrus, Maxims
Every time I see a politician or public figure cry, my estimation of them plummets.
C&L would not let any one talk about 911 for 5 years [Wrong. We don't allow 911 CONSPIRACY THEORIZING here as in "No plane at the Pentagon," "Controlled demo," "Bush/Cheney/Shadow government did it" etc etc. I think a blog which doesn't want every thread turned into Flame War 3000 has much if anything to do with what you are speaking about-Sitemonitor], that is what are failing has cost in soldiers lives. I sure would like to know who muscled every news outlet in entire country. We are totally the land of the servants of the devil. $ money has corrupted our land.
It's bad enough that we are all being warrantlessly wire tapped, but I think that we just want an ADMISSION at this point. I would much rather have some asshole tell me, "hey guy, we're listening," than a cabinet of people playing naieve.
JUST COME OUT AND ADMIT!
My big question: why was Mukasey's lie not challenged immediately by anyone conducting the hearing? Why is it only exposed here? Do our elected officials not realize that they are being lied to? There's a chance the servile media might even report it if a member of Congress would way, "Mr. Mukasey, you're either a liar or an idiot - and here's why ... "
I think it would be healthier for all of us to re-direct our rage at the Democrats for allowing all of this to take place.
Mukasey is there for one reason and one reason only...to cover up the crimes committed under the Bush Administration. When are these clowns going to realize they have no credibility left? Their arrogance is quite astonishing.
Rush to War @ 102:
[You know that we don't allow it, yet you continue to post comments about it. For crying out loud, you can write us to learn more. The address is sitemonitor1@gmail.com . Site Monitor]
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