Bush: Any Criminals in Leak to Be Fired

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cia_leak_investigation

Bush: Any Criminals in Leak to Be Fired

By PETE YOST, Associated Press Writer 45 minutes ago

WASHINGTON -
President Bush said Monday that if anyone in his administration committed a crime in connection with the public leak of the identity of an undercover CIA operative, that person will "no longer work in my administration." At the same time, Bush again sidestepped a question on the role of his top political adviser, Karl Rove, in the matter.

"We have a serious ongoing investigation here and it's being played out in the press," Bush said at an East Room news conference.
Bush, appearing with visiting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, spoke a day after Time magazine's Matthew Cooper said that a 2003 phone call with Rove was the first he heard about the wife of Bush administration critic Joseph Wilson apparently working for the CIA.

Bush said in June 2004 that he would fire anyone in his administration shown to have leaked information that exposed the identity of Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame. On Monday, however, he added the qualifier that it would have be shown that a crime was committed..........

[ClassWarrior]

1. Hmmmmm... parsing words again, George**?...

...if anyone in his administration committed a crime in connection with the public leak of the identity of an undercover CIA operative - AND WEARS ARGYLE SOCKS - that person will "no longer work in my administration."

NGU.

[Up2Late]

26. Here's the Reuters Story -- Bush qualifies firing vow over CIA exposure

Bush qualifies firing vow over CIA exposure

Mon Jul 18, 2005 4:02 PM ET

By Patricia Wilson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Monday vowed to fire anyone found by a federal probe to have acted illegally in the exposure of a CIA agent, in a shift from a broader pledge to dismiss leakers in the case. Bush, whose top political adviser Karl Rove has been caught up in the investigation, told reporters he did not know all the facts and urged them to wait until the inquiry was complete before "you jump to conclusions."

"I would like this to end as quickly as possible so we know the facts, and if someone committed a crime they will no longer work in my administration," Bush said at a news conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Asked on June 10, 2004, whether he stood by his earlier pledge to fire anyone found to have leaked the officer's name, Bush replied: "Yes." On Monday, he added the qualifier that it would have to be demonstrated that a crime was committed. The Democratic Party accused Bush of lowering the "ethics bar."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan faced a new barrage of questions about the controversy after the president spoke, and he rejected suggestions Bush had added a new condition to his dismissal vow. "No, I disagree," McClellan told reporters. "I think that you should not read anything into it more than what the president said at this point," he said.

<http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2005-07-18T200226Z_01_N7I252177_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-BUSH-LEAK-DC.XML>
(more at link above)

[Demit]

2. He's sidestepping, he's backpedaling, he's tap dancing.

We know he can't handle all that maneuvering without falling down. Look out! Watch everyone get out of the way!

[HereSince1628]

3. Wider, wider....Ok, now we can slip Karl through!

Mr Roverer is so important they just have got to find a loophole big enough to slip him through.

Careful, there Georgie, a loophole could become a noose in the court of public opinion.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Ok, he's busted.

From the website of the White House
Dated June 10, 2004

President Bush Holds Press Conference Following the G8 Summit

Q Given -- given recent developments in the CIA leak case, particularly Vice President Cheney's discussions with the investigators, do you still stand by what you said several months ago, a suggestion that it might be difficult to identify anybody who leaked the agent's name?

THE PRESIDENT: That's up to --

Q And, and, do you stand by your pledge to fire anyone found to have done so?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. And that's up to the U.S. Attorney to find the facts.

Q My final point would be -- or question would be, has Vice President Cheney assured you --

THE PRESIDENT: It's up to the --

Q -- subsequent to his conversations with them, that nobody --

THE PRESIDENT: I haven't talked to the Vice President about this matter, and I suggest -- recently -- and I suggest you talk to the U.S. Attorney about that.

Read more.

[cliss]

6. I just read the entire press conference.

Amidst lots of blabbing and spin, I couldn't help noticing one thing: Laugher. Lots of it. Lots of clowning around. Humor, slapstick even.

Even while being asked about torture, Bush seems to make a joke of it. Just unbelievable. Look at every question, how he makes jokes everywhere. What a loser.

[truth2power]

16. I watched about 10 minutes from the WH site.

I just couldn't take any more. That hectoring, pompous tone he has; like he's talking to a group on 3rd graders. Makes my head hurt.

Anyone see where he said he didn't expect any more NATO troops to be "offered up"? Jeezus! Offered up, as in "sacrificed"? The Boy-King just can't help but let the truth slip out now and then.

Insane, embarrassing POS, he is! x(

[fshrink]

5. Lol...

It's like Gotti saying that any capo issued a speed ticket will lose his job.

[goforit]

7. Does he realize he'll have to fire himself?

LOL!!!!

[skip fox]

8. It indicates that W. thinkks Rove may be indicted.

More good news: Faux News is putting some distance between itself and Rove.

[54anickel]

9. Bush Focuses on Crime in Agent Leak, Backs Off Earlier Language

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=a_m24G9DsAHc&refer=top_world_news

snip>

Bush's statement offers more protection for administration officials who may have discussed agent Valerie Plame with reporters, said Stephen Gillers, a law professor at New York University. On June 10, 2004, Bush answered ``Yes'' when asked whether he would fire anyone who leaked Plame's name.

``He's certainly backing off,'' Gillers said. ``Before it didn't seem to matter whether or not the revelation would be a crime.''

That's significant because the parameters for breaking the 1982 law about exposing an undercover agent are very narrow, Gillers said. A person would have had to reveal the name knowingly and with the awareness that the government was trying to conceal it. And it's only illegal if the agent worked overseas in the past five years; Plame has lived in the U.S. since 1997.

snip>

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, asked repeatedly whether Bush's statement effectively raised the bar for a potential dismissal, would say only, ``I would not read anything into it more than what the president said.''

more...

[skip fox]

10. This indicates W. believes Rove may be indicted.

This story and the Faux News reaction to Rove on Fri and today indicate that the worst (from their point of view) may happen to Rove.

Rove will probably be charged with several crimes. Logic:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x140550

[shoelace414]

11. and the next place the goalposts are going to be

"He has only been indited.. in America we have innocent until proven guilty"

[skip fox]

15. Precisely

:toast:

[cybildisobedience]

18. unless you're any defendant in a case Nancy Grace is watching

[NYC Liberal]

43. And then..."We are waiting for the appeals to finsh" nt

[Ready4Change]

12. What an empty, valueless, position for Bush to take.

Think about it. If someone broke the law here, they are going to jail. Firing them is, literally, the LEAST he could do.

[barb162]

13. note the pug standard for pugs : crime and no apologies due

note the pug standard for Clinton: no crime and must apologize a million times

[54anickel]

14. I was waiting for the transcripts from Scotty - thanks to truthpusher

for posting the link - though it got locked

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/07/20050718-2.html

[Jester_11218]

17. Is he kidding...he LOVES felons! Check out his record!

Bush Fire Rove? Why? Bush Loves Felons; Just Look All Around Him!

More:
http://tvnewslies.org/blog/?p=55

[The Night Owl]

19. If Bush keeps moving the goalpost...

If Bush keeps moving the goalpost, the leaker will eventually be up for a medal.

[mondo joe]

20. "I will fire anyone convicted...who can guess the number I'm thinking of

between 1 and 1,000...."

Seriously, it's like the reverse of the Salem witch trials - there's nothing Rove can do TO be found guilty enough for Bush.

[Trillo]

21. I wonder if Bush would support a law that would allow the firing

of any employee in any employment anywhere ONLY if they are found to have committed a crime?

Oh, to be at the top...

[damntexdem]

22. Of course, they won't be criminals if ...

Dubya pardons them.

[damntexdem]

23. "Reiterates"! A Yahoo lie!

Dubya flip flopped from 'involved in' to 'committed a crime.'

Pass on the spin, Yahoo.

[zara]

24. Legal leakers get a free pass!

[Up2Late]

25. * firing KKKarl would be like Charlie McCarthy firing Edgar Bergen

I heard this quote on "Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me" this weekend.



"For Bush to get rid of Rove would be like Charlie McCarthy firing Edgar Bergen."--Marshall Wittman

[Vinca]

27. This, more than anything, shows what a dimwit Bush is.

He should show Karl the door whether he's guilty or innocent because his loose lips have taken the focus away from the "Bush agenda." That, of course, is not a bad thing. Thanks Shrub, thanks Karl.

[BR_Parkway]

28. But why? How many convicted criminals already work in his admin?

[TacticalPeek]

29. Retreat by Bush in CIA leak affair

Retreat by Bush in CIA leak affair

By Alec Russell, in Washington
(Filed: 19/07/2005)

President George W Bush backed away yesterday from a pledge to fire anyone involved in the leaking of a CIA agent's identity.

His retreat was a tacit admission of the pressure building up on his leading aide, Karl Rove, who is at the centre of a controversy over disclosing the name of Valerie Plame, a CIA agent, in July 2003.

In a testy appearance before the press at the White House, Mr Bush said that if anyone on his staff was found to have committed a crime, he "will no longer work in my administration". Previously, he had said he would fire anyone involved in the leak.

Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said: "I know what was said previously. You heard what was said today."

more
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/19/wcia19.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/07/19/ixworld.html

[calimary]

30. bush in retreat.

That's where this putz should be.

Visualize IMPEACHMENT.
Pass it on...

[tyne]

32. best

"Visualize IMPEACHMENT.
Pass it on..."

At a certain time on a certain day. The best idea I've heard in a long time.

Pepsi

[calimary]

36. Thanks! Welcome to DU!

And by all means, DO pass it on... Or would that be DU pass it on?

Cheers! :hi:

[VegasWolf]

41. or, Just DU It! nt

[Cha]

33. Yeah, I like the way they

framed it in the UK.

[skids]

31. redux, with humor

Retreat by Bush in CIA leak affair

President George W Bush backed away yesterday from a pledge to fire anyone involved in the leaking of a CIA agent's identity.

"Simply put," he said "if I did that I wouldn't have noone left. Noone left. I mean, running this country... it's HARD WORK. I can't do it all by myself. Heh. Heh. Git me wrong, I'm all for downsizing, but sheesh! Heh. Heh."

[ixion]

34. Most of the * admin are ex-felons, including the chimpenator himself

soooooo....fire'em all, I say. :grr:

[ktowntennesseedem]

35. So, let me see if I've got this straight...

Those involved in the leak will be fired, but only if they have broken a crime. So are we waiting for an indictment, or will they then take the innocent-till-proven-guilty stance, and we wait for the outcome of the trial? And then, even with a guilty verdict, will they be fired then or will we wait till they have appealed their case, all the way to their newly conservative-packed Supreme Court if necessary?

So that's, what, two? three years? Or to measure it another way, that's about 22 hurricanes, 19 Hollywood weddings/affairs/divorces, 13 shark attacks, 39 terror alerts and 6 terror attacks away. (I think I did the math correctly.)

On second thought, screw it. Let's just go ahead and fire Dubya and get it over with.

[Jackpine Radical]

37. Works for me.

"Let's just go ahead and fire Dubya and get it over with."

[yodermon]

40. It's much worse.

1) Was: "will fire anyone INVOLVED"

2) Now: "will fire anyone WHO HAS COMMITTED A CRIME"

3) Upon indictments: "Innocent until proven guilty, ergo, will fire anyone CONVICTED OF A CRIME"

4) Upon conviction: "I respectfully disagree with the jury, and officially Pardon Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, and Dick Cheney."

5) All this is allowed to continue because the electronic DREs, Diebold optical scan machines, and Repuke vote suppression tactics were not remedied in time for the 2006 midterm elections, and hence the Repugs waltzed into a fraudulent super-majority in both the House and the Senate, simultaneously giving a rubber-stamp and blank check for any and all treasonous activities by the mal-administration.


yes i'm cynical. :mad:

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

38. BIGGER Retreat Than Being Reported

January, 2001:

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/1/22/2137...

Bush Urges High Ethical Standards
NewsMax.com Wires
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2001
WASHINGTON (UPI) – President Bush witnessed the swearing-in of his White House staff Monday and said he expected them to avoid even the appearance of impropriety and to conduct themselves with humility and civility at all times.

In an East Room ceremony, Vice President Dick Cheney administered the oath of office to several dozen White House staff members. The oath is not unlike the oaths Bush and Cheney took Saturday, committing the oath-taker to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic," and "bear true faith and allegiance to the same."

After the oath was administered, Bush told the staff – and 100 or so family members on hand – "You all are here because you have my full confidence."

"Today, everything is so promising and new," the new president said. "I'm hoping the day will never come when any of us take this place for granted."

Bush warned that he expected his White House staff to meet the highest ethical standards, avoiding not only violations of law, but even the appearance of impropriety.

"We must remember the high standards that come with high office," he said. "This begins careful adherence with the rules. I expect every member of this administration to stay well within the boundaries define legal and ethical conduct.

[Captain Hilts]

39. And this is the "Torygraph." Can't wait to read the Guardian! (nt)

[bozo299]

42. Why hasn't George Bush been Impeached?

Why hasn't W been impeached? His lies go way beyond Clinton's.

Why isn't Rove in prison?

Why? Because he didn't mention "her name". How many wives did he have?

Did Rove "break a law"? Yes.

DO NOT PASS JAIL.