Soros Asks House to Probe Hastert Remarks

[joefree1]

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — Billionaire philanthropist George Soros has asked the House ethics committee to investigate House Speaker Dennis Hastert over comments suggesting that Soros could be receiving money from illegal drug groups.

"This kind of insinuation -- that a private United States citizen was in league with drug cartels and may be receiving funds derived from criminal activity -- has no place in public discourse," Soros wrote Tuesday to the chair and top Democrat on the panel, Reps. Joel Hefley, R-Col., and Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va.

During an Aug. 29 interview on "Fox News Sunday," Hastert, R-Ill., questioned the source of the 73-year-old financier's wealth: "I don't know where George Soros gets his money. I don't know where -- if it comes from overseas or from drug groups or where it comes from." He made similar comments in an Aug. 23 radio interview.

Soros said Hastert has since said he was misunderstood, that he was talking about groups to which Soros -- a supporter of legalizing marijuana -- gives money.

But "the indisputable fact is that he alleged that I might be receiving 'drug money' from 'drug groups,'" Soros said.
more ...
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-soros-hastert,1,7634949.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

We don't call them rethuglicans for nothing.


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[Cha]

1. Damn Straight ..they better look into it...

I know o'lielly spreads it far and wide that "Soros is up to know good. We have a customer in the co-op that comes in and tries to repeat that shyte and I just shut him down with .."he gives money to Democrats so I know he must be Okay in my Book!

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

2. Yeah!

I've been waiting for this. :thumbsup: Go, Soros!

[bluedeminredstate]

3. Surely if they have time to

investigate CBS then they'll have time to look into this.

Oh wait...I'm laughing so hard I'm about to wet my pants. Nevermind.

[salvorhardin]

4. Isn't that

legally actionable slander? or is it libel? I always get those confused.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libel

[amber dog democrat]

10. its libel

I am guessing since electronic media is of record and not just verbal in nature.

If it IS libel I think this passes the test for punative damages.

Sweet.

[0rganism]

14. It's actionable if Soros isn't a public figure

I don't think he's a public figure, but that's for the courts to decide...

[Lefty48197]

5. There was another example of the Repubs trying to associate Soros w/ drug

money. I saw the Hastert interview, and it was despicable. Typically Republican, as anyone would expect. I heard another Republican doing the exact same thing within a day, or two of the Hastert comment. I just can't remember who it was though. It could have been DeLay, Gingrich, or any of the others. I think an email was sent out to Righties telling them to associate Soros with drug money. Give em HELL George. Spend 5 million bucks on lawyers and detectives just to play the game of personal destruction that the Repukes play. Go get em!

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

6. BTW...Bush gets HIS money from drug groups....

[joefree1]

8. LOL, good points

Then there's the oil money.

[sofa king]

13. And don't forget those to whom he owes a "favor"

[wryter2000]

7. Soros ought to sue

Get Hastert in a deposition under oath and ask all kinds of embarrassing questions.

[struggle4progress]

9. Damn straight. If Hastert didn't say it in House debate ...

... it's not privileged.

[amber dog democrat]

11. Is defamation of character

protected speech. I think there are limits. Anyway it could not happen to a nicer Repug.

[LizW]

12. Yeah, that's gonna happen

What's to investigate? He said it.

If it walks like a thug, talks like a thug, smells like a thug -- it's likely a thug.

Soros should sue.