GOP gets taste of its own medicine,Clinton investigations were no less pol

[hang a left]

GOP gets taste of its own medicine
Clinton investigations were no less political

By E. J. DIONNE
Syndicated Columnist
October 18. 2005 8:00AM

W
e are on the verge of an extraordinary moment in American politics. The people running our government are about to face their day - or days - in court.

Those who thought investigations were a wonderful thing when Bill Clinton was president are suddenly facing prosecutors, and they don't like it. It seems like a hundred years ago when Bill Clinton's defenders were accusing his opponents of using special prosecutors, lawsuits, criminal charges and, ultimately, impeachment to overturn the will of the voters.

Clinton's conservative enemies would have none of this. No, they said over and over, the Clinton mess was not about sex but about "perjury and the obstruction of justice"and "the rule of law."

The old conservative talking points are now inoperative.

It's especially amusing to see former House majority leader Tom DeLay complain about the politicization of justice. The man who spoke of the Clinton impeachment as "a debate about relativism versus absolute truth" insists the Democratic prosecutor in Texas who indicted him on alleged campaign finance violations is engaged in a partisan war. That's precisely what Clinton's defenders accused DeLay of championing in the impeachment battle seven years ago.

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http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051018/REPOSITORY/510180318/1224

[CatWoman]

1. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Walt Starr]

2. Actually, the Clinton investigations were far more political

Patrick fitzgerald has run the least politically motivated investigation in history.

[Inland]

4. No leaks, no interviews.

The level of professionalism should encourage all civil libertarians.

[CatWoman]

5. and the most professional

but I can't help but laugh at the poor widdle Republicants. :D

[G_j]

3. a major difference

Fitzgerald has NO political connections with the left, Dems or anyone else. He is simply doing his job, which he does well (and he was appointed by Ashcroft of all people!)

[CatWoman]

6. there is a god!!!!

(and he was appointed by Ashcroft of all people!)

[PerpetualWinter]

7. Kind of scary when you think about it...

Seriously, you'd think that when they were investigating themselves you'd think they'd find another Ken Starr.

[Tower]

9. I think he was actually appointed by the guy Ashcroft put in charge after

recusing himself.

[G_j]

11. you are right, thanks

did a search (this makes more sense)

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/30/ashcroft.cia.leaks/

<snip>

Ashcroft's recusal means that Comey, second in command at the Justice Department, automatically becomes the acting attorney general for this case and has the authority to determine how the case is investigated and, if warranted, prosecuted.

Comey said he has appointed Patrick Fitzgerald -- currently the Chicago-based U.S. Attorney for Northern Illinois -- as the special prosecutor to take over the investigation.

Comey described Fitzgerald as "Elliot Ness with a Harvard law degree and a sense of humor."

"He is the perfect man for this job," Comey said. "He is an absolutely apolitical career prosecutor. He is a man with extensive experience in national security and intelligence matters."

<snip>

[Tower]

8. The Clinton investigations were pure politics. They can't be compared to

The crimes of the Bush Admnistration. They're nothing alike.

I've never been a fan of Clinton, but c'mon. Clinton was investigated by a political hack unsuccessfully for years, the investigation wandering from one phoney charge to another until they finally found a way to get him under oath and force him to either admit to an affair or commit what they manage to call "perjury" with a straight face.

The Republican investigations are being run by non-partisan professionals, and the damned charges are TREASON and MONEY LAUNDERING, not blowjobs.

The two just aren't even comparable. It's like comparing Zsa Zsa Gabore to Vlad the Impaler.

[CatWoman]

10. Yeah, we all know that Zsa Zsa is w-a-a-y more evil

:D