Bush nominating Viveca Novak's husband to FEC

[Bumblebee]

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2005_12_01_firedoglake_archive.html#113485007313391863

George W. Bush has picked new nominees for the FEC. One is a Republican, Hans von Spakovsky, whom Ted Kennedy says "may be at the heart of the political interference that is undermining the Department's enforcement of federal civil laws." And in an uncharacteristic moment of cheerful bipartisanship, Bush is also appointing a Democrat, Robert D. Lenhard, who was quite helpful to the 1600 Crew as part of the legal team that challenged the constitutionality of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.

But there is perhaps another reason why Mr. Lenhard is being rewarded by BushCo. at just this moment. He's the husband of Viveca Novak, whose testimony now provides the foundation for Karl Rove's defense in the CIA leak case.

A small but rather key fact that both the Washington Post and the White House Press Release manages to leave out, wouldn't you say? They WaPo is having quite a stint in the GOP stenography department this week, it would seem.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. How does one spell " P A Y O F F" ?

just curious.

[SammyBlue]

23. crony

[Delphinus]

2. No way!

This is bullshit!

[leveymg]

3. Quid Pro Quo. Indict him, too.

The White House is really sticking its head in the lion's mouth with this one.

Do they think this is 2003, or something?

[tinfoilinfor2005]

4. Holy Cow!!

:wow:

Just when I think these people can do nothing more to surprise me!

[Reciprocity]

5. Well now this explains a lot. nominated

[Gman]

6. Time had damn well better have something to say about this

absolutely blatant arrogance by Time's reporter as well as Bush. Time will have NO credibility left whatsoever and they damn well know it. What is Time willing to risk?

[FrenchieCat]

7. Cronyism, once again rears it's Bushlike head!

so creepy and obvious, it ain't at all funny!

[TheDebbieDee]

8. Don't these nominees have to be approved by Congress

or the Senate, like all the other nominees (for instance, that dipshit Mike Brown at FEMA.)?

[Bumblebee]

9. They do -- that's why they are nominated rather than appointed.

But since he is a Dem, the Dems may feel it's akward to torpedo him. I hope there are many more stories on that and he just withdraws.

[FogerRox]

10. Hold on----------- didnt Reid suggest Harriet Miers?

who went down quick---

And now that Bush has taken Reids bait- if it is bait-- I have to ask--

Does Reid know something Bush doesnt?

[TheDebbieDee]

13. What? You mean * or Rove doesn't know that this guy is

Vivica Novak's hubby?

The couple has different last names like (Joe)Wilson and (Valerie)Plame, so he didn't immediately associate them?

I'm sorry, but I'm dense. What kind of something do you think Reid knows?

[FogerRox]

14. Reid looked like a genius with recommending Meirs

SO I have to ask-- whats Reid up to now?

[TheDebbieDee]

15. Oh, I get it. You think Reid is trying to cast suspicions

on Novak's testimony, if it should turn out to be favorable to Karl Rove?

Reid is going to imply that Novak's hubby's nomination was compensation for Vivica's testimony?

[Bumblebee]

17. Two ways to read it. If Reid recommended him it could have been with or

without the knowledge of whose husband he was. The Bushies, on the other hand, had to do the background check, so they had to know. I am sure Reid gave more than one name. Or Reid could have been mischievous and they walked into a trap.

[FogerRox]

19. yes-- If Reid screws with Bush for a SECOND TIME

I will raise my opinion of him greatly. Of course if Reid does screw with Bush on this one-- I might expect Reid to do it every time-- LOL

I'm watching, to see what happens-- cheering harry -- all the way

[Wilms]

11. A few more links/bits of info here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=405605&mesg_id=405673

[TomClash]

12. Just a new way to steal elections

Watch the Dem 529s be scrutinized while the Republican ones roam free.

[wryter2000]

16. Jesus on a trailer hitch

Nothing slows down his arrogance, does it?

[freedomfries]

18. ER cross-post from Dkos

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x405723

[Bumblebee]

20. Redstate.Org: An Open Letter to Viveca Novak

http://bink-from-daily-kos.redstate.org/story/2005/12/17/164236/40

Dear Viveca:

Well, it's been a while since we have spoken. I trust you are doing well? Mr. Luskin has been briefing me with the latest. Hold in there. It will turn out all right at the end.

...


I hope that you have not been too badly harrassed by Fitzgerald and his staff. I want to thank you for your loyalty. Every little bit counts.

That is why the president and I would like to appoint your husband, Robert D. Lenhard, to the Federal Elections Commission. We need a Democrat on the Commission, but we need a Democrat that we can trust. We've trusted you and we think we can trust him.

Do you have any thoughts on the matter?

Sincerely,

Karl Rove.

[FogerRox]

21. funny stuff

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. Holy Fuck.

This is just so sad.

[ngGale]

24. Just DAMN....

damn, damn - :wtf:

[Historic NY]

25. I call it the "smell test", if it smells rotten then it is........

this certainly stinks and I don't care if he is a DEM.

[formercia]

26. Imperial HUBRIS

Fearless Leader doesn't care what we think.

[leesa]

27. Well, now that is rather shameless..."ummm, my dog ate my notes", "I

never knew there was a month called March". No wonder Viveca sounded so incompetent!

[Mugsy]

28. OK, I'm an idiot. Someone please remind me who she is?

I've been struggling to keep up with the parade of paid-off journalists, "super-secret" sources and who knew what & when, but I've never quite heard Viveca Novak's story spelled out.

TTBMK, I was under the impression Viv "corroborated" Matt Cooper's claim that Rove leaked Plame's name to him, so this twist that her testimony is somehow part of Rove's "defense" is new to me, and Google News searches aren't proving helpful. :(

Can anyone please explain to me "who said what" and its impact? Feel free to go through the entire cast. :)