Gonzales "corrects" his testimony -Admits Top Aides Got Political Briefings

[kpete]

Gonzales Now Says Top Aides Got Political Briefings

By Dan Eggen and Paul Kane
Washington Post Staff Writer and washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Saturday, August 4, 2007; Page A05

Justice Department officials attended at least a dozen political briefings at the White House since 2001, including some meetings led by Karl Rove, President Bush's chief political adviser, and others that were focused on election trends prior to the 2006 midterm contest, according to documents released yesterday.

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee last week that he did not believe that senior Justice Department officials had attended such briefings. But he clarified his testimony yesterday in a letter to Congress, emphasizing that the briefings were not held at the agency's offices.

Internal guidelines forbid partisan meetings at the Justice Department and sharply restrict the ability of employees to participate directly in election campaigns or other political activities, a Justice official said yesterday. But the official, who declined to be identified publicly discussing the issue, said the type of meetings held at the White House did not appear to run afoul of department policy.

A list of briefings for Justice officials was included with a letter sent yesterday from Gonzales to Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which sought to clarify and correct parts of his testimony before the panel on July 24. The list was sent to House oversight committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) in June, but it had not been released publicly before yesterday.

more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/03/AR2007080302238.html?hpid=sec-politics
Documents:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2007/03/28/LI2007032801924.html?reload=true

[MissWaverly]

1. I don't care were they were held, this is an outrage

it is not the "just us" department but the justice department, it's supposed to be justice for all.

[Robbien]

2. No mention by Gonzo at all

on whether he plans to take action against the individuals for Hatch Act violations.

Sure he says, they broke the rules. So what.

[nolabels]

6. The person in charge of officiating enforcement of all federal laws purposfully...

ignoring or breaking the laws put in his charge? Then flaunting about saying what ya going to do about it? ( Really Gonzo is probably thinking 'You can't do anything about it, my boss is the dictator king :P' )

[rodeodance]

3. this list was sent in JUNE====gonzo lies in July, then 'corrects' it. STupid!

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Ignore my old lies. Bend over and swallow my new lies." - Gonzo

"I am a republicon Homelander chickenhawk, and lying is the only thing we are good at."

- Gonzo

[Solly Mack]

5. I sure am happy that's all cleared up now

I'm even more happy that I still have a sense of humor

[midnight]

7. Would someone mind explaining to me what legal

ramifications this new memory about sharing briefings with these aides mean-thanks.

[spanone]

10. it means he LIED. he LIED to congress. he LIED.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. If the laws forbid these kinds of meetings, and Gonzo just admitted that they went to them.

Isn't that enough to fire him?

Forget about lying about it. Lying to Congress just gives you a free pass from their subpoenas.

[donkeyotay]

9. Instead he gets the power that belonged to the FISA courts

It must be some kind of hard bargain the dem leadership drove.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. The pods took our Dem leadership.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. Kick! eom

[blogslut]

13. kick

:kick: