DOJ/Gonzales holds training for agencies to avoid oversight committees

[AnnInLa]

The Justice Department, which serves as legal counsel in court proceedings for other departments, has repeatedly gone beyond merely protecting its own actions from scrutiny. Even when Congress was in Republican hands, Justice Department officials advised other government departments on how to stonewall congressional review. These efforts now appear to be ramping up.

The Justice Department Legal Counsel's office recently held meetings with lawyers of other departments to discuss strategy for responding to congressional requests for documents and hearing appearances. In January, Senator Grassley charged at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that the DOJ has started running training "events" for other offices of the executive branch, teaching them how to handle congressional inquiries and hearings. Grassley's office says they were tipped off to this by someone in the Justice Department worried about this new program.

www.talkingpointsmemo.com

Link to original article at above link.

[ixion]

1. why does Gonzales hate America?

and why is no one in the MSM asking this question, when it is so readily apparent that the Attorney General in this country has no respect for the Rule of Law.

[spanone]

3. Over the last week it's been proven there is no MSM. There is only m.

media. info-tainment. propagandists for gop. cheap news for sale. pathetic.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. silicon augmented media, no less.

unbelievable.

[Joe Chi Minh]

21. The answer is very simple. They believe that what others perceive

to be America, the nation, is actually an impostor.

They, themselves are America, and absolutely exclusively so. To question THAT is treasonous. A very fundamental misunderstandng on the part of the American people and indeed the rest of the world.

It's the normal, right-wing, cognitive affliction, carried to the nth degree.

[Junkdrawer]

2. Can we at least impeach Gonzales...Is that too much to ask?

:shrug:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. K&R

this slimy, smarmy bastard has singlehandedly done more harm to our country than anyone except Rummie, Cheney, Feith and Bush.

Impeachment is too good for him.

[jwirr]

6. Isn't he violating the Constitution which specifically gives congress

the job of oversight?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. it's just a piece of paper.

quaint, at that.

[EVDebs]

12. Violating his oath of office, too, but Dems will have to investigate

and historians will have to write the history of this sordid and sad little regime.

[halobeam]

7. rec

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. 3 more votes, folks. THIS IS IMPORTANT

hell, it is critical. obstruction of congress? damn you, bertie

[In Truth We Trust]

10. IMPEACH! Contempt of Congress & Obstruction of Justice!

[treestar]

11. Lawyer of the Year

:sarcasm:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. was it Tsar Ivan who once said during a visit to France,

Lawyers? what is it with lawyers, I have two of them, and shall put one to death upon my return.

[Stalwart]

13. Congressional Inquiries

When we got a Congressional Inquiry in the navy we had about one day by my CO's policy to answer it and answer it well. God help your fitrep mark in judgment if the answer was inadequate or evasive and did not include real action statements along with real facts, as appropriate. The actual rule for reply might be a day or two longer but when it arrived we went to GQ and the day did not end until a reply was made.

It usually involved a sailor and his problems. Not trivial when it is the subject of a "Congressional".

I truly and innocently believed that everybody in government operated by the same standard when congress asked a question.

Unfortunate that they don't. More unfortunate when the administration gives guidance in avoidance. Most unfortunate when congress lets them evade.

Congress gets what it demands. At least it should. If it does not then heads need to roll either in congress or among those that seek to evade its authority.

Get the cowards out of congress and give room to the real representatives of the people to swing the big and mighty stick that is theirs and theirs to swing for us. Congress needs to drop some shock and awe on the evaders and those that school them in evading.

Government should fear its people and its people are represented by congress.

I want to see some heads roll!

[Jade Fox]

14. Unbelievable.

The Justice Department is now actively avoiding.....justice.

How do these people look themselves in the mirror?

[Junkdrawer]

15. K&R

[Babel_17]

17. This is an important story ....

in and of itself. But, imo, the actions the story speaks of are part and parcel with how this administration operates. Their MO* (modus operandi), if you will. I think it's past time for all our elected representatives in Washington to start talking up the criminal mentality that is behind much of this administration's maneuverings.

"Crime", "Criminal", "MO", words have power when used appropriately. Imo it's long past time to start laying the foundation that will enable congress and the courts and the people to wrestle this administration to the ground.


*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modus_operandi


I can understand the institutional reluctance to take up the "impeachment" battle cry. But I do hope we'll start addressing the fundamental fact that this administration is/was engaging in massively illegal operations. At a minimum, our representatives need to start using the appropriate language.

This is one of the key areas that clearly differentiate our parties. We won't lose on this issue. Let's hammer away at it.

[annabanana]

18. astonishing.. Can we please impeach HIM first?

He is a primary enabler.

[helderheid]

19. I cannot believe I'm saying this - I miss Ashcroft.

[fooj]

20. Why hasn't this treasonous, rat bastard been disbarred?

How many laws has he broken? He's a lawyer. Why hasn't he been disbarred? Once disbarred...he couldn't serve as Attorney General.

Does anyone know what the law states in this regard?

[bobthedrummer]

22. KICK

[bobthedrummer]

23. a kick for reality

[never cry wolf]

24. Too late to R, but I can K....... n/t