US Atty Scandal luminary/Rove Protege, Tim Griffin Running For Congress

[mod mom]

Tim Griffin Running For Congress
Eric Kleefeld | September 21, 2009, 3:25PM



Former U.S. Attorney Tim Griffin, a central figure in the 2007 U.S. Attorney firings, is now running for Congress against Rep. Vic Snyder (D-AR).

"The people of Central Arkansas deserve a congressman who shares their values and represents their views," Griffin told the Politico. The incumbent Snyder has not had a close race since his initial 52%-48% win in 1996, and has been easily re-elected ever since. On the other hand, the district voted 54%-44% for John McCain in 2008, and Snyder could possibly be vulnerable to a strong challenger.

Griffin had a previous career in the 1990's working on Republican legal investigations of prominent Democrats, and worked in opposition research for the Bush campaigns in 2000 and 2004, and was a protégé of Karl Rove. In September 2006 he became a special assistant to the U.S. Attorney in Arkansas, and was then appointed to replace his fired predecessor in December 2006, at the urging of Rove. Griffin was never confirmed by the Senate -- his appointment was done in such a way as to circumvent the confirmation process -- and he resigned in June 2007 in the wake of the controversy.

Late Update: A fun video that TPM produced in 2007, explaining who Tim Griffin was during the U.S. Attorney scandal, is available after the jump.

-snip

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/tim-griffin-running-for-congress.php?ref=fpb

[Aragorn]

1. one person's

slimy mud-slinging behavior is another's values candidacy platform

[mod mom]

2. DUers will recall Griffin as the guy whose emails contained the FL Af Am Caging lists in 2004:

Bush's New US Attorney a Criminal?
BBC Television had exposed 2004 voter attack scheme by appointee Griffin, a Rove aide.
Black soldiers and the homeless targeted.
by Greg Palast

There's only one thing worse than sacking an honest prosecutor. That's replacing an honest prosecutor with a criminal.

There was one big hoohah in Washington yesterday as House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers pulled down the pants on George Bush's firing of US Attorneys to expose a scheme to punish prosecutors who wouldn't bend to political pressure.

But the Committee missed a big one: Timothy Griffin, Karl Rove's assistant, the President's pick as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Griffin, according to BBC Television, was the hidden hand behind a scheme to wipe out the voting rights of 70,000 citizens prior to the 2004 election.

Key voters on Griffin's hit list: Black soldiers and homeless men and women. Nice guy, eh? Naughty or nice, however, is not the issue. Targeting voters where race is a factor is a felony crime under the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In October 2004, our investigations team at BBC Newsnight received a series of astonishing emails from Mr. Griffin, then Research Director for the Republican National Committee. He didn't mean to send them to us. They were highly confidential memos meant only for RNC honchos.

However, Griffin made a wee mistake. Instead of sending the emails -- potential evidence of a crime -- to email addresses ending with the domain name "@GeorgeWBush.com" he sent them to "@GeorgeWBush.ORG." A website run by prankster John Wooden who owns "GeorgeWBush.org." When Wooden got the treasure trove of Rove-ian ravings, he sent them to us.

-snip
http://www.gregpalast.com/bushs-new-us-attorney-a-criminal/

[mod mom]

5. Here's the BBC News report (Hope his opponent can use this!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkvWkwv7UVo

photos of emails associated w Griffin & caging lists:

[annabanana]

3. Ah yes... One of the "loyal Bushies".. I hope his opponent makes

good use of the tape of ol' Griffy's time in front of the Judiciary Committee.

[Overseas]

4. K&R. //nt