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Dems to AG: How Many Prosecutors Have You Pushed Out?

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babylonsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 05:03 PM
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Dems to AG: How Many Prosecutors Have You Pushed Out?
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002367.php


Dems to AG: How Many Prosecutors Have You Pushed Out?
By Justin Rood - January 18, 2007, 11:41 AM

At an oversight hearing this morning, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) grilled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales over the sudden departure of several U.S. Attorneys at the administration's request.

"How many U.S. Attorneys have been asked to resign in the past year?" Feinstein asked Gonzales.

"You're asking me to get into a public discussion" of personnel issues, Gonzales replied.

"I'm asking you to give me a number."

"I don't know the answer to that question," said Gonzales.

"You didn't know the answer when we spoke on Tuesday, but you said you would find out," Feinstein pressed.

Gonzales referred to a letter his office had sent Feinstein earlier in the week on the issue.

"I read the letter," Feinstein shot back. Gonzales denied the administration had any tricks up its sleeve and was only trying to do what was best.

"Do you deny that your office has asked U.S. Attorneys to resign in the past year?" Feinstein asked.

"I don't deny that," Gonzales said. "But that happens in every administration, during different periods for different reasons. . . Some people should view that as a sign of good management."

Questions from the panel moved on to other subjects, and perhaps Gonzales thought he was off the hook. Then Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) spoke up.

"If we take a break for lunch," Leahy asked him, "would it be possible to get the number Sen. Feinstein asked for?"

Gonzales fished around for an answer, and finally answered, "I think so." But then he said he couldn't get into a public discussion of personnel matters.

"I don't care about the people," Leahy shot back. "Just get us the numbers."
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LiberalFighter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 05:11 PM
Response to Original message
1. Do they have any dirt on this scumbag?
There must be something they can do to make life difficult for him.
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babylonsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 05:16 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. Hopefully they will keep pounding him for the truth; I don't think Leahy
is going to let it go. In fact, most of those grilling him were beyond disgusted judging from the threads while it was happening (in Greatest if you're interested).
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calimary Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 07:57 PM
Response to Reply #1
8. Oddly enough, THIS is making life difficult for him, all of a sudden.
The lapdog rubber stamp crowd is gone. The inquisitors are on the ascendant, and he's forced to deal with them now, not a friendly crowd of powderpuffs and other assorted pushovers. THAT is probably making him unhappy.

That said, your point is shrewd and very well-taken. LONG PAST time we put his smug little ass on the hot seat. And it would be rawther nice to figure out other ways to make things unpleasant for him. What we should be doing, just in general, is starting so many fires around these assholes that they can't fight them all. That they don't see them coming anymore. That they find themselves surrounded and overwhelmed - on all sides. That there are just too many holes in the dike, while they run out of fingers with which to plug them. As we were taught in sparring class at the karate school - "keep 'em busy. Keep 'em busy." ALWAYS. Keep jabbing. Keep punching. Keep kicking. When they think they can anticipate your strategy, change it up. And at ALL TIMES, WITHOUT FAIL, RELENTLESSLY...

...KEEP 'EM BUSY."

Our LITTLE alberto needs his hands so full that he can't keep a grip on anything anymore.

And remember THIS, too: These guys are a little soft. Flabby. A touch out of condition. They've had several years, straight, of everything going their way, everybody bending over, everybody pitching them softballs. They're not accustomed to having to face real, serious, credible adversaries who are out for blood and who are forcing the issue and asking the tough questions again and again. They're used to dealing with pushovers, not opponents with teeth and sharpened claws (OR subpoena power). Which also is good for OUR side. I think they got lazy. I think they just figured they're working with the same paradigm here. Which is why Mr. "Torture's Okay" tried to blow off the "HOW MANY people have you fired? What's the NUMBER? SHOW ME THE NUMBER!" A) He never faced serious, repeated, relentless questioning about anything before, and B) he undoubtedly figured the same old stonewalling would work again, that if he stalls, the questioner just gives up and goes away. But we're Under New Management now, and the new guys aren't working from the old familiar playbook that alberto is used to working with. He doesn't HAVE the playbook now, so he's at an additional disadvantage. Which is VERY nice!

Plus, I suspect the little, subtle, internal things are working against people like gonzales now, too. Now that the heat's turned up under his ass, he's probably losing sleep a little. Things aren't running swimmingly anymore, OR according to his plans. These new people never got the memo, and probably will refuse delivery if he tries to send them one. Now he has to try to second-guess a bunch of new people whom he dismissed, outright, in his smugness back when he and his were on top, and whose ways he doesn't know or recognize. And as he sleeps fitfully at night, now, he'll wake up the next morning a little more tired, a little more cranky, maybe a kink in his neck or lower back. He'll probably be looking for the Doan's Pills - or perhaps something a little, um, "more effective" soon? Or maybe an extra martini. He'll be working harder so that nice trip to the gym or the masseuse will figure less and less in his schedule (at a time when he could probably use it more). And because the Dems have decreed that everyone on Capitol Hill now will work a FULL FIVE-DAY WEEK, that means he and his staff are gonna have to stay at it longer to meet that challenge. They don't DARE knock off early anymore. Which, again, pushes them even farther out of their comfort zone.

They are operating at a distinct, and growing, disadvantage now. REMEMBER THAT.

They've already made a major "concession," if you will, backing off on the FISA court matter and the domestic spying debacle. Even if it's only slightly, it's being played up in the media which makes it look like a far bigger concession than it may actually be. PERCEPION, guys. PERCEPTION. So they're already off their game. GOOD!!!!!!! As long as Leahy keeps coming back with a surprise jab at the end (when alberto clearly assumed it was all over and settled and he'd put that one to bed), this guy will be WAY off his game and farther and farther outside his comfort zone. And he'll be far less effective as an adversary as a result. BTW - if you think there's turmoil and discomfort for alberto, imagine that, MANY-FOLD, all over his offices - and the entire Justice Department. If he is resting uncomfortably, SO IS EVERYBODY ELSE on his team. 'Cause if he's under fire, you can bet he's put his staff on an even hotter hot seat than he's in, trying to give him enough ammo to fend off these unwelcome challenges (and they won't be able to anticipate them ALL). This guy's gonna be blindsided again. And again.

They're operating at a DISTINCT, AND GROWING, DISADVANTAGE NOW. REMEMBER THAT.

AND LET'S MAKE USE OF IT.
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LiberalFighter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 11:31 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. I hope they keep all his appendages in the fire
And they need to keep an eye on all of his co-horts and keep them busy putting out fires too.
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Double T Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 05:15 PM
Response to Original message
2. Snarling, fire breathing, demanding Congressional Democrats..........
this is going to get REALLY GOOD!!!!
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spooky3 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 05:28 PM
Response to Reply #2
6. It's amazing, what being in the majority can do!
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Double T Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 05:54 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. Very empowering!!
......onward to slay the neocon dragons!!
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Quakerfriend Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 05:17 PM
Response to Original message
4. I heard this discussion, and Leahy was excellent!
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maxsolomon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jan-18-07 05:24 PM
Response to Original message
5. This WAS our next Supreme Court Justice
thank you everyone for november 2006.
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