MUELLER's NOTES: "CRAVEN EFFORT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SICK/STRESSED/MEDICATED/UNINFORMED ASHCROFT"

[kpete]

Mueller’s Notes Detail White House’s Craven Attempts To Take Advantage Of Sick Ashcroft

In a July hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Robert Mueller revealed that he took notes of the infamous White House visit to Attorney General John Ashcroft’s hospital room because the events were so “out of the ordinary.”

Chairman John Conyers wrote to Mueller after the hearing to request access to his notes. Today, Conyers’ office put out a statement explaining that the Judiciary Committee has taken a look at Mueller’s notes, which were “heavily-redacted.” Yet, even from the amount the Committee was able to read, Conyers reported that it is clear there was a craven effort to take advantage of “a sick and heavily-medicated Ashcroft“:

“Director Mueller’s notes and recollections concerning the White House visit to the Attorney General’s hospital bed confirm an attempt to goad a sick and heavily medicated Ashcroft to approve the warrantless surveillance program,” said Conyers. “Particularly disconcerting is the new revelation that the White House sought Mr. Ashcroft’s authorization for the surveillance program, yet refused to let him seek the advice he needed on the program.

................

Mueller’s notes indicate Ashcroft was “feeble, barely articulate, clearly stressed.” Moreover, Mueller’s notes indicate Ashcroft “was in no condition” to see visitors, much less decide whether to authorize the program. Nevertheless, Ashcroft articulated the fact that he did not have the proper legal guidance he needed to make a determination on the program.

See Mueller’s redacted notes here. See a key snippet below, courtesy of The Gavel:
http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=678



more at:
http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/dag234.bmp

[Burma Jones]

1. Anytime Ashcroft comes out as sympathetic

that's pathetic......

[Duer 157099]

2. "J" Gonzales?

Who is this "J"?

[kpete]

3. wondered about that too

[bmbmd]

4. Jefe

as in "El Jefe".

[Blue_In_AK]

5. I think it stands for Judge or something having to do with justice

I've seen the letter J used before with supreme court justices.

[tanyev]

6. Jackass?

[spanone]

7. Mueller calls it 'craven effort' politics as usual for bu$hco.