Despite being in the intensive care ward at the time, Ashcroft told the White House boys to go pound rocks. He believed the program was illegal. Hold it. Let’s review that. John “God is the King of America” Ashcroft found the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program to be illegal. John “Let the Eagles Soar” Ashcroft, John “Torture ’em til They Talk” Ashcroft, the defender of all things Bush-ish, found this program to be over the line. Isn’t that like throwing a party so trendy that Paris Hilton was uncomfortable? Like finding a hairstyle Sanjaya wouldn’t wear? No one is saying what the original incarnation of this program looked like, but the fact that it spooked Ashcroft scares the hell out of me. Fortunately it was toned down to something that Ashcroft could live with, but still something to which the courts and much of the legislature objected. But even this toned down version was enacted at least several weeks after the original program was given the go-ahead from the White House. So the really illegal program was already in full-swing when the only sorta-kinda-illegal-ish program was approved by the AG.
Is there any actual limit to the amount of illegal activity which we will tolerate from this administration? Nixon was forced from office on significantly fewer and less dire crimes than these. But still we placate ourselves with the knowledge that in only 600 days we can wipe the slate and start over. It’s clear that if Bush was caught doing Condi on Laura’s new Oval Office carpet that we’d have to remove him from office immediately. Hell, we could probably get him removed if evidence came to light that he paid for an abortion for a drunken paramour in 1974. But why aren’t activities that are actually against the damn law a reason to send him packing? Isn’t that why the framers created impeachment in the first place?
Seriously… is there any conceivable revelation that would warrant bringing an end to this madness?
And not only the issue of how illegal the program is/was, but what about the most disturbing ethical (or even personal aspect) of the whole situation. Comey was acting in the official capacity that Ashcroft was supposed to be, but couldn’t because of his illness. Comey wouldn’t sign off on it because of the illegal aspects, so Gonzales and company were trying to rush to the hospital to have Ashcroft sign when they knew they couldn’t persuade Comey. Luckily Comey heard of the “rush” and rushed himself to get there and boot the guys out before they could take advantage of Ashcrofts illness. How disgusting is that. Curiously, why did they find that Ashcrofts signature would mean anything when he was officially not in the position at that time. Are there any lengths to which these people won’t go to get what they want…
kim
Glad to see you are joining Chuck Schumer in this Witch Hunt. Nice work Spanky.