CORRUPTION UPDATES 95

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1) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. After the abstract there's analysis and commentary, links to related articles, and a link to the database with suggested search terms.

Pakistani justice's reinstatement is blow to Musharraf

Griff Witte, Washington Post

Saturday, July 21, 2007

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/21/MNGI3R4EHR1.DTL

(07-21) 04:00 PDT Islamabad, Pakistan -- Pakistan's high court delivered a stinging rebuke to President Pervez Musharraf on Friday, reinstating the country's chief justice four months after Musharraf tried to oust him and jeopardizing the president's plan to hold on to power.

The decision was hailed as a landmark victory by advocates for returning Pakistan to civilian-led, democratic rule, who said it amounts to an unprecedented act of defiance in a country where the judiciary has long bowed to military might.

Since his suspension in March, the judge, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, has been touring the country speaking about the dangers of despotism. He will now lead the court at a time when it is likely to hear challenges to Musharraf's plans for extending his tenure, which have been assailed as anti-democratic.

Musharraf's term ends later this year. This week, he said he intends to be elected to a new, five-year term by a parliament that is packed with supporters and about to expire. Musharraf, who came to power in a coup, also indicated he plans to stay on as army chief and keep his uniform, a garment that carries huge significance in Pakistan because it represents support from the country's most influential institution -- its military.

Musharraf's opponents have charged that both proposals are constitutionally dubious and say the ruling Friday shows that the judiciary is willing to torpedo his plans.

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

Originally written on June 8, 2007, for Corruption Update 70_7

Musharraf Desperation Deepens: Shallow Accusations and Falling Support Spelling End of Musharraf

Musharraf is failing. His party's murder of 45 protesters in Karachi did not dissuade further public protest, nor did it satisfy Musharraf, judging by his complaints about lack of party support. Sometimes murder is not sufficient to maintain dictatorial power.

At this point, Musharraf barely has time and maneuvering room to exit gracefully. His options for keeping power are limited.

He can back off, reappoint Chaudry, and focus on guiding his fatally wounded dictatorship towards stealing the next presidential election, set for this year.

This is unlikely, as resistance to his Dictatorship is growing in all quarters.

Musharraf's most likely path, if he can keep the Army behind him, will be to put the Army in the Streets, adding the tool of direct State Violence to his use of mass political arrests, and closing the media.

In any case, neither side has backed off, and a showdown is coming.

If Musharraf stands his ground, blood will soon be running through the streets of Pakistani cities. If Musharraf flees, the Army may not be able to impose another general, and may be forced to step back, and cut a deal with the opposition groups to hold a real election.

America is responsible for heavily arming and funding Musharraf, and directly supporting his military dictatorship. We have raised no objections to his dictatorship, despite our oft repeated goal of "democratization," nor have we spoken against his latest arbitrary uses of violence and political power.

If blood runs in the streets of Karachi and Islamabad, we must bear a great deal of responsibility.

For commentary on how this will affect the Afghan War, see:

Corruption Update 38_10

All Paki LInks: Latest at the Bottom of the list

Corruption Updates 31, 10th article on page, “Pakistan's old new year"

Corruption Updates 44 , 3rd article on page, “American backed Dictator Attempting to Crush Pakistan's Judiciary"

Corruption Updates 38, 10th article on the page, "American Dictator Removes Chief Justice in Pakistan"

Corruption Updates 61, 5th article on the page, "Musharraf 'seeks Karachi peace'"

Corruption Updates 62, 7th article on the page, "Pakistan's ex-top judge has addressed thousands..."

Corruption Updates 63, 9th article on the page, "Pakistan: 4 Arrested in Killing of Judge’s Aide"

Corruption Updates 67, 4th article on the page, "Musharraf Issues Decree Cracking Down on News Media"

Pakistan Holds 2 in Pearl Killing: False, These Men Kidnapped 4 years Ago, THE NEW YORK TIMES, 6-6-07

Corruption Updates 69, 2nd article on the page, "Pakistan Arrests 300 Workers From Opposition"

Corruption Updates 88, 9th article on the page, Musharraf’s Plane Fired Upon as Mosque Standoff Continues

Corruption Updates 88, 10^th article on the page, "As Pakistan’s Chief Looks Ahead, Army Holds the Cards"

Corruption Updates 92, 8th article on the page, U.S.: Pakistan Will Fight Militants: American Dictator Save Pakistan from itself

Corruption Updates 92, 9th article on the page, Islamabad Bombing Kills at Least 12: Pakistani Blood Bath Beginning with full US Support

Corruption Updates 95, 1st article on the page, Pakistani justice's reinstatement is blow to Musharraf

Corruption Updates 95, 2nd article on the page, Parties to Challenge Pakistan Election Plan

Corruption Updates 96, 4th article on the page, New Violence at Reopened Pakistan Mosque: American Dictator Provokes Widespread

Even Musharraf’s Allies Question His Re-election Goal: Will US broker a Musharraf-Bhutto alignment between Army and Secular Corruption? NY Times, August 17, 2007

Prime Minister Plays Down Pakistani Rivals’ Talks: Dictator Tries to Split Power between Corrupt Elites, NYT, August 20, 2007

Supreme Court rules that ex-PM Sharif can return to Pakistan from exile: Musharraf Dictatorship Unraveling, Associated Press, August 23, 2007

Close Aides to Musharraf Meet With His Opposition: NY Times Softens Musharraf's Military Dictatorship, NY Times, August 27, 2007

Will US broker a Musharraf-Bhutto alignment between Army and Secular Corruption?

Musharraf strikes deal with Bhutto: Bhutto sells out to American Dictatorship, Financial Times, August 29, 2007

Bhutto Vows early return to Pakistan, US brokers deal between Dictator and Corruption? BBC NEWS, September 1, 2007

Taleban 'getting Chinese weapons:' China growing stronger on US Trade, BBC NEWS, September 3, 2007

Saudis 'ask Sharif not to return, BBC NEWS: September 5, 2007

Order for Sharif brother arrest, BBC NEWS, September 7, 2007

Sharif arrives in Pakistan, CNN, 9-10-07

Lawyers Appeal Sharif Exile, Associated Press, September 11, 2007

Pakistan bomb kills elite troops, BBC NEWS, September 13, 2007

Bhutto's return to Pakistan set for Oct. 18, Los Angeles Times,September 14, 2007

Paki Security chief gets jail warning for kidnapping , BBC NEWS: 8-20-07

Pakistan frees 'al-Qaeda suspect', BBC NEWS, August 20, 2007

Fear and fearlessness in Pakistan, Al-Ahram Weekly, 4 - 10 October 2007

Pakistani justices throw Musharraf a curve, LAT, October 5, 2007

Pakistan detains opposition leaders: American Dictator Arrests Opposition, Aljazeera, SEPTEMBER 23, 2007

VIEW: Running from Musharraf, Daily Times, Pakistan, 9-29-07

Our Paki Dictator reveals his true source of power: Martial Law, Washington Post, November 4, 2007

Our Paki Dictator Releases Militants, Arrests Democratic Opposition to fight "Terror," Dawn, Pakistan, 11-5-07

Pakistan: 1000's Flee Military Assualt, Reuters, Sun Oct 28, 2007

Paki Supreme Court Chief Held Govt in Contempt for Many illegal acts, BBC NEWS, 2007/10/30

US continues to back Paki dictator after arrest of supreme court, closing media, and arresting moderate opponents, Christian Science Monitor, Nov 6, 2007

Musharraf imprisoned supreme court, killed media, and arrested opponents with Bush Approval, Dawn, 11-3-07

Musharraf's illegal Martial Law Supreme Court approves his dictatorship, Dawn, November 23, 2007

Pakistan Govt releasing kidnap-torture victims captured in bush terror war, NYT, December 19, 2007

U.S. Officials See Waste in Billions Sent to Pakistan, NYT, 12-24-07

Report: U.S. military aid to Pakistan not well controlled, "...Americans have been taken for a ride," www.chinaview.cn, 12-24-07

Negraponte the criminal: Answers.com

Poindexter the criminal: Hereinreality.com

Past criminals in present administration: Fair.org

Death of Bhutto, Articles of 12-28-07:

BUTCHERED: - Bullets and blast fell Bhutto in army hub, The Telegraph, India, 12-29-07

Nation outraged at Benazir's assassination, The Nation, Pakistan, 12-28-07

The million-dollar question: Who is going to succeed Benazir Bhutto? Daily Times, Pakistan, Saturday, December 29, 2007

News Analysis: Who killed Benazir Bhutto? Daily Times, 12-29-07

Bhutto was targeted by all militant groups in Pakistan, Kuwait Times, December 29, 2007

Fisk: Pakistan blames Musharraf, The Independent, UK, 29 December 2007

Bhutto death explanation 'pack of lies,' New.au.com, December 29, 2007

Musharraf Quits

Pakistan's ruling coalition plans to impeach Musharraf, mcclatchy, 8-7-08

Pervez Musharraf's mixed legacy, bbc, 8-18-08

...

Taleban winning war, says Zardari, bbc, 8-24-08

U.N. Envoy’s Ties to Pakistani Are Questioned, nyt, 8-25-08

‘President should not have power to dismiss assemblies,’ daily times, 8-25-08

Nawaz pulls out of coalition, dawn, 8-26-08

...

US commandos attack Pakistan sovereignty, the nation, 9-4-08

Ground assault by US-led forces: Women, children among 20 killed in Waziristan, dawn, 9-4-08

‘Bad intelligence caused death of innocent people,’ dawn, 9-4-08

Liars at the New York Times

American Forces Attack Militants on Pakistani Soil, nyt, 9-3-08

...Scroll up for earlier news on our Pakistani Dictatorship

Below: essays and analysis of the American Dictatorship in Pakistan

Democracy of Fools: The Bush Vision for the Middle-East, committee, 8-7-07

essay: US policy of attacking "terror" with terror and dictators fails, committee, 6-7-07

essay: American foreign policy: The Headless, and Heartless, Horseman, committee, 6-07

essay: Democracy of Fools: The Bush Vision for the Middle-East, committee, 8-7-07

essay: Democracy threatens US influence in Pakistan, committee, 3-24-08

essay: The middle east yesterday, today, and tomorrow, committee, 4-17-08

Bhutto Death: Links

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Pakistan

Supporting Dictators

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2) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. After the abstract there's analysis and commentary, links to related articles, and a link to the database with suggested search terms.

Parties to Challenge Pakistan Election Plan

By SALMAN MASOOD

NYT, July 23, 2007

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/23/world/asia/23pakistan.html?

pagewanted=print

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 22 — Fresh fighting erupted between the military and militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas on Sunday, as opposition political parties announced plans to file legal challenges to Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s apparent plans to be re-elected as president while continuing to hold the office of military chief.

General Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, suffered a potentially grievous setback Friday, when the nation’s highest court overturned his suspension of the Supreme Court chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

After a March 9 presidential order to resign, Mr. Chaudhry challenged his suspension in court. His ouster prompted an outpouring of demonstrations in favor of democracy and judicial independence.

The Supreme Court is expected to consider the two main legal thorns that General Musharraf would be likely to encounter if he seeks re-election later this year: whether he can continue as both army chief and president and whether he can be elected by the current Parliament.

Leaders of a coalition of opposition parties said they would meet Monday to discuss the timing of the constitutional challenges. They renewed their call for General Musharraf to resign.

“After the Supreme Court verdict, it is his democratic, moral and ethical duty to resign,” Ahsan Iqbal, the information secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League, said in an interview on Sunday evening.

He said the leader of the party, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, also planned to appeal to the Supreme Court for his return to the country. Mr. Sharif was overthrown and exiled by General Musharraf.

Meanwhile, in the tribal areas near the border with Afghanistan, the government’s efforts to resuscitate a peace deal with Islamist insurgents bore no fruit, as clashes with the military in North Waziristan left 19 dead, The Associated Press reported.

Violence in the tribal areas has spiked in the aftermath of a military raid on a radical pro-Taliban mosque here in the capital. The Taliban announced last weekend that it had pulled out of a 10-month-old peace deal. A spate of suicide bombings and guerrilla attacks followed.

All told, in less than three weeks, when the siege on the Red Mosque compound began, nearly 300 people have been killed.

The United States has stepped up its criticism of the Pakistan government’s truce strategy with the Taliban, saying it has failed to quell infiltration into neighboring Afghanistan and enabled Al Qaeda to strengthen its haven in the tribal areas. American officials have in recent days suggested that military strikes on known terrorist hide-outs could be under consideration. That has been met with strident criticism from Islamabad.

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

American Backing for Dictators bad for US, Very Bad for them

Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., July 24, 2007

(The following was written on March 3, 2007 for CU 38_10.)

Bush's haste in dealing with Afghanistan drew him into a convenient alliance with Pakistan's military dictator, Musharraf. This was an ignorant alliance, morally and practically speaking.

From a moral perspective, Pakistan is a nation of contradictions. Pakistan's emergence out of colonialism has devolved, again, into a military dictatorship supported by the United States. It is morally unacceptable for our country to support dictators.

From a Practical perspective, the alliance with Musharraf is a sign of Bush's ignorance in conducting the Afghan war. Rather than putting the forces on the ground required to take and hold Afghanistan, a just war, Bush's attention was focused on the upcoming unjust, illegal invasion of Iraq. Bush guaranteed chaos and failure in Afghanistan by relying on corrupt war lords and a dictator as the tools for the Afghan conquest.

Backing Musharraf is risky. Musharraf bridges the unstable divide between Pakistan's colonial past, and its religious present. Musharraf bridges the divide between traditional tribal authority, and centralized, modern state power. Musharraf sits, carefully balanced, atop a cauldron of conflict and contradiction that is Pakistan. Our alliance could create sufficient resistance to topple him into the cauldron.

Forging yet another American military alliance with yet another military dictator is not the path to long-term regional stability.

Musharraf will do our bidding as far as it suits his interests, and no further. Using tools like Musharraf to fight America's wars is not the way to victory.

Our alliance with Musharraf will only bring further regional instability, more American deaths, and cost us any chance of leaving Afghanistan as victors.

Also See:

See link list following article #1, above.

Search the Corruption Database under

Pakistan

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3) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. After the abstract there's analysis and commentary, links to related articles, and a link to the database with suggested search terms.

Judge dismisses lawsuit by ex-CIA officer in leak case

Richard B. Schmitt, Los Angeles Times

Friday, July 20, 2007

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/20/MNGKSR3NG51.DTL

(07-20) 04:00 PDT Washington -- A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Thursday by former CIA operative Valerie Wilson and her husband seeking damages against Vice President Dick Cheney, former Cheney aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby and two others she accused of conspiring to disclose her identity.

Wilson and her husband, former diplomat Joseph Wilson, had alleged that Cheney, Libby, White House political adviser Karl Rove and former State Department official Richard Armitage had violated their constitutional rights in the events that led to the former CIA officer, who was also known as Valerie Plame, being identified in news reports in the summer of 2003.

U.S. District Judge John Bates rejected the lawsuit in a 41-page ruling.

Without offering an opinion on the merits of the case, Bates said it was barred by other statutes that Congress had enacted to cover instances of alleged harm to CIA operatives and other federal employees.

"The court finds that, under controlling Supreme Court precedent, special factors -- particularly the remedial scheme established by Congress in the Privacy Act -- counsel against the recognition of an implied damages remedy for plaintiffs' constitutional claims," the judge ruled.

Lawyers for the Wilsons said they would appeal the decision.

Bates also wrote that he was concerned about "creating a private right of action for the disclosure of covert identity," and that such lawsuits could "inevitably require judicial intrusion into matters of national security."

Lawyers for Cheney and the other defendants had argued in court filings that the lawsuit would be "inimical" to the ability of the executive branch to protect national security information.

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

National Security and Secrecy claims used to cover Administration's Crimes

Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., July 24, 2007

As in every instance of criminal, unconstitutional and dishonorable behavior by this sick administration, they have once again claimed the magic cloak of "National Security" to make their crimes disappear, without any review of their criminal actions themselves. This time it worked.

This is the same claim the Administration is using to defend illegal searches, kidnapping, torture, and secret detentions, among their many crimes.

Apparently it is in our "national interest" to allow a renegade President, and his wildly criminal crew, to hide behind a thin veil of "national security" while they shred every law and Constitutional protection individuals have in this country.

Yet it is not just the people and courts who are asleep at the wheel. Congress has been fed this line of Bullshit repeatedly since the run up to the wars.

Don't expect Congress to upset Bush's tyranny: Congress is funded and supported by the same group of wealthy and powerful corporations who dominate election funding in our "democracy." And, the Dem Candidates want these same powers available to them when they capture the Presidency.

Soon, Americans will be forced to realize that they lost the war against tyranny when they lost their democracy.

I place the exact moment corporations captured both parties at the first election of Clinton. Immediately upon taking office Clinton finished NAFTA, gutted social services, and corporatized everything he could lay his hands on. Good work, ASSHOLE TRAITOR. Now we have Billery to deal with.

Today we have another Corporate Clinton leading the Corporate Democrat Candidates down the old Lemming trail, lying about Iraq, and failing to defend our rights, or our country against,...against the very corporations that are funding her campaign.

Americans will soon be forced to realize that our greatest enemies are not foreign, but domestic.

Bush Takes Law into his own hands, Frees Traitor Libby

Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., July 5th, 2007

The investigation into outing Valerie Plame ended when Bush and Rove were interviewed by Fitzgerald, the prosecutor.

The investigation ended right there, during the interview. Bush told Fitzgerald that he had secretly declassified Plame, without the knowledge of Plame, or the CIA.

That is also the moment the investigation into outing Plame turned into a perjury investigation against Libby. What this means is that Libby was lying to protect the true source of the disinformation campaign against Wilson: The President of the United States.

As the President himself exposed Plame's identity, his comments, and those of his inner circle, take on added significance.

On September 29, 2003, White House Press Secretary Mc Clellam told the press that Karl Rove "...wasn't involved,... The president knows he wasn't involved" On the same day Rove denied any knowledge concerning the exposure of Plame's CIA connection.

On February 11th, 2004, Bush told the American people that,

"If there's a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. . .If the person has violated law, that person will be taken care of. I welcome the investigation. I am absolutely confident the Justice Department will do a good job. I want to know the truth. . . . Leaks of classified information are bad things."(From Answers.Com.)

On July 18, 2005, Bush followed up with the ultimate lie, saying,

"I would like this to end as quickly as possible so we know the facts. And if someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration."

Bush's words were well selected. He was well aware that no crime could have been committed after he secretly declassified Plame's covert identity. Bush made criminal prosecution impossible: no one could have committed a crime. Criminal liability for outing Plame disappeared when Bush signed the secret declassification order.

Although technically correct, Bush fails to understand that his lies and political manipulations of the office of the president and its various agencies has risen above mere statue law, and constitutes high crimes and misdemeanors against the people, the Congress, and against the office of the presidency itself.

Bush lied to everybody except the prosecutor, and that saved all their asses. Libby was busted lying to prevent the prosecutor from discovering that the leak came from the president himself.

The press has failed to pursue the real story, that the President betrayed the identity of an American CIA agent to cover his previous lies about Iraq's WMD programs.

Understand that the press aided and abetted the original lies about Iraq's WMD program. So it's disappointing, but not surprising that the corporate press are failing to explain the President's profound lies that led us to war in Iraq.

The President and his men are working in partnership with the Corporate press to maintain an elaborate campaign to create and disseminate lies to hide their lies and crimes that paved the way to war in Iraq.

But the Truth is Out There. Fitzgerald is sitting on his knowledge that the President betrayed a CIA agent. I can't wait for the book.

Also See:

Corruption Updates 34, 12^th article on the page, "ROVE TRAITOR TO AMERICA: ROVE SNITCHED OFF SECRET AGENT FOR POLITICAL GAIN AT PRESIDENT'S BEHEST"

Corruption Updates 34, 13^th article on the page, "Plame Reporting: CORPORATE PRESS A TOOL OF CORPORATIONS-SPECIAL INTERESTS"

Corruption Updates 46, 10^th article on the page, "How Bogus Letter Became a Case for War"

Search the Corruption Database under

Plame (11 Abstracts)

Rove (56 Abstracts)

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4) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. After the abstract there's analysis and commentary, links to related articles, and a link to the database with suggested search terms.

Gonzales testifies in firings row

US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has been told to consider appointing a special prosecutor to investigate the sacking of eight federal prosecutors.

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/07/24 17:49:25 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6914196.stm

Senior Republican Senator Arlen Specter told Mr Gonzales such a move might be necessary to ensure congressional oversight of the Bush administration.

Mr Gonzales is testifying to a Senate judiciary panel. He denies wrongdoing.

Resignation resisted

Speaking at Tuesday's hearing, Mr Specter said the Bush administration's actions could have the effect of limiting congressional supervision.

"The constitutional authority and responsibility for congressional oversight is gone," he told Mr Gonzales, according to the Associated Press news agency.

"If that is to happen, the president can run the government as he chooses, answer no questions."

Mr Specter said that in that case, the attorney general had the authority to appoint a special prosecutor to ensure oversight.

Wiretapping row

Mr Gonzales also faced questions on Tuesday relating to the Bush administration's wiretapping programme.

He denied an account that in 2004 he pressured then-Attorney General John Ashcroft to reauthorise Mr Bush's controversial domestic spying programme while he was ill in hospital.

Earlier this year, Mr Ashcroft's deputy James Comey told the committee he had been angered by the appearance of Mr Gonzales and White House chief of staff Andy Card at Mr Ashcroft's bedside.

"I thought I had just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very sick man who did not have the powers of the attorney general," Mr Comey testified in May.

Speaking about the meeting for the first time, Mr Gonzales said he and Mr Card had been asked by congressional leaders to ensure that the surveillance programme did not expire.

They had gone to inform Mr Ashcroft, he said, but they did not press him when it became apparent he was not competent at that time to reauthorise the programme.

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

Spector Recognizes that Oversight is Broken and the President is Out of Control

Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., July 24, 2007

The BBC article above is ms-titled. Headlines should highlight the most important element of the story, which in this case is the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee noting that Congressional Oversight has failed.

The complete failure of Congressional Oversight was highlighted by the Bush Administration's statement that Gonzales would not do his job, and enforce Congressional subpoenas. The abstracted article about this may be read at CU 94_1.

This is complimented by Congress' complete corruption by, and fawning dependence at the feet of, our Corporate Special Interests.

Spector's observations are anecdotal; both Congress and the Executive Branches are incapable of doing the people's business, let alone maintaining democratic institutions limited by our Constitution. These institutions have been ineffective for decades.

These failures will ultimately bring reform, as our corporate dominated government is allowing the corporations to shit in the wells we drink from, pollute the airs we breath from. and ravage our electrical, educational, and medical "systems."

After they have looted or polluted everything, we will get pissed off and throw these whores out of our government. Those who came to this country to feed off their greed should be worried.

Those who have been moving to America to serve our criminal corporations, and reap the benefits of greed and corruption, are going to be really surprised at what is going to happen when the money dries up.

Key testimony reported in the above article that is coming back to haunt Gonzales is the lies he told Congress about the assault on Ashcroft while he was hospitalized. The following list of links tells the story;

Corruption Updates 70, 5^th article on the page, Democrats May Subpoena N.S.A. Documents (Comey testified to Congress about the hospital assault, Congress wanted legal justifications for program, and his side of the episode from Gonzales)

Corruption Updates 95, 5^th article on the page, Gonzales testifies in firings row: And Lied to Congress about the hospital assault

Corruption Updates 104, 1^st article on the page, Notes Detail Pressure on Ashcroft Over Spying: Gonzales Caught Lying, yet Again

Corruption Updates 88, 6^th article on the page, Bush Authorized Domestic Spying: Bush is a Criminal, and an Enemy of our Constitution

Corruption Updates 88, 7^th article on the page, Spying on the Home Front

Corruption Updates 104, 1st article on page, Notes Detail Pressure on Ashcroft Over Spying

These links mostly follow the US Attorney Scandal:

Corruption Updates 25, 8th article on page, “FBI CHIEF DEFYS CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT REFUSAL TO DISCLOSE ILLEGAL PROGRAM...”

Corruption Updates 34, 2nd article on page, “SCARY NEO-CON POLITICAL OPERATIVE REPLACES US ATTORNEY IN ARKANSAS”

Corruption Update 34, Jan., 31, 2006, 7th article on page, "ALBERTO FIGHTS FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRESIDENTIAL POWERS"

Corruption Updates 35, 11^th article on page, “DOMENICI FINALLY ADMITS TO UNETHICAL, IF NOT CRIMINAL, CONTACT WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTOR”

Corruption Updates 38, 1st article on page, “Fired U.S. attorney's testimony raises broader concerns”

Corruption Updates 38, 5th article on page, “LA TIMES OFFERS BUSH POLITICAL COVER FOR FIRING PROSECUTOR OF DUKE CUNNINGHAM”

Corruption Updates 39, 3rd article on page, “Rove's role in firings is focus”

Corruption Updates 39, 4th article on page, “Fed Attny Firing Report:TRIBUNE CO HAS MADE LATIMES A TOOL”

Corruption Updates 39, 5th article on page, “GOP official urged Rove to fire prosecutor”

Corruption Updates 39, 6th article on page, “House panel expands inquiry into prosecutor firings”

Corruption Updates 39, 7th article on page, “Gonzales is urged to quit 'for the nation'

Corruption Updates 42 , 2nd article on page, “Tobacco prosecutor says administration interfered"

Corruption Updates 42 , 5th article on page, “U.S. suggests cutting Abramoff sentence"

Corruption Update 43 2nd article on the page, "GONALES CAUGHT IN OPEN LIES TO CONGRESS"

Corruption Updates 46, 8th article on the page, "Prosecutor Posts Go To Bush Insiders:Bush packing US Attorney posts with biased insiders"

Corruption Updates 47, 2nd article on the page, "Gonzales has US Attorneys in Babylonian Captivity"

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US Attorney

Gonzales

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U.S. dropped Enron-like fraud probe

Prosecutor who built case against Virginia insurer was replaced.

By Marisa Taylor - Mcclatchy Washington Bureau
Published 12:00 am PDTMonday, July 23, 2007

http://www.sacbee.com/101/v-print/story/286713.html

Two years into a fraud investigation, veteran federal prosecutor David Maguire told colleagues he'd uncovered one of the biggest cases of his career.

Maguire described crimes "far worse" than those of Arthur Andersen, the accounting giant that collapsed in the wake of the Enron scandal. Among those in his sights: executives from a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, the investment empire overseen by billionaire Warren Buffett.

In May 2006, he felt strongly enough about his case that he prepared a draft indictment accusing executives from a Virginia insurer, Reciprocal of America, of concocting a series of secret deals to hide its losses from regulators. Although he didn't name anyone from Berkshire Hathaway's subsidiary, he described the company as a participant in the scheme.

But Maguire never brought those charges.

Months after preparing the draft, he was removed as the lead prosecutor on the case and reassigned.

His replacement, a prosecutor who hadn't been involved in the case until then, soon announced that the Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, General Reinsurance, would not be indicted. By April of this year, the entire investigation, which the Justice Department once hailed as one of the largest insurance-fraud cases in Virginia history, had fizzled.

Tom Gober, a certified fraud examiner who worked on the case, thought investigators had gathered plenty of evidence.

Gober, a government-contracted investigator, concluded that the Justice Department had buckled under pressure from defense lawyers. Shortly before Maguire was removed, his supervisors were urging him to drop the case against General Reinsurance, Gober said.

Gober's suspicions were fanned by allegations of politicization in the Justice Department after nine U.S. attorneys were fired. He took his complaints to the Office of Professional Responsibility, which investigates Justice Department misconduct. That investigation is under way.

"It just stinks," he said. "You don't come in out of nowhere and in no time kill three years of sophisticated effort."

Internal documents obtained by McClatchy Newspapers show that Justice Department lawyers in Washington had become locked in an intense debate with Maguire over the case until he was removed from it.

A company under siege

Regulators and FBI agents sifted through thousands of e-mails and memos. The trail led straight to Reciprocal President Kenneth Patterson and his executive vice president, Carolyn Hudgins.

Investigators found evidence that the pair had manipulated the company's accounting records to conceal losses and urged the pair to admit their guilt.

In February 2005, Patterson and Hudgins pleaded guilty to felony fraud charges. They agreed to cooperate with investigators. But agents soon became frustrated with the pair because they didn't appear to be divulging much detail.

A federal judge sentenced Patterson to 12 years in prison and Hudgins to five years. Both declined requests for interviews.

That spring, Justice Department lawyers in Washington began to voice skepticism about proceeding against General Reinsurance. They pointed out that some of the evidence, which dated to the late 1990s, might be too old. They also warned that an indictment could hurt a major corporation unnecessarily.

"The bottom line has always been what do we want to do with Gen Re," Joshua Hochberg, the Justice Department's then chief of the fraud section, wrote to Maguire. "Indicting the company would have enormous collateral consequences."

Maguire pushed back, arguing that his team had plenty of evidence showing a pattern of fraud over more than 15 years.

"Gen Re has been a public menace for a long time," he wrote colleagues. "Their 'I'm not my brother's keeper' attitude has enabled them to make millions by 'aiding and abetting' bad guys."

At the very least, Maguire argued, the department should impose a fine of up to $600 million. "If they balk, they should know that we are more than ready to indict Gen Re," he wrote.

FBI agents urged Maguire in May 2005 to proceed at least with an indictment against John William Crews, Reciprocal's general counsel, who'd co-founded the company in 1977, according to internal documents.

Maguire and the agents believed that Crews had participated in many of the meetings with General Reinsurance and had received memos and e-mails about the firms' relationship.

Crews and his law firm also had collected more than $63 million in legal fees from Reciprocal of America and its subsidiaries, documents show.

Within months, Maguire was removed from the Reciprocal of America case.

His replacement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gill, quickly set a new tone. In his first meeting with the team last fall, he called General Reinsurance's lawyers to tell them that no case would be brought against their clients in regard to Reciprocal.

Gill decided this spring not to indict Crews, either.

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

Department of Injustice Protects Corporate Criminals

Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., July 31, 2007

The "Justice" Department, like the rest of our corporate controlled government, serves the needs of greed and wealth, not the rule of law under a Constitutional Democracy.

Also See:

Corruption Updates 34, 2nd article on page, “SCARY NEO-CON POLITICAL OPERATIVE REPLACES US ATTORNEY IN ARKANSAS”

Corruption Updates 35, 12^th article on page, “DOMENICI FINALLY ADMITS TO UNETHICAL, IF NOT CRIMINAL, CONTACT WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTOR”

Corruption Updates 37, 5^th article on page, “Fired U.S. attorneys testify before Congress” ( Fed Attorneys Silent on Pressure/Threats Until Fired)

Corruption Updates 37, 6^th article on page, “Republicans could face new ethics probes”

Corruption Updates 37, 7^th article on page, “Keating case prompted intervention rules”

Corruption Updates 38, 1^st article on page, “Fired U.S. attorney's testimony raises broader concerns”

Corruption Updates 38, 5^th article on page, “LA TIMES OFFERS BUSH POLITICAL COVER FOR FIRING PROSECUTOR OF DUKE CUNNINGHAM”

Corruption Updates 39, 3^rd article on page, “Rove's role in firings is focus

Corruption Updates 42 , 2nd article on page, “Tobacco prosecutor says administration interfered"

Corruption Updates 42 , 5th article on page, “U.S. suggests cutting Abramoff sentence"

Corruption Updates 62, 9^th article on the page, "US Attorney Minnesota case fits the pattern in flap over firing of U.S. attorneys"

Corruption Updates 64, 10^th article on the page,"Ex-Governor Says Affidavit Shows Politics in Bribe Case"

Congressional Inquiry Urged in Prosecution of Ex-Governor, NYT, July 17, 2007

U.S. dropped Enron-like fraud probe, mcclatchy, july 27, 2007

Mukasey refuses to act on house contempt citations, ap, 3-1-08

White House aides must appear before Congress, judge rules, mcclatchy, 7-31-08

Mukasey: U.S. Justice Department officials will not be prosecuted in hiring scandal, iht, 8-12-08

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Congressional Inquiry Urged in Prosecution of Ex-Governor

By ERIC LIPTON

NYT, July 17, 2007

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/washington/17attorneys.html?_r=1&oref=login&pagewanted=print

WASHINGTON, July 16 — Forty-four former state attorneys general, mostly Democrats but also some Republicans, have signed a petition asking Congress to investigate whether politics played a role in the criminal case against former Gov. Don E. Siegelman of Alabama.

Mr. Siegelman, a Democrat who was governor from 1999 to 2003, is in federal prison while appealing his conviction and seven-year sentence on charges of accepting bribes from an Alabama hospital executive. He has long contended that his prosecution was politically motivated.

In their petition, sent to the chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, the former attorneys general said, “There is reason to believe that the case brought against Governor Siegelman may have had sufficient irregularities as to call into question the basic fairness that is the linchpin of our system of justice.”

Mr. Siegelman was convicted last year of taking $500,000 while governor from Richard M. Scrushy, then chief executive of the HealthSouth Corporation, in exchange for appointing Mr. Scrushy to a seat on a state hospital licensing board. The money was used to retire a debt that had been incurred by Mr. Siegelman’s campaign for a state lottery.

Mr. Siegelman, they say, was simply made a target for criminal charges by Republicans who were looking for a way to force him out of politics.

That claim was bolstered recently by the sworn statement of a Republican lawyer who had worked for the campaign of Bob Riley, Mr. Siegelman’s Republican opponent in his failed run for re-election in 2002. The lawyer said Alabama Republicans talked during a conference call that year about using the Bush administration’s Justice Department to “take care of” Mr. Siegelman.

A spokeswoman for the House Judiciary Committee said the panel had not yet had time to review the petition. The Senate committee has not yet seen it, a spokeswoman there told The Associated Press.

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

Repubs Prosecute Dems for Same Bribes

Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., July 31, 2007

This political prosecution could backfire in the Repugnants faces. It is clear to all honest observers, and there are very few around, that the Democraps and Repugnants both play EXACTLY the same game of bribery and payoff to obtain and maintain their hold on political office and power.

By the terms of the Siegilman prosecution, all politicians are bribed, and both the Dems and Repugs are vulnerable to prosecution for bribery. Excellent.

Instead of letting Siegilman's corruption off the hook, I recommend charging every sitting Congressman and Senator with Bribery. Hell, they're all guilty as sin itself.

Let's do it like this: Prosecute every politician who has delivered anything of value to anyone who contributed to their campaigns.

Let's track every earmark, every deregulation, every tax break and subsidy given for the period covered by the statue of limitation, match it with the bribes that provoked the payoff, and give out some Gitmo justice to our Congress.

Since our domestic enemies are a clear and present danger to our democracy, I declare a "state of emergency," and demand every politician in Congress be immediately arrested.

How about this: No Bail. Very limited access to lawyers. "Rigorous" interrogations. Severely limited access to lawyers, and no access to the evidence against them. NO Habius Corpus. No "speedy trial," and the presumption of guilt.

How about we feed these criminals the same shit sandwich they are stuffing down our throats?

Siegilman? Let his corrupt ass rot in prison. Let's give him a whole lot of company.

Also See:

Corruption Updates 35

Pakistani justice's reinstatement is blow to Musharraf

Musharraf Quits

Parties to Challenge Pakistan Election Plan

Judge dismisses lawsuit by ex-CIA officer in leak case

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

U.S. dropped Enron-like fraud probe

Prosecutor who built case against Virginia insurer was replaced.

By Marisa Taylor - Mcclatchy Washington Bureau Published 12:00 am PDTMonday, July 23, 2007

http://www.sacbee.com/101/v-print/story/286713.html

A company under siege

Congressional Inquiry Urged in Prosecution of Ex-Governor

By Marisa Taylor - Mcclatchy Washington Bureau
Published 12:00 am PDTMonday, July 23, 2007