New Docs Show Sampson Behind Misleading Statement to Congress

[babylonsister]

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002898.php

New Docs Show Sampson Behind Misleading Statement to Congress
By Paul Kiel - March 28, 2007, 5:00 PM

The Justice Department turned over yet more documents to Congress today -- documents which seem to show that Alberto Gonzales' chief of staff Kyle Sampson was responsible for misleading Congress about Karl Rove's role in replacing a U.S. attorney.

On February 23, acting Assistant Attorney General wrote Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and other senators in response to questions about the appointment of Timothy Griffin, a former aide to Rove. In the letter, Hertling stated "The Department is not aware of Karl Rove playing any role in the decision to appoint Mr. Griffin."

But emails subsequently released by the Justice Department showed that wasn't the case. Last December, for example, Sampson wrote in an email that Griffin's appointment was "important to Harriet, Karl, etc." Other emails showed that Rove's deputy had been intimately involved in the effort to get Griffin installed as the U.S. Attorney in Eastern Arkansas.

In a letter accompanying documents sent to Congress today, Hertling admits that the assertion in his letter isn't true, adding, "We sincerely regret any inaccuracy." And to answer questions about who was responsible for that inaccuracy, he accompanied his letter with 202 pages documents "reflecting the preparation and transmittal of the February 23 letter."

Among the documents is a February 8th email from Kyle Sampson providing what ultimately, with a few small revisions, comprised Hertling's letter. And in that email Sampson wrote that Hertling should say, "I am not aware of Karl Rove playing any role in the Attorney General's decision to appoint Griffin."

Now, Hertling might not have known of Rove's role in Griffin's selection, but Sampson sure did.

You can bet that Sampson will be questioned about this during the hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow morning.

Update: Those documents are now online here:

http://judiciary.house.gov/Printshop.aspx?Section=464

[youngdem]

1. EX-cellent

[Kagemusha]

2. We need some real convictions for deceiving Congress

Iran-Contra and everything since really debased the coinage here. Everyone charged either:

- Gets off on appeal
- Is pardoned
- Pleads guilty and with prosecutors providing a sweetheart minimum sentence deal

[movonne]

3. Is the hearing going to be on C-span tomarrow...

[halobeam]

4. yes it is

[Connie_Corleone]

6. C-Span 3 at 10 am ET.

[loudsue]

5. But unless congress acts NOW, they will all be "PARDONED"

or, at least, they all stand to be pardoned.

The congress has got to draw up some kind of legislation to keep a president from pardoning someone in his own government for breaking the law!!! This administration has shown us that bush will allow every type of lawlessness in his administration, IN ORDER TO FURTHER BUSH'S OWN AGENDA, and then he can just pardon the lot of them.

The framers of the constitution had NO CLUE we would end up with the likes of this mafia running the government. I really don't think they foresaw the presidential pardon might be able to ENLIST criminals in the executive branch, and then let them all off the hook.

People who commit crimes while working in the government should not be the recipients a pardon from those who enlisted them to commit those crimes.

:kick::kick::kick:

[radfringe]

7. Ok raises 2 questions....

1. Was it Sampson's idea to mislead congress, or was he directed to do so?

2. If he was told to mislead congress, who told him to do it?

[babylonsister]

8. Hopefully, someone will ask him those questions tomorrow. nt