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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJeb Bush's Florida Recount Role Examined.
WASHINGTON When it became clear that the disputed Florida election could deliver the White House to his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush immediately recused himself from any official role in the recount, promising to avoid even the "slightest appearance of a conflict of interest."
He directed his staff to spend their time on government business and pledged to do the same. Vowing that no political work would be done on the taxpayers' dime, six staffers took unpaid leaves to volunteer on the recount.
Despite that hands-off policy, the Florida governor's office in Tallahassee made 95 telephone calls to the George W. Bush presidential campaign, its advisors, lawyers and staffers during the 36-day recount period, records show. At least 10 calls came from an office number used primarily by Jeb Bush, including one call to a private line in George W. Bush's gubernatorial office in Austin.
Another call from Jeb Bush's number went to Karl Rove, his brother's campaign strategist. One went to the Texas governor's chief of staff, Clay Johnson. Another went to Michigan Gov. John Engler, who soon flew to Florida to monitor the ballot recount in Broward County. Additional calls were logged to cell phones assigned to Bush campaign staffers.
In an e-mail this week to The Times, Jeb Bush said he could not recall the purpose of the calls. "I have no clue what these calls were about," he wrote.
http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jul/14/news/mn-22362
Faux pas
(14,580 posts)Yeah, sure, ya betcha jebby.
zeemike
(18,998 posts)You can bet he did not make them himself...but staffers did and they knew what he wanted done.
The mafia boss never kills someone himself, just lets his soldiers know what he wants and it gets done.
Faux pas
(14,580 posts)But, he can't think we all believe that he knows nothing.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)She should be ripping Jebs head off in the media already but of course she won't because she intimate family friends with the Bushes. She should be banned from the Democratic Party of this fact alone. We don't need Bills pedophile friend Epstein causing drama in the election anyway.
Samantha
(9,314 posts)He was the Republican stragegist quietly moved into a back office to surreptiously advise on how to handle the recount. If you remember with anger those press conferences Katherine Harris held, you might like to know he was the person who put the words in her mouth.
Sam
niyad
(112,424 posts)babylonsister
(170,960 posts)grasswire
(50,130 posts)a criminal conspiracy to steal an election
UTUSN
(70,494 posts)The B.F.E.E. have in its DNA to steal elections, to overturn elections, to perform coups.
AwakeAtLast
(14,112 posts)They learned from the master......
of puppets.
SunSeeker
(51,367 posts)tech3149
(4,452 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)Zambero
(8,954 posts)"Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!"
The word "recuse" gets a brand new definition, as does the phrase "I have no clue".
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Turbineguy
(37,206 posts)make it look like you're not involved. Only in the Bush family. The Kennedy family worked to get JF Kennedy elected. Of course, they did not have to steal the election.
lpbk2713
(42,696 posts)He says one thing in public and something totally different in private.
Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris are guilty up to their eyebrows.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)malaise
(267,791 posts)with Dumbya - what was shocking was the tape he played where in 1999 Dumbya said on tape that he treated Jeb well because he would need Florida for the primary.
Very interesting - they stole Florida.
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)The current Chair of the FDP, thats Florida Democratic Party, was an employee of Choicepoint back then. You know, the company that came up with the completely screwed up voter purge lists for the 2000 elections.
And as a bonus, her husband was on the legal team handling the Bush v Gore case. Guess which side he was on.
Hint: Not Gore.
NewDeal_Dem
(1,049 posts)Samantha
(9,314 posts)John Roberts, now Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was a Constitutional lawyer in DC at that time. He left DC, went to Florida, and volunteered his time on a pro bono basis to advise the Bush* campaign on the recount.
To the victor belongs the spoils, as the saying goes, and many of those who helped Bush* purloin that election were very richly rewarded.
Sam
Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)Oh right, I didn't have a brother whose presidential goals were on the line, nor was I a government official.
colsohlibgal
(5,275 posts)In the deciding state one candidate's brother is the governor and his state campaign head is the head of elections. Jeb should have been out of the loop and Harris should have played no role in the counting.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)mfcorey1
(10,997 posts)thefts of an election ever to be witnessed by the world.
G_j
(40,366 posts)sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)The Bush family is an organized crime syndicate. Of course Jeb helped rig the election. If he runs for president he'll do it again. Pappy said he was the smart one, and he was right.
Cha
(295,899 posts)djean111
(14,255 posts)as it is obvious he is trying to rehabilitate and whitewash his image.
You think the GOP is not going to rehash everything any Dem candidate ever did?
Here at DU, I see rehashing of deeds or stances of possible Dem candidates all the time. Jeb is a possible GOP candidate.
Rehash away, lest anyone does not know, denies, is not aware of, or is attempting to whitewash or cover up.
Cha
(295,899 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Babel_17
(5,400 posts)I wonder if Bush is running, in part, so as to further the narrative that the 2016 election is about the battle between the Clinton and Bush dynasties. The hope being that the voters will reject the idea, and thus reject both candidates. The Republicans lose a hopeful who wasn't really that invested in running, the Democrats lose a very capable contender, one who can raise money, and who has "coattails".
I prefer Sanders and Warren but it's possible the Republicans are more fearful of HRC.
Jamastiene
(38,187 posts)There is no way I will ever believe he didn't do a lot of shit behind the scenes to make damn sure those votes in Democratic strongholds never got counted. He did a lot to make damn sure a lot of people, who would most likely vote Dem, were disenfranchised and never even got to vote as well.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)C Moon
(12,188 posts)tblue
(16,350 posts)Did I mention he's a liar?
rurallib
(62,342 posts)to keep all those nasty memories away
MarianJack
(10,237 posts)Were his responses written by Alberto Gonzalez?
PEACE!