Jane Hamsher, Grover Norquist Call for Rahm Emanuel’s Resignation

[seafan]

From William A. Jacobson at Legal Insurrection:

I think what we have here is the beginning of opposing sides teaming together against the manipulation of our legislative process which has resulted in a Senate bill which the Left and Right, and the majority of Americans, correctly reject. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing definitely is going on.

It is time to start over, to have a real debate over principles, and to bring transparency to the process. The effort to hold Emanuel accountable -- and I do not presume he did anything unlawful -- is just the tip of the angry iceberg of Leftists who feel betrayed and Rightists who feel vindicated in their fears.

Emanuel is the first target of this coalition of the aggrieved because he has been the driving force behind the health care legislative process, including the payoffs, the secrecy, the abandonment of campaign promises, and the hardball tactics. Make no mistake about it, Emanuel is merely a proxy for Obama, who has lost credibility with the Left and never had credibility with the Right.

The politicians who insist on pushing forward with unpopular health care legislation do so at their political peril, now that cats and dogs are getting along.

Forty-eight hours ago, a letter calling for an investigation into Rahm Emanuel’s activities at Freddie Mac, and the White House’s blocking of an Inspector General who would look into it, was submitted to Attorney General Eric Holder:

December 23, 2009

Attorney General of the United States of America
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Holder:

We write to demand an immediate investigation into the activities of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. We believe there is an abundant public record which establishes that the actions of the White House have blocked any investigation into his activities while on the board of Freddie Mac from 2000-2001, and facilitated the cover up of potential malfeasance until the 10-year statute of limitations has run out.

The purpose of this letter is to connect the dots to establish both the conduct of Mr. Emanuel and those working with him to thwart inquiry, and to support your acting speedily so that the statute of limitations does not run out before the Justice Department is able to empanel a grand jury.

The New York Times reports that the administration is negotiating to double the commitments to Fannie and Freddie for a total of $800 billion by December 31, in order to avoid the congressional approval that would be needed after that date. But there currently is no Inspector General exercising independent oversight of these entities. Acting Inspector General Ed Kelly was stripped of his authority earlier this year by the Justice Department, relying on a loophole in a bill Mr. Emanuel cosponsored and pushed through Congress shortly before he left for the White House. This effectively ended Mr. Kelly’s investigation into what happened at Fannie and Freddie.

Since that time, despite multiple warnings by Congress that having no independent Inspector General for a federal agency that oversees $6 trillion in mortgages is a serious oversight, the White House has not appointed one.

We recognize that these are extremely serious accusations, but the stonewalling by Mr. Emanuel and the White House has left us with no other redress. A 2003 report by Freddie Mac’s regulator indicated that Freddie Mac executives had informed the board of their intention to misstate the earnings to insure their own bonuses during the time Mr. Emanuel was a director. But the White House refused to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request from the Chicago Tribune for those board minutes on the grounds that Freddie Mac was a “commercial” entity, even though it was wholly owned by the government at the time the request was made.

If the Treasury approves the $800 billion commitment to Fannie and Freddie by the end of the year, it will mean that under the influence of Rahm Emanuel, the White House is moving a trillion-dollar slush fund into corruption-riddled companies with no oversight in place. This will allow Fannie and Freddie to continue to purchase more toxic assets from banks, acting as a back-door increase of the TARP without congressional approval.

Before the White House commits any more money to Fannie and Freddie, we call on the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department to begin an investigation into the cause of Fannie and Freddie’s conservatorship, into Rahm Emanuel’s activities on the board of Freddie Mac (including any violations of his fiduciary duties to shareholders), into the decision-making behind the continued vacancy of Fannie and Freddie’s Inspector General post, and into potential public corruption by Rahm Emanuel in connection with his time in Congress, in the White House, and on the board of Freddie Mac.

We also call for the immediate appointment of an Inspector General with a complete remit to go after this information.

We both come from differing political ideologies. One of us is the conservative head of a transparency foundation, and the other is the publisher of a liberal political blog. But we make common cause today out of grave concern for the future of our country in the wake of corruption-riddled bailouts. These bailouts continue to rob Main Street to benefit Wall Street, and, because of that, we together demand the resignation of Mr. Emanuel, a man who has steadfastly worked to obstruct both oversight and inquiry into the matter. Rahm Emanuel’s conflicts of interest render him far too compromised to serve as gatekeeper to the President of the United States.

We will lay out the details further below, and are available at your earliest convenience to meet with you directly.

Sincerely,

Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake.com

Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform

Included below are some interesting responses to this announcement at Firedoglake:

earlofhuntingdon December 23rd, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Reply #127:

For a little context, consider how long it took American companies to take seriously their Japanese and now Chinese competitors. They grabbed market share, remade industries and bought out their US competitors. Former American television or white goods manufacturers are two examples.

Then a few of American businesses did something surprising. Photographic film, for example, used to be as commonplace as Mr. Obama claiming that he was fulfilling 95% of his campaign promises. Japan’s Fuji Film was a dominant competitor, taking market share from Germany’s Agfa and the once giant Rochester, NY, based Kodak. Fuji’s marketing was creative: its multi-colored blimp appeared over American cities more often than Goodyear’s.

Kodak finally got wise. A new blimp in Kodak colors started flying over Fuji’s Tokyo headquarters. Fuji scrambled to retrieve its blimp from a planned marketing tour in the US, to defend its own marketing skies.

Programs such as Jane’s novel cooperation with anti-tax crusader for the rich Grover Norquist – not normally an ally of progressives – is flying the progressive blimp over the White House and it’s too cozy attitude toward past crimes and questionable deals among Village players. It is a creative example of the kinds of functional cooperation we’ll need to reframe politics as a fight between insider-haves and outsider-have nots, instead of one between left and right.

Thank you, Ms. Jane. How rude of you to upset the Village applecart.

jackstraw December 23rd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Reply #130:


I took a look at Grover’s website. Someone there made an interesting observation about this crappy bill. Basically, his strategy is to encourage all healthy people to drop their insurance and pay the fine. If you get sick, then you just go get insurance. This will bankrupt the insurance companies pretty quickly. Remember, the fine is never going to be exceed the cost of insurance.

I’m not in the least shocked or dismayed by this alliance with Norquist. Where the right and the left can agree on any issue– importation of prescription drugs comes to mind– we should work together. That’s how we’ll beat the corporate special interests and a corrupt Congress. Once we’ve beaten the Health Insurance Bailout Bill, we can retire to our respective corners and resume the argument over the scope of government, taxation, etc. But for now, I agree with the sentiment that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Teddy Partridge December 23rd, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Reply #161:

This is one of the most important steps in American political action in this century. Finding and acting on the common cause we share as Americans will shock the dominant paradigm: the one the Corps use to keep the people down.

We don’t have to agree with Grover Norquist about much of anything, but if we agree with him on the utter corruption of Rahm Emanuel, let’s use each other to get rid of Rahm. His influence on America must come to an end. He is ruining the Obama presidency.

ShotoJamf December 23rd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Reply #176:


Aligning with Norquist is going to shine a light on him, also. Of course he’s a crazy fuck, but given enough sunshine, the sensible people out there may well recognize him for what he is, too – and the truth will out. In the meantime, Rahm gets taken down. What’s wrong with that? I’m for more information, not less. I’m also for shaking up a game and a process that is completely ossified.

The rules are changing.

CalGeorge December 23rd, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Reply #197:

In response to ShotoJamf @ 178

....

Two people with opposite political views agreeing on an issue startles us and brings much more attention to this issue than it ever would have gotten if Progressives (whom Rahm dismisses anyways) had acted alone.

Woke me up!

It’s brilliant.

MayDaze December 23rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Reply #211:


Great video. Calling the exploitation of policy differences (in this case abortion) between right and left “distractions from the real issue” – the looting of the working/middle class by corporations – is excellent. Keep it up!

Twain December 23rd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Reply #213:

In response to Mymy @ 194

Jane doesn’t do things on a whim. I’m sure this was carefully thought out. She is way smart enough to know that Grover is not her friend and to use him. It’s a delight to watch.

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Reply #202:

Color me disgusted by what Jane Hamsher and some others on the left are doing. Please take me off the FDL and ActBlue mailing lists. Those days are over.

marxmarv December 23rd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Reply #214:

In response to LynnDee @ 202

Hey, instead of stamping your foot and pouting, why don’t you explain to us (and not least Jane) exactly what your beef is? Assuming that it’s something more substantive than “ew cooties”.

earlofhuntingdon December 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Reply #235:

Jane isn’t getting in bed with Grover Norquist; they aren’t even sharing an apartment. They share a target that has earned the critical spotlight being shined on him, just as progressives claim that Obama should apply the rule of law to his predecessor, even though he was president and his direct reports were following Cheney’s orders.

Ms. Jane is saying the progressive team – and most of America – has given 110% to win one for Obama, the Democrats and the Gipper. Now, in this health care bill and government actions across the board, they are being told they won’t be allowed a ticket into Notre Dame stadium, or be allowed to sit in a pew for five minutes to escape a heatless Indiana winter.

To be sure, Grover Norquist would do anything to twist a Democrat’s tail, bind their knickers, and make any politician admit to infidelity with a moose rather than raise taxes on the wealthy. He’s as nutty about that as any gun nut is about taking weapons to children’s sports events. That must be one reason he’s letting his name be associated with Jane Hamsher’s.

But it’s no longer enough, as Glenn Greenwald keeps saying, to follow and protect Democrats simply because they are Democrats. They have to act like them, too. So far, to use a variation on Stephen Colbert’s term, this administration and this Senate are acting like self-absorbed hermaphropublicans.

A country in dire need of constructive change – and forthright leadership – is being told that whatever Joe Lieberman will agree to must be good for them, or Joe would not have agreed to it (or “vetoed” all else). That’s a leadership that needs to be taken out behind the woodshed for a little clearing of the air, wouldn’t you say?

If Grover Norquist is a useful sorority paddle to use in that exercise, so be it. If we’re lucky, it won’t be the last unusual pairing we see in progressives’ attempts to get Washington and, specifically, the Democratic Party, to remember that voters, not K Street, are their most important asset.

applepie December 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Replay #237:

This will be a big blip on Obama’s radar screen.

He seems to be so cavalier in ignoring the peace-loving, thoughtful, equity and social justice-based Americans who propelled him to where he is now. Can he so easily ignore this new federation that he is forcing into creation?

Just remember Jane, when the juggernauts from the DLC come after you: it is Obama who forced this alliance. He has no one else to blame but himself and his fave crony Rahm.

earlofhuntingdon December 23rd, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Reply #258:


This is called breaking the mold.

The governing coalition that includes banksters, insuresters and warsters of both parties – and their political pets – is not working for most Americans. If we don’t consider new alliances, shake the system without breaking it, and put unusual and novel pressure on villagers to govern as if the rest of the country depended on how well they do it, we’ll get more of what Bush and Obama have already given us.

Jane Hamsher December 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Reply #262:

In response to CalGeorge @ 197

Nobody would’ve cared if I’d called for Rahm’s resignation alone.

I met Grover’s wife when I was seated next to her and Seymour Hersh at a J-Street dinner (the one Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand didn’t show up for). She’s a Kuwaiti of Palastinian descent and Grover has battled the right on that issue for years.

A few weeks ago CAF circulated a letter that Grover, Jamie Galbraith, Dean Baker and I all signed against reconfirming Bernanke until there was an audit of the Fed. So when I wanted to pursue this issue and thought it could use some left/right heft cutting through the media noise, I contacted him.

Yes, he’s Grover Norquist. I get it. Believe me, I haven’t been doing this for 5 years without realizing what that means. But that enormous bailout of Fannie & Freddie was going to get jammed through in the next week, and it wasn’t going to stop itself.

Jane Hamsher December 23rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Reply #267:

In response to humboldtblue @ 216

I get it — people who can only interpret politics through personalities won’t know where to file this in their brains. Those who understand “principles before personalities” will probably have an easier time, whether they agree or not.

CTuttle December 23rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Reply #268:


Jane… Legal Insurrection Has this to say…

Uh Oh, Cats and Dogs Getting Along…

…I think what we have here is the beginning of opposing sides teaming together against the manipulation of our legislative process which has resulted in a Senate bill which the Left and Right, and the majority of Americans, correctly reject. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” thing definitely is going on…

…Emanuel is the first target of this coalition of the aggrieved because he has been the driving force behind the health care legislative process, including the payoffs, the secrecy, the abandonment of campaign promises, and the hardball tactics. Make no mistake about it, Emanuel is merely a proxy for Obama, who has lost credibility with the Left and never had credibility with the Right…

…The politicians who insist on pushing forward with unpopular health care legislation do so at their political peril, now that cats and dogs are getting along.

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Reply #271:


Quote: “Yes, he’s Grover Norquist. I get it. Believe me, I haven’t been doing this for 5 years without realizing what that means. But that enormous bailout of Fannie & Freddie was going to get jammed through in the next week, and it wasn’t going to stop itself.”

Too damn late, Jane. It’s clear to me anyway that your feelings are bruised and you don’t give a damn who gets hurt while you enjoy your tantrum.

I am completely and totally disgusted.

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Reply #275


Quote: “I get it — people who can only interpret politics through personalities won’t know where to file this in their brains. Those who understand “principles before personalities” will probably have an easier time, whether they agree or not.”

Really? Is that what you think is going on? Try this: For me, it’s the last straw.

I haven’t agreed with you for several days now, but I figured: “Well, that’s okay. Even if I disagree, I still think Obama needs to be pushed from the left. And she’s doing that.”

Well, fuck that. What I see now is an attention suck having a tantrum. I hope you get over it soon.

tbsa December 23rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Reply #276

In response to LynnDee @ 261

This has nothing to do with pride. Scroll up and read the complaint.
You might be okay with sitting on the sidelines while these criminals take every penny from average Americans to get their million dollar bonuses at the same time they are throwing folks out of their houses. Don’t come here expected to get alot of folks to agree with that.

Gordon Ginsberg December 23rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Reply #319


There seems to be a lot of agitated over-reaction goin’ on.

Lookit: Jane is allied with Norquist on this one task targeting Rahm (and rattling BHO’s cage quite nicely – and appropriately). She’s not adopting Norquist’s agenda.

Some form of health care reform is inevitable. The current system is unsustainable. But reform does not have to be this Senate bill; and it does not have to pass this month.

Get a grip, y’all.

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Reply #334:

In response to tbsa @ 322

Uh, guess what? I can see for myself that I stand out like a sore thumb amidst what is mostly a bunch of little chicks scurrying after Mama Jane.

If it was agreement and approval I looked for when I posted online, I would wait to see what everyone else thought and pick the side that seemed to have the most votes. Obviously, since I’m still posting here, that’s not what I look for.

Anyway, I’ve had my say. Jane’s had hers. And you all have provided her with clucking support.

Job well done, peeps!

cinnamonape December 23rd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Reply #336


This wouldn’t be the first time Grover has stepped on the hooves of AlPACa’s!

So Llamos!

eblair December 23rd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Reply #354:


The more successful Jane and FDL are, the more drive-by-shill-bottings will happen. It is a good thing. Except maybe for the mods. Just give’em a couple of responses and then ignore.

tbsa December 23rd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Reply #355:


Who the hell do you think will replace Rahm, anyway? Dennis Kucinich? No. Some other Beltway apparatchik who will be no more friendly to us than Rahm, but quieter. But Norquist will have a scalp on his belt

At the risk of sounding redundant. It’s is NOT okay for criminals to be the gatekeeper of POTUS. Mmmmkay?

LynnDee December 23rd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Reply #360:


Quote: “I just want to know what her plan is for the aftermath, because that fucking matters.”

Exactly. The only upside to any of this is that, by joining forces with Grover Norquist, she’s completely undercut her own credibility, which in turn may mitigate the damage.

And that’s too bad, because I used to think she elevated and contributed to the debate.

Teddy Partridge December 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Reply #487:

In response to Jane Hamsher @ 262

Thank you, Jane, it means a lot to see you engage with the more reasonable questions about this. You understand as well as anyone that people are going to have questions, we’ve raved about Grover enough around here. But the paradigm has shifted so far off its axis that these new alliances, around single issues, will be the recipe for keeping the Corps and their lackeys off their game.

I’m not sure we’ll win this one, it’s a long shot at best. But Obama learned his lesson, keeping Reverend Wright in the tent long past time. Look how quickly Van Jones got jettisoned for his apostasy with Glenn Beck.

It’s simply a question now of which model Barack Obama chooses to implement for removing “damaged goods” from his team.

Jane Hamsher December 23rd, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Reply #495:


This is pretty funny. Do people really not realize that civil liberties people on our side and the ACLU were cosigning letters with Norquist and Barr and Bruce Fein all during the Bush years on domestic spying, FISA and other first amendment issues?

I guess when your memory only goes back 15 minutes politics becomes simple to interpret, but it completely ignores that last 9 years.

JClausen December 23rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Reply #333:


EPU land I hope.

If you read John LeCarre novels you will know that what Jane is doing is “Shaking the tree.”

Larue December 23rd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Reply #515:

In response to JClausen @ 333

*G*

Don’t MATTER if Holder acts on it or not, casting the j’accuse is in of itself a disturbance in the force.

As was the previous action with a right winger.

Classic guerrilla tactics so far . . . within a much LARGER context with which I figure she’s working on = it’s classic.

*G*

Great call, JC . . .

booyah December 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Reply #462

In response to Frank33 @ 424

This is it in a nutshell”

“Rahm Emmanuel is far more dangerous than Grover, who merely laundered money for wingnuts.”

I came to the same conclusion… and I believe that’s what the ultimate Obama defenders really don’t get. If they truly knew all the things Emanuel has done to the Dem party… they would understand this strategy.

But alas it is too nuanced for their we must “defend Obama at all costs” weltanschaaung.

goldstandard December 23rd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Reply #573:


Jane, I seriously hope your efforts gain traction, but if the Justice Department does take action and things begin to get too hot in the kitchen for Rahm, I hope someone, anyone will pull his passport before he gets to the airline gate. Rahm holds a duel citizenship with Israel and it wouldn’t be the first time a crook tried to escape through the back door. Marc Rich a perfect example.

PaulaT December 24th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Reply #786:

In response to humboldtblue @ 292

What you missed is that she (Hamsher) met his (Grover Norquist's) wife and the wife has some Israel issues. Grover has battled his own people on the right over those issues. Take Rahm’s view of Israel and his being a Democrat and add that to the mix and you get a very powerful guy willing to go to the mat to take Rahm down and Rahm has got to know this. He’s not afraid of the left, so he pressures the Congress to go right and appease the Liebermans and Nelsons. He will fear Grover and maybe will think twice before he goes around liberal bashing when Jane is allied with Grover. He’ll learn to fear Jane, too, when all is said and done, I have no doubt.

The other brillian(t) angle to this is that we’ve currently got a bunch of House progressives who pledged to vote against any bill without a strong public option who are looking like they’ll bail on us. Jane is letting them know she’s serious and they’d better think twice about crossing her. At the same time, she’s sending that message through an attack on Rahm, who has to be the number one person pressuring them to cave or he’ll make them pay. She’s not just saying cross me and you’ll pay, she’s saying don’t side with Rahm because he’s likely to be politically toxic in 2010.

Paraphrasing an astute poster above, any exploitations of policy differences between the right and the left (abortion, gay rights, church/state separation, race relations, AIDS funding, stem cell research, guns, judicial nominees, unions, immigration, education funding, etc., etc., ) are cynically calculated distractions from the real issue – the looting of the working/middle class by corporations.


It will require laserlike focus and exposure such as this, by a coalition of both Right and Left, that will dismantle and destroy this malignant corporate control over the lives of the people in this country.

Finally, after 50+ years, we know the true nature of our nation's enemy.


And it will require every last one of us to defeat it.