Are you all hearing this on Tom Hartman's show right now...holy cow.

[AllexxisF1]

Tom is having an unbelievable segment about testimony in congress from the acting Attorney General when Ashcroft was in the hospital. WOW!

I never heard about Gonzales and this guy (who was completely opposed to this wiretapping) both showed up at his bed side and how this illegal act was signed. Damn this is some crazy stuff.

[tabatha]

1. This was covered in detail some time ago when Comey testified.

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20070518.html

[Mist]

2. The story goes that Mrs. Ashcroft suspected her hub was going to be badgered while

in intensive care, and specifically told the RNs etc. NOT to let them into her husband's room. When Gonzo showed up and was refused entry, he went and got a couple of FBI guys to come back to the hospital with him and throw their weight around, so he could get in Ashcroft's room.

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. This thread is useless without eagles soaring

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woLQI8X2R6Y

[peacetalksforall]

4. This was covered in detail at several key times. Be sure to do a search

on DU. This was an event so dramatic and revelatory that even corporate tv covered it - a little.

Ashcroft disappered from the camera for awhile after he resigned, but when he came back he was spewing the same old Republican points.

Enter Comey for your search. It's a unique name and he wasn't always in the discussions here.

Also, notice that there is very little rebuttal of the event by Republicans and there wasn't any by the WH (that I heard about).

Also, check Comey on c-span.org. Comey + testimony. Hear it as it was when it was live in the hearing room, unless you've already heard it.

Gonzales will be remembered for a lot of crimes and abuses, but this one will live with him forever. The AG himself. That's how Cheney-Bush wanted it. (Make that - that's how much Cheney-Bush needed it.)

Comey is a certain kind of hero for this, plus the members of Congress who got the hearing.

[FloridaJudy]

5. Oh yeah. That story's been around for a while...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtf_Gxy9ZRY

[BuyingThyme]

6. Why is Thom covering this today?

(I have him on in the background, but I'm not really paying attention.)

[Sanity Claws]

8. Because the memos were released yesterday.

When Comey testified, he did not state what the program was; it was considered confidential. Hartmann is putting two and two together.

[BuyingThyme]

9. Thank you very much.

[Sanity Claws]

7. Card and Gonzales went to Ashcroft's bedside

Card was chief of staff for Bush and Gonzales was counsel for the President. Clearly they were sent by Bush.
I bring this up because we too often think of Bush as a fool and a puppet for Cheney. Bush was evil and acted in violation of the Constitution.

[shraby]

10. IIRC at the time Comey, Mueller and some others

threatened to resign enmasse over it.