Arkansas Blog: US attorneygate

For your reading pleasure: Here's the full report -- so far -- on the scandal surrounding removal of U.S. attorneys, including Bud Cummins of the Eastern District of Arkansas. He's mentioned repeatedly, but pages 115-145 cover his replacement by Tim Griffin in detail. A timeline quotes an item in "an Arkansas tabloid." (Later, the Times is identified and quoted in an editorial mentioning that Griffin's political activities likely would become an issue.)

Karl Rove's deep involvement in helping Griffin is detailed. That's significant because statements that he was NOT involved are among many "misleading" (read: dishonest) statements made by the Bush administration about the swap of Cummins for Griffin.

The bottom line on Cummins-Griffin, as expresed in the report, has long been clear:

In sum, we concluded that Cummins was not removed for performance reasons, as initially suggested by the Department. His performance was never evaluated, and no Department leader had suggested that Cummins’s performance was lacking. Sampson stated that he thought Cummins was “mediocre” but he never assessed his performance, and he later agreed with McNulty that Cummins was not removed for performance reasons. Rather, the evidence shows that the main reason for Cummins’s removal, and the timing for his removal, was to provide a position for former White House employee Griffin.

Reports on the details are welcome. The investigation is not over and Gonzo continues to twist in the wind. The report so far is, if restrained in tone, a withering indictment of the corruption of the Justice Department by politics. Now a special prosecutor goes to work.

Comments

This is just going to uncover some corruption then before coming to fruition they will move on too the next scandal du jour then it will be too near the change of adminstrations and then they will say "for the sake of the country let us just focus on the future not these items from the past".

"It is best if we forget these and the country just moves on!"

And we will never get "closure".

Posted by: Citizen home | September 29, 2008 10:32 AM

with Cummins as officially as he's ever gonna be, "exonerated" from accusations of 'performance reasons', seems to me he no longer has any reason to stay in the GOP or keep his mouth shut, does it not? (and goes double for Bud's wife)

do tell Bud, do tell ...

Posted by: muleboy303 | September 29, 2008 10:58 AM

I found mention of the Arkansas Times on page 120 of the document as it is numbered, which corresponds to page 137 of 392 of the PDF. If that makes any sense.

Posted by: hugh mann | September 29, 2008 11:41 AM

The numbering is off on the pdf, but I still managed to find my way to the stuff about Cummins. And the upsetting part about all this is that no one will go to jail. Let's just accept that right now and get it out of the way. And let this be a lesson to us all. Several times in the 40 pages I read it says the White House refused to cooperate in the investigation....just said no....or didn't reply.

OK....why don't we try that for the rest of the year. If you see blue lights behind you...just keep on a going. If someone you don't know or don't like knocks on your door....FK em! Drive as fast you like. Take whatever you see at Dillard's and say bill the White House as you walk out the door. If your girlfriend says no....rape her anyway. Why are us little people following all the rules and laws when the big dogs aren't? Life is so much easier and more fun if you don't have to pay attention to the rules!

Want to see Rome? Just drive out to the airport and get on any plane headed that direction. If they ask for a ticket tell them to see Karl Rove about it. Why follow rules? I just sat here and pissed all over myself because why walk all the way to the bathroom? And Taxes? Why on earth would you pay taxes? Oh....I gots to go...Pizza buffet starts at Pizza Hut in 11 minutes....I'm gonna go and leave my money at home! Rules and laws are for suckers!

Posted by: Deathbyinches | September 29, 2008 11:51 AM

..........and, Bill was IMPEACHED for lying about a blow job. I dare say any married man

would lie all the way to the electric chair.

Posted by: jazzy | September 29, 2008 12:12 PM

If you see Tim "boohoo" Griffin in person.. scream like you are certain his mere presence is going to pass the bubonic plague to everyone around him! Scream like you've just seen a dangerous alien from outer space! Tim "boohoo" Griffin should be so ashamed of himself... he should be ridiculed and scorned to the point he feels the urgent need to live in a different state.

These people are the worst kinds of criminals, hell bent on subverting the very foundation of our society .. the rule of law.

Posted by: Eureka Springs, AR | September 29, 2008 12:25 PM

Well, I haven't read the whole thing yet, but it seems to me a good prosecutor (maybe they all resigned?) worth his salt might make an Obstruction of Justice charge stick on some of these worthless, lying participants. Once again, thanks for nothing, W!

Posted by: RYD | September 29, 2008 02:51 PM

Arkansas Blog

US attorneygate

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