Sacked CIA Officer - Hey, Big Donor...

The NY Times seems to think the political contributions of the sacked CIA officer are significant, but their investigative skills are apparently a bit rusty, since they are about $7,500 light in their reporting.  From David Johnston and Scott Shane we get this:

Public records show that Ms. McCarthy contributed $2,000 in 2004 to the presidential campaign of John Kerry, the Democratic nominee.

I applaud their instinct to look in this direction at all.  However, per public records at Open Secrets, we can easily find the $2,000 donation to Kerry, a $5,000 donation by Mary O. McCarthy to the Ohio DNC, a $2,000 donation by a Michael J McCarthy from the same address (Husband, brother, bro-in-law, dad?  I'll guess hubby), and a $500 donation to Barbara Mikulski, all in 2004.  $9,500 in 2004 donations from two folks who have reported almost nothing before that.  Might be a story there, if the Times could find it.  But will the Times try to follow the money?

The FEC website has more info, including home addresses, in their searches.

Flopping Aces has lots on McCarthy; I have some below.

UPDATE:  If it is worth reporting, it is worth getting right - David Cloud follows up for the Times on Saturday, and still scores an "incomplete", twice:

Others said it was possible that Ms. McCarthy — who made a contribution to Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004 — had grown increasingly disenchanted with the methods adopted by the Bush administration for handling Qaeda prisoners.

And a bit later:

Several associates of Ms. McCarthy said she returned to the C.I.A. in 2004, taking a job in the inspector general's office. That year, public records show, she contributed $2,000 to Mr. Kerry's presidential campaign, identifying herself as a "government analyst."

This is simply not this difficult.

Comments

[woof]

Journalism,the second oldest profession.

[Rick Ballard]

SMG,

Take a look at this as you are thinking about the 'doldrumss'. It's a very interesting approach and says a great deal about the sainted electorate.

Maybee,

Are you sure the 'closeness' of the states you mentioned wasn't a press artifact? The only real measure of 'close' is money spent on advertising by the campaigns and FL and PA did not have that much spent. If you consider the fact that Kerry finished with $5M in the bank the 'closeness' comes into a much tighter focus. He lost the election when he reported for doody and it was well understood prior to October. His only hope was for a terrorist attack at a week from the election and I still can't guess how that would have played out.

[maryrose]

SteveMG:
You are too taken in by the polls. Who cares what his numbers are-he's not running for re-election. Does anyone think the name Harriet Miers resonates anymore? It's just a dem talking point. They have NO ideas so they keep beating dead horses like Katrina. The New Orleans election will tell you all you need to know about Katrina. If Nagin wins it means there is no hope for a fresh start because they will not have held him accountable as he surely was for evacuating that city. Graft and corruption will continue as usual down there. They need fresh blood and new politicians to set that city right. WMD's my Aunt Fanny- Who cares about that red herring? Anyone with half a brain realizes that the Mideast has to be helped kicking and screaming into the 21st century. And sometimes the Iraqis are going to take their time about it. Our soldiers believe in this democratization process even if dems and other short-sighted people don't get it.

[SteveMG]

PeterUK:
Doid he fall or was he pushed,I have never seen such a barrage of negative publicity focused on a wartime leader before

Indeed. He's not just getting pushed, they're trying to drive a truck over him.

But Dick Morris did have an excellent point, one that he urged on Clinton. That is, feed the press. Announce a new program or initiative every couple of weeks; keep the press in a passive or reactive mode and not an active agressive one.

By issuing new initiatives, Clinton gave the impression of being in command of events, of having a response to issues and not being a victim to those events. And it made the press respond to his narrative and not him having to respond to theirs.

Bush is seen, I'm afraid, as being a respondent to events and not in control of them. Thus, the incompetency charge.

And I think this latest contretemps with the CIA will reinforce that perception. That he's in charge of a government that is out of control.

Hope I'm wrong.

SMG

[maryrose]

President Bush has nothing to do with this Plame fiasco or Foreign prison camp leak crap-lay that at the disgruntled former employees door-what a bunch of whining has-beens. You know they are in trouble when their most credible spokesperson is that littleboy Dean of Nixonian fame{snitch} who looks so smug in his felonious persona-another person of questionable whistleblower status.

[maryrose]

SteveMG:
With all due respect you are I believe wrong on this one. The Iraqis are going to stand on their own 2 feet-we will draw down forces; we will put the Iranians and the North Koreans back in their respective boxes and we will become energy independent. But none of those things will happen if A Dem gets elected. Don't coddle and suck -up to the press. They turned on Clinton pretty quick after his affair but the most egregious thing about that was the Herculean effort to cover it up. To me it was worse than Nixon. Terrorism was on the rise and Clinton was playing CYA games. Despicable behavior.

[AJStrata]

SMG,

The press is beyond saving. They are not professionals nor objective. They may be hard working, but they are an ignorant lot. They pretend they can watch from afar and become experts in fields they cannot even grasp.

The media is dying and well deserved death. The internet always real experts to express their opinions and for anyone to access, distill and decide for themselves. The left is the last of the 'please take care of me' crowd.

Why do you think liberals flock to beehives like KoS and conservatives set up stand alone sites?

[maryrose]

I still think Bush would have won Pennsylvania if Nader was allowed on the ballot and Michigan if there had not been fraud and thousands of ballots mishandled. Also in Wisconsin -how many voters could those 36 busses with flat tires have taken to the polls? Did anyone ever find out what the punishment for the son of the democrats for Kerry in Wisconsin received. Was it a slap on the wrist like Clinton and Berger got?

[PeterUK]

SteveMG,
Perhaps he doesn't care about perceptions,he might be that rarest of rare and most laudable creatures who just wants to do his duty.

[SteveMG]

Maryrose:
With all due respect you are I believe wrong on this one.

This is one case where I'd be thrilled to be flat out wrong.

Long three years (or so) ahead of us.

I just wish the White House was more pro-active and less re-active. Maybe the new blood will lead to that.

Feed the press; or they'll find something to eat.

SMG

[MayBee]

Rick: Maybee,
Are you sure the 'closeness' of the states you mentioned wasn't a press artifact?

To be honest, Rick, I'm not sure what I think. I do know that part of what I think is that the "closeness" is a press artifact. The particular kind of closeness (he would be President if not for state X) began with Floriday 2000. Florida was the last state in because of their automatic recount statute. But any number of states were close (voting numbers-wise), and Florida had been targeted early in the day as having some sort of irregularity.

In 2004, Ohio was the State X, but for no particular reason that I can see if I look at the election results state-by-state.
So did the Kerry people intend, all along, to use that state to call the press and beg them to hold off the final call?
Is that why she gave her $5000 to Ohio?
(bonus:Did she think she'd be CIA director?)

I'm not certain I am making any sense here. But it's a formulation that has bothered me for a while now.

[Squiggler]

HittheBud ... first of all, adults don't need to use foul language to make their points, so you've blown your cover already.

Second, I'll get in a conversation with you about the VA, but before you open any can of worms about the military, you better be sure who you are talking to.

Third, to say the MSM are hard working is a joke. They sit on their fat butts and wait for stories to come to them, that's why they can't get anything right about Iraq. (While Bush is announcing the news that the Iraqis have formed their gov't., Kerry is speaking at the same time saying America has been defeated. Sheesh!)

Fourth, your "hard working friends" are fast going to be out of jobs as their major media outlets are going under faster than the Titantic. They have become nearly superfluous and worse, they have lost all credibility.

And I will remind you and all the detractors that President Bush is not running for any office because he already WON ... TWICE! Now take a look at the poll numbers of those on the other side who have presidential aspirations. I think the last I looked Hillary was at about 26% with 46% saying they would absolutely never vote for her. No one of serious mind believes that Kerry can ever get elected, especially when you have to get the military vote and military people think he is a lying coward.

Bush's numbers may be down, but so are everybody else's and even lower than Bush.

And lastly, this is a discussion group who have been following the legal ins and out of Plame/Wilson for a long long time and they know far more about the subject than you or anyone in the press currently working. If the press put half the effort into ferreting out all these collaborating conspirators and their connections to each other politically and financially, that they do trying to gin up scandals around GWB, maybe you would be better informed, but until then, I wouldn't come here and start knocking the discussion you find because it doesn't meet your brainwashed conclusions and dem. talking points agenda.

[Chants]

Don't hold back, Squig. Be more direct.

[larwyn]

LIFELIKE PUNDITS:

"I did a logo for the "Culture of Treason" this afternoon here:"

CULTURE OF TREASON LOGO!

Let me know if you like
Aaron - Lifelike Pundits.

Take a look and cheer up!

[Rick Ballard]

Brava, Squiggler. Another woman to add to my 'do not cross' list.

MayBee,

I tend to think of Ohio and the giggle about 50K lawyers descending like locusts as a group dynamic issue involving the Kossacks. It takes a vein popper like Dean or that type of hype about the lawyers to get them to move. They are essentially emotion rather than logic driven and the Dems (and the Demsm) know it. They are also the only part of the party which shows any signs of life (albeit, of a rather peculiar type).

Aside from that one must never lose sight of the fact that national elections are verybig bucks for the media and there is not much money if there is no horse race. Note the current stimulus by both sides concerning 'the Dems have a chance of picking up a majority'. Short of gas at $5 that's rather unlikely for a number of reasons but laying out those reasons won't sell much air time or column inches.

I don't believe we will get a straight answer on why McCarthy gave the money but we do know that an ambassadorship may be had for the donation of a tidy sum - why not a CIA appointment? Political appointments of certain types have never been about 'the best person for the job' and the quid involved is generally actual quid.

[Squiggler]

Since McCarthy is buddies with Clarke, I am of a mind to think the NSA job was more in her sights than the CIA. Its a more powerful position and certainly has closer access to the center of power in the White House. Taking in to consideration as well the fact that the CIA Director is now a reduced position with the creation of Negroponte's position. Sorry, I can't even think what that's called except Intelligence Czar.

[MayBee]

Rick-
Good points, as always. I always do forget the election=big bucks for the media part of the equation. Sure, we talk about how much money the candidates have to raise, but rarely discuss where (besides their "campaign slush funds") that money needs to be spent. Not to mention the increased viewership and sales an interesting election brings. Excellent point.

About Ohio, I wish I could see it as only a Kossack moment. I've seen too many Howard Fineman-types slip in the 'if not for half-of Buckeye Stadium' argument one too many times. Now, I actually think Howard Fineman is one of the more thoughtful pundits, but that's just a lazy argument that has the bonus of undermining Bush.

You can try to talk me out of it, but this is going to bug me! Do not try to dispel my irritation!!

[Rick Ballard]

MayBee,

The zombie media's motile force is the delegitimization of Bush. They are also notorious for looking backward rather than forward - FL '00 was worth an extra 30 odd days of breathless coverage. Who knows what OH '04 might be worth? They're still wrapped in a Watergate "we mean something" cocoon for goodness sake.

I like to think of them as buggywhip makers, sitting in front of their shops and cursing at those newfangled horseless carriage passing by. A dying breed - and good riddance.

[Chants]

From Chester:

"Who's minding the store while these yahoos have a go at some domestic political intrigue of their own?"

Is it really every bit as bad as that?

[larwyn]

AP uses photo of LIBBY to top this story. Wretchard titles a post "The Memory Hole".

But if you never allow a memory to form - no need for that hole.

CIA Fires Employee for Alleged Leak Updated 5:02 PM ET April 21, 2006

I sent it in email to Clarice and to JOM before it dissapears @ NRO & Belmont Club.

The Memory Hole -McCarthy & Friends' short memory of Bin Laden/Saddam
Connection

The Memory Hole
Thomas Jocelyn compares Mary McCarthy's position on the attack on the so-called Al-Shifa chemical weapons factory in the Sudan with that of Richard Clarke. Jocelyn brings up this bit of history from page 128 of the 9-11 Commission Notes:

On November 4, 1998, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York unsealed its indictment of Bin Ladin, charging him with conspiracy to attack U.S. defense installations. The indictment also charged that al Qaeda had allied itself with Sudan, Iran, and Hezbollah. The original sealed indictment had added that al Qaeda had "reached an understanding with the government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al Qaeda would work cooperatively with the Government of Iraq." This passage led Clarke, who for years had read intelligence reports on Iraqi-Sudanese cooperation on chemical weapons, to speculate to Berger that a large Iraqi presence at chemical facilities in Khartoum was "probably a direct result of the Iraq-Al Qida agreement." Clarke added that VX nerve precursor traces found near al Shifa were the "exact formula used by Iraq."

Kudos to all the truly wonderful work so many are putting in on this story. Makes one sick that such as Priest, Risen, MoDo and that mob are pulling down the big bucks. Truly gut churning sick.

Hey Squiggler, they don't know who they're messing with! %)

[MayBee]

Hey Topper- did you see that the NYTs quotes McCarthy supporter Steven Simon, co-author of a book with your bugaboo, Daniel Benjamin.
heh.

[clarice]

Perhaps MCarthy's motive was ideological. Perhaps she got the money from someone else to place the best on Kerry. We don't know yet.What I do know is that the WaPo owes its readers an explanation . We were entitled to know Priest's husband's views and how this created a conflict of interest .

[clarice]

******bet********

[Pofarmer]

I don't think Fitz is really involved in all this.

However, I think the folks at DOJ knew they could put him on a trail, and he'd stay on it. After all, he has a reputation of taking down big dogs, and who's the biggest dog? Jump, Sparky, Jump.

I think this is especially possible if he was being fed bad info by the IG of the CIA.

[clarice]

I agree--and I think the FBI and CIA investigators originally assigned to the case, fed him a crock via the IG's office, as well.

I have been saying for well over a year that there is no way that referral letter could not have been full of lies..

[JM Hanes]

My favorite part of the run-up to the pre-election coverage is the stat mongering, like: No president in the last quarter century, with favorables under X% in a year when the woolyworms turned has ever led his party to victory in the midterms.

[clarice]

*********CIA officials, without confirming the information in the article, have said the disclosure harmed the agency's relations with unspecified foreign intelligence services. "The consequences of this leak were more serious than other leaks," said a former intelligence official in touch with senior agency officials. "That's what inspired this [firing]." Others pointed out that the information in question was known by so few people that the number of suspected leakers was fairly small, enabling investigators to work swiftly.

The Washington Post was not asked to cooperate in the investigation and has not been subpoenaed or approached for information. McCarthy, who formerly helped oversee intelligence operations as a senior official of the National Security Council during the Clinton administration and the first year of the Bush administration, did not return phone calls yesterday, and no one answered the doorbell at her home.

McCarthy held various jobs in more than two decades at the agency, and at one point was its most senior analyst for "warning," assigned to anticipate security threats. According to a government commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, she expressed concern about the quality of intelligence linking Osama bin Laden to a chemical factory in Sudan that U.S. warplanes later attacked. But her last job at the CIA was in the office of Inspector General John L. Helgerson, who has a unique status at the agency.

After revelations in the 1980s about questionable CIA activities, the inspector general's appointment was subjected to Senate approval for the first time, to confer a measure of independence. Moreover, as the person singularly responsible for sensitive internal investigations of alleged wrongdoing at the agency, the inspector general is routinely granted extraordinary access to secrets ordinarily not shared with others inside the CIA.

The inspector general's combination of independence and access may have been combustible in McCarthy's case, if allegations about her involvement in leaks prove true. Since the revelation in 2004 of prisoner abuses by U.S. military personnel at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the CIA inspector general's office was charged with examining allegations of torture and other ill treatment of detainees by CIA officers and contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. The allegations arose, according to sources, from complaints made by others within the agency aboutwrongdoing.*********Wash Post.com

[MayBee]

clarice- one of the great unknowables is whether McCarthy was at the IG office when the Plame referral went through. She seems to have wandered between a private thinktank and the CIA from 2001-2006. CSIS says their affiliation with her ended in 2003, but she was still on their website until yesterday.

We'll see what we hear from Ms. Priest and whether her editors or Mr. Keller care to call them 'entanglements'.

[clarice]

It is interesting, isn't it? From the WaPo article I just cited and other things, I am inclined to believe she was in the IG's office when the referral was made. I will try to get the cite of the article. The laptop I'm working on is a different configuration and I need to try again

[MayBee]

Thanks, clarice:
The inspector general's combination of independence and access may have been combustible in McCarthy's case, if allegations about her involvement in leaks prove true.

Combustible, certainly. A reason to look for a job in that office? I say possibly. Quite.

The part that implies the WaPo isn't sure if she might be a source for the WaPo is kind of funny. Although I'm sure Dafna and R. Jeffrey aren't in the know.

[topsecretk9]

Wery OT
But I just had dinner with a great American hero -- he was one of the 3 that subduded the waco that tried to disrupt a flight

2 of his observations

1- People in those situatiations do not act like the crazy unbalanced movies make it seem...as in all passengers were preetty calm and going with it

and HE said - he declined to talk to media at the time a (ant there were alot)

HE SA(D - EVERY REPORT he REARD ----(7 to his count) was WRONG

Wevery detail. So...

[MayBee]

Tops- what a very very brave thing to do! How fascinating that you got to talk to him about it.

[topsecretk9]

also, he said there were plenty of "reporters" acting very "sympathetic" but that to his observation --- ---NO ONE talked to the press or gave a crap about their needs ---hence the made up reporting? dunno.....but journo is on step from steono.

[topsecretk9]

Maybee

He is a great man...a true hero...the press (to his count ---all 8 repots he read...ALL...GOT it WRONG big wrong, woefully wrong according to him...

[topsecretk9]

7 not 8

[clarice]

Here's the WaPo article cite.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/22/AR2006042201442_pf.html

[clarice]

Dana Priest, her husband, their connection to CIP/Fenton Communications and IPIP, the folks who get Wilson his speaking gigs.http://www.sweetness-light.com/archive/dana-priests-husband-gets-joe-wilson-media-gigs/

Extra bonus: Dana at the speakers table with Ray McGovern(VIPS) and Joe Wilson.

[clarice]

**Mel Goodman(VIPS), not Ray McGovern***********

[topsecretk9]

OT

But when I asked my friend why he and the others were reluctant to talk to the "pushy" press"? They were tired and figured --AND HAD NO INTEREST - in helping the pushy and sneaky press--- to recollection no passenger really spoke to the pushy press...

[Patton]

Hit the Bud says:
"""most of the MSM folks are decent hardworking people."""

So were most German soldiers during WWII.

What's your point?

You can be decent and hard working...and PARTISAN and WRONG and HOPELESSLY COMPRIMISED and JUST TRYING TO KEEP FROM GOING UNDER, etc.

Please give us an example of one of these folks that you believe is representative of the lot and we'll see how decent and hardworking they are.

[Squiggler]

This has been up for awhile at Flying Aces, but if it has been discussed, I missed it. I find this statement by Dana Priest to be bizarre and frightening:

Dana Priest: Well, actually, the media is not breaking the law by publishing classified information. That’s still a safeguard we have in the law. The persons who turn it over are breaking the law, technically.

But the courts and the body politic have always looked at this [leaks of classified information] as the cost of democracy and that is one huge reason why reporters have not be[en] pursued previously. It’s the trade off for having a free press. The alternative is prior censorship and government control of the media, a la Israel, China, Iran, etc.

[davod]

Interesting about McCarthy and the Pill Factory in the Sudan.

Reminds me a little of Anna Montez, the DIA woman who was spying for Cuba. She was the person discounting everything Bolton was saying about Cuba and WMD.

Maybe we look to politics as a reason when we should really be looking at a deeper attachment to ideology or money.

[Squiggler]

Silly me, I guess I must have missed when Israel became a repressive regime worthy of joining the ranks of China and Iran.

Me thinks Dana might suffer from a touch of Sheehanista-brand anti-Semitism so prevalent on the left.

[MayBee]

Squiggler- well, she couldn't say Cuba! Cuba is her hubby's pet project.

[Squiggler]

Was Mary McCarthy a Whistleblower?

As posted on

[Squiggler]

Wasw Mary McCarthy a Whistleblower?

As posted on California Conservative

Whistleblower Protection Act. Here’s the two main sections of the procedure:

Improper conduct

Improper conduct means:

* corrupt conduct;
* a substantial mismanagement of public resources;
* conduct involving substantial risk to public health or safety; and
* conduct involving substantial risk to the environment.

The Act requires that the above conduct would, if proved, be a criminal offence or constitute reasonable grounds for dismissal.

Making a disclosure under the Act

A disclosure is an allegation or report of improper conduct. A disclosure may be made verbally or in writing and may be made anonymously. If a disclosure is made anonymously, it is important that it includes sufficient details and evidence to enable the matter to be investigated.

Disclosures of improper conduct by the Department of Primary Industries or its employees may be made to either the Department’s protected disclosure coordinator, protected disclosure officer or the Ombudsman.

Please refer to the Department’s Whistleblower Procedures which provides a system for reporting and managing disclosures made pursuant to the Act.

[davod]

Hubby's pet project is Cuba. Did they know Anna Montez, the head analyst of the DIAs Cuba section. Attacker of Bolton's comments on Cuba's WMDs. Now serving 25 years for spying for Cuba.

The Cuba connection makes this more than a political bun fight.

Porter Goss is set to award Priest with the National Intelligence Medal for her work as a case officer managing intelligence assets.

[kim]

The incest has become evil. There'll be a reckoning.
================================

[Squiggler]

Flying Aces = Flopping Aces

I'm too punchy.

[MayBee]

Oh, heaven help us.

Joe Wilson is going to http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/press_releases/text.asp?pid=858> UC Santa Cruz to hold an all day teach in.
Dana Priest's alma mater.

Because Joe Wilson is a hero, and has lots to teach the kids.
---
ackground: The idea for the event grew out of concern over the Pentagon’s spying on antiwar activities by students and a recent report in which UC Santa Cruz was characterized as being a “credible threat” to national security. It was initiated by Faculty Against War—a group of 25 senior UCSC faculty members—and a coalition of student organizations, including Students Against War (SAW).
----

[kim]

Several months ago I started using the locution 'Thug CIA' because I had an objection to the faint aura of legitimacy surrounding the words 'Rogue CIA'. Well, now we have a face for the name.
=================================

[kim]

Why do I get the feeling that Joe should be allowed to talk as freely as he likes?
=======================================

[kim]

I have little doubt that dear Ms McCarthy used her own money to promote her own interests in a state she considered critical. For a little perspective, though, if Kerry kept $5 million dollars, then he stiffed a thousand such contributors. Oh wait, they probably still get spam from him.
=======================

[kim]

Furthermore, I'm almost certain she has stayed where she is for as long as she has because she has been fed rope to hang herself and others with. Joe, and Jay, just haven't reached the end of free fall, yet. No wonder Val has gone to ground. That Goose is one subtle fella.
=================================

[MayBee]

I do note the press has so far resisted the urge to quote Joe Wilson on the firing of this leaker.

Someone mentioned Larry J's website earlier, and mentions he used to work for Ms. McCarthy. He says she was a terrible manager and a big reason he switched jobs.
Could it be that's why she eventually got crowded out of Bush's NSC? Because she wasn't good at her job, rather than the evil neo-cons were distrustful of the Clinton people? Hmmmm....

[kim]

I'll bet the lady of that house sleeps with the gardener.
=============================

[Patton]

Yep, I see the press is soooo hard working that they managed to get a quote from Larry Johnson.....rather than, ohhh ANYONE ELSE.

Why does the press constantly go back to the same people for easy quotes rather then find someone new?

Guess its part of the HARD WORK Hit the Bid was talking about.

[Patton]

After reading Fitzs briefs about how bad leaking is and how it hurts all of us...this women should get 30 years MINUMUM.

She should not just be charged with leaking, but with giving support to terrorists.

That would send a message to the Clintoids still hiding in the bureaucracy to stop working for the enemy.

Bush should come out and make a statament to the affect that:

SP Fitzgerald is correct about theseriousness of leaking and revealing classified information and DOJ should take his words to heart during the investigations of government employees who leak and those that help them commit their crimes.

[topsecretk9]

Yep, I see the press is soooo hard working that they managed to get a quote from Larry Johnson.....rather than, ohhh ANYONE ELSE.

No flip[pin doubt

What is INSULTING now, after writing their stories about the VIP's objective -- leak like crazy....the press is pretending now ---by seeking by McGovern and A_hole Johnson ---their opinions are sort of \disinterested 2nd - flummoxed parties.

I swear to Buddha my day will be made when one of the leakers finds some basis to sue Larry and Ray. A huge, big fat class action...I'm serious.

[topsecretk9]

A huge, big fat class action...I'm serious.

I'm as serious as a heart attack...I think every VIP should defend big, huge heinous ---the kind that ruin ...and one people crys over when they have to 2nd mortgage their home ---legal bills.

PAIN.

[kim]

Nice Earth Day article in the Opinion Journal.

Hail Steve McIntyre.
==========================

[Sue]

first of all, adults don't need to use foul language to make their points, so you've blown your cover already.

Yikes!! I swear I'm an adult. I just have a potty mouth. ::grin::

[Kate]

I don't share some posters' optimism about Fitzgerald's role, now that Mary has been exposed. All I know about Fitz is that anything leaked from his investigation goes to far left writers and websites, never is there leaked exculpatory info, only damning info on the Administration.

The good news: if President Bush and his non-existent WH PR team play this right, he can push for early pardons for Libby, and if necessary, Rove. The fact that there was a concerted effort to push classified material to hurt the Bush Admin will mean nothing to Fitz, who shares the same goal, but may mean a lot to the average person.

[Patton]

Another one of those hard working journalists, Tim Russert had Ted Kennedy on this morning.

Ted hasn't had a new policy since the 1960s and he is one of the worlds biggest hypocrites.

But I bet Russert won't do the hard work of plowing any new ground with old Ted.

Guess they'll be no HARD WORK for Russert this morning; unless he plans to try to make Teddy interesting and relevant to anyone under 65.

[Pofarmer]

I used to like Face the Nation. Can't watch Russert anymore. Blood pressure gets too high. In the runup to the 04 elections, and especially since, he's become little more than a political hack.

[Old Dad]

Follow the money. It's possible that our gal Mary and hubby are simply whacked out on BDS, but I'd bet there is a ton of cash circulating underneath this deal.

Something happened that raised the monetary stakes for Mary et al. Could be something so simple as a problem with drugs, booze, gambling, porn. Maybe an investment went south. Illness. Given the circles she traveled in blackmail is always an option.

She might hate the President and love J Effen, but you don't throw away a comfy sinecure because of BDS.

Iceberg meet tip.

[PeterUK]

Old Dad,you forget seduction,dinner with some Democrat VIPs,her opinion sought,first name terms,it can be very heady for the backroom staff.

[boris]

you don't throw away a comfy sinecure because of BDS

As a group People with Bush Deranggement Syndrome (PwBDS) are going to do stuff that is illogical and marginally rational, including engage in oportunistic conspiracies. Constraining analysis of PwBDS to linear behavior never works because so much is nonlinear.

[PeterUK]

Patton.
"""most of the MSM folks are decent hardworking people."""

What bid fails to mention is the chance of getting a job on one of these papers without the right political views is nil.
How did that journalist manque Joe Wilson get an op-ed on the NYT? Can you see them giving one to Bid?

[larwyn]

"Season of Treason"coined by Lorie Byrd/PoliPundit FOR THE
RUN UP TO THE MIDTERMS is apt.

The Dems thru their PR arm,the LSM will be complicit everyday
-- we've seen the beginning. Yeah "Season of Treason" sounds
just right to me!

LifeLikePundits has terrific CULTURE OF TREASON logo,
hope a SEASON OF TREASON logo will be forthcomming.
--------------------------
GatewayPundit has great post
Today's Culture of Treason: Scooter's Back! & Dana's Pinko Hubby

After the CIA frogmarched (I like definition #2) the $9,500 Democratic donor from the General's Office on Thursday, the Associated Press felt it appropriate to publish...

...a picture of Cheney aide Scooter Libby in its coverage of the Democratic CIA leaker.

Obviously, the Culture of Treason Party is not going down easy like a $5,000 cash donation to the Ohio Democratic Party in the '04 elections.

The use of a photo of Scooter Libby to top a story of the CIA LEAKER is an iconic moment.
There can never again be a doubt in the mind of any sane American, who sees this and who knows who Scooter is, that the AP is biased.

Problem is most don't know who Scooter is. They'll wonder why someone parents named a male Mary.

[topsecretk9]

--Hey Topper- did you see that the NYTs quotes McCarthy supporter Steven Simon, co-author of a book with your bugaboo, Daniel Benjamin.
heh.---

yes I did.

[windansea]

hmmm...good point bt the Captain

It seems to me that the series of detention centers described by Dana Priest in the article based on the McCarthy leaks would have included a not-insignificant number of support personnel, assisting in the clandestine movement of agents and detainees through secret facilities in Europe and elsewhere. The logistics of such a program would be overwhelming. Either a clandestine team would have to be created for the effort, or the resources of CIA field offices throughout Europe would have to be exploited to ensure the program remained effective and secret. The only scenario I can see where the information on the program could be contained within just a few individuals would be that the program never really existed at all -- and that's why the investigation centered so quickly on McCarthy and a few others.

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/

some here have opined that this couldn't be a sting...but the shrub and rovester can be very cunning...perhaps they told Goss "we don't care if we take another hit in the polls and press....get those traitorous bastards and bastardettes that are feeding the press" Making the liberal deathstar look complicit an added bonus.

[windansea]

oops...well maybe the mini death star (wapo)

this case may well be tied into the NSA leak as well

[windansea]

the quote above by the Captain was based on this in the WAPO article

Others pointed out that the information in question was known by so few people that the number of suspected leakers was fairly small, enabling investigators to work swiftly

[Old Dad]

Boris:

Right you are. My prejudice, though, is to consider the BDSers as perverse but not insane although some clearly are.

[SunnyDay]

"some here have opined that this couldn't be a sting...but the shrub and rovester can be very cunning...perhaps they told Goss "we don't care if we take another hit in the polls and press...."

I tend to believe the rogue CIA and the press were taken on a snipe hunt. Perhpas even the strangely marked planes that were spotted were being flown around to lend credence to the existence of the snipe.

[Baldy]

She gave to Curt Weldon's opponent too. As did Sandy Burglar & John Deutch (both of whom had trouble handling classified info). http://www.delcotimes.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16520914&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18171&rfi=6

[Syl]

WaPo is being cute. From the article quoted above by Clarice:

According to a government commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, she expressed concern about the quality of intelligence linking Osama bin Laden to a chemical factory in Sudan that U.S. warplanes later attacked.

Yes, she did express concern back in 98. But what the WaPo OMITS is that the SAME 9/11 Commission reported that by April 2000 she had changed her mind!

From Joscelyn:

But as Daniel Benjamin, another former NSC staffer, wrote in October of 2004, McCarthy had changed her tune by April 2000:

The report of the 9/11 Commission notes that the National Security staff reviewed the intelligence in April 2000 and concluded that the CIA’s assessment of its intelligence on bin Laden and al-Shifa had been valid; the memo to Clinton on this was cosigned by Richard Clarke and Mary McCarthy, the NSC senior director for intelligence programs, who opposed the bombing of al-Shifa in 1998.

[Specter]

I'm really disappointed. I tried to urge the use of "Society of Subversion" for the democrats several months back and nobody took me up on it. It is all the more apt now.

see the article here.

[Rudy Wriight]

I hope Joe Wilson will sue Karl Rove. It`s the only just thing to do. He needs to be held accountable.If Mr. Wilson Desides to sue this jerk. Let me kmow where I can send a donation. I have lots of friends that would like to help as well. Please lets go after the bads guys. We need to take back our self respect. Thanks, Rudy

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