UNREC THIS ONE! Live Blog Part IV: Dismissal of U.S. Attys

Please go to Part V by peacevoter which can be found here.

This is part four of the Live Blog on the Senate hearing on the Dismissal of the US Attorneys

This is liveblogging. No pictures out of respect for dial-up users, please
 
Unrec Diary III and rec this one.

Part 3 by jancw
Part 2 by greenchiledem
Part 1 by dunvegan

C-Span 3 - Live Link
Real audio stream courtesy of bumblebums
Windows Media Player Audio Strea
C-Span's Attorney Firing page
Cnn Prepared Statement of Kyle Sampson (pdf)

I could not copy the link to Terre's link to MSNBC.

•  Love that letter

  of commendation for Carol Lam.

  Priceless.

  by Dems2004 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:00:29 AM PDT

  •  Time to diagnose this turd with amnesia

    Or Alzheimer’s

    Chief of Staff?  

    He  can’t remember jackshit!

    by deepsouthdoug on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:18 AM PDT

  •  now THAT's the way you do it.

    Diane Feinstein nails the little prick to the wall.

    Not to mention the utter LACK of ANY emails discussing these "failings" on immigration cases until AFTER the broohaha started.

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:05 AM PDT

    •  I may just have to vote for her

      ...next time 'round.

      by Randomfactor on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:42:59 AM PDT

•  Welcome

  Please unrec ALL previous Live Blogs.  We're hogging the Rec List.

  by donnamarie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:00:45 AM PDT

  •  Thanks Donna!

    n/t

    by Its any one guess on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:03:17 AM PDT

  •  these things are filling up fast...

    anyone know who's doing the next one?

    by Omen on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:04:49 AM PDT

    •  Go for it Omen. Need someone for 6 too. nt

      by donnamarie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:07:08 AM PDT

      •  These take awhile

        to put together because of all the links that have to be painstakingly put in.

        by donnamarie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:56 AM PDT

      •  Didn't peace voter also volunteer for 4

        in the course of 3? Since 4's up, the comment there indicates there should be a prepped diary ready to go.

        by sardonyx on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:12:56 AM PDT

        •  Peace Voter's got 5 ready.

          by donnamarie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:20:00 AM PDT

    •  Omen, peace voter has part 5

      Are you volunteering for part 6?

      by sardonyx on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:21:38 AM PDT

      •  sure; no prob n/t

        by Omen on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:24:42 AM PDT

  •  Rec list

    Can someone contact the rec list. I unrecommended my only recommend; I just got on.

    But plenty of people will have logged off before this one expires.

    by Frank Palmer on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:06:09 AM PDT

    •  I have no idea how to do this n/t

      by donnamarie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:07:44 AM PDT

•  Oh my god!!

  Who is Wilkes/Foggo?

  He doesn't know?  Bullshit.

  by Dems2004 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:01:23 AM PDT

  •  yep,

    I scared my dog, I laughed so loud at that.

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:53 AM PDT

•  He doesn't know the names of two gus who were

  prosecuted, but no problem remembering what was wrong with Lam.
  Liar.

  by shayera on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:01:50 AM PDT

  •  He attended the best cherry picking school

    by bumblebums on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:04:30 AM PDT

    •  And he ate the mushroom that says

      "Mushroom? What mushroom?"

      It's the one Alice forgot about, which is why it didn't make it into the story...

      by mmacdDE on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:31:33 AM PDT

•  Wait...

  Sampson...just said "I recall!"  Holy Shit!!!!!  

  by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:02:56 AM PDT

•  California House R's

  Namely Darrell Issa. (2004-5)

  by Dems2004 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:03:16 AM PDT

  •  Darrell Issa: Author of

    How to Recall a Duly Elected Official While Winning Friends and Influencing People.

    by mrblifil on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:07:29 AM PDT

    •  Isn't he the smug piece of crap on Bill Maher?

      My recollection is that Issa had the remarkable ability to maintain a Cheshire Cat smile for a whole hour or so, while dodging spit from the studio (and broadcast) audience.

      by paul minot on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:27:32 AM PDT

      •  Former used car salesman

        Literally. Tells you a lot.

        by mrblifil on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:53:43 AM PDT

  •  I cannot tell you how much I hate that man

    He's my rep, and I regularly call his office. they always promise to call me back. So far, I've been waiting two years for that first response.

    by asimbagirl on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:49 AM PDT

    •  I lived in Sacto

      for ten years, I had quite enough of Issa and Doolittle.

      by Dems2004 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:13:07 AM PDT

•  CA House Repubs were critical of Lam

  Duh! some of THEM are on her list!

  by annefrank on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:03:28 AM PDT

•  Here Come More "Don't Remembers"

  by GreenSooner on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:03:28 AM PDT

•  LIAR

  5 more years

  by MediaFreeze on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:03:28 AM PDT

  •  Perjury

    Says the "immediate problem with Lam" was that she wasn't enforcing immigration enough... the day after she sent notice that she would taking up Wilkes/Foggo... just not credible..

    When he said it his face fell....LIAR

    by MediaFreeze on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:06:30 AM PDT

    •  Wait

      didn't she have some record number of immigration convictions?

      So how does that jibe with not having ENOUGH enforcement? And why weren't all the OTHER USAs fired, since they DIDN'T apparently do enough immigration work?

      by mmacdDE on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:33:22 AM PDT

•  Some California House Repubs were critical of Lam

  But no, this wasn't political.

  by Christian Dem in NC on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:03:40 AM PDT

  •  BINGO!

    Issa, Doolittle, Lewis, etc.

    by annefrank on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:04:17 AM PDT

    •  The Issa letter

      held for timing for six months before anything done with it.

      by Dems2004 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:05:19 AM PDT

•  "failure to bring sufficient immigration cases"

  This is the admin that intentionally let in illegal immigrants so the corporations wouldn't have to do all that paperwork (Bush said). Sure. Right.

  by cotterperson on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:03:41 AM PDT

  •  Like Bush and this administration

    are hot to trot about illegal immigration.

    We already know from Lam's testimony that the immigration prosecutions through her office had increased over the last two years.  I forget the numbers, but saying that she failed to focus is absurd.

    by nupstateny on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:12:31 AM PDT

    •  Talk to all the goopers

      out there who were screaming and hollering about immigration last year and the fact that they were turning on Bush by the election most specifically about the fact that it seemed to them (and Lou Dobbs) that the administration didn't give a rat's ass about illegal immigration.

      by lgrooney on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:31:15 AM PDT

      •  Two things.

        Mexico claims to have oil.
        Mexico claims to have oil.

        by nupstateny on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:56:35 AM PDT

•  Feinstein has been very angry

  about the whole situation.
  And notice, he can't remember a damn thing she's asking about.

  by shayera on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:04:19 AM PDT

•  "I don't remember...

  being aware of blah-blah-blah"

  Ahh - ou sont les neiges l'antan?  Sweet birds of youth.  Watergatitis outbreak!!!!!

  by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:05:57 AM PDT

  •  Embrouille Vingt-Deux?

    by Gooserock on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:16 AM PDT

  •  How can he get away with that?

    "I don't remember being aware of that."
    
    Would any parent accept that excuse from their teenagers?

    Why will our US Senators accept that answer from so-called professionals in the Justice Dept.?

    No shame at all.

    by countrycat on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:30 AM PDT

    •  And a big "4"...

      for Heschel in the sig!!  He was a friggin' supernova!!

      by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:59 AM PDT

    •  Someone notify NIH

      There's a possibility of contagious memory loss in the D.C. area.

      by Fabian on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:03 AM PDT

    •  I don't remember being aware covers

      the bases in case he says something else or an email shows up that contradicts his selective memory loss.

      by nupstateny on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:47 AM PDT

  •  Kyle Sampson

    must just play solitaire on his computer all day.  That, or he's smoking lots of ganja.

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:32 AM PDT

•  Well he's changed from

  I don't remember to I was not aware..ackkkkk

  by Its any one guess on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:06:18 AM PDT

  •  No...

    He doesn't remember being aware...important difference.  It's the two steps removed defense.  He may have been aware at some point but now...shit...out the window.  Used all the time in Watergate and Irangate.

    by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:07:49 AM PDT

    •  Eh

      It's Busheimers

      by Its any one guess on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:46 AM PDT

      •  Busheimer's Disease...

        I just KNEW that W's stupidity must be contagious!

        by paul minot on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:29:46 AM PDT

•  where is Kyl? n/t

  by kimoconnor on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:06:23 AM PDT

  •  Getting his questions from Karl!

    by Phil S 33 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:07 AM PDT

    •  The one with a 'K'?

      From previous testimony, there may be other Karls...

      But I can't remember if I was ever aware of that fact.

      by countrycat on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:36 AM PDT

    •  LOLOLOLOL n/t

      by Maggie Mae on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:44 AM PDT

•  "I think I was aware"

  Red flag. Obvious dissembling. No one would say that if he weren't lying through his teeth.

  by bumblebums on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:06:31 AM PDT

  •  This guy is...

    ...going to go to jail.

    It is very dangerous to do what he is doing.  You can't just go up in front of Congress and lie.  He should have taken the fifth.  Now he is truly screwed.

    by MediaFreeze on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:42 AM PDT

  •  So he's basically saying

    he showed up drunk or high every day?

    by mmacdDE on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:36:03 AM PDT

•  Here's flannel mouth

  Sessions.

  by Dems2004 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:06:39 AM PDT

•  You know what, Repubs feed him the

  answers they want, so he can always answer exactly what they want to hear.
  Democrats ask actual questions.
  If there was an "I don't remember" drinking game, people would be in danger of alcohol poisoning already.

  by shayera on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:06:52 AM PDT

•  Notice?

  He only remembers because of news reports?

  by kfred on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:07:05 AM PDT

  •  Maybe Congress should offer

    to put him under hypnosis and regress him to get to some of those painful buried memories.

    Since he obviously needs help, he's blocked them so well.

    by mmacdDE on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:37:13 AM PDT

•  Bush cheerleader Sessions up now

  by annefrank on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:07:06 AM PDT

•  Oh boy ... Sessions up

  Asks point-blank if the AG said this was a good idea--well, he's starting out well.

  by Christian Dem in NC on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:07:07 AM PDT

  •  Time for me to clean the bathroom sink.

    by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:37 AM PDT

•  Sessions: Dems not supporting the attorneys

  He did not say it exactly like that, but he came close. So Dems don't support troops, US attorneys, and victory. Have I missed anything else Dems don't support?

  by Larisa on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:07:50 AM PDT

  •  Sessions: tool or fool?

    by Carl Nyberg on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:10:25 AM PDT

    •  not fool...so must be

      tool? are those the only choices?

      by Larisa on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:12:07 AM PDT

    •  why choose just one? n/t

      by Fabian on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:12:25 AM PDT

      •  it's the working title of a Sessions blog

        by Carl Nyberg on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:12 AM PDT

  •  well, obviously

    they don't support Jesus, or apple pie, or you know, sex between one man and one woman.

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:19:52 AM PDT

  •  Bush

    But that's all the same thing - you can't support anything if you don't support Bush.

    by mmacdDE on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:37:50 AM PDT

•  Foggo, DOJ, CIA, Hookergate, Racketeering

  The House may already hold the aces they need to seek racketeering charges.

  Don't forget, the House supplied material to the San Diego US Attorney (Carol Lam) back in January in response to her subpoenas. So Waxman, Leahy, and Feinstein have probably already seen much of the evidence that the grand jury used to indict Wilkes and Foggo.

  So they may be asking aggressive questions because they may already know the answers.

  They knows just what to ask to get people to perjure themselves.

  by bernardpliers on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:12 AM PDT

  •  I sincerely hope so...

    by Dunvegan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:10:37 AM PDT

•  What is a little scary to me

  is how unaware he is of so much of what was going on within the jurisdiction of the dismissed USAs, beyond the wish list of the types of prosecutions Abu, Rover and the Chimper in Chief sent to Santa Claus.

  by Maggie Mae on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:08:51 AM PDT

  •  so much so, that he's lost

    any credibility.

    This is almost as good as a smoking gun for White House involvement.

    Gonzo's already gone.

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:15:14 AM PDT

•  can someone please

  help me find the reuters live feed link to the hearing? I keep losing the CSPAN feed and I'm having trouble finding other feeds.

  by rioduran on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:18 AM PDT

  •  Try this

    MSNBC feed is working great for me.

    MSNBC feed

    by Ninepatch on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:10:39 AM PDT

  •  Try this...

    link.

    by GreenSooner on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:29 AM PDT

    •  thanks! That one works great!

      The MSNBC feed is choppy for some reason. This one is the best so far.

      Not too sorry I missed most of Sessions last round!

      by rioduran on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:18:20 AM PDT

  •  try this

    http://judiciary.senate.gov/...

    by kimoconnor on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:35 AM PDT

  •  MSNBC has it up too

    here

    by Phil S 33 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:45 AM PDT

•  They ARE Whacking Fredo

  Smile for the cameras, Gonzo. Here's the key to your AEI office. Your Presidential Medal of Maladministration will be ready in a few months.

  by GreenSooner on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:46 AM PDT

  •  I am a little stunned

    not just at Sampson's willingness to drive nails into Gonzo's coffin, but that of the Republican senators as well.  It's clear that the White House is done with Gonzo.

    Just like Bush - he's a coward who is content to put the word out to his allies in Congress and let them kill off Gonzales.  The Bushes really are an organized crime family.  

    by ivorybill on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:57 AM PDT

    •  Of course they are

      and Gonzo is dead to them. He's of no more use, he's damaged goods, he's an anchor. So they're throwing him to the sharks, sending him to sleep with the fishes, letting him swing in the wind.

      They might even let Congress impeach him, just to keep them off Bush for a while.

      Though that might backfire bigtime...

      by mmacdDE on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:40:46 AM PDT

•  Nothing to see here.

  Will have to wait until Waxman, Cummins, Lynch, et al get a shot at him.  R Senators get paid for this?  They're just stonewalling.

  by fareast on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:48 AM PDT

•  sessions (R) -- did you not get the memo?

  am I hearing correctly?  is this guy grilling Sampson?

  by romperstomper on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:09:55 AM PDT

  •  Pretending to be hard on him...

    it fits with the theme of "it was handled badly but nothing improper happened."

    Spectre did the same thing.

    by Five of Diamonds on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:36 AM PDT

  •  I'm still trying to get past

    Sessions' understanding that US Attorney's are "the president's attorneys."

    by Kimberley on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:12:06 AM PDT

    •  oooooo! That steams me bigtime! n/t

      by Fabian on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:38 AM PDT

    •  Only in BushWorld

      by btyarbro on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:25:42 AM PDT

•  Sessions returns

  Praising Attn. Gen. (notice how Attn Gen. seem to be the only kind of lawyers Repubs like...)

  Q: Did Gonzo object to the firings? A: "nope."

  blah, blah, blah, I-love-Attorney-Geneneralcakes...

  Q: Why did they fire them when they did?
  A: DEFAULT "FOUR-YEAR TERM" RESPONSE...

  Q:  Important ppl at meeting? How long? Who?
  A:  Yes/not long/ don't remember everyone but Gonzo and Monica was there...

  by Omen on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:10:40 AM PDT

•  Sessions on the AG

  JS: Did AG object to firing the attorney to make room for another?
  KS: No.
  JS: Why didn't you tell them early in 2005 that they would be replaced after their 4 years?
  KS: That was never communicated.
  JS: That's part of bungling it seems to me. [Glad he answers the questions. Doesn't allow Sampson to answer.]
  JS: Who was at the meeting? AG was there.
  KS: I don't remember really. I have vague memories.
  JS: I'm disappointed that AG didn't remember the meeting in his statement.

  by BR Janet on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:22 AM PDT

  •  Well, apparently they didn't

    replace ALL of them. If they had, they wouldn't be in such a mess right now.

    by mmacdDE on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:42:04 AM PDT

•  Sessions is sooooo dumb...

  He is a gift, that keeps giving...

  Leahy should give him more time for free...

  by MediaFreeze on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:11:32 AM PDT

•  MSNBC headlines already pretty damaging

  Sampson: Gonzalez was involved in Firings

  The lead paragraphs:

  Attorney General Alberto Gonzales wrongly stated he was not involved in discussions about the firings of federal prosecutors, his former chief of staff told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday.

  "I don't think the attorney general's statement that he was not involved in any discussions of U.S. attorney removals was accurate," testified Kyle Sampson, who quit this month as Gonzales' top aide. "I remember discussing with him this process of asking certain U.S. attorneys to resign."

  Sampson said Gonzales attended a crucial meeting on the firings Nov. 27, 10 days before they were carried out.

  And I think it will just get better....

  by LearningCurve on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:12:24 AM PDT

  •  Samspn also

    inadvertently admitted that the selection came from the Executive Office.

    Get ready, Karl--your presence is requested . . .

    by btyarbro on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:24:58 AM PDT

•  Sampson "didn't intend to mislead McNulty"

  Ignorance of the law is no defense.

  by Kimberley on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:13:46 AM PDT

•  Sessions: USA Attorneys Work is Very Hard...

  ...and Dems don't appreciate that.

  BUT what they do really doesn't effect anything at all at a practical level, so firing them is no big deal

  by GreenSooner on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:13:58 AM PDT

  •  non sequitor heaven! n/t

    by Fabian on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:15:57 AM PDT

•  Geez, these are coming so fast and furious,

  the live blogging diaries that is, that I get one comment in, read a few and then realize there is already a new one with 70 comments!

  by Scout Finch on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:02 AM PDT

  •  par for course n/t

    by PanzerMensch on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:35:52 AM PDT

•  Sessions--your time is up!!!

  by Phil S 33 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:15 AM PDT

•  I love this LiveBlogging thing...

  Cspan 3 allows me to sit at my computer with headphones on.  When yeggs like Sessions get up...I simply take off the cans and can spend time writing in-depth analysis like this.

  Then, I click on the little RealMedia thang...see that the breeze is still blowing through Sessions' mouth and come back here.  No muss, no fuss.  Love it!!

  by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:19 AM PDT

  •  You're safe now

    The Uber-Goober's time is up.

    by bumblebums on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:15:24 AM PDT

    •  Thanks!

      Whew!

      by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:16:39 AM PDT

•  Kyl up next. n/t

  by shayera on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:27 AM PDT

•  Look at Kyle's hands

  It appears his left hand holds his right hand down on the table as though it were an unruly puppy.

  Does this body language say he is consciously sublimating the truth... ?

  by abarefootboy on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:31 AM PDT

  •  Kubrick

    Just like Dr. Strangelove. "Mein Fuhrer, I can valk!"

    by brianinca on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:22:55 AM PDT

•  I love the Rep talking point...

  ...that US Attorneys have nothing to do with what goes on in their offices.

  by MediaFreeze on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:43 AM PDT

•  Sessions: FBI agent not loyal Bushie...

  He just said that the FBI agent who expressed disappointment at Carol Lam's firing should be disciplined. Um...wtf?

  by Larisa on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:14:49 AM PDT

  •  diciplined for what? n/t

    by kimoconnor on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:17:53 AM PDT

    •  Speaking up

      Calling Lam's ouster "political".

      by Kimberley on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:19:39 AM PDT

•  Sessions editorializing

  that Lam should not have been said to be crucial to corruption case prosecution by San Diego FBI agent. No US Atty is crucial.

  (Oh yeah, sure. Fitz ?)

  by murphy on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:15:20 AM PDT

•  Is that flopsweat I'm seeing

  shining on that very large forehead?

  by asimbagirl on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 09:15:21 AM PDT

  •  No way he