Live Blog Part XII: Dismissal of U.S. Attorneys--UPDATED--MAKE CALLS

"I can't remember" count: 1069 or so...

This is Part XII 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!

 

Please unrec previous liveblog diaries and rec this one.  Enjoy!

UPDATE: Continue to phone and email the committee members as described in Scout Finch's diary. We have a week for written questions to be submitted, and want to make sure any other email accounts Sampson used are unearthed.

And it's always a good thing to let our congress-critters know we are watching them!

Part XI by FiveofDiamonds

Part X by Dion

Part IX by joanneleon

Part VIII by Mehitabel9

Part VII by AAbshier

Part VI by Omen

Part V by peace voter

Part IV by donnamarie

Part III by jancw

part II by greenchiledem

Part I by dunvegan




MSNBC Story w/Live Link (this is working better than CSPAN3)

C-Span 3 - Live Link

Real audio stream courtesy of bumblebums

Windows Media Player Audio Stream

C-Span's Attorney Firing page

CNN Prepared Statement of Kyle Sampson (pdf)

•  You guys...

  ...are amazing! I'm exhausted from just keeping up on the live blogs!

  by MichaelPH on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:13:26 PM PDT

•  Round 4 - ding, ding, ding

  My butt is tired and I can get up when I want to!  This is great stuff!

  by Ninepatch on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:13:43 PM PDT

  •  How many of you

    are peeing in the house plant so you don't have to leave the entertainment?

    by gchaucer2 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:17:22 PM PDT

    •  I've heard it can be used as fertilizer

      But I value my HPS grown plants too much.

      by FuddGate on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:28 PM PDT

    •  I just wait

      for Orrin Hatch to be up. That's a good time to take a break because you know you won't miss anything important.

      by Feeling Blue on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:30 PM PDT

    •  I wouldn't go THAT far. But funny n/t

      by donnamarie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:32 PM PDT

      •  comeon...........

        the least competent poster on this site could write the Hatch script.

        by 4Freedom on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:36:33 PM PDT

    •  Good one. LOL. n/t

      by Sassy on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:22:58 PM PDT

    •  Tears- Snort-Cough

      Great post

      by Dburn on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:44:27 PM PDT

    •  my doggies have learned cspan bladder

      control!  they don't even ASK until i stop typing!

      GOOD doggies - now go PEE ON BUSH!!!

      by edrie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 03:53:26 PM PDT

•  The Iglesias mystery...cue music...n/t

  by BR Janet on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:13:52 PM PDT

  •  Uniter has 13, who wants 14?

    Sorry, BR, for the threadjack, but at the rate we're going, #14 needs to start getting ready now!

    Andy

    by AAbshier on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:17:26 PM PDT

    •  15 too. Don't forget who's boss Andy :-) lol nt

      by donnamarie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:45 PM PDT

      •  Yess'm! (n/t)

        andy

        by AAbshier on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:37 PM PDT

    •  Indeed.

      I started 2 diaries early and just now got ready. It's probably going to fill up quick if this goes on.

      by Uniter on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:01 PM PDT

  •  Sounds like a job

    for the Boxcar Children.

    by Upper West on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:30:29 PM PDT

•  I believe that I believed that at the time

  ...I think.

  by carneasadaburrito on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:15:22 PM PDT

  •  Classic line

    I bet the writers for The Daily Show are having fun right about now.

    by rcald on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:02 PM PDT

•  Schumer: "performance-related concerns"

  Oh yeah, there were performance-related concerns, all right.  The seven US Attorneys were performing well, and Bush and Gonzales were concerned.

  by Simplify on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:15:24 PM PDT

  •  You mean somebody had "ED"-- ? nt

    by murphy on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:31:10 PM PDT

•  Geez...Hatch is a pice of caca :) n/t

  by StevenJoseph on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:15:31 PM PDT

•  Thank you Bewert

  FAST! You are awesome

  by Its any one guess on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:15:32 PM PDT

  •  Had it all ready to go, just one click and away

    by bewert on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:58 PM PDT

    •  Can you add the link

      to Scout Finch's recommended diary about calling Chuck Schumer?

      by sardonyx on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:22:44 PM PDT

•  "Final count of I don't remember" is Pi- infinity

  by Dunvegan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:15:37 PM PDT

  •  Should be on a split screen with Pelosi blinks

    I don't remember -- blink
    I don't remember -- blink
    I don't remember -- blink
    I don't remember -- blink
    I don't remember -- blink

    She was just prematurely wincing from the idiotic responses we were going to be subjected to.

    by carneasadaburrito on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:17:38 PM PDT

  •  lucky

    it isn't a drinking game

    by babatunde on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:09 PM PDT

  •  I also voted Pi

    but please move the decimal point several digits to the right.

    by riverlover on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:24:35 PM PDT

•  Capitol tollfree switchboard:

  800-828-0498

  Call and ask Schumer to ask Kyle whether he used a non-.gov email system to correspond with his boss or others in this matter.

  We have to get him on the record on this, under oath. Then they can subpoena the emails. But they have to do it before they adjourn.

  by Sharoney on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:15:40 PM PDT

  •  Yes...making this call. I really want to know.

    by Dunvegan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:17:10 PM PDT

  •  List of committee members

    here.

    by Sharoney on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:34 PM PDT

    •  I called schumer's ofc

      The staffer said they already had a call about that, and were passing it on to the staff in the hearing room.

      Bloggers ask pointed questions!

      by tom 47 on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:23:49 PM PDT

•  I like that Schumer

  I like the fact that he makes the guy respond every time.  

  by otto on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:15:41 PM PDT

•  And the next

  is waiting in the wings.

  by Uniter on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:15:52 PM PDT

  •  XIII is all yours! n/t

    by Dion on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:45 PM PDT

  •  if you could

    solicit volunteers for XIV in your first comment, that would help keep things running smoothly

    by Dion on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:56 PM PDT

    •  Will do.

      Haven't seen a volunteer here yet, so I'll keep askin'.

      by Uniter on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:23:04 PM PDT

•  back to iglesias

  go chuck

  by Abby Kelleyite on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:00 PM PDT

•  Schumer: let's delve into why Iglesias....

  ...made the hit list.

  Andy

  by AAbshier on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:01 PM PDT

•  To the best of my recollection,

  at that particular point in time, I have no memory of that event happening. As far as I can recall.

  by revbludge on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:05 PM PDT

  •  I refuse to confirm or deny any evasiveness n/t

    by jbeach on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:26:43 PM PDT

    •  I don't recall

      remembering anything on that occasion. If I did recall anything at that time, I have no memory of what it was then. Or now.

      by revbludge on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:40:32 PM PDT

      •  Am I ambivalent? well, yes and no

        If there was anything to recall, I cannot recall if it can be recalled or not.

        Anyway Clinton did it.

        I can't recall when.

        by jbeach on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:58:56 PM PDT

        •  I can't remember

          what Clinton did, or when, which does not make him any the less culpable.

          Things were done. I remember that much.

          by revbludge on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 04:21:45 PM PDT

•  Repeating myself:

  I hope it's unbearably difficult on a witness to have to go from answering tough questions by Dems to a love-fest with Hatch and back to tough questions again.  Personally, I'd break like an egg.

  by Starve2Act on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:07 PM PDT

•  Schumer: Can you give me a year?

  Kind of narrow the time down a little, you know?

  by bewert on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:16 PM PDT

•  "Hitlist"

  Hah!

  by Five of Diamonds on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:24 PM PDT

  •  So when these 8 attorneys were whacked

    can you recall where you were at 9am that morning?

    by bam bam on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:17:35 PM PDT

•  His name is in "bold"

  its those little details that sweeten the dish.

  by bam bam on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:27 PM PDT

•  Schumer

  Schumer

  Sch: AG talked to you about rove relaying complaints?

  Sa: don't remem when

  Sch: some idea

  Sa: think it was fall of 06 in runup to elections

  Sch: AG himself was called on it as well correct?

  Sa: mr rove had complained about usa in three districts because of voter fraud cases

  Sch: iglesias, one of the most befuddling cases of all... who put his name on list at late date, one of the core issues here... comey said he was one of our finests

  Sa: i don't know if mr comey said that

  Sch: you yourself named him as a candidate... diverse up and comer - solid is how you described him

  by joanneleon on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:35 PM PDT

  •  joanne - you are priceless! thanks! nt

    by Fabian on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:05 PM PDT

    •  So nice of you

      thanks :)

      by joanneleon on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:46:53 PM PDT

•  How the f#ck can

  anyone in that committee hearing room not stand up and in sheer outrage, simply question the outrageous number of things this assbite 'doesn't recall'? In the name of all that is good, why don't they throw something at him? Ack!

  by Lisa Lockwood on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:50 PM PDT

  •  They are -- it's called ridicule.

    by carneasadaburrito on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:43 PM PDT

    •  I'd prefer a water pitcher

      or pen... Something that leaves skid marks. Like his testimony.

      by Lisa Lockwood on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:23:20 PM PDT

  •  how about contempt of congress?

    I'd like to see that knock his glasses off.

    by spiraltn on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:06 PM PDT

    •  That may be coming.

      They're saving the good stuff for Rove.

      by wozzle on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 03:56:44 PM PDT

•  Sampson

  says "I believe that I believed that" re: what he said March 1st.

  by Sassy on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:16:52 PM PDT

•  This is exhausting!

  And I'm just watching and typing.

  by shayera on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:17:20 PM PDT

•  I'm just coming...

  to consciousness after Hatch...how long has Schumer been up?

  by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:17:30 PM PDT

  •  Not long enough to sober up n/t

    by Lisa Lockwood on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:59 PM PDT

  •  About 22 "I don't remembers" ago

    Maybe more...

    by bewert on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:31 PM PDT

    •  That's hysterical

      by mayan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:30:25 PM PDT

  •  One of the best..! We been Hahahahatched..

    by Johnny Rapture on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:24 PM PDT

•  Help!

  I've only been able to jump in sporadically today.

  Can someone tell me if anyone asked Sampson just who was providing him with the intake that he was "aggregating"?

  Thanks in advance!

  Kristin

  by workingmom OH on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:17:30 PM PDT

  •  He disremembers everything.

    That about brings us current.

    by Dunvegan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:15 PM PDT

  •  Probably Rove, Meirs, Hastings, Domenici, etc.

    by leonard145b on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:23 PM PDT

  •  He can't remember, he can't recall,

    he has no memory of anything. Anything at all!!!

    Apologies to Peter Gabriel.

    by shayera on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:36 PM PDT

  •  He doesn't know.

    He's the aggregator. That is all. Other than that. he remembers nottink, nottink.

    by Sharoney on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:41 PM PDT

  •  yes, Feinstien

    and she was outraged that the info " was coming from all over" according to KS, but he had no paper trail. She interrupted him to ask him for all of it in writing, & he denied that there was any paperwork whatsoever.

    by spiraltn on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:43 PM PDT

    •  it's probably all at gwb43.com

      or at least was until the sys admin "accidentally" trashed the hard drive on the server.

      by m00nchild on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:45 PM PDT

  •  There's been some discussion

    of conversations with Rove and Meirs.  I don't think he's mentioned Domenici or Issa directly.  But his memory is so foggy, there's really nothing substantial there.

    The whole exercise has been one of obfustication, and Sampson looks like a man who is hiding a lot of information.  It has not gone well for the Administration - he answers almost no questions directly and then punts to Gonzales whenever he's really in trouble.

    So to answer your question, there's not much of a pattern in terms of where his information came from.  He claims to have had only a small "dump file" anyway, with a few scraps of paper, and those are all gone.  

    by ivorybill on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:54 PM PDT

  •  I think he has alluded to other staff members

    but I can't recall.

    by riverlover on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:26:36 PM PDT

•  When was Iglesias added to the hit list?

  I don't remember.

  by annefrank on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:17 PM PDT

•  I can't remeber what I remembered and why it was

  that I forgot to remember, remember?

  by Skamp on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:18:56 PM PDT

•  I'm sure that most of us would agree

  that were we to demonstrate such faulty memories about our job activities, we likely would be out on our collective butts.

  He isn't even close to credible.

  by deha on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:00 PM PDT

  •  If I answered two times like Kyle, I'd be fired..

    ...from any job I've ever had.

    by Dunvegan on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:07 PM PDT

    •  Where did you put the deposit?

      I don't remember.

      by bewert on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:14 PM PDT

      •  Uncle Billy?

        nt

        by rcald on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:23:12 PM PDT

        •  Somebody's going to jail for this

          and it isn't going to be me.

          by Lovo on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:52:30 PM PDT

•  Wow, what a great memory!!!

  He can remember a lot of things that were bad about Iglesias, but he can't remember anything else.  

  by otto on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:07 PM PDT

  •  He can't remember something from last year

    But, amazingly enough, he can remember that someone said something bad about Iglesias in 2005.  

    He must be using memoprove.  

    by otto on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:21 PM PDT

    •  I particularly like his ability to remember what

      he was thinking when he was drafting some memo or other, but he selectively forgets key bits of undocumented political skullduggery.

      by BR Janet on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:36:11 PM PDT

  •  you're wrong

    he also remembered what was wrong with Carol Lam - weren't you paying attention?

    ```
    peace
    
    

    by peace voter on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:58 PM PDT

    •  Orrin gave him a lot of help, though

      As I put it in an earlier comment, it looked like Orrin was giving him a rimjob with a complementary reach-around, so the right words would come out of Kyle.

      by bewert on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:23:11 PM PDT

  •  It looks good on a resume when applying for this

    Administration.

    by carneasadaburrito on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:06 PM PDT

•  GOP's new initials are IDR

  as coined by BR Janet in a previous liveblog

  by DanC on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:10 PM PDT

•  I L-U-V

  watching this toad fidget and play with his hands and adjust his glasses as schumer questions him.

  chuckie is doing a fine job of inducing sampson's cerebral hemmorhage. lovin' it.

  by RabidNation on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:29 PM PDT

•  Why is Iglesias on the Hit List?

  Sampson: I don’t remember.
  Truth: Because Rove and Dominici were pissed about the elections.
  Who does Sampson think he is fooling?

  by drational on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:40 PM PDT

  •  Is there something Schumer knows?

    That the rest of us don't?  We already know about the Domenici and wilson calls.  That's old news.  What exactly did they call to complain about that would put Iglesias on the list?  What was Iglesias looking at that the GOP didn't want him to see?  

    by goldberry on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:22:10 PM PDT

  •  Incredible

    He's aggregating documents on a list of people to fire, but he can't remember why they were to be fired, or who told him.  The "stuff" he's aggregating seems to be mostly imaginary.  He's just floundering up there.

    by ivorybill on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:23:56 PM PDT

•  If anyone says to me

  I don't remember within the next week I may only ever be seen behind bars! LOL Gaaaaaah!

  by Its any one guess on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:19:44 PM PDT

•  He's like the heel wrestler in a tag match

  getting his ass kicked trying to tag out, but his partner and his manager left the ring.

  What a slobberknocker.

  Gotta go.

  by bam bam on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:06 PM PDT

  •  slobberknocker...lol

    have a big 4 for that one.

    by Lisa Lockwood on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:23 PM PDT

•  what happened between mid-Oct. & mid-Nov

  to place Iglesias on the hit list?
  Schumer still hasn't received an answer!

  by annefrank on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:32 PM PDT

  •  Elections? n/t

    by donnamarie on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:22:11 PM PDT

    •  calls to Iglesias from 2 NM reps

      by annefrank on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:39:29 PM PDT

•  what a pathetric little man he is....

  He is simply the whipping boy for others.

  by Skamp on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:20:48 PM PDT

  •  But I bet he gets laid tonight

    "Oh Sampson! You took one for the team today. Now take me!" she squeaked.

    by carneasadaburrito on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:22:52 PM PDT

    •   she?

      Coulter?

      by smkngman on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:26:16 PM PDT

      •  _skin crawls_ _shiver_

        by carneasadaburrito on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:28:40 PM PDT

      •  Meiers. (n/t)

        .

        by mjfgates on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:49:32 PM PDT

        •  Gakk n/t

          by Remembering Jello on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 04:45:33 PM PDT

    •  Bill O'Reilly, is that you?

      Writing another novel?

      by zephron on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:28:46 PM PDT

      •  oh, harshhhhh

        by carneasadaburrito on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:30:18 PM PDT

        •  Only if you clicked the link!

          He did write a novel.  Well, at least a "novel".  Smut really.  I don't think there were loofas, but who knows ...

          by zephron on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:33:13 PM PDT

    •  I'd say laided out

      Someone really should watching hime ,just in case he accidently trips over a chair and hangs himself.. or cuts himself while shaving..

      by PTK Bear on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:42:56 PM PDT

      •  Or falls...

        ...down an elevator shaft onto four bullets

        by JD SoOR on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 04:07:27 PM PDT

•  I want Monica!

  Bring her on!

  by revbludge on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:18 PM PDT

  •  I want Meirs and Gonzales

    Bring THEM on!

    by workingmom OH on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:22:17 PM PDT

    •  Miers! that saucy

      minx! I know why you wanna see her!

      by revbludge on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:23:24 PM PDT

•  Did I just hear:

  "Is there anything you can remember?"

  by Starve2Act on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:46 PM PDT

  •  Kinda sorta

    Schumer started his question with that...and let it hang out there a few beats before he continued.

    by Lisa Lockwood on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:24:36 PM PDT

•  watching and have to keep rewinding...

   Just to make sure that I heard what I thought I heard.  This has got to be the most amazing tv for a politcal junkie since Sam Ervin & Co. talked to John Dean.

   How did this guy remember how to tie his tie?  Will try and catch up once I stop laughing/crying...

  by tundraman on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:21:59 PM PDT

  •  Wasn't one of the Watergate figures convicted

    of perjury for repeatedly claiming he couldn't remember?

    by lysias on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:23:18 PM PDT

    •  Either Liddy or the one whose name

      escapes me, got to be a born again Christian, wore glasses and a stupid grin.

      by Asinus Asinum Fricat on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:37:00 PM PDT

      •  Colson? MacGruder? I Think Both r Pastors Now nt

        by Gooserock on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:42:53 PM PDT

        •  You're right! Colson it is.

          I followed the Watergate hearings closely from OZ, probably was the only one too!

          by Asinus Asinum Fricat on Thu Mar 29, 2007 at 02:45:53 PM PDT

    •  Chuck Colson?

      by