ThomasColantuono

ThomasColantuono https://www.dailykos.com/news/ThomasColantuono News Community Action Copyright 2005 - Steal what you want Mon, 27 Jan 2020 01:15:39 +0000 Mon, 27 Jan 2020 01:15:39 +0000 Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Breaking: DOJ urged to re-try phone-jamming as civil rights case https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/5/319949/-Breaking-DOJ-urged-to-re-try-phone-jamming-as-civil-rights-case <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_New_Hampshire_Senate_election_phone_jamming_scandal">Trying to shut down NH Democrats on Election Day, with non-stop hangup phone calls</a>--was that or wasn't it "telephone harassment"? Maybe not, says the <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/national/northeast/view.bg?articleid=190133">US Court of Appeals</a>, overturning <a href="http://betsydevine.com/blog/2005/12/20/james-tobin-trial-in-chronological-order/">James Tobin's December, 2005, conviction</a> for his role in the 2002 phone-jamming of get-out-the-vote lines run by NH Democrats and by the Manchester Firefighters. They remanded the case to NH for further action. But what action? NH's US Attorney Thomas Colantuono is now <a href="http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/opinion/12krugman.html?_r=1&oref=login&pagewanted=print">under national scrutiny for his slow-walk</a> of the phone-jamming prosecutions. <a href="http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Granite+Status%3a+Bodi%27s+past+will+be+issue+for+liquor+commission+nomination&articleId=1c6528bc-0d0b-4235-b9ff-f7d2a33c0f7a">John DiStaso in today Union Leader</a> reports some news. rss@dailykos.com (Betsy Devine) DepartmentofJustice JamesTobin New Hampshire NewHampshire phonejamming ShaunHansen ThomasColantuono U.SAttorneys _319949 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 22:38:01 +0000 Scandal of DOJ slow-walk of GOP scandal (NH phone-jamming) https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/3/318925/-Scandal-of-DOJ-slow-walk-of-GOP-scandal-NH-phone-jamming Many new voices are now asking why the Federal investigation of the  NH's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_New_Hampshire_Senate_election_phone_jamming_scandal">2002 phone-jamming scandal</a> moved so slowly. (<a href="http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/opinion/12krugman.html?_r=1&oref=login&pagewanted=print">Paul Krugman</a> called it a "slow-walk.") How long should it take the US Department of Justice--and NH's Bush-appointed US Attorney Thomas Colantuono--to investigate phone-jamming? Just for comparison, in <a href="http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/113189594.html?dids=113189594:113189594&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=APR+10%2C+2002&author=R.H.+Melton&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Va.+GOP+Official+Is+Indicted%2C+Quits%3B+Director+Charged+With+Eavesdropping&pqatl=google">Virginia in 2002</a>, a GOP official was indicted in April of 2002 for a phone-crime committed in March of 2002. If you're new to this angle, or wondering where to dig further, this post would be a very good place to start. rss@dailykos.com (Betsy Devine) AlbertoGonzales Corruption DirtyTricks JohnAshcroft New Hampshire NewHampshire phonejamming Republicans Rescued ThomasColantuono U.SAttorneys _318925 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 08:18:02 +0000 Needle in haystack (or not)  set phone-jammer free? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/22/315003/-Needle-in-haystack-or-not-160-set-phone-jammer-free On March 21, 2007 the <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/national/northeast/view.bg?articleid=190133">US Appeals Court overturned</a> phone-jamming conspirator <a href="http://betsydevine.com/blog/2005/12/20/james-tobin-trial-in-chronological-order/">James Tobin's conviction</a> for his role in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_New_Hampshire_Senate_election_phone_jamming_scandal">2002 Election Day GOP scandal</a>. <a href="http://betsydevine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/20070321opinion.rtf">The court's 20-page opinion</a> turns on narrow legalism, clearly rejecting the idea that Tobin was innocent: <blockquote> That Tobin assisted in the substantive crime is patent; his call to Raymond was integral to the accomplishment of the scheme. ...We think it fair to add that despite the unattractive conduct, this statute is not a close fit for what Tobin did. </blockquote> One tiny claim hidden <a href="http://betsydevine.com/blog/?p=2551">by RNC lawyers inside a "haystack" of other claims.</a> bought this surprise ending... rss@dailykos.com (Betsy Devine) Corruption DirtyTricks New Hampshire NewHampshire phonejamming Republicans Rescued ThomasColantuono U.SAttorneys _315003 Fri, 23 Mar 2007 01:46:10 +0000 Breaking: USAgate takes phone-jamming to US Senate https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/21/314498/-Breaking-USAgate-takes-phone-jamming-to-US-Senate Breaking--In a damning 10-page letter to Senator Patrick Leahy, Chair of the Senate Juciciary Committee, NH Democrats spell out step by step the evidence against what Paul Krugman called the <a href="http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/opinion/12krugman.html?_r=1&oref=login&pagewanted=print">"slow-walk investigations"</a> of the NH phone-jamming. Thanks to Josh Marshall <a href="http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002839.php">breaking this story</a> and for posting <a href="http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/nh-dems/?resultpage=1&">the 10-page letter (pdf)</a>. Well, I had my own small breakthrough on this written up--so, after pointing you toward Marshall's big news, let me just also post my latest piece of the puzzle. *********** As 2003 rolled slowly onward, the GOPMarketplace website vanished and memories had lots of time to get cloudy. By the time the FBI got a statement in Dec. 2003 from their chief suspect Chuck McGee, more than a year had gone by since the crime itself. Today, I stumbled on an new piece of that puzzle, evidence that NH's<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/3/11/0835/06745">US Attorney Thomas Colantuono didn't swing into gear</a> until a green light came from Washington. rss@dailykos.com (Betsy Devine) AlbertoGonzales Corruption DirtyTricks New Hampshire NewHampshire phonejamming Recommended Republicans ThomasColantuono U.SAttorneys _314498 Wed, 21 Mar 2007 22:00:44 +0000 RNC phone-jamming lawyer spills disturbing beans https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/17/313084/-RNC-phone-jamming-lawyer-spills-disturbing-beans How do our new Democratic Senate and Congress look to the many who have so much to hide? Scarily revealing is the <a href="http://www.cov.com/files/Publication/72182424-2fe2-4626-af94-7f3e94d5ff28/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/417d318f-eeeb-40b4-88c3-85089046bd1e/704.pdf">oh-so-subtle promo (pdf)</a> for DC white-shoe lawfirm Covington and Burling co-authored by one of the many high-priced DC lawyers who worked for the RNC on the NH phone-jamming, one <a href="http://www.cov.com/biographies/detail.aspx?attorney=11446&morepubs=true">Robert Kelner</a>. (Quotes etc. below the fold.) Phone-jamming fans may recall that Kelner let slip <a href="http://betsydevine.com/blog/2006/04/13/damn-good-question/">some embarassing info to a TV station in NH</a>--making it clear that the RNC's defense lawyers were fully informed about DOJ investigations into the phone-jamming's White House connection, although said investigations were kept a deep secret from Democrats. Kelner's remark inspired <a href="http://www.senatemajority.com/node/221">a Freedom of Information Request</a> to the DOJ (<a href="http://www.senatemajority.com/files/DOJFOIA.pdf">pdf here</a>), filed on April 18, 2006 but not yet answered by the DOJ. rss@dailykos.com (Betsy Devine) AlbertoGonzales Corruption DirtyTricks New Hampshire NewHampshire phonejamming Recommended Republicans RobertKelner ThomasColantuono U.SAttorneys _313084 Sun, 18 Mar 2007 04:26:30 +0000 NH US Attorney ignores GOP crime https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/11/310803/-NH-US-Attorney-ignores-GOP-crime Trying to board a plane with a loaded gun--think that might get you in trouble? Not if you are a NH Republican state legislator--at least, not when NH's <a href="http://betsydevine.weblogger.com/2006/05/03">US Attorney Tom Colantuono</a> is on the job. When the x-ray machine found a loaded revolver in the carry-on bag of NH Republican state legislator Howard Dickinson, TSA and airport officials asked Colantuono to file federal charges. He refused. Gun-toting Howard Dickinson--veteran GOP strategist Dave Carney -- former NH House Speaker Gene Chandler -- NH racetrack owner Richard Hart--what do these NH people have in common? All have ties to Colantuono or to Republicans, all showed up in my search of NH newspaper archives for various kinds of publicized wrong-doing, and none faced any charges from Tom Colantuono. I've complained before that the <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/11/17/20834/122">NH phone-jamming was pursued incredibly sloowwwwly by Colantuono</a>--but that may be just part of the story of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/11/0835/06745">how Colantuono made Krugman's list of shame</a>, the list of US Attorneys who didn't get fired. rss@dailykos.com (Betsy Devine) AlbertoGonzales Corruption DirtyTricks IOKIYAR New Hampshire NewHampshire phonejamming Recommended Republicans ThomasColantuono U.SAttorneys _310803 Mon, 12 Mar 2007 05:35:59 +0000 US attorney scandal and NH phone-jamming https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/10/310526/-US-attorney-scandal-and-NH-phone-jamming Hey--what about the US Attorneys who didn't get fired? <a href="http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/opinion/09krugman.html?pagewanted=print">Paul Krugman is asking</a> (<a href="http://bocaguy.blogspot.com/2007/03/department-of-injustice.html">free link here</a>)--and it's a good question. Check out the US Attorney in charge of the NH phone-jamming, <a href="http://betsydevine.weblogger.com/2006/05/03">Thomas Colantuono</a>. Does Gonzales give prizes for slow response to Republican dirty tricks? It took Colantuono's people more than a year before the FBI questioned their top/only suspect in the NH phone-jamming, a crime by Republicans. But in other matters, Colantuono could move fast.  Just before the 2004 elections, he moved fast to block Democrats from questioning phone-jamming suspects--and fast again to file corruption charges against a NH Democrat. In 2006, right after the Democrats' landmark electoral victory, Colantuono also moved fast to shut down his phone-jamming enquiries, making a <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/17/20834/122">guilty plea deal with the last defendant</a> that gave the Feds nothing and the Republicans everything. Let me back this sordid story up with more detail. rss@dailykos.com (Betsy Devine) AlbertoGonzales Corruption DirtyTricks New Hampshire NewHampshire phonejamming Recommended Republicans ThomasColantuono U.SAttorneys _310526 Sun, 11 Mar 2007 05:08:35 +0000