Former Bush Official Charged For Erasing Computer Files

By GottaLaff

I have a feeling that, little by little, more and more members of the Bush crime family will be finding themselves in this awkward little stress position:

Former U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch was charged today with criminal contempt of Congress in connection with his notorious use of Geeks On Call to scrub his computer while under investigation for misusing his office, according to a court filing in federal court in Washington. [...]

That was in late 2006.

I just adore skipping down Memory Lane, especially when it leads me to a happy ending.

Sporst Illustrated: "There is something masterful about Todd Palin"

By GottaLaff

That romantic, starry-eyed Sports Illustrated! Every month a new infatuation, the little strumpets:

[A]s part of SI's web "bonus," the venerable sports mag featured a profile of Todd Palin and his participation in Alaska's annual Iron Dog--a snowmachine endurance race through the frozen western half of the state billed as the "toughest in the world." [...]

In his article, "The 'First Dude' in His Element," Donahue proclaims:

There is something masterful about Todd Palin. He is almost invariably calm, and he is handsome and rock-steady in an affable, unobtrusive way. He is the perfect political husband.

Donahue was clearly taken by Palin and his partner, Scott Davis, referring to their "lean, gym-sculpted physiques."

Gives the term "snowmachine endurance" a whole new meaning.

But S.I.'s crush is superficial. They, as so many blinded by lust do, ignore what lies beneath Todd's big, bad, macho six-packy surface.

They skip right over this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this.

In spite of those remarkable holes in his coverage, Donahue does allow that there's "a political resonance to the whole [Iron Dog] scene."

On two race sleds are bumper stickers reading AMERICA. LOVE IT, DEFEND IT, OR GET THE HELL OUT. On another there's a mock ALASKA TERRORIST HUNTING PERMIT, good through 2050, with the license number 9-11-01. Tina Fey is not here amid the wafting aroma of two-stroke motor oil. Neither is Michelle Obama.

[...] When Sarah Palin was named John McCain's running mate, husband Todd was heralded as a "world champion" athlete. Donahue's description of the Iron Dog reveals it for what it is, something closer akin to a long-distance motorcycle poker run, with a handful of requisite rest stops along the way, during which the contestants eat hardy meals, refuel, sleep in warm beds and, that's right, even shower along the way.

It's quite a cast, but World Class athletes? [...] [I]t looks more like a slow-pitch softball team to me--or something that belongs on the wall of the local post office.

(go here for an interactive look, or click on image to enlarge)

Sigh. Ain't puppy love grand? Then again, familiarity breeds contempt.

Karl Rove Subpoenaed … Again

By GottaLaff

He probably won't show up, because he'll be too busy shooting birds and and sending Twitpics:

It’s official: the House Judiciary Committee has once again subpoenaed Karl Rove, former President George W. Bush’s longtime adviser and aide, to testify before the committee on the politicization of the Justice Department and his involvement in the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman (D). [...]

Apparently, Rove has made it clear that despite the new administration, he still won’t be showing up to testify. In a letter to Rove’s attorney, Bob Luskin, Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) said he won’t delay the hearing any further, just so Rove can continue to blow them off:

Thus, absent an actual commitment by Mr. Rove to comply with the subpoena, I am not in a position to agree to yet a further delay. In essence, given Mr. Rove’s public statements that he does not intend to comply with the subpoena, I am puzzled as to why Mr. Rove needs a mutually convenient date to fail to appear.

Stop playing footsy. Send the Congressional police, drag him in, cite him for contempt, provide him with a jail cell, throw away the key.

VIDEO--Todd Palin Guilty: Contempt of Senate

By GottaLaff

Senator Hollis French introducing Senate Resolution 5; Finding Troopergate witnesses in contempt of Senate. Witnesses included: Todd Palin, Randy Ruaro, Ivy Frye, Annette Kreitzer, Dianne Kiesel, Nikki Neal, Brad Thompson, Michael Nizich, Kris Perry, and Janice Mason.

Remember the good old days when Interview-Me Sarah was guilty of abusing power, and Husband Todd was subpoenaed, and everyone was one big happy scofflaw family? Remember how frustrating all that was? Time to exhale... One down:

At 10:09am on February 6, 2009, Senate Resolution #5 passed 16-1. This resolution finds the witnesses who ignored their subpoenas GUILTY OF CONTEMPT of the Alaska State Senate.

This resolution did not address the actions of Talis Colberg. It called for no penalties to the 7 witnesses because they were being guided by the Attorney General and they did cooperate with Mr. Branchflower as soon as their lawsuit was thrown out of court.

There was very little discussion on the floor.

The lone dissenting vote? Senator Con Bunde. Rule of Law Anyone? Strange, because as I watched Gavel to Gavel this morning, I saw Senator Bunde put his hand on his heart and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with the rest of the Chamber. "With liberty and justice for all." Maybe those are just words. I guess in Con's world, it's OK to ignore subpoenas.

This weekend is the Iron Dog Snowmachine Race. Todd Palin will drive his machine to Nome with a new cloud. Todd Palin is in contempt of the Alaska State Senate.

H/t: Ellen

McCain/Palin ignore Heart, use "Barracuda" again

By GottaLaff

Heart is not happy about Presidential Candidate Palin, and her Veep Choice McCain continuing to use their song without permission. I guess this is the same kind of disdain the campaign displays as they do when they tell the media that Palin will only speak to them when they're good and ready to send her out there.

To hell with everybody else, it's only Palin/McCain's priorities matter. Think about what that tells you about their governing style:

The rock band "Heart" may have asked John McCain and Sarah Palin stop playing their song "Barracuda" at their rallies, but the campaign is apparently paying no heed.

The track — played at the Republican National Convention in honor of the Vice Presidential nominee, who earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" playing high school basketball in Alaska — was pumped through the streets of Lebanon, Ohio on Tuesday morning at an outdoor rally before the GOP ticket showed up.

When the song was played after Palin's convention speech last week, the band members quickly requested that McCain and Palin pull the plug.

"Sarah Palin's views and values in no way represent us as American women," Ann and Nancy Wilson told Entertainment Weekly. "We ask that our song 'Barracuda' no longer be used to promote her image."

You can't get much clearer than that. These are two candidates who are exhibiting the same stubbornness and contempt as George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Bush III/Cheney II.

But the McCain camp said last week that it had paid for and obtained all necessary licenses before using the song.

And the band's former guitarist, Roger Fisher, told Reuters last week that the McCain camp’s use of the song benefited both sides: Republicans get "the ingenious placement of a kick-ass song" — and Heart gets headlines and royalties. Part of that money, said Fisher, would be heading to the Arizona senator’s opponent: "With my contribution to Obama's campaign, the Republicans are now supporting Obama," he told Reuters.

I see they're also using the same twisted logic as Bush/Cheney. Bush III/Cheney II. Say it with me.

Over and over.

House panel votes to cite Rove for contempt

Meaningless words. We want action.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House panel Wednesday voted to cite former top White House aide Karl Rove for contempt of Congress as its Senate counterpart publicly pursued possible punishments for an array of alleged past and present Bush administration misdeeds.

Voting along party lines, the House Judiciary Committee said that Rove had broke the law by failing to appear at a July 10 hearing on allegations of White House influence over the Justice Department, including whether Rove encouraged prosecutions against Democrats.

The committee decision is only a recommendation, and it was unclear whether Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., would allow a final vote. Rove has denied any involvement with Justice decisions, and the White House has said Congress has no authority to compel testimony from current and former advisers.