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A Study in Contrast

By TChris, Section Other Politics
Posted on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 10:23:08 AM EST
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Consider Alberto Gonzales:

Gonzales, the nation's highest legal officer, has been point man for serial assaults against the rule of law, most recently in the crude attempt to politicize criminal prosecutions. Obstruction of a prosecution is a felony, even when committed by the attorney general.

Gonzales is still on the job.

Now consider Randall Tobias, head of the Agency for International Development:

On Friday night, ABC News said Mr. Tobias had confirmed on Thursday that he was a customer of an escort service.

Tobias resigned.

In Republican world, private conduct that causes only private harm, if any, is a greater reason for disgrace than repeated efforts to undermine the country's legal structure. Go figure.

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    A Study in Contrast | 22 comments (22 topical)

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    yeah (none / 0) (#1)
    by orionATL on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 11:55:35 AM EST
    a nice contrast in behavior and priorities.

    thanks

    Sheesh! (none / 0) (#2)
    by Sailor on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 12:06:41 PM EST
    The "I did not have sex with that woman" defense is so 90's!

    But (none / 0) (#3)
    by Edger on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 12:16:03 PM EST
    the rethugs have god on their side.

    et al (none / 0) (#4)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 01:25:10 PM EST
    I haven't the vaguest idea as to why Tobias resigned, and doubt that any of you do.

    But the fact is that he did, which indicates that he felt that he violated some principle.

    I never gave a flip that Clinton got a BJ from Monica, lied about it, got caught and spent the remainder of his Presidency parsing words. To me it was private actions.

    But when you want to start talking about legal things, let's consider that having sex with an employee is considered a no-no. A very big no-no that will get you fired in every corporation I know of.

    And, as wrong as the Repubs were to dwell on it, Clinton's actions were so very wrong themselves.

    So please, let's don't play games about such things. If you can find something illegal Gonzales has done, have at'em. Heck, if you just want to, have at'em. But let's not start talking about personal morals, etc. We all have some large glass windows...

    No kidding. (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Edger on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 01:42:40 PM EST
    Morals are the last thing Bush and rethugs want to talk about.

    Parent
    Abstinence (5.00 / 3) (#6)
    by squeaky on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 01:53:47 PM EST
    I haven't the vaguest idea as to why Tobias resigned, and doubt that any of you do.
    Since he was only getting massages from call girls that must have nothing to do with why he resigned.

    Probably he wants to spend more time with his family or feels that the time he will be spending with his divorce lawyer will cut into his work load. It is very serious and hard work trying to get Africans to stop using condoms and stop having sex.

     

    Parent

    I mean we ::are:: talking Bush Bunnies here. :-) (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Edger on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 01:57:49 PM EST


    Parent
    Sex is a crime... (5.00 / 3) (#8)
    by desertswine on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 03:36:26 PM EST
    to Repub moralists... but murder, however, is not.

    Parent
    One is wrong, disgusting, immoral, (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Edger on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 03:47:10 PM EST
    and an affront to decent people everywhere.

    The other is good clean fun.



    Parent
    Only a person ... (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Sailor on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 05:05:42 PM EST
    ... with their fingers in their ears going 'la, la, la ...' wouldn't know why he resigned.
    I haven't the vaguest idea as to why Tobias resigned, and doubt that any of you do.
    'nuff said.

    But the fact is that he did, which indicates that he felt that he violated some principle.
    Yes, he violated the principle of 'getting caught.' That's the only law rethugs understand. Bribery, corruption, incompetence; that's for mettle of freedumb winners.  Get caught and suddenly bush never met you or heard of you, (e.g. kenny boy and jack abramoff.)

    Then of course the standard ppj contradictory arguments:

    I never gave a flip that Clinton got a BJ from Monica, lied about it, got caught and spent the remainder of his Presidency parsing words. To me it was private actions.
    [...]
    And, as wrong as the Repubs were to dwell on it, Clinton's actions were so very wrong themselves.
    Pfft. 'I don't care but it was very wrong.' If it was very wrong, you should care.

    But why bring up the clenis at all? Ohh right, the standard rethug reprise 'clinton did it!' which makes everything OK ... even when it's a lie.

    But my favorite:

    If you can find something illegal Gonzales has done
    Lying to congress, obstruction of justice, torture memos ... yep, all illegal and/or unconstitutional.

    Parent
    The only way Jim would concede (5.00 / 2) (#11)
    by Molly Bloom on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 08:10:00 PM EST
    Gonzo did anything wrong is if Gonzo confessed... even then I am not sure Jim would concede Gonzo did anything wrong.



    Parent

    Jim hasn't even conceded that (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Edger on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 08:15:19 PM EST
    even after he's confessed. Multiple times.

    Parent
    Molly and Edger.... dance on (none / 0) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 02:46:46 PM EST
    Last thing I saw on the subject was Leaky Leahy admitting on TV that they had found no crime...

    Parent
    Good luck with that (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Sailor on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 11:41:02 PM EST
    ppj still insists the yellowcake reference in the STFU address was correct even after bush disavowed it.

    Parent
    Wrong (none / 0) (#14)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 02:44:25 PM EST
     No sailor. You keep on making things up.

    I keep on saying the meeting happened....And Bush was quoting the Brits...

    Parent

    So (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 03:30:42 PM EST
    You are saying that Bush was wrong to include the sixteen words?

    Why is that?

    Parent

    Squeaky (none / 0) (#19)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 06:36:59 PM EST
    No, I didn't say thay.

    Parent
    Like Ordering Pizza (none / 0) (#17)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 05:01:13 PM EST
    [Brian] Ross added new details to that story tonight, recounting how he asked Tobias in a telephone interview "if he knew any of the young women, their names. He said he didn't remember them at all. He said it was like ordering pizza." Under President Bush, Tobias oversaw a program helping men in poor countries "develop healthy relationships with women."

    Wonder if that is the way Abu Gonzales thinks of sending people to be tortured.

    Link (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 05:02:15 PM EST
    Think Progress

    Parent
    "obstruction of justice" (none / 0) (#20)
    by diogenes on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 07:40:28 PM EST
    So appoint a special prosecutor, and hopefully this time there will be a real charge of a real crime rather than simply "perjury" for lying to the grand jury.

    Hey (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Repack Rider on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 09:30:02 PM EST
    a real charge of a real crime rather than simply "perjury" for lying to the grand jury.

    Perjury IS a crime.  There was even a recent high-profile conviction for perjury.  If there is no penalty for lying under oath about matters central to the inquiry, no one would bother to tell the truth.  Members of the administration might even try to obstruct justice.

    Please try to keep up.

    Parent

    Ask Gonzales to do that (none / 0) (#21)
    by Edger on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 08:18:16 PM EST
    Will you.

    Parent
    A Study in Contrast | 22 comments (22 topical)

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