SPARKY: THE WHY OF THE ROVE TRUTH SQUAD

One suspects the Bush Junta II Puppet Boy King fears for his “brain” ... The DCCC is on the attack ... Gonzales is the ‘pro-torture’ GO TO guy FYI. More Bush and DoD follies before 9/11 as we see how committed to a new Iraq War the Cheating Chimp was that he'd relabel “The War on Terror” which Top Traitor KARL ROVE spun better than ‘Poppy's’ “War on Drugs” - Guess even DINK cokeheads are more cynical than Reagan Youth zombies. And we see even the Rolling Stones dip into 'subtle' Political Commentary.
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Reports indicate Bush appointing friend to lead Plame inquiry

August 8, 2005

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Newsweek journalist Michael Isikoff reported that the U.S. leak probe into revealing the CIA status of Valerie Plame is likely to soon be under the oversight of one of Bush's fellow Skull and Bones members, a man, Isikoff writes, who is an "old friend" of the president.

Patrick Fitzgerald, special prosecutor appointed by Deputy Attorney General
James Comey to investigate matters of the Plame affair

The investigation by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald into the leak is on a timetable to conclude this October 2005, so the probe is nearing its final stages. Fitzgerald's current boss, Deputy Attorney General James Comey gave Fitzgerald broad leeway to prosecute the case. Comey is leaving the government post to accept a position as general counsel at Lockheed Martin.

A possible candidate to replace Comey, Associate Attorney General Robert McCallum, was in the Bush 1968 Skull and Bones class, which consisted of 15 Yalesmen. McCallum was in the news headlines in June for his involvement with coming in at the last moment to push through a 90% reduction ($120 Billion) in the penalties requested against big tobacco companies.

In latest developments of the Fitzgerald investigation, Karl Rove's secretary and Rove's former top aide are being asked why a recorded phone conversation between TIME reporter Matt Cooper and Rove was not available when the call went through the White House switchboard.

How the possible appointment of McCallum to oversee the investigation could affect it, is unknown, and contoversial. U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales recused himself from involvement with the investigation.

One of Bush's very first meetings after being installed as President in the White House was a Skull and Bones reunion. "I joined Skull and Bones, a secret society," Bush wrote in his autobiography, "so secret, I can't say anything more."

Related Story

• "Bush administration drastically cuts penalties sought for in tobacco trial from $130 billion to $10 billion". Wikinews, June 17, 2005

Sources

• Raw Story "Newsweek: Leak prosecutor's boss likely to be replaced with Bush classmate; 'Skull and Bones'". raw.story.com, August 7, 2005

• Michael Isikoff "Leak Investigation: An Oversight Issue?". Newsweek, August , 2005 (early draft for August 15 print edition)

• Alexandra Robbins "Whitehouse "Bonesman" leads nation into the dark". Newsweek, September 25,2002 (editorial)

THUS THE ROVE TRUTH SQUAD SPRINGS INTO ACTION LIKE A TIGER!

Jesse Lee of the DCCC writes Sparky:
Dear Sparky,

Does it seem like every day the scandal surrounding Karl Rove's wartime betrayal gets more and more complicated, muddier and muddier? It's no accident - Karl Rove and the Republicans want it that way. They want you and your fellow Americans to throw up your hands; to give up on digging out the truth; to decide this is some ordinary "partisan bickering."

This is propaganda, pure and simple, and shows a contempt for the public that has become all too common from the Republicans. We saw it in the payola scandal involving Armstrong Williams, and in the scandal surrounding the White House ringer in the press corps, Jeff Gannon. Above all, we saw in the manipulation of intelligence regarding Iraq and the ensuing cover-up - something we now know that special prosecutor Fitzgerald has been examining as part of his federal investigation into the leak.

That's why we are initiating the Karl Rove Truth Squad.

Sign up as part of our team and we will keep you abreast of the latest developments, getting you the facts quickly, including those which slip through the cracks on cable news, and giving you an opportunity to contact the media or just spread the word to your friends and neighbors. Because you are a core supporter in our efforts to bring back accountability, we know how important this is to you, and we're offering this as a way to give back to you and help you have an impact. We want you to have the information you need - as quickly as possible. With thousands of us doing this in every state in the nation, this is how we will make sure they are held accountable for their actions.

Join the Karl Rove Truth Squad.

I am even sadder than I am outraged to realize that apparently, here in Congress, this is a partisan issue. Amongst former CIA agents it is not. But as Democrats have come together in unified outrage, not a single Republican in Congress has had the courage or integrity to speak up.

Congressman John Conyers wrote to the Department of Justice asking for an internal investigation into why the White House was given twelve hours after being notified of the investigation before they were told not to destroy any documents. He was joined by every Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, and not a single Republican. Congressman Henry Waxman issued a fact sheet showing that Rove by all appearances was in violation of his security clearance agreement, but the Republican in charge of his committee - which has jurisdiction to hold hearings on anything they please (most recently baseball) - refused to lift a finger.

Democratic Leaders have hammered on this issue for weeks, but as has become the status quo, all the Republicans can do is cover up for the Bush Administration. Democrats in the House are doing their part, but they need your help.

Join us in the Karl Rove Truth Squad now.

We will send you quick, easily digestible updates, putting you out ahead of the deceptive Republican spin. The alerts will also include direct links to a page where you, as part of an army of thousands, can contact your local media urging them to cover the story and helping them see through Republican propaganda. Rove will face a movement unlike any he's imagined.

Join the Karl Rove Truth Squad.

There is a movement growing to bring ethics and accountability back to our government. The Republicans thought they had created an environment where their actions would have no consequences - it's time they learned how wrong they were. Their reaction to Karl Rove thus far shows that they will have to learn that lesson the hard way.

Sincerely,
Jesse Lee, DCCC

P.S. Thank you again for standing with us in this fight. To support the DCCC and our efforts to elect more Democrats to the House, please click here.

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BBC News: Hijackers 'identified pre-9/11'

... According to the account in Government Security News, the former military intelligence agent remarked bitterly: “We were directed to take those 3M yellow stickers and place them over the faces of Atta and the other terrorists and pretend they didn’t exist.” ...

A year before the 9/11 attacks a secret US intelligence unit had identified four of the hijackers as likely linked to al-Qaeda, a US congressman says.

But the unit's request for the FBI to be informed was turned down, according to Representative Curt Weldon.

One of the men identified was said to be 9/11 ringleader Mohammed Atta.

Mr Weldon has a reputation for bold statements, but his comments are being taken seriously after claims from an unnamed former intelligence official.

Controversy

The New York Times quotes the official as saying the programme - named Able Danger - was set up in secret by the US military's Special Operations Command.

Image © The New York Times 2005 - cite Fair Use

"Ultimately, Able Danger was going to give decision makers options for taking out Al-Qaeda targets," the former official said.

The paper also said the former spokesman for the 9/11 Commission, Alvin Felzenberg, confirmed that members of its staff were told in 2003 about the military programme.

US military officials were not able to confirm the existence of the unit.

But Mr Weldon's remarks will fuel controversy over the opportunities that were missed by US government agencies to prevent the 9/11 attacks.

He spoke publicly about the issue on 27 June in a little-noticed speech on the house floor, and to a local paper in his Pennsylvania constituency.

He says the unit prepared a chart that included visa photographs of the four men and recommended to Special Operations Command that the FBI be informed.

The course of action was said to have been rejected in part because the men were in the US on valid entry visas.
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Rolling Stones unleash new song critical of Bush

August 11, 2005

Sir Mick Jagger in the news again - fair use

A new song by the British rock band The Rolling Stones titled "Sweet Neo Con" has been stirring a controversy over its lyrics, which are highly critical the Bush administration. The song will be released on a CD entitled "A Bigger Bang" scheduled for release September 5.

"You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite" is among the verses in "Sweet Neo Con", according to Newsweek. Lead singer Mick Jagger commented on the song, saying "It is certainly very critical of certain policies of the administration, but so what! Lots of people are critical."

Ratethemusic.com quoted him as saying. The lyrics of the song are:

You call yourself a Christian, I
call you a hypocrite
You call yourself a patriot, well, I think
you're full of shit.

The band is scheduled to start a tour in the United States, starting with Boston on August 21.

Sources

• AP "Rolling Stones tune takes aim at Bush policies". CNN.com, August 9, 2005

• Agence France Presse "Rolling Stones' song takes a swipe at US neo-cons". Yahoo News, August 9, 2005

• "Stones Target 'Hypocrites' in New Song". ExtraTV.com, August 10, 2005 (contains Quicktime video)

• Lorraine Ali "Satisfaction Guaranteed". Newsweek, August 15, 2005

Done here for now - Sparky