[Sabertooth]

I just can't escape the feeling that somebody somewhere is covering their own butt by tossing Grover to the wolves.

< -snip- >

I think someone's setting up Grover to use as a club against much bigger fish, in that old guilt-by-association game.

Are these two different people?

Seems to me that only a higher-up could throw Grover to the wolves, if that's what's happening. However, if that's what's happening, then I think your second statement is inoperative.

[Bob J]

Seems to me that only a higher-up could throw Grover to the wolves, if that's what's happening.

Yes, but somebody first has to attract the wolves, or in this instance, the Sabertooths.

[general_re]

Seems to me that only a higher-up could throw Grover to the wolves, if that's what's happening. However, if that's what's happening, then I think your second statement is inoperative.

I don't know what the hell's going on, frankly. But I don't think this is the whole story, by any stretch - this whole "we don't do background checks" thing smells to high heaven, just for starters. I think somebody caught on to the fact that Grover was either knowingly or unknowingly associating with some unsavory folks, but rather than take steps to do anything about it - one damn phone call to the White House, for crying out loud - they let him get in good and deep, so that Grover's associations could be used to tar the White House or people in it.

Because I have to believe that somebody somewhere knew who these guys were, somebody other than Norquist. And that somebody owed the White House the courtesy of a phone call before letting them stumble into a trap that Norquist either intentionally or stupidly set up. That's what I mean by a "gotcha". Yes, Norquist should be responsible for the people he vouches for, but I can't believe that he can run a parade of folks like that through the White House without someone noticing that at least one of them probably shouldn't be there. And whoever that somebody is, is in just as deep as Norquist is, IMO.