Posted on 09/15/2004 7:50:08 PM PDT by hansel
YES, I'VE SEEN DRUDGE. [09/15 10:32 PM] Drudge reports that the Washington Post is set to report tomorrow that "Documents allegedly written by deceased officer that raised questions about Bush's service with Texas National Guard bore markings showing they had been faxed to CBS News from a Kinko's copy shop in Abilene, Texas... " Now, get a load of this:
The New York Times, February 12, 2004 Move to Screen Bush File in 90's Is Reported by Ralph Blumenthal
HOUSTON — A retired lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard complained to a member of the Texas Senate in 1998 that aides to Gov. George W. Bush improperly screened Mr. Bush's National Guard files in a search for information that could embarrass the governor in future elections. The retired officer, Bill Burkett, said in the letter to Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, a Democrat from Austin, that Dan Bartlett, then a senior aide to Governor Bush and now White House communications director, and Gen. Daniel James, then the head of the Texas National Guard, reviewed the file to "make sure nothing will embarrass the governor during his re-election campaign." A copy of the letter was provided to The New York Times by a lawyer for Mr. Burkett to support statements he makes in a book to be published this month, which Mr. Burkett repeated in interviews this week, that Mr. Bush's aides ordered Guard officials to remove damaging information from Mr. Bush's military personnel files. Mr. Bartlett denied on Wednesday that any records were altered. General James, since named head of the Air National Guard by President Bush, also denied Mr. Burkett's account. But Mr. Bartlett and another former official in Mr. Bush's administration in Texas, Joe Allbaugh, acknowledged speaking to National Guard officials about the files as Mr. Bush was preparing to seek re-election as governor. Mr. Burkett's letter to Senator Barrientos was part of a running battle that he waged with the National Guard after retiring in January 1998. In it, Mr. Burkett complained of "severe retaliation" from General James for what he said was reporting "illegal acts" within the National Guard. He also complained about the government's failure to pay for his medical care after suffering from a tropical disease after a military assignment to Panama in 1997. Before finally winning medical benefits in July 1998, he said, he suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized for depression. A spokesman for Senator Barrientos, Ray Perez, said on Wednesday that "Mr. Burkett did correspond with this office." Senator Barrientos said he was trying to find the six-year-old records of contacts with Mr. Burkett. Another Texas legislator contacted at the time by Mr. Burkett, Representative Bob Hunter, Republican of Abilene, said Mr. Burkett had appeared before his committee overseeing military affairs and had complained of mishandling of his medical claims but did not mention Mr. Bush's files. He called Mr. Burkett "disgruntled."
In telephone interviews this week from his home near Abilene, Mr. Burkett, 55, a systems analyst with 27 years in the National Guard including service as deputy commandant of the New Mexico Military Academy, said he happened to be in General James' office at Camp Mabry in Austin in mid-1997 and overheard Mr. Allbaugh on a speakerphone telling General James that Mr. Bartlett and Karen P. Hughes, another aide to Governor Bush, would be coming to the Guard offices to review Mr. Bush's military files. Ms. Hughes, who left the White House in 2002, did not return a call. Mr. James said though a spokesman that "that discussion never happened" and that he would "never condone falsification of any record." Mr. Allbaugh called the account "pure hogwash," but said he talked to General James about making Mr. Bush's records available to reporters. "We spoke about a lot of things," Mr. Allbaugh said. "I'm sure we had a conversation with General James where all the records were kept because it was an issue in 1994 and 1998 and would be in 2000. We wanted to make sure we could refer people of your profession where to go." Mr. Burkett further said that about 10 days later he and another officer walked into the Camp Mabry military museum and saw the head of the museum, Gen. John Scribner, going through Mr. Bush's personnel records. Mr. Burkett said he saw a trash basket with discarded papers bearing Mr. Bush's name. Mr. Burkett said the papers appeared to be "retirement point certificates, pay documents, that sort of thing." General Scribner dismissed the account. "It never happened as far as I know," he said. "Why would I be going into records?" Mr. Burkett is quoted at length in a book to come out by the end of the month, "Bush's War for Re-election" by James Moore, a former Texas television reporter and co-author of "Bush's Brain."
And, we know James "Jim" Moore was the man who appeared in Rather's report Friday night, contending without evidence that the memos are real. Is it 100 percent certain that CBS's source was Burkett? Nope. Getting close, though.
So from Burkett to Moore to Barnes/Rather to Dan Rather?
Robin Rather is his daughter....for starters. Where is she from in Texas?
I don't see Barnes going to a Kinkos with this. He is too much a public figure.
That poor Kinko's manager must be getting hammered right about now!!
Whichever GWB basher did it will see his credibility plummet. My money is on Burkett.
If I recall, the memos used the ARMY style abbreviations for Lt. Col. whereas the Air Force/ANG uses LtCol without periods.
Funny thing:
Lt. Col. Bill Burkett was medically retired from the US ARMY National Guard in 1998
Am I nuts or was this story covered in similar detail during the 2000-campaign (Karen Hughes, Dan Bartlett, speakerphone, etc.)?
For Immediate Release:
February 6, 2004
For information contact:
Ted Burton, 512-476-4368, ext. 306
Robin Rather Joins EnviroMedia's Growing Research Department Founding CEO of Mindwave Research named Director of Research
(AUSTIN) - Austin-based Tuerff-Davis EnviroMedia Inc. is teaming with Robin Rather to expand the agency's in-house research department.
"We couldn't be more pleased to have Robin working with us," said Valerie Davis, EnviroMedia co-founder and principal. "It's a huge coup for our clients. Research guides everything we do at EnviroMedia - it's the foundation that supports all of our social marketing campaigns. With Robin's expertise, we'll continue to find new and innovative ways to use research to change public behavior about things like renewable energy, littering, smoking, conserving water and cleaning up the air we breathe."
Rather is the former CEO of Mindwave Research, which she founded in 1999. She brings to EnviroMedia more than 20 years of market research experience and is also well known in Austin as a passionate environmentalist and community activist. She is the former chair of Save Our Springs Alliance, vice president of the Hill Country Conservancy and on the advisory board of Environmental Defense. She serves on the executive committee of Envision Central Texas and as the chair of LiveableCity...
don't harass the poor Kinko's employees.
As Clinton would say, "I did not have sex with that woman". These guys are unreal...what sleeze bags.
Something tells me that David Van Os, who is Burkett's atty according to the news that broke yesterday, is involved.
He has done much work with the Democrats...Including being one of the Florida Gore lawyers who tried to steal the 2000 election.
He is also running for Texas Supreme Court.
ALSO.....Robin Rather...and Ben "Sharpstown Bank Scandal" Barnes.
There is just too much close connection going on.
And it may all lead to the DNC.
Check out this web page I found. It contains some of the writings of Bill Burkett. Maybe someone should compare the language usage patterns to see if there are similarities with the CBS document.
http://michael-friedman.com/archives/000139.html
Remember a couple of years ago when there was a scandal of some sort about Rather appearing in Austin at a fund raiser for some politician that his daughter was promoting, worked for, or something? Don't remember details, but I'll bet someone will.
Freeper (From the area) has already contacted Kinkos and confirmed the Burkett has an account there. Thread posted.
THAT is the key. It looks like a 95% probability that Burkett was the person who faxed the fake docs to CBS, but where did HE get them??? I doubt he typed these up himself on his computer. I believe somebody used him and gave them to him to fax to CBS. No doubt he was a willing patsy. But for whom?
DNC?
That would be truly sweet. Kerry might not even carry Massachusetts. LOL
He is also a cheap donor to the DNC in comparison to others I am finding lol
Van Os, David
San Antonio, TX 78209
Self-Employed/Attorney SANDLIN, MAX (D)
House (TX 1)
MAX SANDLIN FOR CONGRESS $250 04/20/04
Van Os, David
San Antonio, TX 78209
David Van Os & Associates PC/Attorn DEAN, HOWARD (D)
President
DEAN FOR AMERICA $1277 12/10/03
Van Os, David
San Antonio, TX 78215
Self-employed/Attorney CUELLAR, ROBERTO ENRIQUE (D)
House (TX 28)
TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN $500 10/31/02
Van Os, David
San Antonio, TX 78215
Self-employed/Attorney CHAPMAN, RON (D)
House (TX 05)
CHAPMAN FOR CONGRESS $500 10/28/02
Van Os, David
San Antonio, TX 78209
Self/Attorney COURAGE, JOHN KENNETH (D)
House (TX 21)
TEXANS WITH COURAGE $500 10/01/02
Van Os, David
San Antonio, TX 78209
Self/Attorney COURAGE, JOHN KENNETH (D)
House (TX 21)
TEXANS WITH COURAGE $250 06/07/02
Van Os, David
San Antoni o, TX 78209
Self/Attorney
TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY (D) $500 05/17/02
Van Os, David
San Antonio, TX 78215
Self/Lawyer
BEXAR COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY (D) $500 12/31/01
VAN OS, DAVID
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78209 GARZA, ISIDRO JR (D)
House (TX 23)
GARZA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE $250 10/02/00
VAN OS, DAVID
ELGIN, TX 78621
STATE OF TEXAS
CWA-COPE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE $330 03/01/00
Van Os, David Mr.
San Antonio, TX 78209 GORE, AL (D)
President
GORE 2000 INC $1000 02/29/00
VAN OS, DAVID
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78209
ATTORNEY
TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY (D) $250 01/06/00
VAN OS, DAVID
ELGIN, TX 78621
STATE OF TEXAS
CWA-COPE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE $330 10/14/99
VAN OS, DAVID
AUSTIN, TX 78701
DAVID VAN OS & ASSOCIATES
TRAVIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY (D) $1000 12/29/97
VAN OS, DAVID
AUSTIN, TX 78701
VAN OS & OWEN DOGGETT, LLOYD A MR. (D)
House (TX 25)
DOGGETT FOR US CONGRESS $450 06/13/94
Data Provided by the Federal Election Commission as of 9/13/04 -- 10,785,181 records
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