Rumsfeld Ordered Shaffer and Philpott Not to Testify

QT Monster's Place ^ | 9/20/2005 | vadkins

[Congressman Billybob]

No matter the level of secrecy, it is still a felony to seek to prevent testimony before Congress. The Committee can go into executive session if need be, but that's it in compromises on security grounds.

John / Billybob

[RummyChick]

What about the fact that he has not been received a subpoena? Does that change the course of events.

Something smells here and I don't like it one bit. There have been some things that look as if Bush is covering for Clinton.

[FreeAtlanta]

I hope you are right. But, why do they keep parading around with that sick morally bankrupt disgrace Bill Clinton?

I repeat that I think he has something on them, and is yanking them around in that sick, see how close to the edge I can get, mental disease that he has.

[hoosiermama]

doesn't mean that that certain database was actually destroyed or that the information it contained no longer exists.

You're seeing it from the same angle I am....I think they just got a better system and got rid of the older one......They may not have seen the forest for the trees/didn't realize how relavant the information they had....all the dots, but no one connecting them....Hopefully the new system connects dots.

[taxesareforever]

I hear ya.

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[RummyChick]

That's all well and good. But isn't there a question of whether Atta was in this country before a certain date and a question of whether or not the government knew about it and that he was a terrorist.

[Mach9]

It means he did exactly what he was told. We don't know exactly what he was told. We know that he was told to destroy/erase/delete (whatever) something, and he says he did. BTW--did he also destroy his hard drive? and the network the DB was stored on? and the offsite cold storage copy?

[ClancyJ]

What if allowing testimony before the Congress would lead to revealing more information that the Pentagon feels is best for the national security interest?

What if those contacts were an involved network that currently allows us to find out about threats BEFORE they happen and then to prevent them happening?

I tend to trust Rumsfeld if he is saying no. He is not trying to protect Clinton - it would be to protect his confidential assets that are in play now for our security. Once the Congress gets access, the contacts are blown and we know we have subversives in our Congress.

And, these people involved in revealing this information - know this too. If they were involved, they have to know that Atta was not the only one - there would be more that may be currently under surveillance.

[Congressman Billybob]

You're right. The lack of a subpoena does remove Congress's compulsion in the matter. If that's true, Congress is not serious about getting this evidence. Anyone for any reason can refuse to come VOLUNTARILY before a committee.

At this point, the facts do not add up right.

John / Billybob

[stylin19a]

Interesting....Captains Quarters loops back to your transcript and links to a NYT article, but I don't see anything specific to rumsfeld, only "The Pentagon".

It would seem, the chain of command would require his commanding officer to give him the specific order to not testify, after it filtered down, on behalf of Sec. of Defense.

Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer's statement in the transcript is quite clear..."2 DOD officials' understanding" is nothing more than cover for the Sec. of Defense as Rumsfeld can always say later, "I never ordered him not to testify".

However, I found this little "tidbit"

"Former GOP Sen. Slade Gorton of Washington told United Press International that he had volunteered to testify, and had been invited to do so, but had to cancel at the last minute owing to an unexpected conflict. He said that he would be submitting a letter in place of his testimony, which would "answer", in detail, all the questions that the committee had."

BTW...Thanx for keeping us posted.

[Lancey Howard]

Great post.
I am really getting concerned about this.

[phelanw]

The executive branch, of which DOD is part, has both discretionary powers (where acts are only politically examinable) and certain duties assigned by law. (Marbury v. Madison, 1803) Until the officer is subpoenaed his superiors are within their rights to order him not to appear. Once he is subpoenaed, the oversight power of Congress has constitutionally been triggered. To avoid that subpoena the executive would have to invoke executive privilege, or show the invesitagtion was not within the constitutional power of Congress.

[FreeAtlanta]

I think that both the Bush's are good men, but they have gotten into something they don't want exposed.

I think that Bush senior didn't campaign until the last moment because 1). he thought he had it won, 2). I think he was depressed over the 200,000 Shiite's and Kurds who were killed when he instigated a revolt against Saddam, but didn't support them.

I know the second one is a big stretch and it is all feeling, but that is what I believe in my heart.

As for Clinton and his wife, they need therapy to turn them into good people. Even with massive effort, it is likely a mission impossible.

[lawdog]

Nice Duck by Gorton..Will the letter be under oath?

I'd like to see it posted in it's entirety as soon as it is received.

[jwalsh07]

At this point, the facts do not add up right.

That would be a fine example of understatement John. :-}

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[Lancey Howard]

One of the more bizarre aspects of this whole "Able Danger" scandal is the complete silence of the Democrats. I haven't heard a peep from them on any of this.

[hoosiermama]

Have you read Jayna Davis' book....SHe was basically told she was on the right track, but there was more to it than her investigation......

I'm thinking that they know there are foxes in the hen house, know who some of them are and how they operate, know the connections, games, MO etc and just want to make sure that they catch ALL the foxes at once.....It could be huge.
If they play their hand too soon some of the foxes may be strong enough to kill some if not all the chickens....

Off /tin foil

[lawdog]

That is how it is suppossed to work...now let's see it in action. It's "put up" or "shut up" time by everyone involved.