Bushies Target Hillary in Expanded Scandal Probe

Newsmax ^ | 2/9/02 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

In an astonishing reversal of President Bush's nonchalant attitude towards an array of corruption charges against Bill and Hillary Clinton, the president and his aides are now said to be "quietly pushing" a probe into allegations that Clinton staffers trashed the White House in Jan. 2001.

What's more, they've asked that the newly revved up investigation focus on the East Wing, where former first lady Hillary Clinton had her offices.

The shift could mean the GAO probe will also examine evidence that Mrs. Clinton absconded with furniture and other White House artifacts to decorate her private mansions in New York and Washington.

"White House folks suggested we cast as wide a net as possible," GAO director Bernard Ungar told the New York Daily News Saturday, adding that the Bushies wanted to redirect the probe's previous focus from the Eisenhower office building to Mrs. Clinton official digs.

The request for action on the Clinton vandalism charges prompted complaints from GAO chief David Walker, who told the News, "they want us to do more work than is even reasonable."

The Clinton probe could prove distracting to Walker's focus in recent weeks: prying loose White House records on meetings between Vice President Dick Cheney and Enron officials.

Immediately after reports of White House vandalism, Bush seemed to take no interest in the episode and urged the media to look that other way.

"There might have been a prank or two, maybe somebody put a cartoon on the wall, but that's OK." he told reporters. "It's time now to move forward."

But after Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner complained last June that Clinton workers had been unfairly smeared and demanded the Bushies apologize, White House press spokesman Ari Fleischer said the destruction was more extensive then the president had let on.

A list of damages he released included:

75 phones that had been "tampered with," including 10 where the lines had been cut.

Twenty percent of the desks in the Eisenhower Office complex had been overturned.

Obscene graffiti was discovered by Bush staffers in six offices.

A 20-inch-wide presidential seal had been ripped off a wall.

One hundred computer keyboards had been rendered inoperable by the Clinton vandals.

Pornography was left behind in White House photocopiers.

Trash was spilled throughout the White House counsel's office, along with other assorted random damage.

One estimate put the cost of the destruction as high as $250,000.

Bush administration spokeswoman Claire Buchan said the White House counsel's office had photographs of the vandalism, but did not explain why they were not offered to the GAO when the agency first requested proof in April.

In releasing the list of damages, Fleischer explained, "We tried to be gracious, but the last administration would not take graciousness." Claims that Bush staffers had lied about the destruction had forced him to respond, he said.

After Fleischer's comments, the GAO's Ungar began backtracking on his April report that there was no unusual damage to the White House after Clinton staffers departed.

"Ungar said the GAO found accounts of damage that included telephones disconnected from wall jacks, phones with extension numbers defaced and tables and desks that were overturned," reported Newsday, in a follow up story on Fleischer's list.

It's not clear whether the White House's newly aggressive attitude will translate into action in the office of the U.S. Attorney for New York's Southern District, which has been accused of footdragging in its probe into the Clinton Pardongate scandal.

[CyberAnt]

"they had their chance months ago"

What does that mean? Was there some kind of deadline?

The President tried to let them off the hook - because I think he knew how upset the Gore people were over the election. But, they are the ones who wanted an "apology"; why on earth they thought they deserved an apology is beyond me.

[CyberAnt]

"soon I hope"

Yeah, me too!

[CyberAnt]

"picture of Mao"

Are you serious?? I never knew that! Nah! they wouldn't have allowed x42 to put a picture of Mao in the Oval Office, would they??

[Republic]

Pass the rope, boys, there's some cows that need branding!

And I have just the slogan for the molten hot branding iron....

Character matters! ( The brand that just keeps on hurtin! hehe )

Alas...they are adolescent punks. Everylast one of them.... from the clintons and their flying monkey team to daschel, hollings, bryd etc, needs a good solid whatfor!

[Lady Jag]

According to Gary Aldrich who helped decorate it, they put a pornographic/druggie decorated Christmas tree in the Blue Room, so I supposed it's not too far fetched to have a picture of Mao in the Oval Office.

[dread78645]

When will the VRWC ever LEAVE POOR ME ALONE?"

I think you've hit it on the nose. They whine this up (Sunday ?) & let it spin the first part of next week.
Hillery picks up victim points, the administration looks petty.
And, if any investigation results, it clears a rather nasty land-mine from her presidential run.

[BOBTHENAILER]

After a nice afternoon stroll, on the well lanscaped soil

I urinated long on that site and lanced an old boil.

Just had to make a poem out of that image.

[henbane]

Don't recall Walker complaining about his workload prior to the Cheney / Enron probe. The fact that "Immediately prior to his appointment as Comptroller General, Mr. Walker was a partner and global managing director of Arthur Andersen LLP's human capital services practice and a member of the board of Arthur Andersen Financial Advisors" couldn't have any connection, could it?

GAO Chief David Walker

Walker--appointed as GAO Chief in 1998 during the last writhings of the Clinton Administration--was a partner and global managing director of Arthur Andersen LLP's human capital services practice and a member of the board of Arthur Andersen Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor.

He also served as a Public Trustee for Social Security and Medicare from 1990 to 1995 while he was a partner with Arthur Andersen.

Is this the guy we want handling a search for Enron/Arthur Andersen papers?

Walker's old buddies at Arthur Andersen are just hugging themselves with delight at having this left-wing CPA in charge of the action at the General Accounting Office.

As LouD, who worked in the GAO, says: "Virtually everyone there was a liberal with a large axe to grind."

Is that little RAT feet we hear scurrying behind the scenes of this article from the GAO?

[Osinski]

Not only Terry McAuliffe, but California's own Barbara Boxer. Reportedly the same investment and the same profit in the same amount of time. Coinkydink?

[anniegetyourgun]

nic's right - it was grace, not lack of will. It was a choice, not fear. It't W's make up to give people a chance to cross him first. It's not W's make up to be a wimp.

[Trust but Verify]

The American people have spoken on the Clintons. Why not let go of it. Bush has a lot more pressing things to do with his time and energy.

[palo verde]

Hi sweetie
Nice to see you
lol I've given up
The Dems, the Pubbies, and the media all seem to want to give billclinton a pass
The Dems and media cause they collaborated in his corruption, the Pubbies cause they don't want to rock the boat
I think the massive voter fraud in past election obscured the fact that GOP won by a landslide
who in their right mind would vote for a corrupt out-of-their wits Dem again
The Dem Party turned corrupt under clinton
and I think history has moved past liberalism
it is libertarian vision of freedom which now resonates across our land
Bush captured the middle ground where most voters are now
The Dems will go there too -- but their Party is overtaken by crooks
I figure the clinton corruption will go on festering in the dark, till something breaks
Love, Palo

[null and void]

I figure the clinton corruption will go on festering in the dark, till something breaks

If I had a hammer...

[Windshark]

It will go on festering until someone in the Democrat party decides to wash the dirty underwear.

That won't happen until they lose massively in the polls...which may be happening. We'll see.

Carping about it and harping on it won't help.

[Stultis]

Bernie Ungar, a GAO director in charge of the investigation, said, "White House folks suggested that we cast as wide a net as possible."

Just like you're trying to do with Enron, so no problem. Right, Bernie?

The cooperation in the vandalism probe also contrasts sharply with the steadfast White House resistance to a GAO demand for records from Vice President Cheney's energy policy task force, critics said. They include details of a meeting between Cheney and disgraced ex-Enron chief Kenneth Lay and at least five other task force meetings with company officials.

"It's clearly a double standard," said Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who asked the GAO last year to obtain the Cheney records.

Right, Nostrils, very clearly a double standard. On the one hand the GAO leaks bitches about having to "work too hard" in investigating malicious vandalism associated with a Presidential transition (in an attempt to undermine said investigation?). On the other hand they are working overtime, and beyond their authority, to undermine the President's comprehensive and forward looking energy policy by attempting, in blatant violation of the Constitution's seperation of powers, and without the merest hint of wrong doing by Cheney or anyone in the administration, to expose the process of policy formation to gratuitous and hostile scrutiny. At the same time the party that essentially controls the GAO refuses to respond to said energy policy substantively, propose and alternative, or put it to a vote in the Senate.

Definitely an ugly and devious double standard.

[Teacher317]

An ocean liner has a lot of momentum. It takes constant pressure and time to reverse the direction.

America isn't an ocean-liner. Look at the public opinion polls from 12/6/41 to 12/7/41 (85% against entering the war to 91% for), and 9/10/01 to 9/11/01 (46% for Bush to 92% supporting). When it's IMPORTANT to us, we get remarkably efficient.

But I think 'constant pressure' would be a great FReeper name. (I'll have to remember that if my dissent gets me banned... I'm an addict, I can't quit just because they want me to! I'll change opinions first! LOL)

[sitonit]

They must believe that Hillary has big plans. This looks like a little preemptive insurance

[MeekOneGOP]

Those are my thoughts, as well. I look forward to that little ditty by McAuliffe develop.......

Yep, me too! Look for the DIMocRATS to try to turn up the heat on Enron when McAuliffe's A** catches on fire over Global Crossing. Then, they are gonna catch x-42 the Ex-Pervert-in-Chief in the crossfire. He's deep into Enron, I think. But of course, he'll get off scot-free if history is any indication. . .

[timestax]

bump

[nicmarlo]

they are gonna catch x-42 the Ex-Pervert-in-Chief in the crossfire. He's deep into Enron, I think.

I bet Hitlery is, too.