Cheney Inquiry Led to Gore Bust

NewsMax.com ^ | 6/14/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Former Vice President Al Gore did not return a bust of Abraham Lincoln that he had "inadvertently" taken from the White House until Vice President Dick Cheney inquired about the missing item six months after taking office, a General Accounting Office report on the incident reveals.

The GAO report on the episode was part of the investigation into allegations that Clinton-Gore staff vandalized the White House before turning it over to the Bush administration on Jan. 20, 2001.

The investigation concluded that the former vice president kept the priceless White House sculpture until July 2001, when he was challenged by an unnamed Cheney counsel.

The GAO said:

"Regarding a Lincoln bust that two EOP staff told us was missing, but was subsequently returned, a former employee who also worked in the former vice president's transition office provided us with a copy of a July 6, 2001, letter that he received from the counsel to Vice President Cheney asking about the missing item.

"The former employee said that, after receiving the letter, he located the bust at former Vice President Gore's personal residence and that he returned it to the White House on July 11, 2001.

"The former employee also provided us with a July 11, 2001, letter to the counsel to the vice president, in which he wrote that 'it appears that the bust was inadvertently packed with the personal effects of Vice President Gore.' The former counsel to the former vice president told us that Mr. Gore did not pack his own items in his office at the end of the administration," the GAO concluded.

To read the GAO report on Gore's Lincoln bust, go to: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d02360.pdf ("Allegations of Damage During the 2001 Presidential Transition," page 47.)

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Al Gore
Bush Administration
Clinton Scandals

[weegee]

"Do you remember when gore & clinton were on their way to Washington to take office & they were filmed in Monticello (I think) & gore asked who were the busts on display? They were G. Washington, T. Jefferson & I don't remember the others, but my point is gore did not recognize those famous faces even tho he was raised in DC. I remember thinking he was a buffoon then."

If the busts were of Stalin, Mao and Castro he would have known who they were right off.

And you're right. Gore is a buffoon.

Algore Junior must have boned up on third world leaders when they surprised candidate George W. Bush with a pop quiz to show the press how 'smart' Al was. Some people have posted the link to the "who are those guys" video clip on some other "bust" threads.

[Political Junkie Too]

Here's a link to the clip:

-PJ

[weegee]

You think there will ever even be a bust of Bubba Clinton? Easiest way to keep it from "accidently" falling off the pedestal is to give up and not even carve one.

[weegee]

Algore invented the Republicans. Kept all those racist white devils in one party so that the Democrats could be the party of purity and unity. < /sarcasm /BARF-BARF-HACK-KOFF! >

[Political Junkie Too]

More likely that Clinton will be caught with his hands on the bust of...

Oh, never mind.

-PJ

[evilC]

Yeah, but what about Dingell Norwood?
:)

[Sub-Driver]

When the movers came it was a hot day and he drank a lot of ice tea!

[Straight Vermonter]

Mr. Gore did not pack his own items in his office at the end of the administration,"

Um...that gun in my suitcase??? Um...I didn't pack my own bag, see.....

[Ditter]

Thanks, I wish every one in the US could see that clip. (I couldn't make it work for me, but I remember) Did you see the look clinton shot gore? His look said "man, are you kidding?" I repeat, gore is a buffoon.

[timestax]

bump

[WKB]

Algore invented the Republicans

I never knew that! Thanks!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Least he didn't say "There is no controlling legal authority, so I get to keep the damn bust and the Chinese bribe money, too! Pound sand, electorial college man."

[Verginius Rufus]

Yeah, Al Gore didn't realize it was a bust of Lincoln...he thought it was Che Guevara.