Bush Signed Stock 'Lockup' Letter

Associated Press ^

[RCW2001]

Yeah...but Clinton had the American media to gloss it all over for him. GWB doesn't have THAT luxury.

But if you think 'stonewalling' will make it go away for George...well, standby. It ain't going to happen with THIS man.

60 Minutes, 20/20, Dateline exposes coming to a television set near you!!!

[gov_bean_ counter]

He then waived the attorney client privilege to facilitate the ensuing SEC investigation.

This is the point that should be shouted from the mountain top, given that Clinton attempted even to claim attorney-client privilege on "private matters" discussed with his "White House" counsel.

[M Kehoe]

However, the daily 'new relevation' is going to take its toll and Bush...

Toll? In an off year election? Like this will have any effect on the House or Senate races? If I didn't know better, that statement seems like wishful thinking.

Sheesh.

5.56mm

[harpo11]

I'm wondering did all of this boring Harken stuff happen before regular citizen George W. Bush swore off drinking?

If so, the bleeding heart liberals ought to understand that he was a victim and not repsonsible for his actions.

[Steel and Fire and Stone]

There is no amount of "facts" that would silence the leftist critics. They will believe GW is a crook regardless of the evidence. They will believe Teddy Kennedy, Dashle, Gephart, Gore, and Clinton(s) are patriot saints regardless of the evidence.

The only way GW can save his reputation from being dragged through the Democrat gutter is to act decisively. It's a war, has been since the election was almost stolen by the Dems, and the only thing that will make them stop lying is POWER. You have to hurt them in a way that matters to them. You have to kick some out of office, arrest the criminal types who abuse their office, trust, or interns, and show no charity or weakness.

I admire Bush's strength of character, and his penchant for acting as a moral leader. I admire that he's put his country ahead of his party. However, both he and his party will be rode out of town on a rail before this is over, unless he uses the political power he has.

Dumping the facts on Harken will do little good, other than provide ammunition for the next self-righteous tirade by the Dems. But, what facts does the SEC have on the Dems'? What crimes have been covered up by DEMOCRAT leaning business men. Hey, if we're going to make an example of the current VP and Pres, we sure as heck ought to make certain the scrutiny is not limited to GOP business men.

[mystery-ak]

Please explain to me...is this new news, or has this always been in the Harkin *files* for everyone to read?

[Torie]

What exactly do you want to know that is not already in the public record. I had a host of questions myself, posted on this very forum (just ask Deport or Howlin), and they were ALL answered to my satisfaction. And I have certain skills and imagination I think in posing all the questions that might be relevant. And if they were not answered, trust me, I would have said so, early and often.

[varon]

He should look at the bastards with blood in his eye and repeat that this had been investigated three times and three times nothing unlawful was found.

Exactly right, just like the Clintons with Whitewater and Rose law firm billing records. All instances have been investigated and we all know that nothing unlawful was found and everyone's hands are clean. Move along ;-)

[hole_n_one]

But if you think 'stonewalling' will make it go away for George...well, standby. It ain't going to happen with THIS man.

You're just making this up as you go along, between bong hits, aren't you?

[Torie]

You the private "contract" with Harken is new. At least I didn't know that before. It is also irrelevant in as much as it was rendered moot, and the Harken lawyers signed off on the sale. So bottom line, it appears to be "new," and equally irrelevant and misleading.

[kayak]

Quote from the President's press conference on 7/8/02:

And I want to remind you all that I sold the stock at 4, and 14 months later -- the holding period for capital gains, I think, was 12 months in those days -- the person who bought my stock could have sold it for 8. Could have doubled his or her money.

I wish someone would try some insider trading like that with me as the victim .... :-)

[Clara Lou]

Ah, bong hits-- that explains it.

[RCW2001]

Fine...let the media bring out the details as they see fit. You really think that this is a 'winning' strategy? Regardless of the 'underlying facts'...it's a 'loser' for a Republician President.

I not even judging the 'merit' of the charges and accusations since it happened some 12 years ago and I could careless.

If you think letting it dribble out, bit by bit with a series of new 'nightly revelation', is a positive for the President, I think your mistaken.

[mystery-ak]

Thanks for the info.

[Torie]

This irrelevant factlet is the first "new" thing out there. The rest has been media distortion of "old" facts, long publically available. But you have a point.

[irish_lad]

I agree. This is all bullsh*t, but if the press thinks it is a scandal it will go on too damn long. W should lay out any and all facts and get it over with.

[dennisw]

I was thinking drip drip drip too about GWBush. Who is the mysterioso who bought up Bush's shares in Harkin? To bail out GW? After Harkin the Dims will center on the deal of the century. How GWBush (I still like and voted for)borrowed money to invest in the Texas Rangers and took 15 million out of the deal 6 years later. Value of this ball team being greatly enhanced by (yet another) taxpayer funded stadium. This loan was paid off w/ his Harkin dough.


Now go and water your parched crops ya cheap bast**d!

[RCW2001]

Did you just call me a cheap bastard???

[PogySailor]

This is a classic Catch-22. No matter what he does, the 'rats will attack. Don't release everything, they'll say he's hiding something. Release all the SEC reports and notes, and they will find one or two "damaging" sentences out of thousands of pages. And in a fully coordinated assault with the DNC, the media would pound away at the President.

Not sure what I'd do if I were in his shoes.

[deport]

If you think letting it dribble out, bit by bit with a series of new 'nightly revelation', is a positive for the President, I think your mistaken.

How many more documents do you want released? It appears they have been released to the Center for Public Integrity...... where do you think this crap is dribbling in from?

One overlooked aspect of the controversy is that the SEC has already released some of its Harken documents — with Bush's consent. In 1998, the public-interest group Center for Public Integrity made a Freedom of Information Act Request for the papers as part of an examination of the business history and finances of each major presidential candidate. Bill Allison, the center's managing editor, says the SEC originally turned down a request for Bush/Harken documents. Then the center appealed the decision, and later, Allison says, "We got a letter from the SEC from their Freedom of Information Office telling us that the subject of the investigation [Bush] had waived any privilege claim over the documents and they could send them to us." (Bush had also waived attorney-client privilege to give the material to the SEC) The center used the information for its book The Buying of the President 2000 and for later articles about Bush's business dealings. Now, with the issue again in the news, the center has posted the documents on its website.