Mueller Corroborates Comey’s Version of Ashcroft Hospital Visit

It was big news in May 2006, when James D. Comey, the former Deputy Attorney General told the Senate Judiciary Committee how, in March 2004, Gonzales and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card went to twist Ashcroft’s arm while he lay in intensive care, demanding that he approve the NSA domestic spying program, which Comey had refused to do. Comey was so fearful he’d be ejected from the room, leaving the two to torture Ashcroft by himself, that he called Robert Mueller, head of the FBI to come and help him stay with Ashcroft. Mueller arrived, and Comey was present at the meeting. Ashcroft then refused to approve the program (so you can imagine how draconian it must have been), despite considerable pressure from Card and Gonzales. Comey refused to provide any information about what the program might be, and said he was offended by the fact that Gonzales and Card were taking advantage of a sick man.

Comey further testified that after the hospital meeting, Andrew Card called him and told him to get over to the White House. Comey responded that “after what he had seen that night,” he would not be going any place where Andrew Card was without a witness. Card responded, “What do you mean? We just went to wish him well.” Card then asked if he was refusing to come to the White House. He said no, he’d get over there, but instead, he called Ted Olsen, the Solicitor General, and they all got together at the Department of Justice to circle the wagons against the pressure from the White House. Comey and Olsen went together. Card wouldn’t let Olsen in the office, so Comey relented and met alone with Card in his office. When Gonzales got there, he brought Olsen in, and they all “had a discussion.”

The White House then decided to authorize “the program” without Dept of Justice approval. Comey decided to resign, because “the Administration was going to go ahead” with a program that the Dept of Justice had decided was not legal. Faced with the threat of mass resignations at DOJ, Bush relented and rewrote the program. What I’m left wondering is what the hell this program was — mass detentions? Roundups on suspicion of disloyalty? This is not as unlikely as it might seem — the visit to Ashcroft, and the White House’s the push for authorization of a policy so draconian even Ashcroft wouldn’t give it his blessing, both occurred on March 11, 2003, the day of the Madrid train bombing — an excellent time for a great leap forward in the War on Terror.

The old rule seems to be bearing fruit — it’s not the scandal that gets you — it’s the coverup. Now I’m not saying that Gonzales will be ridden out of the Beltway precincts on a rail, with a liberal slathering of tar and chicken feathers, but the odds of such an occurrence rose greatly this last Friday, when good soldier FBI head Mueller confirmed that Comey asked him to meet him at the hospital that night, and to “make sure I don’t get evicted from the hospital room.” Mueller said that struck him as strange, and corroborated Comey on that and other points. Congressman Artur Davis at least still knows how to ask a question, and he discovered that Mueller had actually made notes about the event, and pressed him on whether he could provide those notes, or whether he could think of any privilege that might prevent him from producing them to Congress. Mueller said he’d get back to Davis about that. Worth watching.



Leahy Tonguelashes Gonzales — July 24, 2007
Some performances are better than others, and Senator Patrick Leahy’s tonguelashing of Alberto Gonzales is a worthy go. A bit unctuous, but on the mark. Only three minutes — worth watching.



Leahy Reads the Litany of Horrors
This is really quite good. Leahy has got his hands on some good copy, and delivers it well. I do believe I smell blood.