Hastert Under FBI Investivation (1 Viewer)

[hipsterdufus]

Get a seat warm for the Speaker...

May 24, 2006 10:21 PM

ABC News Update on Hastert Story
Brian Ross Reports:

Richard Esposito and Rhonda Schwartz contributed to this report. Despite a flat denial from the Department of Justice, federal law enforcement sources tonight said ABC News accurately reported that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is "in the mix" in the FBI investigation of corruption in Congress.

/snip

May 24, 2006 6:24 PM

Officials: Hastert "In the Mix" of Congressional Bribery Investigation
Brian Ross Reports:

Federal officials say the Congressional bribery investigation now includes Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, based on information from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government...

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/BrianRoss/

 

[Stinger]

What does "in the mix" mean?

 

[Captain America]

What does "in the mix" mean?

"Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation," one federal official said tonight.

That's how I intrepret "in the mix."

 

[DeeJayH]

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/052506/doj.html

DOJ: Hastert is not under investigation By Susan Crabtree
The Department of Justice issued a statement clarifying that Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) is not under investigation Wednesday evening after ABC World News Tonight reported that he was "very much in the mix" of the DOJ’s sweeping congressional bribery probe.
"Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department," DOJ Director of Public Affairs Tasia Scolinos said in a one-line statement.

 

[Stinger]

"Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation," one federal official said tonight.

That's how I intrepret "in the mix."

So in light of the Justice Department going on record TWICE saying this is an abject lie and now Hasterts lawyers threatening a libel suit, exactly what does "in the mix" specifically suppose to imply?

 

[hipsterdufus]

So in light of the Justice Department going on record TWICE saying this is an abject lie and now Hasterts lawyers threatening a libel suit, exactly what does "in the mix" specifically suppose to imply?

My gut tells me that Bush is sending a message to Hastert to shut the f up about the executive order to search Jefferson's office. I'm not big fan of Hastert, ( or Sensenbrenner) but they were right on the money when he said that Bush ordering the search of Jefferson's offices is an egregious abuse of executive power, and violated the separation of powers.

Imagine it turned around. John Conyers orders the DC police to seize documents in Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld's office for violating the Constitution. Most likely the SS would hold the police and Conyers as enemy combatants and throw away the key.

If Congress has no checks on the president, it's up to the people.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060525...rxl3OOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/25/abc.hastert/

 

[Trajan Octavian Titus]

It's a total bullshit story.

Here is the orignal fabricated story:

Officials: Hastert "In the Mix" of Congressional Bribery Investigation
May 24, 2006 6:24 PM

Brian Ross Reports:


Federal officials say the Congressional bribery investigation now includes Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, based on information from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/...l_officia.html

The justice department has, not once but twice, denied this libelous story put out there by ABC and the drive by media:

Hastert Aide Says Justice Dept. Leak to ABC Was Payback
By Jeff Johnson
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
May 25, 2006


However, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement at 7:25 p.m. (Eastern) Wednesday: "Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department." And Hastert's office responded minutes later.

Later Wednesday evening, Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty issued a second statement on behalf of the Justice Department.

"With regard to reports suggesting that the Speaker of the House is under investigation or 'in the mix,' as stated by ABC News," McNulty wrote, "I reconfirm, as stated by the Department earlier this evening that these reports are untrue.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200605/POL20060525c.html

; furthermore, due to the fact that ABC continued to run the story even after they knew it to be false, Hastert is going to sue their lying asses for libel.

Here's the letter from Hastert's lawyers:

RE: False Story Regarding Justice Department Investigation

Dear Mr. Westin, Stephanopoulos, and Mr. Ross:

At 7:25 p.m., the Statement of the Department of Justice confirmed:

“Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department.”

At 10:21 p.m., you wrote:

“Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation,” one federal official said tonight.”

This statement is false, and your republication of it after actual knowledge of its falsity constitutes libel and defamation. ABC News’ continued publication of this false information, after having actual knowledge of its falsity, evidences a specific and malicious intent to injure and damage Speaker Hastert’s reputation by continued repetition of a known falsehood.

We will take any and all actions necessary to rectify the harm ABC has caused and to hold those at ABC responsible for their conduct.

Please advise regarding who will accept service of process to remedy this intentional falsehood.

Very truly yours,
J. Randolph Evans
Stefan C. Passantino
Counsel to Speaker J. Dennis Hastert

 

[Stinger]

My gut tells me that Bush is sending a message to Hastert to shut the f up about the executive order to search Jefferson's office.

How? even if the Justice department would do such a thing, without first sending an impeachement referral to the Congress that the President is interfering with an investigation, they didn't send any message.

I'm not big fan of Hastert, ( or Sensenbrenner) but they were right on the money when he said that Bush ordering the search of Jefferson's offices is an egregious abuse of executive power, and violated the separation of powers.

Except the sepreation of powers doesn't protect congressmen from investigations for felonies. It is ludicrious to think that we would allow a situation where congressmen can run criminal endevours out of thier offices because they are protected from the law. The Congress will back off this.

Imagine it turned around. John Conyers orders the DC police to seize documents in Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld's office for violating the Constitution.

Why imagine something so absurd. Let's stick with what we have instead of strawdog arguements.
[/quote]

 

[Stinger]

It's a total bullshit story.

The media just keeps getting worse and worse and worse. They didn't even check with the Justice Department of Hastert. Some unnamed source, not checked out, and they run with it. This is a bad as the phoney leak story a few weeks back.