Oh That Alberto!

He knew nothing. Washington Post (07.10.07):

"As he sought to renew the USA Patriot Act two years ago, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales assured lawmakers that the FBI had not abused its potent new terrorism-fighting powers. 'There has not been one verified case of civil liberties abuse,' Gonzales told senators on April 27, 2005.

Six days earlier, the FBI sent Gonzales a copy of a report that said its agents had obtained personal information that they were not entitled to have."

Gonzales Was Told of FBI Violations

"It was one of at least half a dozen reports of legal or procedural violations that Gonzales received in the three months before he made his statement to the Senate intelligence committee, according to internal FBI documents released under the Freedom of Information Act."

"The acts recounted in the FBI reports included unauthorized surveillance, an illegal property search and a case in which an Internet firm improperly turned over a compact disc with data that the FBI was not entitled to collect, the documents show. Gonzales was copied on each report that said administrative rules or laws protecting civil liberties and privacy had been violated."

"The reports also alerted Gonzales in 2005 to problems with the FBI's use of an anti-terrorism tool known as a national security letter (NSL), well before the Justice Department's inspector general brought widespread abuse of the letters in 2004 and 2005 to light in a stinging report this past March."

Last March, the Inspector General for the Justice Department released an audit which found that there "were pervasive problems with the FBI's handling of NSLs and another investigative tool known as an exigent circumstances letter."

Alberto was shocked, just shocked. "'I was upset when I learned this, as was Director Mueller. To say that I am concerned about what has been revealed in this report would be an enormous understatement,' Gonzales said in a speech March 9, referring to FBI Director Robert S. Mueller.

The attorney general added that he believed back in 2005, before the Patriot Act was renewed, that there were no problems with NSLs. 'I've come to learn that I was wrong,' he said, making no mention of the FBI reports sent to him."

Pretty Much Aboveboard?

Some company for Bob Ney? Toledo Blade (05.04.07), via Josh Marshall:

"We think we detected a Freudian slip on the part of U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor (R - OH5) as he explained why he bought a million-dollar home — still not in his 5th District — and tried to hide the transaction behind a subsidiary of a politically friendly Columbus law firm.

The arrangement, the 10-term Republican lawmaker declared, constitutes 'nothing unethical or unusual. It’s all pretty much above-board.'"

Gillmor: absentee arrogance

"'Pretty much'? Hello? Dr. Freud?"

The Washington Post chimes in (05.11.07):

"Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio) has a nifty new 3,751-square-foot, four-bedroom house in suburban Columbus, Ohio, next to a golf course designed by the great Arnold Palmer.

The $1 million house has some unusual characteristics. It's not in his congressional district, but sits about 90 minutes away from the condo that he uses as his official residence."

Congressman Says Home Purchase Was 'Pretty Much Aboveboard'

"Even more curious is that Gillmor's name appears nowhere on the property records. The Toledo Blade, after some fine digging by reporter Joshua Boak, found that the owner is Zenith Holding & Trading Corp."

"That, in turn, is a subsidiary of a Columbus law and lobbying firm -- Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease -- whose PAC has contributed $6,500 to Gillmor's campaigns since 1997."

"The firm sent the paper a letter saying that Zenith has the property in trust 'at the request of, and for the benefit of' Gillmor, who paid the mortgage and taxes."

So move along now. Nothing to see here.

Jack Is Back!!

And with a vengeance, we might add. McClatchy (04.24.07), via TPMMuckraker:

"In a burst of activity over the last eight days, FBI agents and federal prosecutors have won a guilty plea from a former congressional aide, implicated two more House of Representatives members and put the scandal surrounding onetime super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff's influence-peddling back into the headlines.

The pace of the inquiry, which now has bagged a veteran congressman, a deputy Cabinet secretary, a White House aide and eight others, appears to be accelerating."

Congressman queried on Abramoff ties

"And it portends to be a major new headache for the Bush administration and congressional Republicans still reeling from a furor over the Justice Department's firing of eight U.S. attorneys and from last fall's election, which put Democrats back in command on Capitol Hill."

Old Jack has seen the light. "'He's talking so much he doesn't have time to eat,' one lawyer involved in the matter quipped, insisting upon anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. 'Everybody who had business dealings with the guy should be nervous.'"

Including Tommy Feeney, (R - FL24).

UPDATE: Carpetbagger has a handy-dandy scorecard.

We Know Nothing

LATimes (02.27.07):

"When Hollywood madam Jody 'Babydol' Gibson was busted eight years ago, word that police had seized her list of celebrity clients stirred intense curiosity in Hollywood — and not a little worry.

The much-anticipated disclosure of famous names never occurred, however. The evidence presented to the jury that convicted Gibson in 2000 of operating an international prostitution ring included phone books and other records in which, prosecutors said, she listed her customers. But authorities blacked out the names in publicly available court records."

Los Angeles Times: L.A. madam's 'trick book' is unsealed

"Now, their identities are entering the public domain."

"In 'Secrets of a Hollywood SuperMadam,' an autobiography due in bookstores Thursday, Gibson names two dozen celebrities she says patronized her call-girl service."

The denials are coming fast and furious.

Tommy LaSorda: "'I have never heard of this woman and don't know why she would accuse me of something like this. But if she prints these lies, I intend to sue.'" Yeah, sure. Go ahead.

Bruce Willis: "'The story is a complete fabrication. [Willis] doesn't know this woman. He's never even spoken to her.'"

A former lawyer for late film producer Don Simpson said Simpson "never patronized Gibson's business."

Ex-Sex Pistols guitar guy Steve Jones: "'It's possible [I might have used Gibson's escort service]. I crossed paths with her back then. She was a madam, but if I remember right, she wanted to be a singer in a band.'"

"Ben Barnes, a former lieutenant governor of Texas, who drew attention during the 2004 presidential campaign by saying that he helped a young George W. Bush enter the Air National Guard to avoid the Vietnam-era draft": "'I have never met or talked to this broad in my entire life,' Barnes said. He said he could not explain why his cellphone number was in her files."

Maurice Marciano, founder of Guess Inc.: "'This is beyond belief. I can't imagine how my name got mixed up in this. Who is she? That's a very gutsy lie for someone to tell, don't you think?'"

"A reporter reached [Steven Roth, producer of "Last Action Hero"] by calling a cellphone number in the trick book. Told that Gibson had listed him among her clients, Roth said, 'Is that right?' and hung up."