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Home Front: Politix
GOP to Gorelick - Get The Hell Out!
2004-04-14
The heat is on...

Sensenbrenner Urges Commissioner Gorelick to Resign from the 9/11 Commission Because of Her obvious Conflict of Interest

4/14/2004 12:07:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Jeff Lungren or Terry Shawn of the House Committee on the Judiciary, 202-225-2492, http://www.house.gov/judiciary

WASHINGTON, April 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.) released the following statement:

"Yesterday, a 1995 memo written by 9/11 Commission Member Jamie Gorelick, in her former role as Janet Reno’s bootlick the second in command at the Justice Department, revealed her leftist tendencies actions in establishing the heightened ’wall’ prohibiting the sharing of intelligence information and criminal information. Scrutiny of this policy lies at the heart of the Commission’s work. Ms. Gorelick has an inherent conflict of interest as the author of this memo and as a government official at the center of the events in questions. Thus, I believe the Commission’s work and independence will be fatally damaged by the continued participation of Ms. Gorelick as a Commissioner.

Like it hasn’t already, freakin’ three ring circus.

Reluctantly, I have come to the conclusion that Ms. Gorelick should resign from this Commission.

Git! Begone, wench!!

"The Commission’s Guidelines on Recusals state, ’Commissioners and staff will recuse themselves from investigating work they performed in prior government service.’ Commissioner Gorelick’s memo directing a policy that ’go(es) beyond what is legally required’ indicates that her judgment and actions as the Deputy Attorney General in the Brunhilda Reno Justice Department are very much in question before the Commission. Indeed Attorney General Ashcroft called this DOJ policy, ’the single greatest structural cause for September 11 ... (and) embraced flawed legal reasoning.’ Commissioner Gorelick is in the unfair position of trying to address the key issue before the Commission when her own actions are central to the events at issue. The public cannot help but ask legitimate questions about her motives.

"While it is regrettable that this conflict had not come to light sooner because Gorelick feels there’s one standard for DemocRATS and another for Republicans, this Commission’s work and forthcoming recommendations are too important to be questioned in this way, and will may be devalued by Ms. Gorelick’s continued participation as a Commissioner. Given Ms. Gorelick’s work as the Deputy Attorney General under Janet Reno, Ms. Gorelick can be quite valuable to the Commission’s work preparing ’a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.’ However, that contribution should come as a witness before the Commission - not as a member.

Heh! Feel the burn!

"Key figures like former FBI Director Freeh, Director Mueller, Attorney General Ashcroft, former presidential adviser Richard Clarke, and National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice have all testified before the Commission and would have rightly sparked indignation about a conflict of interest had these individuals also been members of the Commission. Testifying before the Commission is Ms. Gorelick’s proper role, not sitting as a member of this independent commission."

Like I said, two standards, hopefully not in this case. Thank you, Mr. Sensenbrenner.
Posted by:Raj

#13  AF Lady, I would rather that she stay as a toothless lion. I don't want to see who they have warming up in the bullpen.
Posted by: Super Hose   2004-04-14 9:41:12 PM  

#12  Here's what I want to know...why didn't a hounddogging, factcheckin', huntin'-for-that-Pulitzer-Prize-winning-story, insightful, edgy, blow-dried member of the Press Corps discover this? Why did John Ashcroft have to tell them this was going on?

Were they too busy creating 'gotcha' questions for the President? Inquiring minds want to know!
Posted by: Quana   2004-04-14 8:25:10 PM  

#11  Rest easy folks. If she leaves now the commission is null and void from beginning to her departure. If she remains to the conclusion then the entire hoedown is null and void. Chine
Posted by: Chiner   2004-04-14 7:28:17 PM  

#10  Brett Hume on Fox just said a few moments ago that the chairman, Thompson, has praised Gorelick now as being a nonpartisan member of the panel. No way she's going to leave. And I bet the only places people will hear about this are Fox, Drudge and talk radio.
Posted by: AF Lady   2004-04-14 6:45:23 PM  

#9  How on Earth did this Jamie Gorelick ever get on the commission anyway?

rope-a-dope
Posted by: spiffo   2004-04-14 5:14:22 PM  

#8  john, interesting take.
Posted by: B   2004-04-14 4:37:21 PM  

#7  Gorelick was nominated by lil' Tommy Daschle - presumeably to be the Dem attack dog, like Ben-Veniste..
Posted by: Frank G   2004-04-14 4:31:38 PM  

#6  At this very moment Hannity has the AG and they are discussing "Janet Reno's mini-me"
Posted by: Anonymous4052   2004-04-14 4:16:04 PM  

#5  How on Earth did this Jamie Gorelick ever get on the commission anyway? How did the Republicans not notice it until it was too late? The Dems just got a week's worth of anti-Bush news/propoganda from the commission, so it seems like the damage has already been done. I'm pissed that no one questioned Gorelick's appointment to the commission until now. I heard about it yesterday on Rush Limbaugh for the first time. The commission is being used as a political tool by the Dems. Has anyone else heard the jeering, clapping 911 families which are in the commission's audience? The Dems found some highly partisan, liberal family members of 911 victims and parked them next to the microphones & cameras covering the commission so they can jeer at the Bush administration officials when they're testifying and clap at the Clinton administration officials when they're testifying. Ridiculous! Unbelievable! All this going on while our troops are on the ground, fighting the WOT.
Posted by: Kentucky Beef   2004-04-14 4:05:39 PM  

#4  Gorelick is licked, so to speak. The Administration will not push for her removal because her continued presence will slowly erode all credibility in the Commission. Any further reference to the commission by Democratic candidates will be met with eyes rolling.

$5 says the Dems push her by the weekend Monday, to avoid the Sunday questions.
Posted by: john   2004-04-14 3:54:30 PM  

#3  Drudge has a link to the memo - HA!
Posted by: Anonymous4052   2004-04-14 2:45:10 PM  

#2  Dems don't have the morality to recuse themselves. Never have and never will. Can you imagine a Democratic Govenor of Florida recusing himself like Jeb Bush did? Please someone make me wrong by showing me an example of a Democrat recusing themselves from a commision or committe?
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2004-04-14 2:06:15 PM  

#1  However, that contribution should come as a witness before the Commission - not as a member.

Oh yeah, and televise that one if you dare, ABC. What fun that would be.

Thompson: "Ms. Gorelick, can you explain why you felt it was necessary to erect a wall to keep law enforcement and anti-terror personnel at DoJ from talking to each other?"
Gorelick: "Um, well ..."
Thompson: "Can you explain why it was that you felt it important to go beyond what the law required?"
Gorelick: "Well, um ..."
Thompson: "And can you further explain how it was that when others questioned this and proposed removing these obstacles, the DoJ of which you were a member and former Attorney General Reno led said this couldn't be done?"
Gorelick: Oh, um ..."
Thompson: "Thought so. Thank you."
Posted by: Steve White   2004-04-14 1:56:20 PM  

00:00