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Janet Reno's Political "Playcation"
Janet Reno - Succumbing to extortion?
Friday, October 3rd 1997: As Republican presidential hopefuls sip coffee and eat apple pie in Iowa, the wire services are full of it; Matt Drudge seems to have missed it; Candy Crowley is sitting around doing a post-mortem on Fred Thompson; and Janet Reno is distressed. For today she will reportedly deliver a below-the-belt punch to the Gore 2000 campaign -- bowing to political extortion, and extending her probe of White House campaign hijinx another 90 days.
A prelude to a special prosecutor appointment? Perhaps.
Al Gore's friends in high places
But Americans, as they hunker down over dinner tonight, should stop and think. Just what precipitated this? What are the high crimes and misdemeanors charged, and will Reno's cave-in cost you $30 million or only $15 million?
The Vice President is going to Florida this weekend to give a speech to Democrats following House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt's trip to Vermont last Sunday and his stop off in New Hampshire -- the nation's first primary state -- where he said speculation about his own 2000 presidential race is "terribly premature." Is Gephardt wringing his hands with glee, or is he uncomfortable knowing his chances are better, if only slightly, than yesterday.
Okay. So Reno will announce she's opening the requisite 90 day preliminary investigation to determine whether Al Gore's fund raising telephone calls violated the law. We all know they didn't. We all know the law was written before telephones were in use. We all know that this law, which Republicans are so fond of perverting, was put on the books to stop sleazy politicians from blackmailing federal employees under old patronage systems popular on Capitol Hill and state houses in the 1800's.
So what's going on here?
High Drama. Scripted for the ninth grade mind.
Al Gore, one of the most calculating politicians?
It's almost impossible not to laugh at Republicans as they sit on their media-fed high horses decrying the "rape of the Sabine telephones" while all along they've done the same themselves.
It's not as if today's announcement comes as a surprise to the White House. They've been gearing up for it for more than three months. The Vice President's attornies are in place, and Republicans are now attacking at least one of those lawyers to complete yet another loop in the three ring circus.
An old friend and ally, Nashville attorney Jim Neal, confirmed he has offered his services defending Gore for no fee. This pro bono offer includes some billing for junior members of Neal's firm who will be charged with researching the claims against the Vice President.
Well, one would think, "That's a nice thing to do."
RNC Chairman Jim Nicholson - horse's ass
But, as my friend Avak always says, "N-o-o-o-o-o!", the Republicans battered the vice president for this too, and for what? Get this -- Taking "gifts" while in office. It didn't matter to Chief RNC sleaze Jim Nicholson that the Office of Government Ethics, an agency that ensures federal employees comply with government ethical standards, said the practice was indeed legal. Nicholson had to twist Neal's offer into a bribe saying, "So-called 'pro bono,' or free legal services, are supposed to be for the poor and needy, not the vice president of the United States. Mr. Gore owes the American people an immediate explanation of this unusual fee arrangement." What a joke coming from the Chairman of a party that tries to cut funds for public defenders every chance they get.
I think Nicholson owes the American Republicans his resignation for being an incompetent ass.
Neal answered Republican charges: "The idea to volunteer my time to represent the vice president during this period was mine, based on my high regard for the vice president and my longtime friendship with his entire family."
Holding his temper
The Vice President already has legal debts totaling more than $2.5 million. According to his financial statements , Gore had an adjusted gross income of $274,320 in 1996. His salary, as Vice President was $171,500. The Republican strategy? If you can't beat 'em, bankrupt 'em.
Nicholson might want to check up on the legal bills of George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Dick Nixon and others. He'll find millions in law firm billings for these clients were forgiven out of friendship as well. "Put brain in gear before putting mouth in motion," Jim. President Reagan's friends bought him a house in Bel Air. A nice gesture I think. You didn't hear Nicholson wailing about that.
I must admit I'm disappointed in Janet Reno. Unless she can announce other reasons for carrying this "investigation" further, I'd like her to bite the bullet and stop now. Or she can return that portion of my tax dollars she'll spend on this political placation.
A scene from 2000?
Meanwhile top political scam artists Newt Gingrich and, more quietly, Haley Barbour have the nerve to call for Gore's investigation while each is in deep trouble and under federal investigation themselves.
GOP journalist prostitutes have their marching orders as well. Take priggish Tucker Carlson, of Heritage Foundation fame, who is attacking Gore in a seamlessly orchestrated night raid on his character. Carlson, a foppish pundit now writing pap for the neo-conservative "Weekly Standard says, incredibly, "I think he's one of the most calculated politicians, if not the most calculated politician, in national politics." Boy, that says a lot about Carlson's credibility.
Carlson will stoop to any low for attention. He's a guy who'd cower in a corner at any provocation, yet said this about Al Gore's stirring comments on his son Albert's brush with death when struck by a car -- "It's gut wrenching to see somebody read a description of an accident like that off a teleprompter in front of millions of people for political gain."
I wonder who's sucking his toes.
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