Interesting company the governor of my state is keeping
A top aide to Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. has for the past year been cooperating with federal investigators who are examining the activities of Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a spokesman for the governor said yesterday.
A federal grand jury issued a subpoena last summer to Edward Miller, Ehrlich’s deputy chief of staff, because of Miller’s role in establishing a Silver Spring company called Grassroots Interactive.
Looks like Mayor O’Malley has a nice piece of data to add to his arsenal as he announces his bid to take back Maryland for the Democratic party this week.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/06/26/news/top_stories/22_59_266_25_05.txt
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050630/NEWS/506300378/1006/SPORTS
Let’s start with what we KNOW. Plenty of time for what we DON’T know later.
Wait a minute. This guy is an aide to Governor Ehrlich. In a previous job he worked for a company that possibly/likely received money from another company that may have been directed by a lobbyist accused of crimes. And we’re supposed to draw negative conclusions about Ehrlich from this claptrap!
Well wait a minute. Interesting company Democratic Party keeps – like mass murderers. Ex Mayor Willie Brown was at the Democratic Convention and supported Kerry. This is the same Willie Brwon who was very supportive of a certain Reverend Jim Jones, the infamous mass murderer at Jonestown.
Dugger, Can you Prove its not true my friends?
This might hold more weight if the entire Democratic Establishment hadn’t been yelling “Halliburton! Karl Rove! Abramoff! And did we mention Halliburton” for the past 5 years now.
Schumer has accepted responsibility and apoligized?!? I sure haven’t seen it. I’d love a link if you’ve got one.
Agreed. I don’t know enough about the scandalettes in question (Abramoff, Erlich, Frist for that matter) to either defend or repudiate, but I do know that seemingly most Democrats, and this site in particular, has not been known for waiting for a thorough investigation before crying foul … at least when it comes to alleged (R) discretions.
Too funny… the only response that can be mustered is to attack the Democratic party, and then drag up a mistake (admitted to and owned by those who made it – very different from repub SOP mind you) out to provide further shielding for Ehrlich.
Here’s the deal – corruption has been part of (maryland) politics since the beginning – on both sides of the aisle. Frankly, while guilt by association is neither fair or reasonable; asking questions along those lines and considering the possibilities is only logical.
Yes, and instead of actually looking into the merits of the accusations, Republicans just shrug it off as partisan attacks.
Interesting stuff. Maybe you should illegally pull Ehrlich’s credit report. It might hold all kinds of dirt! That’s SOP for combatting Maryland Republicans, right?!?
Frank…
Actually, yes – something can be unfair, unreasonable and logical at the same time, however that’s not the point I was attempting to reiterate, and I’m sorry you didn’t get it.
Automatically assuming guilt through association is wrong – asking questions that arise from obvious direct/indirect association is reasonable.
And as for your question to Oliver… Who chose and appointed Miller to be his chief of staff, someone other than Ehrlich? Come on…
Oliver: Interesting opening to your post: It’s the Governor’s chief of state that’s “cooperating with federal investigators”. He’s automatically connected to the Governor — how?
“a mistake (admitted to and owned by those who made it)”
SaveFarris – go look up the archived WaPo article, or the one(s) from the Baltimore Sun. When the story initially broke, it was repeatedly pointed out that the offending individuals, A: admitted the whole thing, and accepted responsibility. B: the incident was reported by the Dems to the watchdogs…
The offenders apologized for being “overzealous” and were fired.
rainlion: Frankly, while guilt by association is neither fair or reasonable; asking questions along those lines and considering the possibilities is only logical. [emphasis added]
If guilt by association is neither fair nor reasonable, how could asking questions be ‘only logical’?. Are you saying that something can be unfair, unreasonable and logical? Couldn’t be — could it?
Farris – just went back and reread your comments, thanks for providing a bit of levity on a typical monday -
“I don’t know enough about the scandalettes…” – as demonstrated by your Schumer comment
I repeat:
Frankly, while guilt by association is neither fair or reasonable; asking questions along those lines and considering the possibilities is only logical.
Which is why folks have been “yelling” about Rove, Abramhoff, etc. for 5 years… lack of questions asked and answers made.
I think I understand your point — now.
As to the other question: I was referring to two things: yes, I know he appointed him, but that doesn’t mean he colluded with him in activities with Abramoff. And Oliver referred to the Governor’s “company”. It was Miller who was associated with Abramoff.
To All;
Let us all stop for a moment.
We do not have the final verdict on these matters.
That will all be revealed in time.
But IF there is a connection between back room business deals amongst brokers and main-line decision/policy makers that lead to innocent people dying, AND war crimes are indicated?
What should happen to the guilty parties?
What should happen, and what will – scratch that, may happen are very likely two different things. As we’ve seen, these aren’t the 70’s – Agnew was forced to resign, as was Nixon… Iran-Contra proved that those days were over.
Please. The question still is; WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN?
The boolean logic is tricky, Leo, but I think you can handle it:
IF there is no connection between back room business deals amongst brokers and main-line decision/policy makers that lead to innocent people dying, OR no war crimes are indicated?
What should happen to the affected parties?
What are you looking for: some kind of ghoulish lets pick the punishment game?
Yeah, Dugger. I want to know what you think about “disgorgement” as a fitting punishment for ‘war criminals’, although we could include political hacks who abuse our trust.
BTW;
That’s only the third time I’ve asked this question.
“IF there is a connection between back room business deals amongst brokers and main-line decision/policy makers that lead to innocent people dying, AND war crimes are indicated. What should happen to the guilty parties? ”
What are you looking for: some kind of ghoulish “lets pick the punishment” game?
But personally, I would like to see the miscreants drawn and quartered. Publicly, of course. Always wanted to see that but it went out with Nixon.
All of your “ifs” are a tad remote (war crimes with Gov Ehrlich and his staff????) to begin with. Now, if Gov Ehrlich were a Nazi and had Hitler’s brain on ice, STILL ALIVE, and was thinking about blowing up the New Orleans levees again (Bush did it the first time, I believe) and then murdering all progressives under the influence of this brain…..”
Dugger, Stay Tuned As Mayor O’Malley Wins a Fist Fight with Hitler’s Brain
Using Nuremberg as an example, and relying on my memory, I believe some people got as little as ten years, some were sentenced to hanging.
I hope that satisfies you.
Frank;
Delay/Frist MAY or May not be guilty of war crimes (as in this thread having no DIRECT connection to US military policy) They may be guilty of other crimes that are lesser, but still serious. Disgorgement similar to FTC fines (example; 10 times the profit made by Archer Daniels Midland when it tried to corner the citric acid market) may be appropriate upon conviction in a court of law.
However, the question REMAINS;What should happen to war criminals?
Frank;
Care to go on the record yourself re;disgorgement?
Hanging seems to be a remote possibility for anyone these days.
You seem to mitigate the severity when you say nazi’s only got 10 years.
I don’t want to literally hang anyone. How about the example of the $100
million fine for ADM? 10 times what the business criminals got from their
illicit acitivity seems just. Come on Frank, Go on the record for Pete’s
sake! I’m not after YOU!, Stop acting like you’d be making an admission
of guilt!
BK..BK…BK…BWAAAAAACK…….BK…….BK…….BK………BWAAAAAACK!!!!
Just a little riddle. What is that sound?
For the answer…..one thread up…….
Semant,
“That s only the third time I ve asked this question.”
Theres no one answer.. What is the crime and I’ll tell you a punishment. “War profiteering” is too vague. Are you saying all contractors who support DOD are war profiteers or are you trying to identify contractors who charge excessive prices nad get what they want because a war is going on? If the latter, it must first be a crime. And if so, the law should be applied as appropriate. But I doubt you will find very many. The contracting process forces comeptiton whre feasible. Still, absolutely not a sin to make a profit while conracting in support of the war. How about the contractors dwho have died in Iraq. Profiteers?
Dugger
What kind of fine do you expect individuals to pay? A bajillion dollars? A gozillion dollars?
What do you want me to say?
I really don’t understand you…
And, as to this: “Just a little riddle. What is that sound?” Sorry, I don’t care enough to go look… I have stuff to do today…
Leo, you distracted me, with your nonsense…
I came here with another “Bush – wack”
Bush removal ended Guam investigation
Frank;
“Methinks thou doth protest….”
You understand all to well.
No, Leo, you’re “clever by half.” When will you stop analyzing me, and make a friggin’ point? You’re the one that’s incomprehensible. I am not pretending anything. You’re not making yourself clear, but from what little I can gather, I’m not sure I want you to…
BTW, because I was curious, I looked up disgorgement, to see what context you were using. It seems it’s a huge fine levied by the SEC to repay investors hurt by schemes.
I’m not sure it’s even relevant to your posts. Now, will you make yourself clear, or go back to doing what you enjoy most, attacking me?
As an afterthought, let me clear something up about this “victim” business. I have never declared myself to be a victim. What I am trying to make clear to you is that this is supposed to be a forum, not a flamefest.
While I can, unprovoked, be pretty sarcastic, I very rarely say bad things to people without being provoked.
You seem to revel in it. I have told you and mouse repeatedly about incorrect you Lucy (of “Peanuts” fame) – like analyses are, but you still keep doing it. I just tell you to stop it and make a point.
Frameone calls me an idiot, then mocks me further in the next post, explaining to me, like I’m a dolt that I failed to understand his poor joke.
Does it make me a victim to acknowledge that these comments have nothing to do with the thread, the current topic, or their contribution to the discussion?
Maybe. Maybe not. But it certainly doesn’t make any of you — Mouse, semanticleo, quaker, or frameone, a better person than I, because you say those things about me, even if you really believe they are true.
So, keep it up, folks, no doubt you’re impressing each other, maybe, but certainly not me.