"A U.S. attorney would not be permitted to bring contempt charges or convene a grand jury in an executive privilege case," said a senior official, who said his remarks reflect a consensus within the administration. "And a U.S. attorney wouldn't be permitted to argue against the reasoned legal opinion that the Justice Department provided. No one should expect that to happen."

Ummmm, yeah... This has gone from bad to worse. I'm not seeing any resolution to this other than impeachment and removal from office. Nixon at least tried to hide his attempts at the cover-up, these guys are doing it in broad daylight.

Broader Privilege Claimed In Firings - washingtonpost.com

Harry what? Who gives a damn! There's a Civ expansion out Monday!!!

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword

"The alleged means by which defendants chose to rebut Mr. Wilson's comments and attack his credibility may have been highly unsavory," Bates wrote in the 41-page decision.
"But there can be no serious dispute that the act of rebutting public criticism ... by speaking with members of the press is within the scope of defendants' duties," he added.

I'm going to respond to this with two very different comments.

First, if the dismissal is on jurisdictional grounds, then the above quote has no business as part of the opinion. Either the court has jurisdiction or it does not, but that statement is not part of any jurisdictional question I can think of.

Second, that statement does have application if the dismissal were on the grounds the case were brought, but ignores the issues of the case. The response of the administration (in the form of leaking the identity of Ms. Plame by Armitage, Rove, Libby and Fleisher) was not a rebuttal of any of the statements made by Ambassador Wilson, it was instead a smear of the Ambassador and the destruction of Ms. Plame's career. While the first certainly qualifies as "unsavory," the leak was most likely illegal, and at no point was there any rebuttal of the criticism. The leak group didn't say what Ambassador Wilson said was false or that they had information that said otherwise, they turned his report and the trip that report was based on into a junket sponsored by his wife at CIA, and that if people want to take information from that sort of source well go ahead.

They already had the original report Wilson had filed with the government blowing the yellowcake story out of the water, they just ignored it because it hurt their case for a war they wanted. They knew it was right. Because they couldn't counter the message, they went after the messenger. The point of the suit was to determine if that was done falsely.

Now, given the standards applied by the Judge in this case, were I to say, "Judge Bates is a Bush tool who ruled this way in this case because W put him on the bench as a payoff for the work he did with Ken Starr trying to bury Clinton for a blowjob," then that would be perfectly acceptable. It would be perfectly acceptable if I were in the administration, because speaking with members of the press is just dandy. I don't have to rebut the opinion, Bates doesn't find that a requirement. I could freely say Bates is a corrupt judge who got the assignment in this case because he's known to be a loyal Bushie who got his job from Bushie and was chosen for that job because he went after blowjob Bill.

At least that's what the standard looks like...

I have not read the opinion because I haven't found a link to it yet, but I'll update after I have.

UPDATE: Well I have now read the opinion and I wonder if I can get it perforated, on Charmin quality paper stock. Part of the opinion is a dismissal on jurisdictional grounds, sort of, vaguely, but the primary issue for dismissal is that remedy is being sought under the wrong grounds. What also appears to be stated is that it is not relevant whether or not what Libby, Rove, Cheney and Armatige did was illegal or not, the fact that it may or may not have been illegal precludes pressing a civil case! It might be illegal, therefore it can't be sued for!

Wow.

UPDATE 2: This is the same judge who ruled that the GAO couldn't find out who was on Cheney's energy group, and was placed on the FISA court by Roberts last year. Yeesh.

Judge dismisses civil suit in CIA leak scandal | Politics | Reuters

President Bush unveiled a new executive order that allows the administration to block bank accounts and any other financial assets that might be found in this country belonging to people, companies or groups that the United States deems are working to threaten stability in Iraq.

Bush cited the "unusual and extraordinary threat" to national security and foreign policy of the United States "posed by acts of violence threatening the peace and stability of Iraq and undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq and to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people."

Unconstitutional search and seizure anyone? They already could do this, they just needed a court order and some measure of proof the money was being used illegally. Now they think they can do so by executive fiat? And just out of curiosity, what does "working to threaten stability in Iraq" mean? Does this mean Blackwater gets their funds seized? For some reason I doubt it.

U.S. to crack down on terror bankrolls - USATODAY.com

Waxman cited a memo written by former White House political director Sara M. Taylor showing that John P. Walters, director of the drug control office, and his deputies traveled at taxpayer expense to about 20 events with vulnerable GOP members of Congress in the three months leading up to the elections.

In a letter to Taylor, Waxman also pointed to an e-mail by an official in the drug policy office describing President Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, as being pleased that the office, along with the Commerce, Transportation and Agriculture departments, went "above and beyond" the call of duty in arranging appearances by Cabinet members at campaign events.

And now, another round of the White House breaking the law. At this point what haven't they done? Counterfeiting? Maybe?

White House Had Drug Officials Appear With GOP Candidates - washingtonpost.com

This rocks. some Australian guys build a Trojan Horse full of people dressed like Greek solders, and then try to get it past security into various places in Sydney. The only place that denies them access is the Turkish Consulate.

Brilliant!

YouTube - Trojan Horse Test

Sen. David Vitter on Monday denied having relationships with New Orleans prostitutes, a week after admitting links to a Washington escort service that federal prosecutors allege was a prostitution ring.

Yeah! Those New Orleans hookers are just skanks! Washington hookers are way classier!

Vitter Denies Prostitution Accusations - The Huffington Post

Is that spark missing in your married life? Or is the constant travelling taking its toll on your love life. Having a long distance relationship but missing the physical aspect of it? Fear not, the Bluetooth Vibrator is here.

I've always thought the killer app for USB would be the USB vibrator, but maybe it works for SMS too.

(marginally safe for work)

The toy - Bluetooth vibrator based on SMS - Phoneyworld.com

Forcing his Republican colleagues to put up or shut up on the notion of an up-or-down vote, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) just moments ago announced that he will immediately file a cloture motion on the Reed-Levin troop redeployment bill and, if Republicans follow through with a filibuster, will place the Senate in a prolonged all-night session Tuesday to force a true continuation of debate.

Fillibuster? We're going old school on your candy-asses!

BobGeiger.com: Reid To Force Senate Into All-Night Session Tuesday

A member of the Florida House of Representatives arrested yesterday on charges of soliciting a male undercover police officer is the co-Chairman of the Florida campaign of presidential hopeful John McCain, PageOneQ has learned.
......
On his House web page, Allen's listed recreational interest is "water sports."

I maybe shouldn't laugh at.... Bwahahahaha! Schmuck.

Arrested pol is McCain campaign Florida co-chairman