Posted on 09/15/2004 7:50:08 PM PDT by hansel
YES, I'VE SEEN DRUDGE. [09/15 10:32 PM] Drudge reports that the Washington Post is set to report tomorrow that "Documents allegedly written by deceased officer that raised questions about Bush's service with Texas National Guard bore markings showing they had been faxed to CBS News from a Kinko's copy shop in Abilene, Texas... " Now, get a load of this:
The New York Times, February 12, 2004 Move to Screen Bush File in 90's Is Reported by Ralph Blumenthal
HOUSTON — A retired lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard complained to a member of the Texas Senate in 1998 that aides to Gov. George W. Bush improperly screened Mr. Bush's National Guard files in a search for information that could embarrass the governor in future elections. The retired officer, Bill Burkett, said in the letter to Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, a Democrat from Austin, that Dan Bartlett, then a senior aide to Governor Bush and now White House communications director, and Gen. Daniel James, then the head of the Texas National Guard, reviewed the file to "make sure nothing will embarrass the governor during his re-election campaign." A copy of the letter was provided to The New York Times by a lawyer for Mr. Burkett to support statements he makes in a book to be published this month, which Mr. Burkett repeated in interviews this week, that Mr. Bush's aides ordered Guard officials to remove damaging information from Mr. Bush's military personnel files. Mr. Bartlett denied on Wednesday that any records were altered. General James, since named head of the Air National Guard by President Bush, also denied Mr. Burkett's account. But Mr. Bartlett and another former official in Mr. Bush's administration in Texas, Joe Allbaugh, acknowledged speaking to National Guard officials about the files as Mr. Bush was preparing to seek re-election as governor. Mr. Burkett's letter to Senator Barrientos was part of a running battle that he waged with the National Guard after retiring in January 1998. In it, Mr. Burkett complained of "severe retaliation" from General James for what he said was reporting "illegal acts" within the National Guard. He also complained about the government's failure to pay for his medical care after suffering from a tropical disease after a military assignment to Panama in 1997. Before finally winning medical benefits in July 1998, he said, he suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized for depression. A spokesman for Senator Barrientos, Ray Perez, said on Wednesday that "Mr. Burkett did correspond with this office." Senator Barrientos said he was trying to find the six-year-old records of contacts with Mr. Burkett. Another Texas legislator contacted at the time by Mr. Burkett, Representative Bob Hunter, Republican of Abilene, said Mr. Burkett had appeared before his committee overseeing military affairs and had complained of mishandling of his medical claims but did not mention Mr. Bush's files. He called Mr. Burkett "disgruntled."
In telephone interviews this week from his home near Abilene, Mr. Burkett, 55, a systems analyst with 27 years in the National Guard including service as deputy commandant of the New Mexico Military Academy, said he happened to be in General James' office at Camp Mabry in Austin in mid-1997 and overheard Mr. Allbaugh on a speakerphone telling General James that Mr. Bartlett and Karen P. Hughes, another aide to Governor Bush, would be coming to the Guard offices to review Mr. Bush's military files. Ms. Hughes, who left the White House in 2002, did not return a call. Mr. James said though a spokesman that "that discussion never happened" and that he would "never condone falsification of any record." Mr. Allbaugh called the account "pure hogwash," but said he talked to General James about making Mr. Bush's records available to reporters. "We spoke about a lot of things," Mr. Allbaugh said. "I'm sure we had a conversation with General James where all the records were kept because it was an issue in 1994 and 1998 and would be in 2000. We wanted to make sure we could refer people of your profession where to go." Mr. Burkett further said that about 10 days later he and another officer walked into the Camp Mabry military museum and saw the head of the museum, Gen. John Scribner, going through Mr. Bush's personnel records. Mr. Burkett said he saw a trash basket with discarded papers bearing Mr. Bush's name. Mr. Burkett said the papers appeared to be "retirement point certificates, pay documents, that sort of thing." General Scribner dismissed the account. "It never happened as far as I know," he said. "Why would I be going into records?" Mr. Burkett is quoted at length in a book to come out by the end of the month, "Bush's War for Re-election" by James Moore, a former Texas television reporter and co-author of "Bush's Brain."
And, we know James "Jim" Moore was the man who appeared in Rather's report Friday night, contending without evidence that the memos are real. Is it 100 percent certain that CBS's source was Burkett? Nope. Getting close, though.
There are more documents in the pipeline. Check the Washington Post story. I can't breathe.
Oh and hRather, Robin
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ere's robin's...........
When you're into the DNC as deeply as Burkett is, you are duped by the DNC. YOU ARE THE DNC.
BUmp for later reading!
That would explain this thread then. Looks like we may have found our source... maybe...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1217366/posts
The top brass at FedEx (which now owns Kinkos) are, for the most part, very conservative. Howard Baker sits on the board.
What document has the number 325 698-4500?
UNCOMFORTABLE
BURKETT: And the third point occurred approximately 10 days later in which, in a very roundabout way, I ended up guided to the state museum, the old state museum facility, where I was introduced in the form of a very informal conversation. And I saw files on a table. But I also saw at the edge of that table a 15-gallon, roughly 15- gallon, old-style waste can, metal waste can.
At the top of that were several pages, 20 to 40 pages, approximately. I glanced down at the top of those documents. In ink was the word Bush, George W., 1LT. This was a performance report. I did something that I probably should not have done. I was right at the trash can. I filtered through the top five or six pages in that. And they were all copies and originals of old performance documents and pay records for Bush, George W., 1LT.
ZAHN: And what was so damaging about what you saw and why would those documents be thrown away?
BURKETT: I can't answer the question why those documents would be thrown away. A personnel file contains all of the positive and any potential negative things. It's an administrative file, is all that it is. But it contains every history. It is the pure paper trail. And the Army and military and all government entities, but certainly the Army and Air Force, have the most redundant paper trail that there is in the entire world.
(CROSSTALK) ZAHN: But, in your own words, you were only able to filter through some of the top pages. In your reading of those pages, did you see anything that would have been particularly embarrassing to the governor at that point?
BURKETT: I did not scrutinize the files itself, but I think it was the action that struck me more than anything else.
But I think also, even through my shock and maybe my disappointment, remember, I was working in the administration of Governor George W. Bush. And everything that I did as the team chief for a strategic planning effort that was going to make the Texas National Guard more effective, more efficient, and more relevant to the active force, just what your previous guest has said, all of those efforts I felt had been -- had undermined our cause.
ZAHN: But, Mr. Burkett...
BURKETT: I think it was the action.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Let me just ask you this. You no doubt have heard the criticism coming your way. The White House, or particularly Scott McClellan has called your charges absolutely ridiculous. Joe Allbaugh, the man you apparently overheard talking, has denied ever having the conversation you talked about and has denied any record dumping at all.
BURKETT: Ms. Zahn, I'm not going to get in the mud.
The power of the collective FReepers is asounding!
It is amazing to watch clues, evidence and ideas be presented and take shape here.
Some are good. Some are faulty. By FReepers inter-acting, and enforcing or challenging ideas and "facts", a "true" picture develops.
At the end we have a reasonable consensus (at least for most).
And the on-going thinking is public. Amazing!
Excellent catch, Warhead. And I heartily recommend that everyone read your link. It's so clear that this kook McKinney lover, former mental case, hater of all things Republican, has a real hard-on for Bush and I wouldn't be surprised at any of their dirty tricks! It all adds up.
Why do I have this feeling that Burkette's problem may be paranoia since he hates Bush so much and blames him for most of his problems??
If it proves to be true that the forged documents went from this individual directly to CBS, would it not also be strong evidence that the Kerry Campaign and DNC were not guilty of the offense.
Seldom I make comment, yet your post is so right, has me rolling! LOL bunny slippers and all....
Don't know. I haven't seen it on any of the docs. I think the story is that one of them did.
Wasn't. This was inside info. But while Burkett looks good for it, some suspect it's a little too neat. Don't forget Ben.
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