Ex-Texas Guardsman eyed in Bush memo leak

THE WASHINGTON TIMES ^ | 9-16-04 | Rowan Scarborough

[Anti-Bubba182]

A disgruntled former Texas National Guard soldier is the focus of intense media scrutiny into whether he leaked hotly disputed memos to CBS News on President Bush's military record.

The former Army Guardsman is retired Lt. Col. Bill Burkett of Abilene. For years, he has charged, but not proven, that Mr. Bush's political operatives sanitized the then-Texas governor's Air National Guard records at Guard headquarters in Austin, Texas...[snip]

Mr. Burkett's attorney, David Van Os, said yesterday through a spokeswoman that he has been instructed by his client not to comment. The New York Times reported yesterday that Mr. Van Os refused to say if his client played a role in providing the memos to CBS.

The New York Times quoted Mr. Van Os as saying, "If, hypothetically, Bill Burkett or anyone else, any other individual, had prepared or had typed on a word processor as some of the journalists are presuming, without much evidence, if someone in the year 2004 had prepared on a word processor replicas of documents that they believed had existed in 1972 or 1973 — which Bill Burkett has absolutely not done" — then he continued, "what difference would it make?" .....

[Anti-Bubba182]

Hot damn! "What difference would it make?" I guess it depends on the judge.

[Southack]

Van Os should be disbarred for that one statement alone.

The AWB Has Expired - Gun Owners Have Won Again For All Americans!

[martin_fierro]

"If, hypothetically, Bill Burkett or anyone else, any other individual, had prepared or had typed on a word processor as some of the journalists are presuming, without much evidence, if someone in the year 2004 had prepared on a word processor replicas of documents that they believed had existed in 1972 or 1973 — which Bill Burkett has absolutely not done" — then he continued, "what difference would it make?"

If, hypothetically, counsel is floating a trial balloon defense, he's floating a lousy one.

[grey_whiskers]

Why is he parrying a hypothetical question which
HASN'T EVEN BEEN ASKED YET?

We should take this lawyer's quote, show it to
Carville, McAwful, and Kerry,
(and, oh yes, RatherGullible(TM) )
and in the immortal words of Teresa,
the patrician, the tactful,
tell them to

"SHOVE IT."

[Mo1]

I was just watching the interview with Knox again

In the begining where she says she didn't type the memo because it's not the form she used

Then she says "There are words in there that belong to the Army .. not the Air Gaurd"

[ambrose]

What's up with the Washington Times headline writers?? This isn't a "leaked" memo... it is a FORGED memo.

[CWOJackson]

The interesting thing here is that if any personal memos existed in the way CBS describes them, as simply a memo to a personal file, and not submitted within the chain of command, they are the professional (personal) property of the author.

When the Colonel retired he would have taken those files with him and when he retired they would have become the property of his survivors.

In order to have a real document, of this specific nature, it would have to have been stolen from the Colonel or his family. Perhaps the reluctance to produce a "real document" is understandable.

[Southack]

No military order is personal, or for personal files. It's government property.

What we're talking about is a forged military order (treason) with intent to oust a sitting President (treason).

The AWB Has Expired - Gun Owners Have Won Again For All Americans!

[Howlin]

Why would Bush have gotten an ORDER to have his physical almost two months before it was due?

Do the commanders send those letters?

[KingKongCobra]

"When the Colonel retired .."

He didn't retire. He died while still on the job. Had a heart attack two weeks after taking a flight physical, as I recall.

[FesterUSMC]

The New York Times quoted Mr. Van Os as saying, "If, hypothetically, Bill Burkett or anyone else, any other individual, had prepared or had typed on a word processor as some of the journalists are presuming, without much evidence, if someone in the year 2004 had prepared on a word processor replicas of documents that they believed had existed in 1972 or 1973 — which Bill Burkett has absolutely not done" — then he continued, "what difference would it make?"

Whoa Whoa Whoa I'm callin' this guy out on this one, this Mr. Van O's is a freaky kool-aid drinkin' tree huggin' rat kissin' apologist if i ever saw one! What the hell kind of integrity is this? The man does not know the difference between right and wrong? Was he raised by wolves? Mr. Van O's STFU!

[KingKongCobra]

"Do the commanders send those letters?"

No, they do not.

[CWOJackson]

"He didn't retire. He died while still on the job. Had a heart attack two weeks after taking a flight physical, as I recall."

Then all professional materials should have been surrendered to his family. They would have been reviewed to insure there was nothing of a classified nature and turned over. Whoever obtained these records probably did not do so legally...if they really do exist.

[KingKongCobra]

"Mr. Van O's STFU! "

Mr Van O's in on the Nov. ballot for Texas Supreme Court Judge. LOL

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bill Burkett needs a new lawyer.

[CWOJackson]

"No military order is personal, or for personal files."

The "so-called" written order for a physical would be officail correspondence, but the CYA memo where he was simply making a memo to file about having misgivings about LT Bush and being pressured to inflate his evals would be a professional (personal) file.

[Anti-Bubba182]

It looks more and more like Burkett is the likely suspect for the memo source. I also noticed the comment of the secretary that it looked like Army wording. Burkett was in the Army National Guard. Also there is the Abilene, Texas Kinkos mark on the memo that the WP reported. Burkett is near Abilene and it was reported that he has an account there.

SOURCE: BILL BURKETT USES ABILENE KINKOS

Burkett has been on this issue for years and now his lawyer is digging in, in what I suspect is preparation should CBS decide to out their source to CYA-CBS.

[FesterUSMC]

really? DOH! HEY TEXAS TAKE THIS SCUMBAG OUT!

[CWOJackson]

"Why would Bush have gotten an ORDER to have his physical almost two months before it was due?"

I'm not that supportive of this argument. Yes, most military physicals are routinely scheduled during the month of your date of birth, however, there are extenuating circumstances that can cause that to change within a six month window...and happens frequently. And even then you would receive a written notice of the physical, not an "order".

One other problem with this whole thing for both sides is no one has even stated whether it was a "routine" physical or a "flight" physical; the requirements for both are different.

If it was a routine physical he would have been required to complete it, if it were a flight physical and he was not on flight pay status he wouldn't.

[FesterUSMC]

I dont know who im more upset with right now Burkett or Van HO's, I dont even know what he looks like but i can just imagine him looking like the fat Rob Reiner... sheesh... freakin' meathead..