Posted on 09/18/2004 5:01:04 PM PDT by AmericanMade1776
In e-mails to a discussion group for Texas Democrats in recent months, Burkett laid out a rationale for using "down and dirty" tactics against Bush. Burkett said he had passed on his ideas to the Democratic National Committee but that the DNC seemed "afraid to do what I suggest."
In another message, dated Sept. 4, Burkett hinted he might have had advance knowledge of some details contained in an explosive segment on CBS News' "60 Minutes" one week later. In addition to an interview with former Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes claiming he helped Bush get into the Guard, CBS broadcast documents purportedly showing that Bush had disobeyed a direct order to take a physical required to continue flying in the spring of 1972.
"I believe that Bush knows that there is more coming out than Ben Barnes," Burkett wrote. "No proof, just gut instinct."
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
The Rathergate just keeps on growing. Love it.
Paging the Feds....
Why aren't you on this?
I'm not buying it. The DNC was fully aware of the tactics being used here. If these are now the talking points, then Burkett is about to be made a scapegoat, if he isn't already.
Did I hear that this was some Yahoo group?
Why do you think the Feds should on this?
In e-mails to a discussion group for Texas Democrats in recent months, Burkett laid out a rationale for using "down and dirty" tactics against Bush. Burkett said he had passed on his ideas to the Democratic National Committee but that the DNC seemed "afraid to do what I suggest."
In another message, dated Sept. 4, Burkett hinted he might have had advance knowledge of some details contained in an explosive segment on CBS News' "60 Minutes" one week later. In addition to an interview with former Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes claiming he helped Bush get into the Guard, CBS broadcast documents purportedly showing that Bush had disobeyed a direct order to take a physical required to continue flying in the spring of 1972.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationalpolitics/2002039078_natguard18.html
Reassmebled is putting it mildly. How about "making things up out of whole cloth".
Looks like Cleland is not willing to go down with the ship.
Perfect ~ the Robins are outed and it isn't even Spring. :):)
CBS News, liberal biased and slanted coverage, let us think for you.....
I would think the CBS or ViaCom Management would be afraid to show business cards to strangers for fear of the comments they will get.....
That looks suspiciously like Dan Rather's daughter's handwriting. I remember her style from when we were in school together some years ago.
Dan Rather should have to answer the serious questions raised by that document. Some have suggested it is a forgery, but the content is what really matters. Perhaps the author merely reconstructed what he read in an earlier document. My local pen repairman says the pen used to write that note is consistent with pens available in Austin.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&u=/ap/20040918/ap_on_el_pr/bush_guard_questions&printer=1
Cleland, you're busted.
LOL, meaning that CBS has lower ethical standards than the DNC??? I didn't think it possible. On the other hand, maybe the DNC changed its mind and DID go through with Burkett's plan.... to pass off forged documents to their lapdog accomplices at CBS.
It sounds like the "Burkett as scapegoat" thing is taking hold (everywhere except at the Washington Post where they misfiled the DNC fax that Burkett was no longer on the team). You can expect the DNC to wash their hands of this guy as if he was found in a leper colony.
Sure, they'll claim they've never heard of the guy, that they are "shocked and disappointed" that anyone would forge documents, etc. when the truth is that their own little hand grenade had blown up in their faces (maxing Max Cleland the appropriate spokesperson since he knows well about such things).
Looks like it went in as 'down and dirty' and came out as 'stoopid.'
You're kidding right? If not, where have you been this past week?
Sounds like a real Looney Tune.
I agree completely. Is Travis county run by the Democrats? If so, expect coverups rather than genuine investigations, and certainly, no prosecutions.
The DA in Travis County is Ronnie Earle, as partisan a Democrat as you'll ever hope to see. Remember the sham trial they tried on Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison? Guess who prosecuted that case?
Not a chance the DA of Travis County would press charges. Now, the DA of Taylor County, that might be a different story.
This is why CBS can't reveal their source. they are going to look just awful if this gets out.
The question is, will Burkett drink the purple kool-aid?
My guess is that it is a forgery, but the content is accurate!
Also, remember TapeGate from the 2000 campaign? The Demo operative who sent Bush's debate tapes to Gore? Earle had to be badgered into prosecuting that chick and then gave her a wristslap.
Intersting - the FAX was sent to CBS from the Abilene Kinko's on the evening of September 2nd
A more interesting question is: Will the Kerry campaign throw Cleland under the bus?
There are some threads that discuss the possibilities of criminal prosecution. Quite a few possible charges have been named. Forgery, forging government documents, fraud, violation of election law, wire fraud, misuse of government seal (as in, the letter head might be a "seal"), etc.
For RICO to kick in, there has to be a crime first. It is not illegal to forge history, the order to GWB is inoperative. If CBS didn't pay for the forgeries (on the pretext they were genuine), CBS was not defrauded. In order to find wire fraud, you first have to find fraud. The statutes that relate to misuse of government seals relate only to the emblem, not to typed text of any kind.
The only penalty for journalistic fraud is self-policing by the so-called journalism profession.
I read quite a few thread here, and if somebody pipes up with a statute or case law that appears to apply to this fact pattern, I'd like to read it.
Maybe the Dems will give him a contract with a generous retainer, because he looks too fat to drag to the park.
I've been here. And no, I'm not kidding. I don't see a crime, yet, and I have been looking.
President Bush has a defamation claim against CBS, and CBS shareholders may have a claim against CBS for breaching a duty to use good business judgement.
The breach here is a breach of so-called journalism ethics. The CBS/Killian incident is an extreme breach, but is by no means the only one. NBC covers Kitty Kelly, but not the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth -- that is deceptive too, in totality, but of a different sort. I don't want to make that illegal. I want the public to distrust the snob media as much as I do.
MEMORANDUM FOR JOHN
JOHN,
JUST GOT BACK FROM TYPING UP THAT BOGUS DOCUMENT. GAVE IT TO OUR OPERATIVE AT CBS, (OF COURSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM, HA, HA, HA.) WHAT A BUNCH OF FOOLS! THEY TOOK IT HOOK LINE AND SINKER! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT DAN RATHER IDIOT IS GOING TO PUT IT ON SIXTY MINUTES!!
HOW CAN WE LOSE WITH AN ENTIRE NETWORK IN OUR POCKET. OF COURSE WE WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE INTELLIGENCE ON OUR SIDE BUT AS LONG AS THEY DO WHAT WE TELL EM, I GUESS WE CAN USE THEM.
THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE STING OF THE CENTURY. WE GET THOSE IDIOTS AT CBS TO PICK THIS UP, THEN THOSE OTHER NETWORKS WILL JUST FOLLOW. OF COURSE WE CANNOT DEPEND ON FOX BUT WE CAN JUST TURN THIS ON BUSH AND KEEP HITTING THE NATIONAL GUARD ISSUE.
WE NEED TO KEEP THIS AWAY FROM THE NET. THOSE RIGHT WING NUTS ARE TOO DAMN SMART TO BE TRICKED. BUT WHAT REALLY CAN THEY DO.
THIS COST US SOME BUT OUR BEST FRIEND HAS SOME DEEP POCKETS. HE GOT THOSE 527 ADS OUT AND THIS WON’T COST NEAR AS MUCH.
GOOD IDEA TO KEEP PUSHING THAT BUSH IS BEHIND THOSE SWIFT BOAT IDIOTS. DOES NOT MATTER THAT HE IS NOT INVOLVED, IT COVERS OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THOSE 527 ADS. YOU KNOW THAT AS LONG AS WE KEEP LYING CONSISTENTLY WE CANNOT BE CAUGHT AND THE PUBLIC IS AS DUMB AS CBS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS STUFF. WE HAVE HOODWINKED 50 PERCENT SO FAR. JUST NEED A FEW MORE.
JUST WANTED TO KEEP YOU INFORMED.
TERRY
It must be true because she has yet to respond to it.
To say the least...it's referred to as the Peoples Republic of Austin here in Texas.
It doesn't have to be financial gain. Forging credentials (doctor, veterinarian, lawyer, engineer, etc.) is criminal, but it affects PRESET legal rights or privileges.
These forged documents are a forgery of history, and that is not illegal. The order to Bush has no legal effect, even if it is authentic.
I'm not saying "it's okay." Obviously, it is not okay. But it is not criminal, as far as I know. Note that George Bush has a good shot at a defamation claim, but that is a civil matter, not a criminal matter.
No, Burkett is a coward. But he might sing like a Purple Martin if he's given a deal on his committing fraud to influence an election. If he'll name, names, it could get interesting.
Donate to Swift Boat Vets for the Truth HERE.
Sign Petition against CBS & Dan Rather HERE.
My Campaign Button Page
and My Toons Page [Updated 9-18 / 6:20PM CST] 
And it was hand written on MS Word/handwriting.
Ronnie Earle runs the prosecutor's office in Travis County. And he's a vicious nutcase, pretty much like the rest of the white liberal Democrats in Texas (we've penned them all in Travis County).
If he takes any action, Ronnie baby is more likely to seek an indictment of Karl Rove -- for having made Burkett do it.
obviously a fake letter, since she did not refer to Bush as a shrub.
The forgery of documents to influence an election is a violation of federal election law. Even though Bush is not harmed by the act, the act, in itself is a crime against the people of the United States.
This all goes well beyond the freedom of the press and freedom of speech. Fraud is not protected by the Constitution. Fraud does not need to be successful for one to be charged with attempted fraud. Any way you cut Burkett's actions, if he is the source and forger of those documents, he'll need a lawyer.
Don't you mean some YAY-HOO group?
Forging government documents is a crime. The direct order would purport to be such a document. But, in this case, the forgeries are so transparent they can't be construed as government documents by any reasonable person.
Ergo, no crime. Unless CBS can be prosecuted for Gross Stupidity, in the first degree...
I think that letter is a fake, But the content is accurate !
So CBS we have caught you! It's conclusive !
Actually, Bush's reputation is harmed, and that is why he has a shot at a defmation case.
I'm not saying you are incorrect regarding criminal violation of federal election law, but I will remain skeptical without a more specific citation. The media has lied about and misrepresented candidates in the past, and I know of zero criminal prosecutions for that.
This all goes well beyond the freedom of the press and freedom of speech. Fraud is not protected by the Constitution. Fraud does not need to be successful for one to be charged with attempted fraud. Any way you cut Burkett's actions, if he is the source and forger of those documents, he'll need a lawyer.
I never asserted that fraud was constitionally protected, and my statements work whether the fraud "worked" or was only attempted.
I don't disagree that Burkett needs a layer. He has one now, by the name of Os. What I don't know is what crime Burkett might be charged with, assuming he forged the documents and gave them to CBS for free.
The defense isn't what you describe. A bad forgery can be criminal. The test is whether, if taken as authentic, the document would have any legal effect.
This one wouldn't. Even if it was authentic, George Bush would not have to follow it.
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