The Undoing of Curt Weldon - Able Danger Aborted

When the history of the Bush era is written, no scandal will impress the reader as more telling of the time and place than the one that has engulfed Curt Weldon, the deposed Republican congressman from Pennsylvania.

To be clear, Weldon is not the perpetrator of this scandal but its victim. To understand how he got embroiled, a quick look back at a nearly forgotten chapter in the annals of the Clinton administration is in order.

In January 1997, the Clinton White House went public with a 332-page report that bore the "Austin Powers"-like title, "Communication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce." In its unapologetic paranoia, the effort recalled nothing so much as the final days of the Nixon administration.

"What is striking about the document," observed the Washington Post, "is that it lays down this suspicion-laden theory about how the media works in cold print, under the imprimatur of the White House." According to the document, here is how "the stream" worked:

First, well-funded right-wing think tanks and individuals underwrite conservative newsletters and newspapers such as the Western Journalism Center, the American Spectator and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Next, the stories are reprinted on the Internet where they are bounced all over the world.

From the Internet, according to the report, the stories go through the right-wing British media, back through the respectable right-wing American press, into Congress, "finally to be covered by the remainder of the American mainstream press as a 'real' story."

A year after its introduction, Hillary Clinton would echo the findings of this report on the Today Show in her self-parodying alarm about a "vast right-wing conspiracy."

You are probably correct about that. This is reminiscent of the Bush/Gonadless decision to let the Bergler dog pee on their leg. It was Clintonistas in the Justice Dept. that made the decision not to allow more serious charges into the mix. They didn’t give away anything that they didn’t have to, and W & Alberto let it ride. They’re all dogs. The Weldons, Coburns, Tancredos and Hunters can be counted on one hand with a thumb left over.

Great article. Thanks for posting. The following was one part I found interesting:

“To join the Democratic Alliance, a prospective “partner” must put up a $25,000 entry fee and annual dues of $30,000. In addition, partners must invest at least $200,000 each year in organizations, like CREW, that the Alliance has endorsed.”

It’s like joining a criminal cabal.

There seems to be a limited number of the miscreants. Surprise, Bernard Schwartz, a familiar name is part of it. I bet the names of the whole lot of them (mostly Clintoids) would not fill a pamphlet.

I was struck by this,

To neutralize their opposition, they and their cronies have consciously crafted their own communication stream, one that is far less ethical and more effective than anything the right could have ever concocted.

I hesitate to call this a "left wing" conspiracy as there is no real ideology involved. Indeed, some on the hard left have applauded the work Weldon has done in tracking the steps and missteps that led to Sept. 11.

Properly understood, the Clinton communication stream has resulted from a collaboration, not of ideologues, but of well-placed Democratic activists whose motives involve some combination of fear, greed, spite, wishful thinking and lust for power.

Do we really care? and if we do what can be done? As Jim Eason, retired San Francisco talk show host, said years ago, "Drip on 'em, don't return incumbent politicians." (Weldon and a few others appear to be the exceptions, of course.) Try the ballot box first. Failing that, leave it up to the professionals. That's why I say, If modern America's Man on Horseback is out there, Get on the damn horse already!

As I read about how the Congressman and his family are being treated I remembered other outrages. Here's one.

This old FR thread has more, or rather it's an attempt to start a thread for alas no one here seemed to care.

Here's the insider, Ms Fitts, with names and amounts.

So often a certain class of conservatives complain about having to support lazy dolts (the poor). But how does Rush Limbaugh, Tom Sullivan, et al feeeeeel about this major cost of social services?

Don't be alarmed (too much) with scoop and Ms Fitts. Lots of Bush Derangement Syndrome, yes; but there are gems among the waste.

The State Dept. is the worst at giving away the Farm. But I’ll give them this — they kept the Chinese from getting our top secret defense systems until Clinton had this function moved to the Dept. of Commerce under Ron Brown. Pay The Piper Time — Loral, et.al. got to do their traitorous deeds without worry. Did Bush do anything to change any of this when he got into office? Either his team is the worst in recent memory, or they’re just more of the same. High Drama for the Peasants’ entertainment.

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