Free Republic

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 — The prosecution in the perjury trial of I. Lewis Libby Jr. neared the end of its case Wednesday with a final dramatic flourish — putting Tim Russert of NBC News on the witness stand to deliver what could be a serious blow to Mr. Libby’s defense. Nevertheless, Mr. Russert, who is accustomed to asking tough questions of his guests on “Meet the Press,” found himself in the clearly uncomfortable role of being the subject of tough questions during a cross-examination by Mr. Libby’s defense lawyer. Mr. Russert, whose signature technique in interrogating officials on his television...

Preview and Analysis of the Weekend Talk Shows for 9/9 and 9/10/2006The fifth anniversary of 9/11 is Monday, and the drive by media wants to make sure you know what you are supposed to think.  They also really don't want you to get a chance to hear any other versions of the 9/11 narrative that might raise questions about their approved one.Meet the press has Vice President Dick Cheney ("for the first time in three years" - gee I wonder why?) for the "full hour" (not counting commercials, promos, asides, other business, etc., etc.).  The drive by media is beginning...

I told you people yesterday and the day before of a movie, a mini-series running on ABC on September 10th and 11th, called The Path to 9/11 and I told you that I have the DVDs. I also told you because I am in touch -- I am poor when I'm in New York -- I do not have a DVD player. I don't. My apartment's got an old media room in it, it's got a laser disk player in it, but it doesn't have a DVD. Well, actually it has a DVD player in it, but the TV doesn't...

The Washington lawyer is the quintessential Washington type. He has the huge house in Wesley Heights or Potomac; the million-dollar partnership bonuses; the Rolodex with everyone's private number; the squad of young associates who do the grunt work and call him Godfather; the easy intercourse with pols and corporate chieftains seeking free advice or high-priced counsel--and, of course, the ego to go with all of the above. He slips and slides in and out and around government, usually making his reputation through political work he can then sell on the open market. The Washington lawyer comes in a number of...

The 9-11 Commission: gone but not, the commissioners hope, forgotten. Not content to rest on their laurels, after the Commission "disbanded as a government entity" last year, the 10 commissioners believed so strongly in the need for continued public discussion about terrorism that it formed the 9/11 Discourse Project. So the commissioners keep on ticking, like the Energizer Bunny, although without an official charter. This week, the group started a series of eight public hearings this week called "The Unfinished Agenda" which are designed to assess government progress in implementing Commission recommendations. Why? In the words of Vice Chairman Lee...

An Army intelligence officer yesterday publicly charged that the unit in which he worked had indeed identified two al Qaeda cells — and 9/11 ringleader Mohamed Atta more than a year before the terrorist attacks. Properly handled, Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer says, that information might have prevented the terror attacks. And Shaffer insists that his unit, code-named Able Danger, provided that information to the 9/11 commission headed by former Gov. Tom Kean — which failed to include it in its final report. Moreover, the officer's revelations come as newly declassified documents show that State Department analysts warned the Clinton administration...

In July of 1996, union boss Ron Carey, whose election as head of the Teamsters would soon be thrown out by the courts as corrupt, met with Arlen Specter and told him, according to Carey's notes for the meeting, "we remember our friends." That pat on the back from a man who would be indicted a few years later was accompanied by a $5,000 check from the Teamsters' Union PAC. Over the next 18 months, the Teamsters would send another $10,000 Specter's way. It was the least Carey could do. After all, Specter, as chairman of the appropriations subcommittee with...

Last Monday evening, the Associated Press broke the news that for-mer Clinton National Security Advisor, Sandy Berger, was being in-vestigated by the Justice Department. Berger is alleged to have re-moved several highly classified documents from the National Archive. Berger had been sent there by former president Bill Clinton to review documents pursuant to Clinton’s testimony before the 9/11 Commis-sion. Democrats were quick to accuse the Republicans of deliberately leak-ing this story in an attempt to divert attention away from today’s (July 22nd) release of the Commission’s final report. However, this claim no longer makes any sense. The report is not...

The 10 members of the 9/11 Commission are releasing their big report this week. Under other circumstances, the issuance of this document could have made them the toasts of America — the wisest of the wise, the cool-headed analysts who sorted through all the data and information and made important judgments that would help make this country safe. Instead, the report will effectively be dead on arrival. The administration has no reason to take the recommendations seriously, because the commission's members did such an astonishing job discrediting themselves last spring. The supposedly bipartisan commission unexpectedly became a partisan tool, a...

Over in the alternative universe of the 9-11 Commission hearings watched only by me, Richard Ben-Veniste recently proposed an amazing new standard for investigating Arabs in this country. In the middle of haranguing Condoleezza Rice, Ben-Veniste demanded to know why the suspected 20th hijacker, Zacarias Moussaoui, had not been more aggressively investigated, despite the fact that – I quote – he had "no explanation for the funds in his bank account, and no explanation for why he was in the United States." So let me get this straight: Airport security can't acknowledge that a person is an Arab, but they...

Over in the alternative universe of the 9/11 commission hearings watched only by me, Richard Ben-Veniste recently proposed an amazing new standard for investigating Arabs in this country. In the middle of haranguing Condoleezza Rice, Ben-Veniste demanded to know why the suspected 20th hijacker, Zacarias Moussaoui, had not been more aggressively investigated, despite the fact that -- I quote -- he had "no explanation for the funds in his bank account, and no explanation for why he was in the United States." So let me get this straight: Airport security can't acknowledge that a person is an Arab, but they...

Over in the alternative universe of the 9-11 Commission hearings watched only by me, Richard Ben-Veniste recently proposed an amazing new standard for investigating Arabs in this country. In the middle of haranguing Condoleezza Rice, Ben-Veniste demanded to know why the suspected 20th hijacker, Zacarias Moussaoui, had not been more aggressively investigated, despite the fact that – I quote – he had "no explanation for the funds in his bank account, and no explanation for why he was in the United States." So let me get this straight: Airport security can't acknowledge that a person is an Arab, but they...

Watching Bob Kerrey, who seems to be emotionally unhinged, and Richard Ben Veniste, the lamest specimen of showboating hack, badgering Condoleeza Rice the other day, I understood more clearly why the Islamists despise the west. The 9/11 commission represents the very worst traits of American government: arthritic, retroactive, portentous, posturing, pseudo-legalistic, victimologically inclined, and utterly irrelevant to what we old-fashioned types still like to call the real world. By contrast, the Hutton inquiry in Britain was a model of intellectual focus and presentational restraint. As to “BUSH’S FAILURE TO ACT!!!!” on a feeble August memo of Islamism For Dummies generalities,...

As President Bush was appearing at a news conference on Tuesday night, the two leaders of the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks were not behind closed doors dissecting intelligence documents. They were sitting at a CNN studio here waiting to go on "Larry King Live." One of them, Thomas H. Kean, the former New Jersey governor who is the commission's chairman, said he and his colleagues were so determined to be credible with Americans that they decided early on to conduct themselves in a very public manner. "We made a conscious decision, and part of it was under...

From Sam Ervin to Earl Warren to Joseph McCarthy, high-powered investigative hearings in Washington have created heroes and villains, made and broken political careers, and rewritten history and biographies in unexpected ways. The Sept. 11 commission's hearings seem certain to take their place in that gallery. In three months, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States will offer its report on the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But the verdict is coming in on the players in this drama in a city that thrives on anointing winners and losers, and on spotting the political implications behind even...

The Washington lawyer is the quintessential Washington type. He has the huge house in Wesley Heights or Potomac; the million-dollar partnership bonuses; the Rolodex with everyone's private number; the squad of young associates who do the grunt work and call him Godfather; the easy intercourse with pols and corporate chieftains seeking free advice or high-priced counsel--and, of course, the ego to go with all of the above. He slips and slides in and out and around government, usually making his reputation through political work he can then sell on the open market. The Washington lawyer comes in a number of shapes and...

The curious case of Richard Ben-Veniste.THE WASHINGTON LAWYER is the quintessential Washington type. He has the huge house in Wesley Heights or Potomac; the million-dollar partnership bonuses; the Rolodex with everyone's private number; the squad of young associates who do the grunt work and call him Godfather; the easy intercourse with pols and corporate chieftains seeking free advice or high-priced counsel--and, of course, the ego to go with all of the above. He slips and slides in and out and around government, usually making his reputation through political work he can then sell on the open market.The Washington lawyer comes...

RICHARD BEN VENISTE threw a knife at John Ashcroft and hit Jamie Gorelick between the shoulders. Thus did the most irresponsible member of an increasingly irresponsible commission finally draw some blood, even though his victim was unintended. Ben Veniste's conduct has grown wilder as the Nielsen ratings attached to the proceedings have increased. Democrats thought they were getting a skilled prosecutor with Watergate and other fine show trial credentials, but the sun is setting on BV's career, and that does funny things to a man in D.C. The same syndrome of packaged outrage and bad hair cuts has affected Bob...

No, I don't feel any better after George W. Bush's shaky press-conference appearance, either. But I also don't feel any better as the 9/11 Commission veers into absurd degrees of eagle-eyed hindsight. Increasingly, Commission interrogations boil down to: Why didn't you know the future! Once an outcome is known, it's easy to draw lines backward that seemed to foretell the event--skipping that there were multiple lines that seemed to foretell events that did not happen. Nobody knew September 11 was coming: no Republican, no Democrat, no intelligence agency of any nation, no newspaper, no television network. Please end this carnival...

Print Article         Close Window     Gorelick Licked By Published 4/14/2004 12:05:12 AM His testimony is likely to be overshadowed by the president's news conference, but Attorney General John Ashcroft served notice yesterday that he is one administration player not afraid at all to go on offense against the Democratic louts on the so-called 9/11 commission. The full effect of the bombshell he dropped yesterday afternoon will take some time to settle. "The single greatest structural cause for September 11 was the wall that segregated criminal investigators and intelligence agents," he said in his stirring and air-clearing opening remarks....

The low point of Dr. Condoleezza’s testimony before the 9/11 Commission last week was the cross examination by Richard Ben-Veniste. It was not a low point for President Bush’s Security Advisor; she acquitted herself excellently. It was a low point for the Commission as one of its members, sworn to pursue the truth of the matter, revealed himself as rude and obnoxious, but more importantly as dishonest. Commissioner Ben-Veniste used a technique known to debaters and philosophers since ancient times, but a special province of modern trial lawyers. It is to use truth to manufacture a lie. It reared its...

In her own words, or merely re-airing Democratic attacks? Thursday night's NewsNight with Aaron Brown on CNN included a five minute segment that Brown promised would reveal "in her own words...what Dr. Rice said in some of the more contentious moments" of her appearance before the 9/11 Commission that morning. But the MRC's Ken Shepherd discovered that Rice's actual comments amounted to just 2 minutes and 28 seconds of the segment, less than half of the segment. Nearly all of the remainder highlighted the lengthy and adversarial questions to Rice from the most blatantly partisan Democrats on the panel, former...

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- The document at the heart of the most contentious moment of National Security Advisor Dr. Condoleezza Rice's testimony before the 9/11 Commission last week was released by the White House on Saturday. The two-page Presidential Daily Briefing of August 6, 2001 was made public as requested by all members of the panel. Former Watergate Prosecutor and high-powered Democratic lawyer Richard Ben-Veniste took Rice to task during her sworn testimony, demanding that she say the title of the PDB, which was "Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US." He tried to cut her off before she explained...

It seems to me that it is prudent to ask for Ben-Vensite to be removed from 9/11 commission. Dim partisans can argue whether he did or did not mean to make partisan point when questionning Dr. Condoleezza Rice about the PDB document. But there could be no doubt that it appeared as such. Considering the significance of the Commission it provides enough threat to its integrity for Ben-Veniste to be removed.

<p>The CIA's Aug. 6, 2001 memo for President Bush should pose serious new credibility problems for the nation's spy agency, not for Bush.</p> <p>Democrats such as 9/11 commissioner Richard Ben-Veniste have sought to paint the memo as a CIA warning that Bush ignored a month before the terror attacks - but it turns out to be nothing of the sort.</p>

The Talk Shows Sunday, April 11th, 2004 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): L. Paul Bremer, the top U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq; Richard Ben-Veniste, Sept. 11 commission member; former Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash. Sept. 11 commission member; Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Ind.; Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington, D.C.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): L. Paul Bremer, the top U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. FACE THE NATION (CBS): Sens. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Pat Roberts, R-Kan. THIS WEEK (ABC): L. Paul Bremer, the top U.S. civilian administrator...

Breaking now.....it will be released in a pdf file.

Ben-Veniste's rudeness was clear for all to see, but to understand just how dishonest was his line of questioning, look at this article from the May 27, 2002, issue of Human Events, a conservative Washington weekly: Sen. Bob Graham (D.-Fla.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told HUMAN EVENTS May 21 that his committee had received all the same terrorism intelligence prior to September 11 as the Bush administration. "Yes, we had seen all the information," said Graham. "But we didn't see it on a single piece of paper, the way the President did." Graham added that threats of hijacking...

<p>THE liberals and Democrats on the 9/11 commission are using the public hearings to develop a plotline about the months leading up to the attacks - a plotline whose purpose is to harm George W. Bush's chances for reelection, help John Kerry's chances and whitewash the Clinton administration's failures. The liberal plotline was on display yesterday in the questioning of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, whose refusal to capitulate to the partisan goals of her Democratic cross-examiners resulted in some shockingly inappropriate behavior on their part.</p>

WASHINGTON — Condoleezza Rice's self-control, loyalty to President Bush and anger with a former aide who questions the administration's commitment to fighting terrorism all were on display when she testified Thursday to the commission investigating Sept. 11.

<p>April 9, 2004 -- THE liberals and Democrats on the 9/11 commission are using the public hearings to develop a plotline about the months leading up to the attacks - a plotline whose purpose is to harm George W. Bush's chances for reelection, help John Kerry's chances and whitewash the Clinton administration's failures.</p>

The Book on Ben-Veniste 9/11 Commissioner Richard Ben-Veniste, who grilled Condoleezza Rice on Thursday as if she were a criminal suspect, is usually identified in press reports as merely a former Watergate prosecutor. But as the leading finger-pointer in the 9/11 probe, a few other details in Ben-Veniste's background might be deemed relevant. The Washington super-lawyer's last high-profile roll came in 1995-96, when he served as lead Democratic counsel for the Senate Whitewater hearings. His chief mission: Defending Bill and Hillary Clinton for all he was worth. A review of press reports from the period shows that he'd been auditioning...

Democratic party attack dog-turned 9/11 Commissioner Richard Ben Veniste adopted a harsh prosecutorial style Thursday morning during his questioning of National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, repeatedly cutting her off as she attempted to give detailed answers to his questions. The fireworks began when the abrasive Washington lawyer, a one-time attorney to DNC chief Terry McAuliffe, grilled Rice on whether she told President Bush about Richard Clarke's warnings that al Qeada cells had penetrated the U.S. BEN-VENISTE: Did you tell the president at any time prior to Aug. 6, [2001] of the existence of al Qaeda cells inside the United...

The president's decision to send National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to testify publicly, under oath, before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks is not likely to quell the furor sparked by former White House terrorism expert Richard Clarke's testimony before the panel last week. Clarke's testimony, which accused President Bush of ignoring the terrorist threat to this nation prior to the 9/11 attack, has so politicized and poisoned the commission's work, it is doubtful it can be salvaged. Thanks to Clarke, the commission has become just another forum for partisan bickering, score-settling and finger-pointing. Clarke's motives may never be fully...

While the Sept. 11 Commission is examining whether it can release former terrorism czar Richard Clarke's behind-closed-doors testimony, Commission Democratic Richard Ben-Veniste isn't waiting for any similar deliberation when it comes to National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice's classified account. On Friday Ben-Veniste began leaking snippets of Rice's confidential interview to friendly media outlets, detailing her still-classified explanation of public comments in 2002 where Rice said "I don't think anybody" could have predicted that al Qaeda would hijack an airplane and "slam it into the World Trade Center." In comments published on Saturday, Ben-Veniste told the New York Daily News that...

Imus is letting the Commission have it for not following up on Clarke's contradictory testimony. "Ben-Ventiste, I've had with him". And lay of Condi Rice she already testified to them".

<p>After several months of negotiations, plus a few unseemly public threats, the federal commission investigating the events of 9/11 has reached agreeement with the White House for access to some of the nation's most classified intelligence briefings. This is a dramatic concession by the Bush administration: For the first time, outsiders be will be allowed to read daily briefing material meant for only the president and a tiny handful of top officials.</p>

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 — The federal commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks stepped up pressure on the Bush administration to cooperate by issuing a subpoena on Friday to the Pentagon. Members said they were still weighing a subpoena to the administration for Oval Office documents President Bush received in the days before Sept. 11, 2001, although the panel chose not to issue one today. The 10-member panel said in a statement that it had encountered "serious delays" in obtaining information from the Defense Department. It voted to subpoena the Pentagon for documents, tapes and transcripts involving the actions of the...

Clintonistas on 9/11 Commission Hunt for Bush Cover-up Two members of the independent commission investigating the 9/11 attacks who excoriated the Bush administration for its handling of the disaster during public hearings this week are said to be aggressive Democratic partisans with close ties to Bill and Hillary Clinton. Complaining that the presence on the commission of high powered Washington lawyer Richard Ben-Veniste and former deputy attorney general Jamie Gorelick all but guaranteed that the investigation would target the Republican White House, the Wall Street Journal observed last December that the two 9/11 probers were "Democratic partisans [who are] one...

Terror Flight School Owner in Business with White Water Scandal 'Key Figure' "Six Degrees of Richard Ben-Veniste" by Daniel Hopsicker At the same time Wally Hilliard's Venice flight school was training dozens of terrorists to fly—including both pilots crashing into the World Trade Center—the owner of Huffman Aviation in Venice Florida was also involved in a murky aviation transaction with a multi-millionaire Texas oil-man who played a prominent role in the Whitewater Scandal. Truman Arnold, chief fund-raiser for the Democratic Party in 1995 when the scandal broke, was investigated for a variety of dubious money-raising schemes ranging from renting out...