bush43 bak
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capt 819
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https://www.alternet.org/2019/08/george-w-bush-is-a-war-criminal-and-the-media-is-still-helping-cover-up-his-crimes/
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LEGACY?!:
2 big fails uncorrected led to djt: gt recess and gulf war w
...curry salon
After the Iraq war, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed a commission to investigate how exactly his country stumbled into such a tragic fiasco.The Chilcot Report (for Lord John Chilcot, who led the commission) was an account of political bungling and deception as thorough and damning as the Pentagon Papers. Its 2016 release made former Prime Minister Tony Blair, chief accomplice to George W. Bush in that disastrous undertaking, into a social leper. Unlike Robert Mueller, Chilcot had an absolute right to interview any witness and compel production of any document he felt he needed; nearly all his interviews were done in public, and he delivered his report direct to the people of the United Kingdom.
The war was hatched in America by ideologues bent on exporting democracy via bribery and force of arms. In the eyes of many, it surpasses Vietnam as the worst foreign policy blunder in our nation’s history. In a speech to the nation summarizing the case for it, Bush leaned heavily on the only possible rationale for an unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation:
Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised.
For months, his vice president and national security adviser peddled “evidence” of nuclear and chemical weapons. Before his speech, Bush was told by experts at the Department of Energy that the evidence was false, but he kept the news to himself. To this day it remains unproven who was lying, and who was only lied to.
The Congressional Budget Office says the war cost the U.S. $2 trillion. Nobel Prize-winning economist Joe Stiglitz puts it at $3 trillion. Nearly 4,500 U.S. military personnel died there, and tens of thousands more suffered disabling physical and psychic wounds. Iraqi casualties remain in dispute — as Gen. Tommy Franks informed reporters, “We don’t do body counts” — but estimates range from 180,000 to more than a million deaths. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees counted 3.7 million refugees. Americans think the war’s over. Last month, it took 166 Iraqi lives.
In 2009, as Gordon Brown was launching the Chilcot Inquiry, Barack Obama was being pressured to take a similar look back at how America was lured or lied into war. Obama took a different tack. Rather than appoint a commission with plenipotentiary powers, he did nothing. Aides said he thought retracing Bush’s path to war would make it hard to forge bipartisan alliances with Republicans.
Similar concerns colored his take on the other huge crisis he inherited, the 2008 Wall Street meltdown that leveled the global economy. No one knows its true cost, only that the number exceeds most human minds’ ability to conceptualize. A Government Accountability Office study put the U.S. cost at $22 trillion.
Social and political costs were even higher. Post-meltdown austerity measures, following ondecades of stagnant wages just as millions of Middle East refugees flooded Europe, rocking center-left coalitions that had ruled the West since World War II. Far-right political parties the old order was too polite to label fascist began to metastasize. Britain got Brexit. America got Trump.[NOTE CONFLUENCE OF 2 FAILS]
When the crisis broke, Obama was running for president. His closing stump speech was a litany of vows to curb corruption; above all, to punish Wall Street fraud. His administration never brought a case. Three years later, he went on “60 Minutes” to explain that the worst behavior wasn’t actually illegal. Given his dazzling intellect and access to wise counsel, one assumes he knew that what he said wasn’t true.
Privately, Obama revealed his thinking. He worried that prosecutions would hurt banks. He worried he’d lose personal support in the business community. (A major culprit, Goldman Sachs, was also his biggest donor.) And he worried he’d lose business backing vital to building bipartisan coalitions in Congress.
Lying was as much a cause of the Great Recession as it was of the Iraq war. Loan originators lied about applicants’ creditworthiness. Investment bankers lied about the toxicity of mortgage portfolios. Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s and Fitch all lied. So did Obama and most of Congress, which meant major reforms, excepting only Elizabeth Warren’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, were designed to curb “irrational exuberance,” not the immorality at the root of what befell us.
Instead of going to prison, bankers got bailed out, while homeowners got betrayed. Like the meltdown itself, the government’s response helped incite a populist revolt. Obama and Clinton Democrats were deaf to it, but Trump’s final 2016 TV ad began “Our movement is about replacing a failed and corrupt political establishment.” In the last week, it replaced nearly every other ad he had up in the industrial Midwest.
These failures — to investigate the origins of the Iraq war and the Great Recession and punish the culprits — were not anomalies. After 9/11, no one had the stomach to hold George W. Bush to account for ignoring intelligence reports on his desk, so the bipartisanship crowd invented a structural failure and wasted years rearranging intelligence and homeland security bureaucracies, resulted in a new Cabinet-level post, the Director of National Intelligence, who lacks the authority to direct anyone to do anything.
It happened after the 2000 election: Media barons set out to fix the exit polls, Congress set out to rid the world of hanging chads via nifty paperless ballots and the Democratic Party set out to rid the world of Ralph Nader.Thus, a pioneering GOP foray into voter suppression went nearly unremarked. Despite butterfly ballots, staged riots, a chief election official doing double duty as a Bush campaign chair and a Supreme Court concocting phony equal protection claims to rob Al Gore of real due process, Bush was clothed in legitimacy, leaving millions of Americans to conclude that the system was indeed rigged.
I doubt we’d be saddled with Trump had we not come to resemble him: way too materialistic, more than a bit narcissistic, unfocused, unlettered, infantile, even amoral. Our responses to these crises suggest that we also share a high tolerance for lying, a limited capacity for self-examination and an unspoken belief that the rich and powerful are above the law. Which brings us to the latest in our recent line of failures to look either evil or ourselves in the eye, the Mueller Report....
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b2 primer desmog uk:
ThisDeSmog UKepic history series post takes a closer look at ExxonMobil’s contribution to George W Bush’s election as President of the United States.
The 2000 US election cycle was as high stakes as they come. Congressional balance was in question, and the presidency was up for grabs.
The George W Bush–Dick Cheney partnership was Big Oil’s dream team. Bush, the presidential candidate, had made his early career though oil exploration in his home state of Texas, while Cheney, vice president (VP) candidate, was a Halliburton executive and ex-congressman of Wyoming, the US’s biggest coal producer.
Al Gore, the Democratic nominee for president, on the other hand, had been nothing short of a hate-figure for the sceptics and the oil industry, as VP under Clinton, so they knew which way their bread was buttered.
Republican Funding
More than 75 percent of the oil and gas industry’s direct spending on political candidates went to the Republicans that year.
And, with ExxonMobil, the divide was even starker: more than 95 percent of their $700,000 Political Action Committee spending went to the Republicans.
This is to say nothing of the numerous free market, climate sceptic think tanks funded by ExxonMobil and the Koch Brothers who donated to the Republican campaign. Individuals with a declared affiliation to ExxonMobil also gave a total $1.22 million in private donations to the Republicans between 2000 and 2008.
In total, Bush received $1.5 million from the oil industry for his 2000 presidential campaign. At the time, this was the largest donation from the industry to a single political candidate.
And so, on 20th January 2001, George W Bush was inaugurated as President of the United States, floating on oil money.
Exxon and the White House
A mere three weeks later, ‘Iron Ass’ Raymond of Exxon flew to Washington to meet with VP Dick Cheney in the West Wing. The two Midwesterners were old hunting friends who had met in the ‘80s when Cheney was congressman for Wyoming.
Their wives, Charlene Raymond and Lynne Cheney, were friends from the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. They came from the same free market background and, through the nineties, had lived in the same upper middle class leafy Victorian Preston Hollow in Dallas.
Raymond boasted that his access to the Bush administration was comparable to the halcyon years of the Reagan Presidency. Indeed, their private meetings became a regular feature, with two or three meetings scheduled every year through the administration.
ExxonMobil’s influence on the president reached as far as foreign policy. Shortly after Bush was elected, the oil giant’s approval was required for India’s largest state-owned oil company to buy into the Sakhalin-1 energy project in Russia.
When asked by Manmohan Singh, India’s Prime Minister, “why don’t you just tell them [Exxon] what to do?” Bush replied: “Nobody tells those guys what to do.”
Next up on theDeSmog UKepic history series, we look at how Big Oil helped push Bush to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol.
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OurDeSmog UKepic history series continues with a look at how Big Oil helped push President Bush to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol.
Despite the promising oil-rich foundation upon which George W. Bush was elected president in 2001, insiders were unsure that he would fight for them.
During his candidacy, Bush had suggested, although Kyoto was not economically favourable for America, that CO2 should be treated as a pollutant and, therefore, subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act.
Bush’s fence-sitting was strategic: swing states such as Florida were environmentally conscious and speaking out would likely give Democrat presidential candidate Al Gorethe advantage.
But, optimistic environmentalists remained hopeful while wary oil-men were worried that it demonstrated a willingness to agree to the broad principles of the treaty.
A Rumoured Speech
Shortly after his inauguration, a rumour circulated that Bush planned to include a line reinforcing his earlier pledge in a forthcoming speech.
Word of the speech reached the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a Koch- and Exxon-funded think tank that helped donate to Bush’s presidential campaign. CEI set to work. As their founder and president, Fred Smith latertold *Newsweek*: “We alerted anyone we thought could have influence and get the line, if it was in the speech, out.”
Despite the think tank’s best efforts, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Christine Todd Whitman testified, on 27 February 2001 at a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works subcommittee, that she was in favour of regulating CO2 emissions under the Clean Air Act.
A week later, she signed a joint statement at the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting which said: “We commit ourselves to strive to reach agreement on outstanding political issues and to ensure in a cost-effective manner the environmental integrity of the Kyoto Protocol.”
The President’s Position
At this, the denial machine set in motion.Haley Barbour, a lobbyist for a utility firm that stood to lose if greenhouse gases were regulated, urged Vice President Dick Cheneyin a March 1 memo to persuade Bush not to align with the “eco-extremism” of those who saw carbon dioxide as a pollutant.
A group of far-right Republican senators wrote an open letter to their new president. In light of Whitman’s testimony, they asked that Bush clarify his position on climate change, “in particular the Kyoto Protocol, and the regulation of carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act.”
Aware of the rising tide against her, Whitman went to the Oval Office to fight her case on the morning of March 13. But, Bush had already composed his response, shortly to be sent via Cheney to the senators, which he read to her.
“I do not believe,” read the letter, “that the government should impose on power plants mandatory emissions reductions for carbon dioxide, which is not a ‘pollutant’ under the Clean Air Act.”
Information from the Department of Energy had shown that consumers’ energy bills might be affected, and that this warranted a re-evaluation of his earlier pledge, “especially… given the incomplete state of scientific knowledge of the causes of and solution to global climate change.”
Polluter Pull-Out
Whitman left defeated, just as the puppeteer Cheney arrived to hand-deliver the President’s response to the senators.
By the end of the month, the world’s biggest polluter had pulled out of Kyoto.
Whitman, who later said the decision was “the equivalent to ‘flipping the bird’ frankly to the rest of the world,” was the one to deliver the news. “We have no interest in implementing that treaty,” the former New Jersey Governor told assembled journalists.
Though the terms of the treaty would be finalised in Bonn that July, they would be made all but useless, with the world’s largest polluter out of the game.
Years later, freedom of information disclosures revealed the industry’s input to this decision. A briefing note prepared for Paula Dobrianksy, Under-Secretary of State for Global Affairs, ahead of her meeting with Glenn Kelly of the Exxon-bankrolled Global Climate Coalition, states: “POTUS [President of the United States] rejected Kyoto, in part, based on input from you… Interested in hearing from you, what type of international alternatives to Kyoto would you support?”
TheDeSmog UKepic history series will continue with an account of how a NASA climate scientist was squeezed out of the White House debate on the environment.
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Associated Press November 14, 2006
Environmentalists sue Bush administration over global warming report
by TERENCE CHEA, Associated Press Writer
Environmentalists sued the Bush administration for failing to produce a report on global warming's impact on the United States' environment, economy and public health.
Tuesday's lawsuit seeks to compel the U.S. Climate Change Science Program to issue the national assessment, which should contain the most recent scientific data on global warming and projections for its future impacts. The plaintiffs claim the government must complete such a report every four years under the Global Change Research Act of 1990.
"Global warming is one of the most serious threats facing humanity today," according to the complaint. Without the report, decision makers and the public "are without one of the most important tools to grapple with this complex, potentially overwhelming and yet all important issue."
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, which was named in the lawsuit, had not received the complaint Tuesday and could not comment on it, said spokesman Ben Fallon.
But Fallon defended the administration's record on combating global warming, pointing to increased funding for alternative energy research and partnerships with other countries.
"We feel very positive about our record on climate change," Fallon said. "The president has been focused on results-driven research and looking for practical ways to address climate change in ways that aren't damaging to the economy."
Officials at the Climate Change Science Program, also named in the complaint, did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in San Francisco by the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace.
The assessment, which plaintiffs allege was due in November 2004, is the "first step in crafting solutions to the devastating consequences of climate change if we don't act now," said Julie Teel, an attorney for the plaintiffs.
Sen. John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat and former presidential candidate, who has also been calling on the administration to issue the assessment, expressed support for the lawsuit.
"It's the right time to push Washington to grapple with this issue," Kerry said in a statement. "For too many years, action on global climate change has been stopped dead in its tracks by government foot-dragging, hiding information and smothering science."
Environmentalists have accused the administration of trying to suppress dissemination of the previous assessment, issued in 2000, which predicted a dramatic rise in catastrophic storms, floods, droughts and heat-related deaths....
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cato: powerbase
Links to the Bush Administration
According to Cato in 2001 President George W. Bush appointed a former Cato vice president and a Cato fellow, and two Cato staffers to the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security. According to People for the American Way these include: Former Rep. Tim Penny (D-MN); Sam Beard, Carolyn Weaver, Randy Clerihue, and Andrew Biggs. Mark Groombridge, Special Assistant, Office of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, State Department also used to work at Cato. [15]
Media Industry Links
Rupert Murdoch, President and CEO of News Corporation joined the Cato Institute board of directors in 1997, he was welcomed as ‘one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, a strong advocate of the free market and a committed civil libertarian’.[16]
Rupert Murdoch worked closely with fellow board member John C Malone (then president and CEO of Tele-Communications Inc, the largest U.S. Cable operator) to ‘actively promote the deregulation of the television and telephone industries’.[17] The Cato institute advocates the privatization of the Internet and communications systems.[18] Despite Murdoch and Malone’s place on the board of a libertarian think tank both profit from government subsidies. Murdoch’s News Corporation profits from licences issued by the state which are worth millions of dollars.[19]Similarly, cable TV corporations such as TCI (Fronted by Malone) are able to expand their services, and in turn their profits, under the protection of federal regulations which limits the power of license fees to be set at a local level.[20]
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revolving door:
Speaking in Copenhagen on Wednesday, EPA Chief Lisa Jackson stressed that President Barack Obama is not George W. Bush. "In less than 11 months since taking office," she said, "we have done more to promote clean energy and prevent climate change than happened in the last eight years."
Even so, Bushworld still exerts considerable influence on US climate policy. A new report, *Smoke Screen*, released by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington last week, reveals that 20 former Bush environmental appointees have taken jobs in government relations and lobbying. They're likely to exert an outsized influence with Republicans in the polarized Senate, which must reject or ratify any treaty that emerges from Copenhagen. With that in mind, here's a pocket guide to Washington's bramble of former Bushies.
:{James L. Connaughton
Under Bush: Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and Bush's chief environmental advisor
Best known for: Advocating a "new environmentalism" that replaces rules with voluntary pollution reduction goals
Revolving door: Now oversees government relations for Constellation Energy, a Fortune 500 energy company that operates coal and nuclear plants}:
Philip Cooney
Under Bush: Chief of staff for CEQ from 2001 to 2005
Best known for: Editing scientific reports on climate change to omit suggested links between human activity and global warming
Revolving door: A job at ExxonMobil (it's unknown in what capacity or for how long)
Khary Cauthen
Under Bush: Chief of staff for CEQ from 2005 to 2006
Best known for: Keeping a lower profile than his predecessor
Revolving door: Now a registered lobbyist for the American Petroleum Institute
Martin Hall
Under Bush: Chief of staff for CEQ from 2006 to 2009
Best known for: His prior job as an aide to Senator JamesInhofe (R-OK), Congress' leading global warming skeptic
Revolving door: Now vice president of energy policy forFirstEnergy, an Ohio-based utility company that generates most of its electricity from coal
William Holbrook
Under Bush: Director of communications for CEQ from 2003 to 2005
Best known for: His subsequent job as spokesman for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee under Inhofe.
Revolving door: Now chief flak for the National Petrochemical and Refinery Association
Elizabeth Stolpe
Under Bush: Associate director for toxics and environmental protection for the CEQ
Best known for: Her prior job as a lobbyist for Koch Industries, aleading funder of climate change deniers
Revolving door: Now a lobbyist for Shell Oil
Stanley Sokul
Under Bush: Chief of staff of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
Best known for: His prior work speaking to Congress on behalf of the Direct Marketing Association, which represents telemarketers.
Revolving door: Now a corporate issues advisor to ExxonMobil
Christine Todd Whitman
Under Bush: EPA administrator from 2001 to 2003
Best known for: Quietly accepting massive rollbacks of environmental protections
Revolving door: Went on to found Whitman Strategy Group, which has lobbied on behalf of chemicals manufacturer FMC Corporation and a subsidiary of Chevron.
Michael O. Leavitt
Under Bush: EPA administrator from 2003 to 2005
Best known for: Weakening the Clean Air Act, reducing standards on mercury emissions, and pushing the so-called Healthy Forests Initiative
Revolving door: Has since founded Leavitt Partners, which provides "strategic input and counsel" on topics such as "environmental health"
Jessica L. Furey
Under Bush: Associate administrator for policy, economics, and innovation with the EPA from 2001 to 2005
Best known for: Promoting "Clean Utah!", a program that reduces regulatory oversight of companies deemed to be environmental "leaders"
Revolving door: Now a lobbyist for Whitman Strategies
Susan Spencer Mulvaney
Under Bush: Deputy chief of staff for Whitman and Leavitt and chief of staff for deputy EPA administrator Steve Johnson
Best known for: Working for the past three Republican presidential administrations, a Republican congressman, and two Republican governors.
Revolving door: Now a lobbyist for Whitman Strategies
Jeffrey Holmstead
Under Bush: Assistant administrator for air and radiation at the EPA from 2001 to 2005
Best known for: His work as chief cheerleader for Bush's Clear Skies Initiative, which prompted the Clean Air Trust to name him "Clean Air Villain of the Month"
Revolving door: Now the head of the Environmental Strategies Group of Bracewell & Giuliani, he lobbies on behalf of electric utility Ameren Corporation and mountaintop-removal mining companyArch Coal.
Lisa Jaeger
Under Bush: EPA general counsel from 2003 to 2004
Best known for: Recently saying, "Any alleged Clean Air Act authority for EPA to regulate carbon dioxide is just that: alleged."
Revolving door: Now an expert on climate issues at Bracewell & Giuliani, where she has lobbied on behalf of oil companies Valero and Tesoro
Stephanie N. Daigle
Under Bush: Served in the EPA from 2001 to 2007, most recently as associate administrator for policy, economics, and innovation
Best known for: Claiming to serve as the agency's lead on all oversight-related issues during a time of lax environmental oversight
Revolving door: Now a registered lobbyist for C&M Capitolink, she has representedDow Chemical and Alliance Resource Partners, a coal mining company.
Ann R. Klee
Under Bush: EPA general counsel from 2004 to 2005
Best known for: Arguing in court that the EPA doesn't have authority to regulate greenhouse gases. She called the Supreme Court's 2007 ruling to the contrary "disappointing"
Revolving door: Now a registered lobbyist for Crowell and Moring, she has represented the American Chemistry Council, Dow, andPeabody Energy, the world's largest coal company
Christopher P. Bliley
Under Bush: Associate administrator for congressional and intergovernmental affairs at the EPA fromm 2008 to 2009
Best known for: His previous job as director of government affairs for theSmokeless Tobacco Council
Revolving door: Now a registered lobbyist for the Nussle Group, he has represented Growth Energy, a pro-ethanol trade group
Robert Meyers
Under Bush: Assistant EPA administrator for air and radiation from 2007 to 2008
Best known for: Helping the EPA to adopt an ozone standard thought to be weaker than what was recommended by scientists
Revolving door: Now senior counsel at Crowell and Moring specializing in the Clean Air Act and climate change. He's lobbied on behalf of Gerdau Ameristeel, the nation's fourth largest steel producer
Robert E. Fabricant
Under Bush: EPA general counsel from 2001 to 2004
Best known for: Ruling in 2003 that "because the [Clean Air Act] does not authorize regulation to address climate change, it follows that [carbon dioxide] and other greenhouse gasses are, as such, not pollutants." "His finding was later overturned by the Supreme Court.
Revolving door: As an attorney with Wilkie Farr & Gallagher, he has lobbied on Clean Air Act regs for paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bin_Ladin_Determined_To_Strike_in_US
Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US was the President's Daily Brief prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency and given to U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday, August 6, 2001. The brief warned of terrorism threats from Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda 36 days before the September 11, 2001 attacks.[1]
Contents
- [4.1 Redactions](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bin_Ladin_Determined_To_Strike_in_US#Redactions)leaked 2002 cbs
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Bush Family Value$
The Bush clan's family business
By Stephen Pizzo | Tue Sep. 1, 1992 12:00 AM PDT
- * *
In 1991, President Bush bristled at a flurry of news accounts that questioned the business ethics of three of his sons. "The media ought to be ashamed of itself for what they're doing," Bush complained. "They [the boys] have a right to make a living, and their relationships are appropriate," added a White House spokeswoman in June 1992.
Since George Bush has raised "family values" as a campaign issue repeatedly, though, it seems only fair to take a look at his own family. A computer search showed that over the past five years stories have periodically surfaced chronicling the individual business antics of the president's sons -- each riding comfortably through life in the slipstream of his father's growing power and influence.
Although a handful of good reporters for the New York Times,LA Times,Village Voice,and Wall Street Journalhave diligently been digging through business records for months, something has been missing: an overview that "connects the dots" in the myriad deals that have been examined, making it clear that cashing in on influence has become a pattern of behavior extending through the first family.
Instead of criticizing reporters, the president might more wisely begin listening to those in government who have watched his sons with mounting worry. A year ago, I sat across a desk from a Secret Service agent who had been assigned to Bush-family security. I rattled off the names of a half-dozen questionable characters who had found their way into business deals with the Bush boys. How had these characters been allowed to get even closeto the president's sons?
The agent slumped back in his chair and sighed. "We warn them," he said in a whisper. "But that's all we can do. We can't stop these kids from associating with someone they want to be with. All we can do after warning them is to sweep these guys with metal detectors when they come around."
What follows is a sourcebook of concerns about the president's three sons.
George W. Bush, Jr.
None of George Bush's offspring is more his father's son than George W. Bush. George Jr., or "Shrub" as Molly Ivins refers to him, began his own Texas oil career in the mid-1970s when he formed Bush Exploration. Like the business dealings of his brothers, George's company was not a success, and it was rescued in 1983 by another oil company, Spectrum 7, run by several staunch and well-heeled Reagan-Bush supporters. But by mid-1986, a soft oil market found Spectrum also near bankruptcy.
Many oil companies went belly-up during that time. But Spectrum had one asset the others lacked -- the son of the vice-president. Rescue came in 1986 in the form ofHarken Energy, just in the nick of time. Harken absorbed Spectrum, and, in the process, Junior got $600,000 worth of Harken stock in return for his Spectrum shares. He also won a lucrative consulting contract and stock options. In all, the deal would put well over $1 million in his pocket over the next few years -- even though Harken itself lost millions.
Harken Energy was formed in 1973 by two oilmen who would benefit from a successful covert effort to destabilize Australia's Labor Party government (which had attempted to shut out foreign oil exploration). A decade later, Harken was sold to a new investment group headed by New York attorney Alan G. Quasha, a partner in the firm of Quasha, Wessely & Schneider. Quasha's father, a powerful attorney in the Philippines, had been a staunch supporter of then-president Ferdinand Marcos. William Quasha had also given legal advice to two top officials of the notorious Nugan Hand Bank in Australia, a CIA operation.
After the sale of Harken Energy in 1983, Alan Quasha became a director and chairman of the board. Under Quasha, Harken suddenly absorbed Junior's struggling Spectrum 7in 1986. The merger immediately opened a financial horn of plenty and reversed Junior's fortunes. But like his brother Jeb, Junior seemed unconcerned about the characters who were becoming his benefactors. Harken's $25 million stock offering in 1987, for example, was underwritten by a Little Rock, Arkansas, brokerage house, Stephens, Inc., which placed the Harken stock offering with the London subsidiary of Union Bank -- a bank that had surfaced in the scandal that resulted in the downfall of the Australian Labor government in 1976 and, later, in the Nugan Hand Bank scandal. (It was also Union Bank, according to congressional hearings on international money laundering, that helped the now-notorious Bank of Credit and Commerce International skirt Panamanian money-laundering laws by flying cash out of the country in private jets, and that was used by Ferdinand Marcos to stash 325 tons of Philippine gold around the world.)
Stephens, Inc., also helped introduce the BCCI virus into US banking in 1978 when it arranged the sale of Bert Lance's National Bank of Georgia to BCCI front man Ghaith Pharoan. (The head of Stephens, Inc., Jackson Stephens, is a member of President Bush's exclusive "Team 100," a group of 249 wealthy individuals who have contributed at least $100,000 each to the GOP's presidential-campaign committee.)
If any of these associations raised questions in the mind of George Bush, Jr., he had little incentive to voice them. Besides getting Harken stock through the deal, Junior was paid $80,000 a year as a consultant (until 1989, when his wages were increased to $120,000; recently they were reduced to $45,000). He was also allowed to borrow $180,375 from the company at very low interest rates. In 1989 and 1990, according to the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Harken's board "forgave" $341,000 in loans to its executives. In addition, Junior took advantage of the company's ultraliberal executive stock purchase plan, which allowed him to buy Harken stock at 40 percent below market value.
Such lavish executive compensation would suggest a company doing quite well indeed. But in reality, Harken had little going for itself. One Wall Street analyst called Harken's web of insider stock deals and mounting debt "a lot of jiggery-pokery." Harken was not making money and could not have continued into 1990 without at least some means of convincing lenders and investors that the company would soon find a lot of oil.
Suddenly, in January 1990, Harken Energy became the talk of the Texas oil industry. The company with no offshore-oil-drilling experience beat out a more-established international conglomerate, Amoco, in bagging the exclusive contract to drill in a promising new offshore oil field for the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain. The deal had been arranged for Harken by two former Stephens, Inc., brokers. A company insider claims the president's son did not initiate the deal -- but feels that his presence in the firm helped with the Bahrainis. "Hell, that's why he's on the damn board," the insider says. "...You say, 'By the way, the president's son sits on our board.' You use that. There's nothing wrong with that."
Junior has told acquaintances conflicting stories about his own involvement in the deal. He first claimed that he had "recused" himself from the deal; "George said he left the room when Bahrain was being discussed 'because we can't even have the appearance of having anything to do with the government.' He was into a big rant about how unfair it was to be the president's son. He said, 'I was so scrupulous I was never in the room when it was discussed.'"
Junior alternately claimed, to reporters for the Wall Street Journaland D Magazine, that he had opposed the arrangement. But the company insider says, to the contrary, that Junior was excited about the Bahrain deal. "Like any member of the board, he was thrilled," the associate says. "His attitude was, 'Holy shit, what a great deal!'"
Through the Bahrain deal, theties between BCCI and Harken Energy grew tighter. Sheikh Khalifah, the prime minister of Bahrain and brother of the emir, was also a shareholder in BCCI -- and it was Khalifah who played the key role in selecting Harken for the job. Sheikh Abdullah Bakhsh, in turn, was a business associate of BCCI front man Ghaith Pharoan; he bought a chunk of Harken's stock and placed his representative, Talat Othman, on Harken Energy's board of directors.
Did Junior or any of the other Harken Energy executives trade on the Bush name in these speculative business deals? None of the principals will answer questions. But this much is known: after the Harken-Bahrain deal was settled, Othman was added to the list of fifteen Arabs who met with President George Bush and National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft three times in 1990 -- once just two days after Iraq invaded Kuwait -- while serving on Harken's board of directors.
The promise of hitting it big in the oil-rich gulf was certainly critical for Harken. News of the Bahrain deal kept investors buying stock and lenders making loans. Still, Harken had nowhere near the capital required for such a large offshore operation halfway around the world. This required real money. But not to worry: The billionaire Bass brothers stepped up to the plate and said they'd be happy to underwrite the cost of the drilling in return for a piece of the action. (Robert Bass is a member of President Bush's Team 100; he and other Bass family members have contributed $226,000 to George, Sr.'s, cause since 1988.)
But even well-heeled friends like the Bass brothers could not protect Harken from the troubles of the world. Just four months after the Bahrain deal was sealed, storm clouds developed over the gulf region, threatening the oil-exploration deal. In May 1990, the U.S. State Department sent a chilling but still classified report to Scowcroft. The report warned that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was out of control and was threatening his neighbors:
*May 16, 1990
SECRET
Attached is a paper containing a list of options for responding to recent actions and statements by the Government of Iraq. ...We ask that you pass this paper to Robert Gates [CIA] for his review.*
Under "options" the memo suggested:
*Ban Oil Purchases: The largest benefit Iraq receives from the US is through our oil purchases...
PRO -- A total ban on oil purchases would have some short-term impact.
CON -- Such action might also have an impact on US Oil prices.*
Oil companies had learned, during the years of the long Iran-Iraq war, that trouble in the gulf hurts companies with oil interests because, for one thing, at the first sound of a rifle shot in the gulf region, Lloyds of London jacks up insurance rates on oil tankers and company installations. The "wartime" rates are very high and cut deeply into company profits and investor confidence. If things really get out of hand, pipelines are destroyed and waterways are mined.
The secret memo augured ill for Harken's fledgling venture. To compound matters, that same month, Harken's own financial advisers at Smith Barney produced a hand-wringing report voicing alarm at the company's rapidly deteriorating financial condition. (A former company official told Mother Jonesthat Harken owed more than $150 million to banks and other creditors at the time.) Since Harken wasn't producing anything, it was hard to find a revenue stream, unless you count the river of fees, stock options, and salaries running into the pockets of Junior and other top Harken executives. Junior, as a member of Harken's restructuring committee, could not have been ignorant of the report, since the board had met in May and worked directly with the Smith Barney consultants.
In June 1990, Junior suddenly unloaded the bulk of his Harken stock -- 212,140 shares -- for a tidy $848,560. A former business associate says that Junior's motivation was his desire to buy an expensive new house in Dallas, for which he wanted to pay cash. The June 1990 transaction was an insider stock sale, and security laws required that it be reported no later than July 10, 1990. But Junior filed no such report, at least not then.
Then, in August, Iraqi troops marched into Kuwait, and Harken shares plummeted 25 percent. Junior would have lost $212,140 if he'd waited to sell his shares until then. Still, he didn't file his SEC disclosure until seven months later, in March 1991 -- well after U.S. troops had finished fighting and the gulf war had moved off the front pages. Harken stock rebounded briefly, but quickly collapsed again.
Were government secrets discussed, directly or indirectly, that would have given Harken Energy a leg up in exploiting the Bahrain deal? The White House won't say. If Junior traded on exclusive, nonpublic, insider information, he committed a gross violation of SEC rules. Taken together, the company's critical need for success in its Bahraini deal and a possible oil embargo to be imposed by his father provided Junior with strong motivation to bail out of Harken stock before the public discovered either piece of news. (SEC spokesman John Heine says he is unaware of any enforcement action pending.)
The folks at Harken Energy weren't the only ones in Texas taking care of Junior during the 1980s. He was appointed the managing partner of the Texas Rangers baseball team, even though his partnership contribution was only a fraction of the team's purchase price. Among those coughing up the money to buy the Rangers were William DeWitt and Mercer Reynolds, major contributors to the president's campaign who had also been in on the rescue of Junior's oil company.
Junior doesn't deny that being a Bush has helped him become a millionaire. "I recognize what my talents are and what my weaknesses are," he told Texas reporters last year. "I don't get hung up on it. Being George Bush's son has its pluses and minuses in some people's minds. In my thinking, it's a plus."
Junior might have been thinking that among the minuses were questions about his role at Harken. As this article was being prepared -- and in the midst of extensive interviewing of former and current Harken business associates -- Junior announced a six-month leave of absence as a consultant and member of the Harken board. His role in the presidential campaign, the statement said, precluded Junior's active involvement at Harken through the remainder of 1992.
In any case, Junior is stepping away from a company in deep trouble. Harken stock is trading near its all-time low. Recently, test wells in Bahrain turned up dry and the company has not produced anything else. "Harken is not hard to understand -- it's easy," says Charles Strain, an energy-company analyst in Houston. "The company has only one real asset -- its Bahrain contract. If that field turns out to be dry, Harken's stock is worth, at the most, 25 cents a share. If they hit it big over there, the stock could be worth $30 to $40 dollars a share. It's a pure crapshoot."
John Ellis ("Jeb") Bush
After graduating from Texas University, Jeb Bush served a short apprenticeship at the Venezuelan branch of Texas Commerce Bank in Caracas before settling in Miami, in 1980, to work on his father's unsuccessful primary bid against Ronald Reagan. Campaigning for Dad was hardly a paying job. But Jeb was about to learn that being one of George Bush's sons means never having to circulate a résumé.
In the next few years, financial support flowed to Jeb through Miami's right-wing Cuban community. Republican party politics and a series of business scandals -- including Medicaid fraud and shady S&L deals -- were inextricably intertwined. A former federal prosecutor told MJthat, when he looked into Jeb's lucrative business dealings with a now-fugitive Cuban, he considered two possibilities -- Jeb was either crooked or stupid. At the time, he concluded Jeb was merely stupid.
Jeb and Armando Codina
Shortly after arriving in Miami, Jeb was hired by Cuban-American developer Armando Codina to work at his Miami development company as an agent leasing office space. A couple of years later, Jeb and Codina became business partners, and in 1985 they purchased an office building in a deal partly financed by a savings and loan that later failed.
The $4.56 million loan, from Broward Federal Savings in Sunrise, Florida, was granted in such a way that neither Codina's nor Bush's name appeared on the loan papers as the borrowers. A third man, J. Edward Houston, borrowed the $4.56 million from Broward and then re-lent it to the Bush partnership. When federal regulators closed Broward Savings in 1988, they found the loan, which had been secured by the Bush partnership, in default.
As Jeb's father was finishing his second term as vice-president and running for the presidency, federal regulators had two options: to get Jeb Bush and his partner to repay the loan, or to foreclose on their office building. But regulators came up with a third solution. After reappraising the building, regulators decided it wasn't worth as much as was owed for it. The regulators reduced the amount owed by Bush and his partner from $4.56 million to just $500,000. The pair paid that amount and were allowed to keep their office building. Taxpayers picked up the tab for the unpaid $4 million.
After the Broward Savings deal was revealed, Jeb described himself and his partner as "victims of circumstances."
Jeb and Camilo Padrera
By 1984, Jeb had been made chairman of the Dade County Republican party, and it was as Republican party chief that he nuzzled up to con man Camilo Padreda. Padreda was serving as Dade County GOP finance chairman and had raised money for the party from Miami's Cuban community. (He had also been a counterintelligence officer for deposed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.) Padreda made his living as a developer who specialized in deals with the corrupt Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 1986, he hired Jeb as the leasing agent for a vacant commercial-office building, which Padreda had built with $1.4 million in federal loans -- loans approved by HUD officials, oddly enough, even though they knew there was already a glut of vacant office space in Miami.
Like so many of those who would attach themselves to the Bush sons over the years, Padreda brought some hefty luggage with him. In 1982, four years before teaming up with Jeb, Padreda, along with another right-wing Cuban exile, Hernandez Cartaya, was indicted and accused of looting Jefferson Savings and Loan Association in McAllen, Texas. The federal indictment charged that the pair had embezzled over $500,000 from the thrift. (Cartaya was also charged with drug smuggling, money laundering, and gun running.) But the Jefferson Savings case would never go to trial.
Soon after the indictment, FBI officials got a call from someone at the CIA warning the agents that Cartaya was one of their own -- a veteran of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion -- according to a prosecutor who worked on the case. In short order, the charges against Padreda were dropped and the charges against Cartaya were reduced to a single count of tax evasion. (Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerome Sanford was furious and filed a demand with the CIA, under the Freedom of Information Act, for all documents relating to the agency's interference in his case. The CIA, citing national-security reasons, denied Sanford's request.)
In 1989, Houston Postreporter Pete Brewton wrote about Jefferson Savings and Cartaya in a series of stories alleging that CIA operatives and contractors had systematically misused at least twenty-six savings and loans during the 1980s as part of a secret program to fund illegal "off-the-shelf" covert operations, particularly those aiding the Nicaraguan contras. (CIA officials denied the charge, but admitted to the House intelligence Committee in 1990 that former CIA operatives had been working at four of the S&Ls named in Brewton's article. A CIA spokesman claimed that agency operatives had done nothing illegal.)
The Jefferson Savings affair occurred four years before Jeb Bush met Padreda, and it is possible he missed earlier reports. But he could hardly have passed over the next batch of stories involving Padreda's questionable practices, because they were spread across the front pages of Miami's papers in 1985, just months before the two teamed up. These stories, in Jeb's hometown paper, alleged that Padreda had improperly influenced a local politician -- the Dade County manager, to be precise, who'd been made a secret partner when Padreda ran into trouble getting a parcel of land rezoned. The property was promptly rezoned, and the county official made a quick $127,000 profit when Padreda, in turn, "sold" it to an offshore Padreda partnership. That partnership was controlled from Panama by a fugitive Miami attorney, who had already been indicted for laundering drug money. (The official resigned, but Padreda was not charged in the case.)
Yet the 1985 scandal did not seem to lessen Jeb's enthusiasm for Camilo Padreda. Jeb enthusiastically accepted the task of finding tenants for Padreda's empty HUD-financed office building. Padreda, the government officials involved, and Jeb all refused to answer questions about the scandal. But of allegations that Padreda engaged in illegal behavior, there remains no doubt. In 1989, he pleaded guilty to charges that he defrauded HUD of millions of dollars during the 1980s.
Jeb and Miguel Recarey
With Miami awash in empty office space in 1986, it was no small event when bagged International Medical Centers as a key tenant for Padreda's HUD-financed building. IMC, which leased nearly all the space in Padreda's vacant building, was at the time one of the nation's fastest-growing health-maintenance organizations (HMO) and had become the largest recipient of federal Medicare funds.
IMC was run by Cuban-American Miguel Recarey, a character with a host of idiosyncrasies. He carried a 9-mm Heckler & Koch semiautomatic pistol under his suit coat and kept a small arsenal of AR-15 and Uzi assault rifles at his Miami estate, where his bedroom was protected by bullet-proof windows and a steel door. It apparently wasn't his enemies Recarey feared so much as his friends. He had a long-standing relationship with Miami Mafia godfather Santo Trafficante, Jr., and had participated in the illfated, CIA-inspired mob assassination plot against Fidel Castro in the early 1960s. (Associates of Recarey add that Trafficante was the money behind Recarey's business ventures.)
Recarey's brother, Jorge, also had ties to the CIA. So it was no surprise that IMC crawled with former spooks. Employee résumés were studded with references to the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Cuban Intelligence agency; there was even a fellow who claimed to have been a KGB agent, An agent with the U.S. Office of Labor Racketeering in Miami would later describe IMC as a company in which "a criminal enterprise interfaced with intelligence operations."
Recarey also surrounded himself with those who could influence the political system. He hired Jeb Bush as IMC's "real-estate consultant." Though Jeb would never close a single real-estate deal, his contract called for him to earn up to $250,000 (he actually received $75,000). Jeb's real value to Recarey was not in real estate but in his help in facilitating the largest HMO Medicare fraud in U.S. history.
Jeb phoned top Health and Human Services officials in Washington in 1985 to lobby for a special exemption from HHS rules for IMC. This highly unusual waiver was critical to Recarey's scam. Without it, the company would have been limited to a Medicare patient load of 50 percent. The balance of IMC's patients would have had to be private -- that is, paying -- customers. Recarey preferred the steady flow of federal Medicare money to the thought of actually running a real HMO. Former HHS chief of staff McClain Haddow (who later became a paid consultant to IMC) testified in 1987 Jeb that directly phoned then-HHS secretary Margaret Heckler and that it was that call that swung the decision to approve IMCs waiver.
Jeb admits lobbying HHS for the waiver, but denies talking to Secretary Heckler -- and denies as well the charge that his call won the HHS exemption. "I just asked that IMC get a fair hearing," said later. After the IMC scandal broke in 1987, Heckler left the country, having been appointed U.S. ambassador to Ireland, a post she held until 1989. (Heckler is now a private citizen living in Virginia. We left a detailed message with her secretary, outlining our questions, but she declined to respond.)
In any case, the highly unusual waiver by federal officials allowed IMCs Medicare patient load to swell -- to 80 percent -- and the money poured in. At its height in 1986, IMC was collecting over $30 million a month in Medicare payments; in all, the company would collect $1 billion from Medicare. (Jeb would not discuss the IMC affair with Mother Jones.But in an opinion piece he wrote for the Miami Heraldlast May, he insisted that he had worked hard for IMC, looking for real-estate deals, and had earned his $75,000 in commissions. While acknowledging making a telephone call to one of Heckler's assistants on IMC Is behalf, he claimed the waiver was not granted on his account. The allegation of a connection, Jeb wrote, "is unfair and untrue.")
Despite Jeb's involvement, trouble began brewing for IMC when a low-level HHS special agent in Miami, Leon Weinstein, discovered that Recarey was defrauding Medicare through overcharges, false invoicing, and outright embezzlement. Weinstein had been following Recarey's activities since 1977, and as early as 1983 he believed he had enough information to put together a case. However, he found his HHS superiors less than receptive; they took no action on Weinstein's information.
But Weinstein kept digging and in 1986 renewed his investigation of Recarey and IMC -- and again his HHS superiors blocked the probe. "Washington just refused to pursue my evidence," Weinstein, now retired, told Mother Joneslast spring. "And they made it perfectly clear that I was not to pursue IMC. When I did, they threatened me and threatened my job."
Weinstein dug in his heels. "I had them this time. I told my superiors I would fight this time because I had nothing to fear. I had just reached retirement age. They immediately backtracked," he says. Weinstein was allowed to continue his investigation -- though HHS still took no formal action against Recarey. Eventually Weinstein turned to Congressmen Barney Frank (D-NY) and Pete Stark (D-CA) with his information, sparking congressional hearings into the scandal.
Had it been up to HHS, Recarey would still be running his Medicare racket. But by chance, the now-disbanded U.S. Miami Organized Crime Strike Force was also investigating Recarey. (Recarey was bribing union officials in order to get them to sign workers up as patients at IMC, apparently so that IMC could meet its reduced non-Medicare patient requirements of 20 percent.) "We didn't know anything about the HHS investigation," former Organized Crime Strike Force special attorney Joe DeMaria says. "Recarey was bribing union officials.... But HHS never contacted us or told us anything."
Before Recarey's trial on bribery charges began, DeMaria's investigators also caught Recarey using his former spooks to wiretap IMC employees in an effort to discover who was talking to federal agents. DeMaria had Recarey indicted a second time, for the illegal listening devices. During Recarey's trial on the bribery charge, a lawyer who handled the bribe money testified that the money IMC gave him was not bribe money but "commissions" he had earned while doing work for the company. "See, that commission thing was Recarey's MO. They didn't call them bribes, they called them commissions," DeMaria explains.
After he was convicted, Recarey resigned from IMC and was immediately replaced by John Ward. (Ward had been law partner to Reagan-Bush campaign manager John Sears. And Sears had also been a lobbyist for IMC.) But Recarey's Medicare scam would never get to a public courtroom airing. Before his trial on the wiretap charge, Recarey skipped the country. His getaway was remarkable: just in time for his flight, the normally tight-fisted IRS expedited a $2.2 million income-tax refund, which Recarey claimed he had coming.
The tax refund was a windfall for Recarey. "Yeah, that was his getaway money," says a former IRS investigator who worked in the Miami office at the time but asked not to be named. "Though there is a special IRS procedure to expedite tax refunds for companies in financial distress, I don't think you can overlook the possibility that there was influence from the administration."
Recarey's last act before becoming a fugitive was an attempt to wire $30,000 into the bank account of Washington consultant and lobbyist Nick Panuzio -- whose partner was then managing George Bush's 1988 presidential campaign. (The wire transfer failed only because, in his haste, Recarey had gotten Panuzio's account number wrong.) It was only after Recarey was safely out of the country that the U.S. attorney in Miami -- a political appointee -- filed formal charges of Medicare fraud against him.
Whistle-blower Leon Weinstein retired in disgust from HHS and tried to get the IMC case before a judge by filing a Qui Tam suit. Such suits allow a private citizen to sue to recover money for the government in return for a share of any settlement. In his case, Weinstein named IMC and Recarey as defendants. But HHS continued to fight Weinstein, first challenging his right to bring such a suit and later accusing him of stealing HHS documents before leaving his job. When the courts supported Weinstein, HHS then stepped in, took over his lawsuit, and shouldered him out. The case remains in the courts and is still unresolved.
HHS officials now pursuing the litigation claim that Recarey defrauded the Medicare system of at least $12 million. Leon Weinstein says the government is lowballing the loss and that Recarey's take from his IMC scam could easily be many times that figure.
Since skipping Miami in 1987, Recarey has been living comfortably in Caracas, Venezuela. Thomas Holladay, the consul general of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, told Mother Jonesthat officials there were aware of Recarey's presence and had formally requested his extradition. "We made a formal request for his extradition," Consul General Holladay says. "But we can't do anything until the Venezuelans turn him over to us, and they have not done that." The conversation then ended abruptly. "You know, I'm really not supposed to be talking to you about this," Holladay says.
In May, following inquiries from Mother Jones,Congressman Pete Stark, who sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, wrote to both the Department of Justice and the Venezuelan ambassador in Washington, demanding an explanation for six years of inaction on the Recarey case.
Jeb and the Contras
The fact that Recarey is living free in Caracas rather than in shackles at Fort Leavenworth could well be a result of the role IMC may have played in Oliver North's secret contra-supply network. Though members of the House Intelligence Committee claimed they found no reason to believe that Recarey was using IMC's Medicare facilities and funds to aid the contras, the evidence that IMC was involved remains compelling. In 1985, the same year that Jeb Bush was dialing for dollars to HHS officials for IMC, Jeb also hand-carried a letter from Guatemalan physician Dr. Mario Castejon to the White House -- directly to his father's office in the Executive Office Building. Dr. Castejon's letter to Vice President Bush requested U.S. medical aid for the contras. George Bush penned a note back to the doctor, referring him to Lt. Col. Oliver North -- whose pro-contra activities the president now claims he knew little about.
An entry in North's diary reads:
*22-Jan-85
Medical Support System for wounded FDN in Miami -- HMO in Miami has oked to help all WIA [wounded in action] ... Felix Rodriguez.*
(Rodriguez was a former CIA official who advised Vice-President Bush's national-security adviser, Donald Gregg, currently U.S. ambassador to South Korea.)
Veteran CIA operative Jose Basulto told the Wall Street Journalin 1987 that he had personally attended meetings at IMC headquarters in Miami along with contra leader Adolfo Calero and Felix Rodriguez. Basulto also said that he had personally brought sick and wounded contras to IMC hospitals in Miami, where they received free medical treatment. Former HHS agent Leon Weinstein is not surprised that Recarey has not been returned to the United States. "My investigation," Weinstein says, "led me to conclude that there may have been a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice...because Recarey, his hospital, and his clinics were treating wounded contras from Nicaragua...and part of the $30 million a month he was given by the government to treat Medicare patients was used to set up field hospitals for the contras."
Jeb and "Manny" Diaz
Manuel C. Diaz, another Jeb Bush business associate, runs a commercial nursery with headquarters in Homestead, Florida. Manny Diaz's previous business sidekick, Charles Keating, Jr., is now sitting in a California prison. But during Keating's days at the helm of the $6 billion Lincoln Savings, Diaz became a Keating insider, confidant, and beneficiary. For example, in 1987, as federal regulators closed in on his crumbling empire, Keating instructed his attorneys to transfer a large chunk of prime Phoenix real estate to Diaz, for just $1. And right before filing for personal bankruptcy, Keating transferred his $2 million mansion on the island of Cat Cay in the Bahamas to Diaz.
At the same time Diaz was palling around with Keating, Jeb, then serving as Florida's secretary of commerce, arranged a private meeting for Diaz with Florida's Republican governor Bob Martinez. Promptly afterward, Diaz Farms landed a lucrative, $1.72 million, state-highway-landscaping contract -- despite the fact that Diaz had little prior highway-landscaping experience. This raised howls of protest and charges of political influence-peddling from other contractors. But state officials explained that the extraordinary speed in issuing the contract had occurred because the state was anxious to spruce up 113 miles of freeway for the coming visit of the pope.
Did Jeb know about Diaz's business association with Charles Keating? Did he have reason to believe Diaz was qualified for the Florida highway contract that he helped Diaz land? These are the kinds of detailed questions that the Florida chairman of the Bush re-election campaign refuses to answer.
Neil Bush
In the March/April issue of Mother Jones,I detailed Neil Bush's activities and therefore only sketch his involvement here. Neil served as a director of Silverado Banking, Savings and Loan in Denver, Colorado, from 1985 until 1988. During that time, the now-dead thrift made over $200 million in loans to Neil's two partners in JNB Exploration, Neil's abysmally unsuccessful oil company. Silverado's failure was due at least in part to the fact that Neil's two partners welshed on $132 million in loans.
Federal regulators determined that, while Silverado was pumping loans to Neil's two associates, Neil was completely dependent on the two men for his income. The failure of Silverado -- its closure delayed until after the 1988 election -- cost taxpayers about $1 billion. After almost two years of hand-wringing had passed, an expert hired by regulators declared that Neil suffered from an "ethical disability," and he was required to pay a $50,000 fine for his ethical lapses at Silverado. Neil's estimated $250,000 in legal bills generated by the scandal are reportedly being paid for him by a banking-industry lobbyist who is fighting to get banks deregulated.
After Silverado failed, Neil started a new oil company, Apex Energy. This time, his money came from a $2.35 million loan through a Small Business Administration program, a loan arranged by an old family friend. When news of this reached the press in March 1991, the SBA discovered that the companies through which the loan was approved were technically insolvent, and it gave them up to thirty months to "self-liquidate." This meant that Apex would have to repay its SBA-guaranteed loans. Neil took this as his cue to move on, and he left Apex -- and its debts -- for others to worry about. If Apex Energy can't be sold for more than it owes, the SBA, and ultimately the taxpayers, will be stuck with the difference. The last time we checked, Apex's only known asset was an oil lease, which the company had purchased from Neil for $150,000 before he bailed out. That means taxpayers could get stiffed for another $2.2 million as a result of Neil Bush's wheeling and dealing. The public won't learn the precise outcome until later this year, though. The SBA allowed thirty months for liquidation of the SBA investment in Apex, putting the resolution date just past the 1992 general election.
President George Bush claims that only a return to traditional family values can cure the "poverty of spirit" that plagues places like our decaying inner cities. But after a closer look, particularly at his adult children, one cannot help but wonder about the values that matter to his own family.
Bush says he is proud of his sons. One of them rented himself out to a crooked developer who scammed HUD and helped pry millions out of Medicare to fuel a giant health-care scam. A second may have profited from an insider stock transaction in a gulf oil deal at the very time that U.S. soldiers were dying to make that region safe for oil. And the third son ran a savings and loan into the ground while shoveling millions of its taxpayer-backed dollars into the pockets of two deadbeat partners.
When President Bush speaks of the lack of family values he, of course, is referring to broken marriages, single mothers, and inner-city kids who join gangs and sell dope. But are these the only villains -- or the most important ones -- responsible for the shredded social fabric? What about well-to-do white boys who trade on family connections, welsh on loans, run with con men, and leave financial ruin in their wake as they line their own pockets? What about grown men, with access to the most powerful public office in the land, who participate in scandal but show no remorse for any of it -- and who take no responsibility for the consequences of their own actions?
It's certainly reasonable for candidate Bush to engage the public in a discussion of family values, to use his office as a bully pulpit on modern morals. But what of George Bush's inability or unwillingness to grasp the crisis of values festering within his own family? The pattern of behavior by the president's three sons raises questions -- about them and their father. These issues have yet to get the prime-time exposure of fictional Murphy Brown's fictional fatherless child.
Stephen Pizzo is author ofInside Job: The Looting of America's Savings and Loans.
Research assistance by Peter Willmert and Chris Rosché.
- * *
Source URL: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/1992/09/bush-family-value
==
Ambassadorial Appointments - George W. Bush
Total Appointments: 453
Career Appointments: 317/69.98%
Political Appointments: 136/30.02%
| Afghanistan | Robert Patrick John Finn | Career | 2002-2003 |
| Zalmay Khalilzad | Political | 2003-2005 |
| Ronald Neumann | Career | 2005-2007 |
| William B. Wood | Career | 2007-2009 |
| African Union | Cindy Courville | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Albania | James Franklin Jeffrey | Career | 2002-2004 |
| Marcie B. Ries | Career | 2004-2007 |
| John Withers | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Algeria | Richard W. Erdman | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Robert S. Ford | Career | 2006-2008 |
| David Pearce | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Angola | Christopher William Dell | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Cynthia Efird | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Dan Mozena | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Argentina | Lino Gutierrez | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Earl Anthony Wayne | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Armenia | John M. Ordway | Career | 2001-2004 |
| John M. Evans | Career | 2004-2006 |
| Marie Yovanovitch | Career | 2008-2011 |
| APEC | Lauren Moriarty | Career | 2004-2005 |
| Michael Michalak | Career | 2005-2007 |
| Patricia Haslach | Career | 2007-2009 |
| ASEAN | Scot Marciel | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Australia | J. Thomas Schieffer | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Robert D. McCallum | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Austria | Lyons Brown, Jr. | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Susan R. McCaw | Political | 2005-2007 |
| David F. Girard-diCarlo | Political | 2008-2009 |
| Azerbaijan | Reno Harnish | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Anne Derse | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Bahamas | J. Richard Blankenship | Political | 2001-2003 |
| John D. Rood | Political | 2004-2007 |
| Ned L. Siegel | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Bahrain | Ronald E. Neumann | Career | 2001-2004 |
| William T. Monroe | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Joseph Adam Ereli | Career | 2007-2011 |
| Bangladesh | Harry K. Thomas, Jr. | Career | 2003-2005 |
| Patricia A. Butenis | Career | 2006-2007 |
| James Moriarty | Career | 2007-2011 |
| Barbados | Earl Norfleet Phillips | Political | 2002-2003 |
| Mary Kramer | Political | 2003-2006 |
| Mary Ourisman | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Belarus | George A. Krol | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Karen B. Stewart | Career | 2006-2008 |
| Belgium | Stephen Brauer | Political | 2001-2003 |
| Tom Korologos | Political | 2003-2007 |
| Sam Fox | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Belize | Russell F. Freeman | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Robert Johann Dieter | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Benin | Wayne E. Neill | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Gayleatha B. Brown | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Bolivia | David Greenlee | Career | 2002-2006 |
| Philip S. Goldberg | Career | 2006-2008 |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | Clifford G. Bond | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Douglas L. McElhaney | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Charles English | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Botswana | Joseph Huggins | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Katherine Hubay Canavan | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Stephen Nolan | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Brazil | Donna Hrinak | Career | 2002-2004 |
| John J. Danilovich | Political | 2004-2005 |
| Clifford Sobel | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Brunei Darussalam | Gene B. Christy | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Emil Skodon | Career | 2005-2008 |
| William Todd | Political | 2008-2010 |
| Bulgaria | James W. Pardew | Career | 2002-2005 |
| John R. Beyrle | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Nancy McEldowney | Career | 2008-2009 |
| Burkina Faso | J. Anthony Holmes | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Jeanine Jackson | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Burma | No diplomatic relations from 2001-2009 |
| Burundi | James H. Yellin | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Patricia Moller | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Cambodia | Charles Aaron Ray | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Joseph A. Mussomeli | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Carol Rodley | Career | 2008-2012 |
| Cameroon | George McDade Staples | Career | 2001-2004 |
| R. Niels Marquardt | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Janet Garvey | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Canada | Argeo Paul Cellucci | Political | 2001-2005 |
| David Horton Wilkins | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Cape Verde | Donald C. Johnson | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Roger D. Pierce | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Marianne Myles | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Central African Republic | Mattie R. Sharpless | Career | 2001-2002 |
| Frederick Cook | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Chad | Marc M. Wall | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Louis Nigro | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Chile | William R. Brownfield | Career | 2002-2004 |
| Craig A. Kelly | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Paul Simons | Career | 2007-2010 |
| China | Clark T. Randt, Jr. | Political | 2001-2009 |
| Colombia | William B. Wood | Career | 2003-2007 |
| William R. Brownfield | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Congo (DR) | Aubrey Hooks | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Roger A. Meece | Career | 2004-2007 |
| William Garvelink | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Congo (Republic of) | Robin R. Sanders | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Robert Weisberg | Career | 2006-2008 |
| Alan Eastham | Career | 2008-2010 |
| Costa Rica | John J. Danilovich | Political | 2001-2004 |
| Roger A. Meece | Political | 2005-2008 |
| William Garvelink | Political | 2008-2009 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | Arlene Render | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Aubrey Hooks | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Wanda Nesbitt | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Croatia | Ralph Frank | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Robert A. Bradtke | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Cyprus | Michael Klosson | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Ronald Schlicher | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Frank Urbancic, Jr. | Career | 2008-2012 |
| Czech Republic | Craig Roberts Stapleton | Political | 2001-2003 |
| William J. Cabaniss | Political | 2003-2006 |
| Richard W. Graber | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Denmark | Stuart A. Bernstein | Political | 2001-2005 |
| James Cain | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Director General of the Foreign Service | Ruth A. Davis | Career | 2001-2003 |
| W. Robert Pearson | Career | 2003-2006 |
| George McDade Staples | Career | 2006-2007 |
| Harry K. Thomas, Jr. | Career | 2007-2009 |
| Djibouti | Marguerita Dianne Ragsdale | Career | 2003-2006 |
| W. Stuart Symington IV | Career | 2006-2008 |
| James Swan | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Dominican Republic | Hans H. Hertell | Political | 2001-2007 |
| P. Robert Fannin | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Ecuador | Kristie Kenney | Career | 2002-2005 |
| William J. Cabaniss | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Richard W. Graber | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Egypt | C. David Welch | Career | 2001-2005 |
| Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr. | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Margaret Scobey | Career | 2008-2011 |
| El Salvador | H. Douglas Barclay | Political | 2003-2007 |
| Charles L. Glazer | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Equatorial Guinea | George McDade Staples | Career | 2001-2004 |
| R. Niels Marquardt | Career | 2004-2006 |
| Donald J. Johnson | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Eritrea | Donald J. McConnell | Political | 2001-2004 |
| Scott H. DeLisi | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Ronald McMullen | Career | 2007-2012 |
| Estonia | Joseph M. DeThomas | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Aldona Wos | Political | 2004-2006 |
| Stanley Davis Phillips | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Ethiopia | Aurelia Brazeal | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Donald Yamamoto | Career | 2006-2009 |
| European Union | Rockwell A. Schnabel | Political | 2001-2005 |
| C. Boyden Gray | Political | 2006-2007 |
| Kristin Silverberg | Political | 2008-2009 |
| Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, & Tuvalu | David L. Lyon | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Larry Miles Dinger | Career | 2005-2008 |
| C. Steven McGann | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Finland | Bonnie McElveen-Hunter | Political | 2001-2003 |
| Earle I. Mack | Political | 2004-2005 |
| Marilyn Ware | Political | 2005-2009 |
| France and Monaco | Howard Leach | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Craig Roberts Stapleton | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Gabon and São Tomé & Principe | Kenneth Price Moorfield | Career | 2002-2004 |
| R. Barrie Walkley | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Eunice Reddick | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Gambia | Jackson McDonald | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Joseph D. Stafford III | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Barry Wells | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Georgia | Richard Monroe Miles | Career | 2002-2005 |
| John F. Tefft | Career | 2005-2009 |
| Germany | Daniel R. Coats | Political | 2001-2005 |
| William Robert Timken, Jr. | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Ghana | Nancy Powell | Career | 2001-2002 |
| Mary Carlin Yates | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Pamela Bridgewater | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Donald Teitelbaum | Career | 2008-2012 |
| Greece | Thomas J. Miller | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Charles P. Ries | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Daniel Speckhard | Political | 2007-2010 |
| Guatemala | John Randle Hamilton | Career | 2002-2005 |
| James M. Derham | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Stephen McFarland | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Guinea | R. Barrie Walkley | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Jackson McDonald | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Philip Carter III | Career | 2007-2009 |
| Guyana | Roland W. Bullen | Career | 2003-2006 |
| David M. Robinson | Career | 2006-2008 |
| John Melvin Jones | Career | 2008 |
| Haiti | James B. Foley | Career | 2003-2005 |
| Janet Sanderson | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Holy See | James Nicholson | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Francis Rooney | Political | 2005-2008 |
| Mary Ann Glendon | Political | 2008-2009 |
| Honduras | Larry Leon Palmer | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Charles A. Ford | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Hugo Llorens | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Hungary | Nancy Goodman Brinker | Political | 2001-2003 |
| George H. Walker | Political | 2003-2006 |
| April H. Foley | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Iceland | James Gadsden | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Carol van Voorst | Career | 2006-2009 |
| India | Robert D. Blackwill | Political | 2001-2003 |
| David Campbell Mulford | Political | 2003-2009 |
| Indonesia | Ralph Leo Boyce | Career | 2001-2004 |
| B. Lynn Pascoe | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Cameron Hume | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Iraq | John Negroponte | Career | 2004-2005 |
| Zalmay Khalilzad | Political | 2005-2007 |
| Ryan Crocker | Career | 2007-2009 |
| Ireland | Richard J. Egan | Political | 2001-2002 |
| James Casey Kenny | Political | 2003-2006 |
| Thomas C. Foley | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Israel | Daniel C. Kurtzer | Career | 2001-2005 |
| Richard Henry Jones | Career | 2005-2008 |
| James Cunningham | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Italy & San Marino | Melvin Sembler | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Ronald Spogli | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Jamaica | Sue McCourt Cobb | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Brenda LaGrange Johnson | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Japan | Howard Baker | Political | 2001-2005 |
| John Thomas Schieffer | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Jordan | Edward Gnehm | Career | 2001-2004 |
| David Hale | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Robert S. Beecroft | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Kazakhstan | Larry C. Napper | Career | 2001-2004 |
| John M. Ordway | Career | 2004-2008 |
| Richard Hoagland | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Kenya (+ Somalia) | William M. Bellamy | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Michael Ranneberger | Career | 2006-2011 |
| Kosovo | Tina Kaidanow | Career | 2008-2009 |
| Kuwait | Richard Henry Jones | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Richard LeBaron | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Deborah Jones | Career | 2007-2011 |
| Kyrgyz Republic | Stephen M. Young | Career | 2003-2005 |
| Marie Yovanovitch | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Tatiana Gfoeller | Career | 2008-2010 |
| Laos | Douglas A. Hartwick | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Patricia Haslach | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Ravic Huso | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Latvia | Brian E. Carlson | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Catherine Todd Bailey | Political | 2004-2007 |
| Charles W. Larson, Jr. | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Lebanon | Vincent M. Battle | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Jeffrey D. Feltman | Career | 2004-2008 |
| Michele Sison | Career | 2008-2010 |
| Lesotho | Robert G. Loftis | Career | 2001-2004 |
| June Carter Perry | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Robert Nolan | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Liberia | John W. Blaney | Career | 2002-2005 |
| John W. Blaney | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Linda Thomas-Greenfield | Career | 2008-2012 |
| Libya | Gene Cretz | Career | 2007-2012 |
| Lithuania | Stephen D. Mull | Career | 2003-2006 |
| John A. Cloud, Jr. | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Luxembourg | Peter Terpeluk, Jr. | Political | 2002-2005 |
| Ann L. Wagner | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Macedonia | Lawrence E. Butler | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Gillian A. Milovanovic | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Philip T. Reeker | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Madagascar & Comoros | Wanda Nesbitt | Career | 2001-2004 |
| James D. McGee | Career | 2004-2007 |
| R. Niels Marquardt | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Malawi | Steven A. Browning | Career | 2003-2004 |
| Alan Eastham | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Peter Bodde | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Malaysia | Marie T. Huhtala | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Christopher L. LaFleur | Career | 2004-2007 |
| James Keith | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Mali | Vicki Huddleston | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Terence P. McCulley | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Gillian Milovanovic | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Malta | Anthony H. Gioia | Political | 2001-2004 |
| Molly H. Bordonaro | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Marshall Islands | Greta N. Morris | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Clyde Bishop | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Mauritania | Joseph LaBaron | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Mark Boulware | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Mauritius & Seychelles | John Price | Political | 2002-2005 |
| Cesar B. Cabrera | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Mexico | Antonio O. Garza, Jr. | Political | 2002-2009 |
| Micronesia | Larry M. Dinger | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Suzanne Hale | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Miriam Hughes | Career | 2007-2009 |
| Moldova | Pamela H. Smith | Career | 2001-2003 |
| Heather M. Hodges | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Michael D. Kirby | Career | 2006-2008 |
| Asif Chaudhry | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Mongolia | Pamela Slutz | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Mark Minton | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Montenegro | Roderick Moore | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Morocco | Margaret Tutwiler | Political | 2001-2003 |
| Thomas Riley | Political | 2003-2009 |
| Mozambique | Helen Meagher La Lime | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Namibia | Kevin J. McGuire | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Joyce Barr | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Gail Mathieu | Career | 2007-2010 |
| NATO | R. Nicholas Burns | Career | 2001-2005 |
| Victoria Nuland | Political | 2005-2008 |
| Kurt Volker | Career | 2008-2009 |
| Nepal | Michael E. Malinowski | Career | 2001-2004 |
| James Moriarty | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Nancy Powell | Career | 2007-2009 |
| Netherlands | Clifford Sobel | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Ronald Arnall | Political | 2006-2008 |
| James Culbertson | Political | 2008-2009 |
| New Zealand & Samoa | Charles J. Swindells | Political | 2001-2005 |
| William McCormick | Political | 2005-2008 |
| Nicaragua | Barbara C. Moore | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Paul A. Trivelli | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Robert Callahan | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Niger | Gail Mathieu | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Bernadette Allen | Career | 2006-2010 |
| Nigeria | John Campbell | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Robin R. Sanders | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Norway | John D. Ong | Political | 2002-2005 |
| Benson K. Whitney | Political | 2005-2009 |
| OAS | Roger F. Noriega | Political | 2001-2003 |
| John F. Maisto | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Hector E. Morales | Political | 2007-2009 |
| OECD | Jeanne L. Phillips | Political | 2001-2003 |
| Constance Morella | Political | 2003-2005 |
| Christopher Egan | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Oman | Richard L. Baltimore | Career | 2002-2006 |
| Gary A. Grappo | Career | 2006-2009 |
| OSCE | Stephan M. Minikes | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Julie Finley | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Pakistan | Wendy Chamberlin | Career | 2001 |
| Nancy Powell | Career | 2002-2004 |
| Ryan Crocker | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Anne W. Patterson | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Panama | Linda Ellen Watt | Career | 2002-2005 |
| William Alan Eaton | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Barbara Stephenson | Career | 2008-2010 |
| Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, & Vanuatu | Robert W. Fitts | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Leslie Rowe | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Paraguay | John F. Keane | Career | 2002-2005 |
| James Caldwell Cason | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Liliana Ayalde | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Peru | John R. Dawson | Career | 2002-2003 |
| James C. Struble | Career | 2003-2007 |
| P. Michael McKinley | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Philippines & Palau | Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr. | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Kristie Kenney | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Poland | Victor Ashe | Political | 2004-2009 |
| Portugal | John N. Palmer | Political | 2001-2004 |
| Alfred Hoffman, Jr. | Political | 2005-2007 |
| Thomas F. Stephenson | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Qatar | Maureen Quinn | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Charles G. Untermeyer | Political | 2004-2007 |
| Joseph LeBaron | Career | 2007-2011 |
| Romania | Michael E. Guest | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Jack Dyer Crouch II | Political | 2004-2005 |
| Nicholas F. Taubman | Political | 2005-2008 |
| Russia | Alexander Vershbow | Career | 2001-2005 |
| William J. Burns | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Rwanda | Margaret K. McMillion | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Michael R. Arietti | Career | 2005-2008 |
| W. Stuart Symington IV | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Saudi Arabia | Robert W. Jordan | Political | 2001-2003 |
| James C. Oberwetter | Political | 2003-2007 |
| Ford M. Fraker | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Senegal & Guinea Bissau | Richard Allan Roth | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Janice Jacobs | Career | 2006-2007 |
| Marcia Bernicat | Career | 2007-2011 |
| Serbia | William D. Montgomery | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Michael C. Polt | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Cameron Munter | Career | 2007-2009 |
| Sierra Leone | Peter Chaveas | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Thomas Neil Hull III | Career | 2004-2007 |
| June Carter Perry | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Singapore | Franklin L. Lavin | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Patricia L. Herbold | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Slovakia | Ronald Weiser | Political | 2001-2004 |
| Rodolphe M. Vallee | Political | 2005-2007 |
| Vincent Obsitnik | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Slovenia | Johnny Young | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Thomas B. Robertson | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Yousif Boutros Ghafari | Political | 2008-2009 |
| South Africa | Cameron Hume | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Jendayi E. Frazer | Political | 2004-2005 |
| Eric M. Bost | Political | 2006-2009 |
| South Korea | Thomas C. Hubbard | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Christopher Hill | Career | 2004-2005 |
| Alexander Vershbow | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Kathleen Stephens | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Spain & Andorra | George L. Argyros, Sr. | Political | 2001-2004 |
| Eduardo Aguirre | Political | 2005-2009 |
| Sri Lanka & Maldives | Jeffrey Lunstead | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Robert O. Blake, Jr. | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Sudan | No ambassadors from 2001-2009 |
| Suriname | Marsha E. Barnes | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Lisa Bobbie Schreiber Hughes | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Swaziland | James D. McGee | Career | 2002-2004 |
| Lewis W. Lucke | Career | 2004-2005 |
| Maurice S. Parker | Career | 2007-2009 |
| Sweden | Charles A. Heimbold, Jr. | Political | 2001-2004 |
| Miles T. Bivins | Political | 2004-2006 |
| Michael Wood | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Switzerland & Liechtenstein | Mercer Reynolds | Political | 2001-2003 |
| Pamela P. Willeford | Political | 2003-2006 |
| Peter R. Coneway | Political | 2006-2008 |
| Syria | Theodore Kattouf | Career | 2001-2003 |
| Margaret Scobey | Career | 2003-2005 |
| Tajikistan | Franklin Pierce Huddle, Jr. | Career | 2001-2003 |
| Richard Hoagland | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Tracy Jacobson | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Tanzania | Robert V. Royall | Political | 2001-2003 |
| Michael Retzer | Political | 2005-2007 |
| Mark Green | Political | 2007-2009 |
| Thailand | Darryl N. Johnson | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Ralph Leo Boyce | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Eric G. John | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Timor-Leste | Grover Joseph Rees III | Political | 2002-2006 |
| Hans Klemm | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Togo | Gregory W. Engle | Career | 2003-2005 |
| David B. Dunn | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Patricia McMahon Hawkins | Career | 2008-2011 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Roy L. Austin | Political | 2001-2009 |
| Tunisia | William J. Hudson | Career | 2003-2006 |
| Robert F. Godec | Career | 2006-2009 |
| Turkey | Eric S. Edelman | Career | 2003-2005 |
| Ross Wilson | Career | 2005-2008 |
| James Franklin Jeffrey | Career | 2008-2010 |
| Turkmenistan | Laura Kennedy | Career | 2001-2003 |
| Tracy Jacobson | Career | 2003-2007 |
| Uganda | Jimmy Kolker | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Steven A. Browning | Career | 2005-2009 |
| Ukraine | John E. Herbst | Career | 2003-2006 |
| William B. Taylor, Jr. | Career | 2006-2009 |
| United Arab Emirates | Marcelle Wahba | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Michele Sison | Career | 2004-2008 |
| Richard Olson | Career | 2008-2011 |
| United Kingdom | William S. Farish | Political | 2001-2004 |
| Robert H. Tuttle | Political | 2005-2009 |
| United Nations | John Negroponte | Career | 2001-2004 |
| John C. Danforth | Political | 2004-2005 |
| John R. Bolton | Political | 2005-2006 |
| Zalmay Khalilzad | Political | 2007-2009 |
| UN/Geneva | Kevin E. Moley | Political | 2001-2006 |
| Warren W. Tichenor | Political | 2006-2009 |
| UN/Vienna | Kenneth C. Brill | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Gregory L. Schulte | Political | 2005-2009 |
| UNESCO | Louise Oliver | Political | 2004-2009 |
| Uruguay | Martin J. Silverstein | Political | 2001-2005 |
| Frank Baxter | Political | 2006-2009 |
| Uzbekistan | Jon Robert Purnell | Career | 2003-2007 |
| Richard B. Norland | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Venezuela | Charles S. Shapiro | Career | 2002-2004 |
| William R. Brownfield | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Patrick Duddy | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Vietnam | Raymond Burghardt | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Michael W. Marine | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Michael Michalak | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Yemen | Edmund James Hull | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Thomas Charles Krajeski | Career | 2004-2007 |
| Stephen A. Seche | Career | 2007-2010 |
| Zambia | Martin George Brennan | Career | 2002-2005 |
| Carmen M. Martinez | Career | 2005-2008 |
| Donald Booth | Career | 2008-2010 |
| Zimbabwe | Joseph Gerard Sullivan | Career | 2001-2004 |
| Christopher William Dell | Career | 2004-2007 |
| James D. McGee | Career | 2007-2009 |
==
THE BUSH RECORD
More than 300 Crimes against Nature
Source: Natural Resources Defense Council
JANUARY 20, 2001
White House freezes all rules set at end of Clinton term–including tougher ones for raw sewage
JANUARY 20, 2001
Bush proposes opening Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling
FEBRUARY 12, 2001
Energy Department puts off enforcing new efficiency standards for air conditioners
FEBRUARY 15, 2001
EPA delays new rule protecting wetlands from mining and development
MARCH 7, 2001
Fish and Wildlife Service withdraws report calling for protection of endangered salmonids
MARCH 9, 2001
Bush appoints oil and mining lobbyist as deputy secretary of Interior
MARCH 13, 2001
Bush reneges on campaign promise to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
MARCH 16, 2001
Bush administration refuses to defend in court rule protecting 58 million acres of wild forest
MARCH 20, 2001
Bush withdraws proposed stricter limits on arsenic in drinking water
MARCH 28, 2001
Bush administration rejects Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change
APRIL 9, 2001
Bush budget proposal cuts $500 million from EPA
MAY 10, 2001
Bush administration refuses to name industry participants in Cheney energy task force
MAY 12, 2001
Bureau of Land Management allows continued grazing on endangered-tortoise land in California
MAY 17, 2001
Bush releases energy plan heavily favoring fossil fuels and nukes
MAY 17, 2001
Forest Service reduces citizen and scientific participation in decision-making
MAY 22, 2001
EPA officially suspends stricter limits for arsenic in drinking water
JUNE 19, 2001
States and others sue Energy Department over air-conditioner rules (see FEBRUARY 12, 2001)
JUNE 21, 2001
Timber lobbyist Mark Rey appointed to key post in Forest Service
JULY 2, 2001
Oil drilling off Florida coast proposed by Bush administration
JULY 23, 2001
Bush budget proposes cutting 270 EPA inspector jobs
AUGUST 2, 2001
Army Corps of Engineers kills plan to protect Missouri River wildlife by changing stream flows
AUGUST 8, 2001
Army Corps of Engineers weakens wetlands protections by slackening permit requirements
AUGUST 12, 2001
National forests opened to roadbuilding and logging by Forest Service rule changes
AUGUST 14, 2001
EPA delays tougher rules for toxic power-plant emissions
AUGUST 17, 2001
Federal judge's decision to ban drilling off California's coast appealed by administration
AUGUST 27, 2001
Cattle still grazing on tortoise habitat in California, despite BLM agreement to move them
AUGUST 28, 2001
Bush administration proposes missile-defense test installation in Pacific; environmentalists sue
AUGUST 28, 2001
Bush administration reconsiders ban on recycling radioactive metals into consumer products
SEPTEMBER 13, 2001
EPA lies about Manhattan hazards after 9/11, calls area safe despite extreme toxic pollution
SEPTEMBER 20, 2001
Forest Service proposes further reduction in citizen participation in policymaking
OCTOBER 25, 2001
Interior Department weakens environmental rules for mining operations
OCTOBER 31, 2001
Arsenic flip-flop: Under public pressure, EPA adopts higher standard after all (see MAY 22, 2001)
NOVEMBER 2, 2001
Army Corps of Engineers retreats from policy of "no net loss" of wetlands
NOVEMBER 5, 2001
Bush signs bill to boost spending for national forests, but with harmful logging riders
NOVEMBER 29, 2001
Minnesota's Voyageurs National Park reopens winter lakes to snowmobiles
DECEMBER 3, 2001
Army Corps of Engineers decides not to decommission Snake River dams in Pacific Northwest
DECEMBER 14, 2001
Administration announces weaker standards for nuclear waste storage at Nevada's Yucca Mountain
DECEMBER 14, 2001
Forest Service announces more roadbuilding on undeveloped forestlands
JANUARY 9, 2002
Administration backs hydrogen-car research, but most hydrogen to come from fossil fuels
JANUARY 10, 2002
Study shows big drop in enforcement of environmental laws under Bush
JANUARY 10, 2002
Bush administration fights in court for new oil drilling off California coast
JANUARY 14, 2002
Report shows Interior secretary squelched her own agency's criticism of weaker wetlands rules
JANUARY 14, 2002
Wetlands protections weakened nationwide in flip-flop from Bush campaign promise
JANUARY 14, 2002
Park Service okays more oil drilling in Florida's Big Cypress National Preserve
JANUARY 21, 2002
BLM preliminarily approves gas drilling in Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, Montana
JANUARY 22, 2002
Forest Service sues to overturn ban on salvage logging in Montana's Bitterroot National Forest
JANUARY 28, 2002
Bush supports Cheney's refusal to release secret energy-task-force records
FEBRUARY 4, 2002
Bush slashes environmental-education spending
FEBRUARY 4, 2002
Bush budget proposes cutting $1 billion from environmental spending
FEBRUARY 4, 2002
Bush budget proposes $404 million to support timber sales in national forests
FEBRUARY 11, 2002
Environmentalists sue Park Service for allowing motorized vehicles in Georgia wilderness
FEBRUARY 14, 2002
Bush gives power plants ten more years to cut mercury and sulfur dioxide emissions
FEBRUARY 14, 2002
White House unveils global-warming plan that lets C02 emissions continue at present rate
FEBRUARY 15, 2002
Bush endorses plan to store 77,000 tons of nuclear waste in Nevada's Yucca Mountain
FEBRUARY 15, 2002
Forest Service approves mining exploration in Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest
FEBRUARY 16, 2002
Bush administration asks court to delay endangered-species protection in California
FEBRUARY 19, 2002
Phaseout of snowmobiles in national parks delayed
FEBRUARY 22, 2002
BLM proposes to let states allow vehicles in previously off-limits federal lands
FEBRUARY 23, 2002
Bush's budget asks that taxpayers pay for Superfund cleanups instead of polluters
FEBRUARY 27, 2002
Top EPA official resigns to protest Bush's effort to weaken rules for polluting industries
FEBRUARY 27, 2002
Federal judge orders Bush administration to release Cheney's secret energy-task-force records
MARCH 12, 2002
Bush administration belatedly complies with court order to protect desert tortoise
MARCH 18, 2002
EPA exempts large category of power plants from lawsuits for Clean Air Act violations
MARCH 25, 2002
Discovery that White House misspent $135,612 of clean-energy funds to print its energy plan
MARCH 29, 2002
Pentagon seeks exemption from environmental laws
APRIL 1, 2002
Deadline passes for administration to set first new fuel-economy standards since 1996
APRIL 11, 2002
Army Corps of Engineers approves mining limestone in 5,400 acres of Florida's everglades
APRIL 14, 2002
White House kills program that funded environmental research for graduate students
APRIL 22, 2002
EPA citizen-watchdog resigns in protest, charging that agency |officials muzzled him
MAY 3, 2002
New EPA rules allow mining operations to dump waste in waterways
MAY 13, 2002
Administration asks judge not to limit waste-dumping from mountaintop mines
MAY 13, 2002
Bush signs farm bill that pays big subsidies to polluting agricultural operations
MAY 21, 2002
Ban on mining in and around Oregon's Siskiyou National Forest ends
MAY 23, 2002
Energy Department cuts air-conditioner efficiency standards
MAY 24, 2002
Bush-Putin summit produces nuclear treaty that puts no long-term limit on nuclear weapons
MAY 24, 2002
Bush administration drops plan |for contractors to put environmental protection into projects
JUNE 3, 2002
Oil drilling leases on more than 500,000 acres in Alaska signed by Interior Department
JUNE 7, 2002
Interior secretary rejects proposal to limit offshore oil drilling in California
JUNE 13, 2002
Missouri River restoration halted indefinitely by Army Corps of Engineers
JUNE 13, 2002
EPA proposes weakening clean-air rules for 17,000 power plants
JUNE 13, 2002
Judge halts Bush administration move to end habitat protection on 500,000 acres in California
JUNE 17, 2002
Judge rejects Army Corps of Engineers plan to allow mine-waste dumping
JUNE 24, 2002
EPA abandons plan to clean up storm-water pollution
JUNE 25, 2002
Bush administration blames wildfires on environmentalists
JUNE 25, 2002
Snowmobiling allowed to continue in national parks, though with some restrictions
JUNE 25, 2002
EPA ombudsman testifies Bush administration pressured him to halt study of radiation standards
JULY 1, 2002
Bush administration cuts funding for toxic cleanups to half of that requested by EPA
JULY 2, 2002
Bush administration rescinds 4 million acres of protection for endangered California frog
JULY 10, 2002
Judge orders administration to protect 400,000 Calif. acres for endangered Alameda whipsnake
JULY 15, 2002
Navy given permit to use low-frequency sonar, a known threat to whales
JULY 17, 2002
Bush administration opposes Senate bill to require 10 percent renewable energy by 2020
JULY 22, 2002
Bush's State Department says it will withhold $34 million from UN family-planning program
JULY 25, 2002
Another top EPA official quits in protest
JULY 26, 2002
Bush administration backs congressional proposal to exempt companies from disclosing hazards
AUGUST 7, 2002
EPA proposes weakened water-cleanups; asks for "voluntary" efforts
AUGUST 15, 2002
Conservatives praise Bush for skipping United Nations summit on sustainable development
AUGUST 22, 2002
Interior Department claims new power plant won't harm air at Mammoth Cave National Park, Ky.
AUGUST 22, 2002
Bush calls for increased logging in name of fire prevention
AUGUST 27, 2002
U.S. opposes targets for renewable energy use at World Summit on Sustainable Development
AUGUST 29, 2002
Interior Department approves billion-dollar plan to store water under Mojave Desert
AUGUST 30, 2002
Foe of ecological restoration Allan Fitzsimmons named head of federal wildfire prevention
SEPTEMBER 3, 2002
White House asks exemption from Freedom of Information Act in energy-task-force suit
SEPTEMBER 4, 2002
Federal officials reject call to add white marlin to endangered list
SEPTEMBER 9, 2002
States' EPA air-quality inspections shown to have dropped by 34 percent
SEPTEMBER 13, 2002
EPA weakens proposed anti-pollution standards for off-road vehicles
SEPTEMBER 15, 2002
EPA deletes global-warming section from pollution report
SEPTEMBER 17, 2002
Bush replacing most scientists on chemical-hazard panel with those tied to chemical industry
SEPTEMBER 18, 2002
Bush executive order cuts citizen involvement in review of road and airport projects
SEPTEMBER 21, 2002
Killing of 34,000 salmonids results from federal diversion of Klamath River water in Oregon
SEPTEMBER 27, 2002
Interior secretary okays gold mining on sacred Indian site in California
SEPTEMBER 30, 2002
New EPA water-quality report shows U.S. waters are getting dirtier
OCTOBER 1, 2002
Fish and Wildlife Service reverses order to increase Missouri River flow to protect species
OCTOBER 3, 2002
Conservationists urge White House to release $36.5 million in conservation funds for farmlands
OCTOBER 4, 2002
Bureau of Land Management approves largest oil and gas drilling exploration ever in Utah
OCTOBER 8, 2002
EPA water administrator says war on terror leaves little money for water cleanup
OCTOBER 8, 2002
Bush stacks panel on lead poisoning with people tied to the lead industry
OCTOBER 8, 2002
Federal workers reveal memo from EPA chief encouraging them to support president when off-duty
OCTOBER 9, 2002
Bush administration sides with auto industry in suit against California's emission rules
OCTOBER 10, 2002
Administration failed to assess vulnerability of chemical facilities to terrorists, GAO says
OCTOBER 15 2002
Superfund cleanups drop to 42 per year from average of 76 under Clinton, report shows
OCTOBER 16, 2002
Judge finds Forest Service violates Endangered Species Act by not protecting spotted-owl habitat
OCTOBER 17, 2002
Bush administration told by federal judge to release energy documents in Sierra Club lawsuit
OCTOBER 31, 2002
EPA halts funding at seven Superfund sites
NOVEMBER 1, 2002
Bush administration threatens withdrawal from historic UN population accord
NOVEMBER 5, 2002
Polluters paid 64 percent less in fines under Bush than in last two Clinton years, report shows
NOVEMBER 11, 2002
Bush administration supports renewed elephant-ivory trade
NOVEMBER 12, 2002
National Park Service proposal would allow 1,100 snowmobiles a day in Yellowstone, Grand Teton
NOVEMBER 21, 2002
Natural-gas drilling at Padre Island National Seashore in Texas approved
NOVEMBER 22, 2002
EPA proceeds with weakening Clean Air Act rules for power plants
NOVEMBER 27, 2002
Forest Service proposes rule changes to increase logging, grazing, mining on 192 million acres
DECEMBER 2, 2002
Bush administration plan for oil drilling off California coast ruled illegal by federal judges
DECEMBER 4, 2002
Bush administration asks for five more years of study before acting on global warming
DECEMBER 12, 2002
Federal court rules against administration, upholds roadless rule for 58.5 million acres
DECEMBER 12, 2002
White House proposes tiny increase in automobile fuel economy: 1.5 mpg in five years
DECEMBER 13, 2002
Federal judge blocks Army Corps of Engineers' Snake River dredging plan in Pacific Northwest
DECEMBER 16, 2002
EPA's new factory-farm rule favors big agribusiness polluters
DECEMBER 18, 2002
White House budget office values elderly lives 63 percent less in environmental cost-benefit analysis
DECEMBER 20, 2002
Federal judge blocks Interior Department from permitting oil exploration in eastern Utah
DECEMBER 30, 2002
EPA proposes two-year exemption of oil and gas industry from storm-water pollution rules
JANUARY 6, 2003
Bureau of Land Management rule change gives states leeway for new roads in wildlands
JANUARY 10, 2003
Bush budget requests $6.4 billion for Energy Department's nuclear weapons activity
JANUARY 10, 2003
Bush administration proposes pulling federal safeguards from 20 percent of U.S. wetlands
JANUARY 13, 2003
Pentagon plans to ask for exemption from environmental laws on millions of acres
JANUARY 16, 2003
Environmental personnel scratched from USAID policy bureau
JANUARY 17, 2003
Interior Department proposes oil exploration on up to 9 million acres of Alaska's North Slope
JANUARY 19, 2003
Pentagon continues lobbying for exemptions from environmental laws
JANUARY 21, 2003
EPA refuses to ban weed-killer atrazine, a possible carcinogen
JANUARY 22, 2003
EPA retains unsafe limits for toxic perchlorates
JANUARY 24, 2003
Manatees get federal protection, thanks to lawsuit settlement
JANUARY 27, 2003
Bush administration proposes privatizing thousands of National Park Service jobs
JANUARY 27, 2003
California's giant sequoia threatened by Forest Service proposal to resume logging nearby
JANUARY 29, 2003
Bush administration wins court ruling that legalizes mountaintop-removal mining permits
JANUARY 30, 2003
Bureau of Land Management proposes rollback of Clinton-era restrictions on grazing
JANUARY 30, 2003
Exemptions to phaseout of ozone-destroying methyl bromide planned by Bush administration
FEBRUARY 11, 2003
EPA drafts new rules to relax toxic-air-pollution standards
FEBRUARY 20, 2003
National Park Service finalizes rules allowing snowmobiles in national parks
FEBRUARY 25, 2003
National Academy of Sciences panel strongly criticizes Bush's global-warming plan
FEBRUARY 27, 2003
Bush's "Clear Skies" plan allows much more pollution than if Clean Air Act were enforced, critics charge
FEBRUARY 27, 2003
Transportation Department speeds up environmentally harmful road projects
FEBRUARY 28, 2003
Oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge his "greatest wish," says high-ranking Interior official
FEBRUARY 28, 2003
Wilderness protection for millions of acres in Alaska's Tongass forest rejected by Forest Service
MARCH 4, 2003
National Park Service slaughters 231 Yellowstone bison
MARCH 7, 2003
Paul Wolfowitz tells military leaders to find reasons to exempt military from environmental rules
MARCH 10, 2003
EPA exempts oil and gas industry from President Clinton's tighter water-pollution rules
MARCH 13, 2003
EPA withdraws another Clinton-era water-pollution cleanup rule
MARCH 13, 2003
EPA official testifies in Congress in favor of exempting military from environmental laws
MARCH 18, 2003
EPA allows sludge dumping in Potomac River to continue for seven more years
MARCH 18, 2003
Fish and Wildlife proposes removing protections from endangered wolves
MARCH 18, 2003
Federal judge orders Interior Department to continue protecting manatees
MARCH 18, 2003
GAO again criticizes Bush administration for failing to reduce security risks at chemical plants
MARCH 25, 2003
Park Service adopts plan for Yellowstone/Teton allowing1,100 snowmobiles a day
APRIL 1, 2003
Bush administration drops court battle to allow California offshore drilling
APRIL 1, 2003
Bush administration barely raises SUV gas mileage requirements, to 1.5 mpg more by 2007
APRIL 3, 2003
Bureau of Reclamation again diverts water from Klamath River, where salmonid kill occurred
APRIL 4, 2003
New U.S.—Mexico pollution treaty signed, but lacks funding
APRIL 7, 2003
Bush administration asks UN to remove Yellowstone from endangered world heritage status
APRIL 8, 2003
Protection plan for 76-mile stretch of California coast abandoned by National Park Service
APRIL 9, 2003
Interior Department paves way for new roads on federal lands in Utah
APRIL 10, 2003
U.S. Fish and Wildlife signs off on plan to reopen Imperial Sand Dunes to off-road vehicles
APRIL 20, 2003
Toxic cleanups still lagging: 41 percent fewer Superfund sites cleaned up by EPA, report says
APRIL 21, 2003
Sharp criticism of Bush administration air-pollution policies by independent panel
APRIL 24, 2003
White House unveils pro-industry chemical security bill
APRIL 28, 2003
White House bans EPA from discussing perchlorate pollution
MAY 2, 2003
Vehicle fuel economy drops to 22-year low of 20.8 mpg, says EPA report
MAY 2, 2003
Permits for cross-border power lines from Mexican power plants illegal, says federal judge
MAY 5, 2003
Navy's use of sonar causes "stampede"–and possibly death–of marine mammals in Puget Sound
MAY 7, 2003
EPA drops "senior death discount" calculation (see DECEMBER 18, 2002)
MAY 13, 2003
Fish and Wildlife Service signs off on mining in Montana's Cabinet Mountains Wilderness
MAY 14, 2003
White House's $247 billion transportation plan slashes environmental protection
MAY 14, 2003
EPA proposes easing, delaying smog-control rules
MAY 21, 2003
Christine Todd Whitman, embattled EPA chief, resigns
MAY 30, 2003
Park Service opens Maryland and Virginia's Assateague Island National Seashore to Jet Skis
MAY 30, 2003
Forest-fire plan eliminates environmental review of logging projects under 1,000 acres
JUNE 2, 2003
Energy Department announces$2 billion to $4 billion plan to build new "mini" nukes
JUNE 3, 2003
Energy Department funds study on how to ease effects of global warming for Alaska oil drillers
JUNE 5, 2003
Forest Service plan would triple logging limits in California's Sierra Nevada
JUNE 9, 2003
USDA reverses Clinton ban on most logging and roadbuilding on 58.5 million acres
JUNE 20, 2003
Defense Department reneges on plan to test for perchlorate pollution at U.S. bases
JUNE 23, 2003
Bush administration again deletes references to dangers of global warming from EPA report
JUNE 27, 2003
Federal judge halts timber sale in Montana's Kootenai National Forest
JULY 1, 2003
Autopsies link Navy sonar to porpoise deaths, environmentalists charge
JULY 8, 2003
Federal court rejects Cheney's argument for keeping energy-task-force records secret
JULY 12, 2003
EPA refuses to regulate perchlorate and other drinking-water contaminants
JULY 17, 2003
Energy Department lobbies Congress for law to get around court ruling on nuke waste
JULY 17, 2003
Federal judge rules administration must redo water plan for Oregon/California Klamath River
JULY 22, 2003
Army Corps of Engineers ruled in contempt for defying order to change Missouri River flows
JULY 24, 2003
Bush administration softens demand for outsourcing of federal jobs, including at national parks
AUGUST 8, 2003
Bush administration settlement of timber suit could double logging in Northwest
AUGUST 11, 2003
Bush taps anti-environmental Utah governor Mike Leavitt to head EPA
AUGUST 26, 2003
New EPA rules ignore mercury pollution from chlorine plant
AUGUST 27, 2003
EPA excludes 17,000 facilities from upgrading pollution controls when installing new equipment
AUGUST 29, 2003
U.S. court rules against EPA's loopholes in mountaintop-removal-mining regulations
SEPTEMBER 2, 2003
EPA weakens ban on selling polluted sites by reinterpreting law
SEPTEMBER 2, 2003
EPA refuses to regulate ballast-water discharges from ships
SEPTEMBER 4, 2003
EPA finds 274 violations of laws for dumping mountaintop-mining debris
SEPTEMBER 22, 2003
White House's own study concludes benefits of environmental regulations far outweigh costs
SEPTEMBER 23, 2003
Forest Service estimates $2 million lost in timber sale from Alaska's Tongass
SEPTEMBER 24, 2003
White House recommendations would undermine public participation in environmental planning
SEPTEMBER 25, 2003
EPA proposes deal that would let polluting factory farms avoid prosecution
OCTOBER 1, 2003
Bush fails to renew energy-conservation program that saved government $300 million a year
OCTOBER 6, 2003
EPA rules that farmers can't sue pesticide makers if chemicals fail to meet stated claims
OCTOBER 10, 2003
Interior Department overturns limits on acreage where gold mines can dump waste
OCTOBER 10, 2003
Judge orders Interior Department to stop stalling on owl habitat protection
OCTOBER 10, 2003
EPA proposal to allow warmer waters behind Oregon dams threatens salmonids
OCTOBER 10, 2003
EPA inspector general criticizes agency for lax enforcement
OCTOBER 13, 2003
Bush administration proposes lifting ban on importing endangered species
OCTOBER 13, 2003
$18.6 million Forest Service study says outsourcing its jobs would rarely be cost-effective
OCTOBER 17, 2003
EPA announces it will not regulate dioxins in sewage sludge dumped on land
OCTOBER 31, 2003
EPA declines to restrict use of pesticide atrazine
NOVEMBER 4, 2003
Superfund cleanups lag for third straight year
NOVEMBER 4, 2003
Environmentalists criticize revised everglades-recovery plan for failing to ensure natural water flow
NOVEMBER 13, 2003
Park Service workers charge that Bush policies will "destroy the grand legacy of our national parks"
NOVEMBER 14, 2003
Bush administration loses bid to increase ozone-depleting methyl bromide
NOVEMBER 18, 2003
Administration admits blame for kill of 34,000 salmonids in Klamath River (see SEPTEMBER 21, 2002)
NOVEMBER 18, 2003
EPA proposes looser regulations on dumping low-level radioactive waste in landfills
DECEMBER 3, 2003
Bush signs "Healthy Forests" bill: more logging, less species protection on millions of acres
DECEMBER 4, 2003
EPA seeks to reclassify mercury as "nontoxic"
DECEMBER 5, 2003
Bureau of Land Management proposes weakening rules for grazing livestock on federal land
DECEMBER 9, 2003
Federal violation notices to polluters down almost 60 percent; almost 30 percent fewer fines
DECEMBER 16, 2003
White House abandons plans to weaken Clean Water Act protections for wetlands
DECEMBER 17, 2003
Defense Department urged to protect endangered tortoise during robot race
DECEMBER 17, 2003
Federal judge overturns administration decision not to protect orcas in Puget Sound
DECEMBER 19, 2003
Forest Service opens grizzly bear habitat to snowmobiles in Montana's Flathead National Forest
DECEMBER 23, 2003
Forest Service continues to allow logging in Tongass, world's largest temperate rainforest
DECEMBER 24, 2003
Federal court blocks EPA plan to weaken Clean Air Act by exempting power plants from review
JANUARY 1, 2004
Only 50 companies agree to Bush administration's voluntary plan to cut global-warming emissions
JANUARY 8, 2004
$175 million Superfund shortfall prevents cleanups at 11 sites, slows down others
JANUARY 7, 2004
White House proposes overturning ban on mining near streams
JANUARY 9, 2004
Pentagon to seek more environmental exemptions
JANUARY 9, 2004
Forest Service limits citizens' right to challenge logging plans by appeal or in court
JANUARY 13, 2004
Federal court overturns Bush administration's weakening of energy efficiency for air conditioners
JANUARY, 21 2004
Interior secretary asks to triple number of gas-drilling permits in Wyoming
JANUARY 22, 2004
EPA scales back monitoring of smokestack pollution
JANUARY 22, 2004
Interior Department opens 9 million acres on Alaska's North Slope to oil drilling
JANUARY 23, 2004
Forest Service plans to boost logging on up to 3.2 million acres of Appalachian forests
JANUARY 27, 2004
White House says EPA doesn't have to study pesticide effects on imperiled wildlife
JANUARY 29, 2004
Bush administration proposes letting contractors police federal nuclear-plant safety
JANUARY 30, 2004
Parts of EPA's mercury-pollution plan lifted verbatim from industry memos
FEBRUARY 2, 2004
Bush budget proposes $10 million cut in funds for endangered species
FEBRUARY 5, 2004
EPA admits twice as many children (630,000) in danger from mercury exposure
FEBRUARY 6, 2004
Clean Air Act changes undermining enforcement, says former EPA official
FEBRUARY 9, 2004
Energy development allowed inside Colorado and Utah's Dinosaur National Monument
FEBRUARY 11, 2004
Forest Service plan allows mining, drilling in Alabama's national forests
FEBRUARY 13, 2004
EPA no longer to require "worst case scenarios" from industry
FEBRUARY 15, 2004
Forest Service allows poisoning of prairie dogs in four states
FEBRUARY 16, 2004
White House ignores threat from gasoline additive MTBE
FEBRUARY 18, 2004
U.S. Navy plans to dredge endangered turtle habitat in Key West
FEBRUARY 18, 2004
20 Nobel Prize—winning scientists say administration distorts science for political gain
FEBRUARY 24, 2004
Federal mine-safety official demoted after questioning mine accident investigation
FEBRUARY 27, 2004
Missouri River management plan ignores fish protections
MARCH 3, 2004
Administration proposes to relax rules on killing wolves in Idaho and Montana
MARCH 9, 2004
358 conservation scientists urge administration to halt plan to import endangered species
MARCH 10, 2004
Forest Service hires PR firm to promote Sierra Nevada plan that would triple logging
MARCH 11, 2004
EPA inspector general says agency's rosy drinking-water assessments used false data
MARCH 12, 2004
Forest Service relents: no snowmobiles in grizzly habitat in Montana's Flathead National Forest
MARCH 15, 2004
Court rules BLM illegally opened Montana area to off-road vehicles
MARCH 16, 2004
EPA approves plan to inject toxic waste underground in Michigan wells
MARCH 19, 2004
FDA warnings on mercury in tuna not strong enough, scientists charge
MARCH 24, 2004
NRDC sues Bush administration for withholding records on perchlorate in drinking water
MARCH 25, 2004
BLM suspends plans for energy development at Dinosaur National Monument, Colo. and Utah
MARCH 26, 2004
Delay in phaseout of dangerous methyl bromide pesticide negotiated by United States
MARCH 30, 2004
Federal court orders Bush administration to release forest-planning documents
MARCH 31, 2004
Federal judge orders Energy Department to release more Cheney energy-task-force records
MARCH 31, 2004
EPA prosecution of environmental crimes even weaker under new administrator
APRIL 1, 2004
Bush administration worked behind scenes to weaken European Union chemical safety rules
APRIL 1, 2004
Mining whistleblower accuses Bush administration of cover-up in huge coal-sludge spill
APRIL 2, 2004
Bush administration sells 155 acres in Colorado to Phelps Dodge Corporation for $875
APRIL 6, 2004
EPA weakens safety rules for rat poison at industry's behest
APRIL 7, 2004
White House downplays effects of mercury from coal-fired power plants
APRIL 8, 2004
Interior secretary allows aerial hunting of Alaska wolves to continue
APRIL 9, 2004
Interior Department blocks release of data on oil drilling to Environmental Working Group
APRIL 11, 2004
Bush administration budget asks for $35 million cut in lead-poisoning prevention
APRIL 13, 2004
Administration spending more on nuclear weapons research than in Cold War, report says
APRIL 15, 2004
Fish and Wildlife Service rejects protection for Yellowstone trumpeter swans
APRIL 19, 2004
39 state attorneys general urge denial of Pentagon's request for environmental exemptions
APRIL 20, 2004
Yellowstone Park employees advised to wear hearing protection from snowmobile noise
APRIL 22, 2004
National Council of Churches strongly criticizes Bush's air-pollution policies
APRIL 28, 2004
USDA weakens organic-food standards, allowing hormones, feed raised with pesticides
APRIL 28, 2004
Interior Department limits designations of critical habitat for endangered species
APRIL 29, 2004
Report shows that more than half of all Americans live in areas with hazardous levels of smog
MAY 3, 2004
Power companies have raised $6.6 million for Bush, Republicans, report says
MAY 12, 2004
Scientists say Yucca Mountain nuclear facility could leak far sooner than Energy Department claims
MAY 21, 2004
Whistle-blowing federal biologist quits over politicized decision-making
MAY 21, 2004
EPA officials with timber ties weaken toxic formaldehyde standards for plywood industry
MAY 26, 2004
USDA backs down, keeps organic-food standards (see APRIL 28, 2004)
MAY 27, 2004
U.S. Army retracts order to cut some environmental-protection practices
MAY 28, 2004
Army Corps lets sewers, ditches "mitigate" loss of streams to mountaintop-removal mining
MAY 28, 2004
A dozen major national parks hit by cutbacks to visitor services and staffing
JUNE 1, 2004
Federal court rejects EPA's proposed snowmobile standards
JUNE 1, 2004
Administration delays greater protection for marbled murrelet to benefit timber industry
JUNE 2, 2004
Exemption of military from migratory-bird-protection rules proposed by administration
JUNE 2, 2004
New EPA rules allow more fine-particle pollution from 1,000 industrial plants
JUNE 3, 2004
Bush's 2005 budget zeroes out funding for research on abrupt climate change
JUNE 7, 2004
Bush wins ruling to allow Mexican trucks into U.S. without meeting clean-air standards
JUNE 8, 2004
Reduction in Snake and Columbia River water releases, harming Northwest salmon, announced
JUNE 15, 2004
Administration's pro-oil, pro-nuke energy proposal stalled in Congress
JUNE 24, 2004
Supreme Court ruling allows Cheney to keep energy-task-force secrets until after election
JULY 8, 2004
Bush team pushes one of biggest timber sales in U.S. history under guise of fire protection
JULY 12, 2004
Administration proposes forcing states to pay 2.5 times more for public transit than for roads
JULY 12, 2004
Administration to eliminate Clinton-era roadless rule, ending protections for 58.5 million acres
JULY 16, 2004
Fish and Wildlife Service to end protection for eastern wolves and abandon reintroduction plans
JULY 16, 2004
Bush refuses to release $34 million for international family planning appropriated by Congress
NOVEMBER 2, 2004
ELECTION DAY
from SIERRA magazine, September/October 2004
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra
===
Office of Counsel
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The Office of Counsel to the President of the United States—also known as the Counsel to the President, White House Office Counsel and White House Counsel—"advises the President on all legal issues concerning the President and the White House." [1] The White House Counsel is a staff appointee of the President. [2]
The Office of Counsel has existed since 1941, as each President has set up in the White House what President Dwight D. Eisenhower's "counsel Gerald Morgan called the 'Just-Us Department': an office on his immediate staff that could give him advice directly -- and independently of the institutional resources of his cabinet." [3]
| Contents [hide] <ul><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#George_W._Bush_administration"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">George W. Bush administration</span></a></font><ul><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#Expanded_White_House_legal_office"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Expanded White House legal office</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#About_the_new_members"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">About the new members</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#Deputy_Assistants"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Deputy Assistants</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#Other_Assistants"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1.4</span> <span class="toctext">Other Assistants</span></font></a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#Former_Members_of_the_Office"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Former Members of the Office</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#Resources_and_articles"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Resources and articles</span></a></font><ul><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#Related_SourceWatch_articles"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Related SourceWatch articles</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#References"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#General_Information"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3.3</span> <span class="toctext">General Information</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#White_House_Office_staff_lists"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3.4</span> <span class="toctext">White House Office staff lists</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Counsel#External_articles"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3.5</span> <span class="toctext">External articles</span></font></a></li></ul></li></ul> |
George W. Bush administration
On January 9, 2007, it was announced that President George W. Bush was to appoint veteran Washington lawyer Fred F. Fielding as White House Counsel. [4]
President Bush's first White House Counsel was Alberto R. Gonzales (2001-2005), who is now U.S. Attorney General. He was succeeded in February 2005 by Harriet E. Miers, at one time under consideration as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Miers resigned January 5, 2007. [5]
Expanded White House legal office
"The White House has expanded its legal team to handle the fights it is having with the new Democratic Congress," Deb Reichmann wrote June 8, 2007, for the Associated Press.[1]
"Since becoming President Bush's new lawyer in February [2007], Fred Fielding has created five new positions in the White House counsel's office, expanding the staff to 22 lawyers, the White House said ... Fielding also has filled a handful of empty desks in his office.
"Fielding is strengthening the staff to deal with an avalanche of requests the White House is getting from lawmakers investigating the flap over the firings of U.S. attorneys, missing e-mails, prewar intelligence and other matters," Reichmann wrote.
"'The White House is laying in its stone wall,' said John Flannery, a former federal prosecutor and a Democratic activist. 'They are preparing to deflect the subpoenas for Rove and Miers from the beaches of Capitol Hill to the heights of the Supreme Court if necessary.'"[2]
On June 8, 2007, the following were named by President George W. Bush to serve in the Office of Counsel: J. Michael Farren was named to serve as a Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President. Ferran replaces William K. Kelley.[3]
William Burck and Emmet Flood were each named to serve as a Deputy Assistant to the President and Special Counsel to the President. Scott Coffina, Amy F. Dunathan, Francis Q. Hoang, Al Lambert, Michael Purpura, and Kate Todd were each named to serve as an Associate Counsel to the President.[4]
On June 18, 2007, it was announced that Stephen D. Potts, Chairman of the Ethics Resource Center, will join the Office of Counsel in July 2007 as an Associate Counsel to the President.[5]
About the new members
It should be noted that, of the ten new members of the Office of Counsel named by President Bush on June 8, 2007, three come directly from the offices of Fred Fielding's former law firm Wiley Rein & Fielding, LLP, namely Amy F. Dunathan, Al Lambert, and Kate Todd.[6] A fourth, Scott Coffina, who recently served as a Partner at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads in Philadelphia, is "a friend" with Fielding and a former associate at Wiley Rein & Fielding.[7]
Stephen D. Potts, Chairman of the Ethics Resource Center since 2004, was also previously connected with Fielding, whom Potts has "known for many years". Fielding served as ERC's Vice Chair before his appointment as White House Counsel in January 2007.[8]
Two come from the offices of Williams & Connolly, LLP,[9] which represents "highly visible criminal cases throughout the country",[10] namely Emmet Flood and Francis Q. Hoang.[11]
Another, Michael Purpura, recently served as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice as "a top aide" to Deputy AG Paul J. McNulty, who "resigned amid the controversy over the firing of U.S. Attorneys."[12]
Of the ten, three have direct ties to current members of the Supreme Court: William Burck served as a Law Clerk to Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and Emmet Flood served as a Law Clerk to Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.[13] Also, Kate Todd's husband is a Law Clerk to Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr..[14]
Additionally, Farren was previously connected with the Republican National Committee, having served as White House liaison from 1981 to 1983.[15]
Deputy Assistants
There have been two Deputy Assistants to the President who concurrently served as Deputy Counsel to the President: Timothy E. Flanigan (2001-2003) and David G. Leitch (2003- ).
J. Michael Farren was named on June 8, 2007, to serve as both Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President.[16] Ferran replaces William K. Kelley, "who will return to his teaching job at Notre Dame at the end of [June 2007]" and "has been caught up in the U.S. attorney controversy."[17]
Other Assistants
Additionally, there have been a number of Special Assistants to the President, Associate Counsels to the President, and Executive Assistants to the Counsel of the President. They are often simply referred to as "White House lawyers" and "Bush administration lawyers".
- H. Chris Bartolomucci (2002-2004)
- Bradford A. Berenson (2001-2003) [6]
- Rachel Brand (2002- ) [7]
- Jennifer Brosnahan (2003- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Reginald J. Brown (2004)
- William Burck (2007- ; Deputy Assistant to the President and Special Counsel to the President)
- James W. Caroll (2004)
- Robert W. Cobb (2001-2002) [8]
- Scott Coffina (2007- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Philip A. Cooney
- Grant Dixton (2004- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Charles Duggan (2004- )
- Amy F. Dunathan (2007- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Paul R. Eckert (2006- )
- Courtney Simmons Elwood (2002)
- Nanette R. Everson (2003- )
- Leslie Fahrenkopf (2004; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Emmet Flood (2007- ; Deputy Assistant to the President and Special Counsel to the President)
- Noel J. Francisco (2002-2004)
- Dabney Friedrich (2004- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Brett Gerry (Associate Counsel to the President)
- Francis Q. Hoang (2007- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Brett M. Kavanaugh (2002-2004) [9]
- William K. Kelley (Deputy Counsel to the President)
- Richard Klingler (2006- ; Senior Associate Counsel) [10]
- Al Lambert (2007- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Emily A. Lawrimore (2006- )
- Melinda Loftin (2001) [11]
- Thomas A. Manheim (2004)
- Edward McNally, Sr. (2004) (Associate Counsel to the President) [12]
- Jennifer Newstead (2002-2004)
- Christopher G. Oprison (2006- )
- Richard Painter (2006- ; Associate Counsel to the President) [13]
- Stephen D. Potts (2007- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Benjamin A. Powell (2002- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Michael Purpura (2007- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Naomi Rao (Associate Counsel to the President)
- Michael Scudder Jr. (2007- ; Associate Counsel) [18][19]
- Kate Todd (2007- ; Associate Counsel to the President)
- Jason Torchinsky (2005)
- Ted Ullyot (2003-2004) [14]
- Helgi C. Walker (2001-2003) [15]
- Raul F. Yanes (2004-2006)
Former Members of the Office
- John B. Bellinger, III, Senior Associate Counsel to the President and Legal Adviser to the National Security Council (2001-2005) [16]
- Lloyd N. Cutler, White House Counsel under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton
- Lanny Davis, Special White House Counsel under President Bill Clinton
- John W. Dean, White House Counsel under President Richard Nixon
- C. Boyden Gray, White House Counsel under President George H.W. Bush
- Jeffrey R. Holmstead, Associate Counsel to the President under President George H.W. Bush [17]
- Beth Nolan, former Counsel to the President and Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel under President Bill Clinton [18]
- Robert J. Portman, Associate Counsel to the President and Director of the White House office of Legislative Affairs under President George H.W. Bush
- Stephen G. Rademaker, Associate Counsel to the President under President George H.W. Bush
- John G. Roberts, Jr., Associate Counsel under President Ronald Reagan
Resources and articles
Related SourceWatch articles
- 9/11 Commission
- Bush's White House Staff
- David S. Addington
- executive privilege
- James E. Sharp (Bush's personal outside counsel for Valerie Plame case) [19][20]
- Office of Special Counsel
- Paul D. Clement
- presidential signing statements
- Samuel A. Alito, Jr.
- The case for impeachment of President George W. Bush
- Theodore B. Olson
- U.S. Department of Justice
References
- ↑ Deb Reichmann, "White House Expands Its Legal Team," Associated Press (FederalNewsRadio.com), June 8, 2007.
- ↑ Ron Hutcheson, "Bush beefs up corps of lawyers. Moves to confront Congress' probes," McClatchy Newspapers (News Observer), June 9, 2007.
- ↑ News Release: Personnel Announcement, Office of the White House Press Secretary, June 8, 2007.
- ↑ News Release: Personnel Announcement, Office of the White House Press Secretary, June 8, 2007.
- ↑ "Potts Leaves ERC Chair to Become Associate Counsel to the President," PRNewswire-USNewswire, June 18, 2007.
- ↑ News Release: Personnel Announcement, Office of the White House Press Secretary, June 8, 2007.
- ↑ Alexis Simendinger, "WH Counsel Expands Legal Team," The Gate/National Journal, June 8, 2007.
- ↑ "Potts Leaves ERC Chair to Become Associate Counsel to the President," PRNewswire-USNewswire, June 18, 2007.
- ↑ Williams & Connolly, LLP website, accessed June 19, 2007.
- ↑ "Our Firm," Williams & Connolly, LLP, accessed June 19, 2007.
- ↑ News Release: Personnel Announcement, Office of the White House Press Secretary, June 8, 2007.
- ↑ Peter Lattman, "White House Staffs Up Its 'Great Little Law Firm'," Law Blog/Wall Street Journal, June 8, 2007.
- ↑ News Release: "Personnel Announcement," Office of the White House Press Secretary, June 8, 2007.
- ↑ David Lat, "Musical Chairs: Fred Fielding Beefs Up the White House Counsel's Office," AboveTheLaw.com, February 14, 2007.
- ↑ Profile: J. Michael Farren, Forbes, accessed June 19, 2007.
- ↑ News Release: Personnel Announcement, Office of the White House Press Secretary, June 8, 2007.
- ↑ Peter Baker, "Besieged White House Reinforces Counsel's Office," Washington Post, June 9, 2007.
- ↑ Peter Baker and R. Jeffrey Smith, "Miers Steps Down As White House Gears Up for Battle," Washington Post, January 5, 2007.
- ↑ Jason McLure, "White House Counsel Taps Two Former N.Y. Prosecutors," Legal Times, May 14, 2007.
General Information
- White House Counsel in the Wikipedia.
- White House 2001 Project, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy.
White House Office staff lists
- George W. Bush: Administration of the Government. Office of Counsel (EOP, The White House Office), The American President, 2003 (last updated January 18, 2005).
- Dan Froomkin, 2003 White House Office Staff List - Alphabetical, Washington Post (accurate as of June 20, 2003).
- Dan Froomkin, 2004 White House Office Staff List - Alphabetical and By Title, Washington Post (accurate as of June 12, 2004).
- "The Bush Administration," Encyclopedia at History.com, October 2004.
- Dan Froomkin, 2005 White House Office Staff List - By Salary, Washington Post (accurate as of July 1, 2005).
External articles
- Ronald D. Rotunda, "White House Counsel and the Attorney Client Privilege," The Federalist Society, 2001.
- "The Decision Makers: Justice Department," National Journal (GovExec.com), August 30, 2005.
- Michael A. Fletcher, "White House Counsel Miers Chosen for Court," Washington Post, October 4, 2005.
- Robin Mullins Boyd, "The truth About Qualifications," OpinionEditorials.com, October 17, 2005.
- Marcia Coyle, "Alito's 'Murder Board' a Mix of the Legal Elite. Ted Olson, Harriet Miers on rehearsal staff," The National Law Journal (Law.com), January 30, 2006.
- Rob McManamy, "White House counsel Painter to speak today," The University of Chicago Chronicle, May 11, 2006.
- Jane Hamsher, "Murray Waas to Join Daily Kos Panel," Firedoglake Blog, May 17, 2006.
- Mike Allen, "Into the Fray. After years of pulling away from Mideast diplomacy, the White House is forced, reluctantly, to undergo sudden immersion,"TIME Magazine, July 23, 2006.
- Ron Brynaert, "Time: Presidential adviser wants Bush to 'beef up' White House Counsel's office fearing possible Dem-controlled House probes," The Raw Story, July 23, 2006.
- Greg Grandin, "Former Bush Administration Lawyer Still Flacking for Torture," AlterNet, September 21, 2006. re John C. Yoo
- Julie Hirschfeld Davis, "Bush is bracing for new scrutiny. White House hiring lawyers in expectation of Democratic probe," Baltimore Sun, December 26, 2006; posted by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) (from *Chicago Tribune*), December 27, 2006.
- Peter Baker and R. Jeffrey Smith, "Miers Steps Down As White House Gears Up for Battle," Washington Post, January 5, 2007.
- "Veteran Washington Lawyer Named Counsel," Associated Press (Forbes), January 9, 2007.
- David Lat, "Musical Chairs: Fred Fielding Beefs Up the White House Counsel's Office," AboveTheLaw.com, February 14, 2007.
- Alexis Simendinger, "WH Counsel Expands Legal Team," The Gate/National Journal, June 8, 2007.
- Peter Lattman, "White House Staffs Up Its 'Great Little Law Firm'," Law Blog/Wall Street Journal, June 8, 2007.
- Deb Reichmann, "White House Expands Its Legal Team," Associated Press (FederalNewsRadio.com), June 8, 2007.
- Marq, "Why Is George Bush Lawyering Up If Everything Is Above Board?" Specious Reasoning, June 8, 2007.
- Peter Baker, "Besieged White House Reinforces Counsel's Office," Washington Post, June 9, 2007.
- Maura Reynolds, "White House counsel adds staff to handle inquiries. The office hires nine attorneys in the face of a growing number of congressional investigations," Los Angeles Times, June 9, 2007.
- Ron Hutcheson, "Bush beefs up corps of lawyers. Moves to confront Congress' probes," McClatchy Newspapers (News Observer), June 9, 2007.
- Frank Rich, "When Will Afredo Get Whacked?" New York Times, March 25, 2007.
- Murray Waas, "The Case of the Gonzales Notes," The *Atlantic*, Sept. 26 2008.
- Murray Waas, "What Did Bush Tell Gonzales?" The Atlantic, Sept. 26, 2008.
:{==
}:
:{Holy Cow 2000:
The Strange Election of George W. Bush
Kenneth O'Reilly}:
RTC set up under b1 to deal w/ s&l, L Jean Lewis launched WW
Rehnquist poll watcher suppress RMN, admitted former not latter in conf hearings
extensive on B v G , 5 justices define white suburban voters as ppl
BC: no one in history has ever been "prosecuted for lying in a depostion about consensual sex immaterial in a civil case that had been tossed"
Ginny Th gathered resumes at heritage includinf scalia son, recess appt dept of labor; Wm Barr WW, other son greenberg T
Justice kennedy surrounded by 4 fedsoc clerks
BBR: John Sweeney R NY "shut it down"
stone in RV monitor demos radio
2 delay aides, house staffer, RNC, congr aides KS, tenn, iowa, s caro, alaska (all connected to delay except one for fred thompson)
delay wd make sure in house deadlock wd go to b2 or denny hastert
tom feeny incoming spkr coord w/ delay and k harris (delay 20K to kh)
busj sis dora screamed at gore house
Bush-Cheney spent 13.8m$ on recount; 192 lawyers got 4.4m$ (vs 3.2 gore) 2 mil hotel/travel
wayne newton sang at party and inaug; 10k$ party, costumes
:{Novak hit puece on reno, fbi info?
}:
:{3 BB guys filed paperwork 9 hrs to spare that cd have led to 7m$ fines: matt schlapp, rory cooper hud/homeland --> nasa; Garry Malphrus
}:
:{Joel Kaplan (scalia clerk, stopped recount?) honeland then OMB dep dir
}:
:{James R Wilkinson (Rice, Hank Paulson?) war room tommy franks threatened reporter Wolff
}:
:{John R Bolton under sec state arms control
}:
JGRoberts jr starr rehnquist clerk cabal (dep sol under Starr) lawyer lobby for cosmetics (ani mal test) ~ CRM?(nat archicve cd not find files after confirmation)
AG Wn French Smith
:{claimed he did not remember fedsoc membership
}:
:{don evans pvt jet, halib, occidental, reliant, anadarko; enron 300k inaug
}:
Joshua Bolten spin for enron CoS after card quit
enron ed gillespie during CA gloated about effing$ stolen from grandma
Zoellick
K Mehlman
Brad Blakeman
jon bridgeland
henry henrick
barry jackson, matt rhoades opps res
kristen silverberg
stuart bowen jr
recount: ted olson
paul clement
...he bud cumins
tim griffin
hans a spak
DOJ: barb comstock (3 brbs w/ Ledeen and Olson) Blank Rome law firm; RNC dir res, bright gore file to fla w/ dan burton vince foster comm on gov reform
ashley davis tom ridge 2/3 of DHS evecs rev dr
asa hutcheson, ran gov did what he said BC did in WW?
chertoff not Fla but WW
tony snow (not recoubt) hooked tripp to goldberg
TD press sec emily j miller flak colin powell (abramoff)
fema, state dept, R ted cruz rehnquust clerk
ctw?
ned l siegal amb bahamas
robt bonner (gibson)Greenberg T, baker bottsPatrick Wood FERC
nat rep lawyers assoc 25 got b2 gigs
ww ppl got b2 gigs eg gen counsel DC
Julie Myers went after susan mcDougal, ICE, KBR got 385m$ to build 4 pruisons over the 23 existing, meatplant sweep, some arrestees wnt to taylot Tx jail owned by CCA (cheney son in law lobbied before DHS); kids got uniforms and # at the T Don Hutto res ctr (jm went to party fotoa w/ guy in blackface
:{l jean lewis dod gig offuice insp gen'l pres bitch biz out of office
}:
:{Ben Ginsberg
}:
:{
}:
===
1. Dick Cheney — The worst Dick since Nixon. The man who shot his friend while in office. The “most powerful and controversial vice president.” Until he got the job, people used to actually think it was a bad thing that the vice presidency has historically been a do-nothing position. Asked by PBS’s Jim Lehrer about why people hate him, Cheney rejected the premise, saying, “I don’t buy that.” His top placement in our survey says otherwise.
2. Karl Rove — There wasn’t a scandal in the Bush administration that Rove didn’t have his fingerprints all over — see Plame, Iraq war deception, Gov. Don Siegelman, U.S. Attorney firings, missing e-mails, and more. As senior political adviser and later as deputy chief of staff, “The Architect” was responsible for politicizing nearly every agency of the federal government.:{
- Alberto Gonzales — Fundamentally dishonest and woefully incompetent, Gonzales was involved in a series of scandals, first as White House counsel and then as Attorney General. Some of the most notable: pressuring a “feeble” and “barely articulate” Attorney General Ashcroft at his hospital bedside to sign off on Bush’s illegal wiretapping program; approving waterboarding and other torture techniques to be used against detainees; and leading the firing of U.S. Attorneys deemed not sufficiently loyal to Bush.}:
4. Donald Rumsfeld — After winning praise for leading the U.S. effort in ousting the Taliban from Afghanistan in 2001, the former Defense Secretary stronglyadvocated for the invasion of Iraq and then grossly misjudged and mishandled its aftermath. Rumsfeld is also responsible for authorizing the use of tortureagainst terror detainees in U.S. custody; according to a bipartisan Senate report, Rumsfeld “conveyed the message that physical pressures and degradation were appropriate treatment for detainees.”
5. Michael Brown — This formercommissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association was appointed by Bush to head FEMA in 2003. After Katrina made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, Brownie promptly did a “heck of a job” bungling the government’s relief efforts, and was sent back to Washington a few days later. He was forced to resign shortly thereafter.
6. Paul Wolfowitz — As Deputy Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2005, Wolfowitz was one of the primary architects of the Iraq war, arguing for the invasion as early as Sept. 15, 2001. Testifying before Congress in February 2003, Wolfowitz said that it was “hard to conceive that it would take more forces to provide stability in post-Saddam Iraq than it would take to conduct the war itself.” Wolfowitz eventually admitted that “for bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction,” as a justification for war, “because it was the one reason everyone [in the administration] could agree on.”
7. David Addington — “Cheney’s Cheney” was the “most powerful man you’ve never heard of.” As the leader of Bush’s legal team and Cheney’s chief of staff, Addington was the biggest proponent of some of Bush’s most notorious legal abuses, such as torture and warrantless surveillance, and is a loyal followerof the so-called unitary executive theory.
:{
- Stephen Johnson — The “Alberto Gonzales of the environment,” EPA Administrator Johnson subverted the agency’s mission at the behest of the White House and corporate interests, suppressing staff recommendations on pesticides, mercury, lead paint, smog, and global warming.}:
9. Douglas Feith — Undersecretary of Defense for Policy from 2001-2005, Feith headed up the notorious Office of Special Plans, an in-house Pentagon intelligence shop devised by Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz to produce intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq. A subsequent investigation by the Pentagon’s Inspector General found the OSP’s work produced “conclusions that were not fully supported by the available intelligence.”
10. John Bolton — As Undersecretary of State, Bolton offered a strong voice in favor of invading Iraq and pushed for the U.S. to disengage from the International Criminal Court and key international arms control agreements. A recess appointment landed Bolton the job of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, despite his stringent animosity toward the world body. Today, he spends his time calling for war with Iran.
11. John Yoo — As a lawyer for the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, Yoo authored a series of legal memos giving military interrogators authority to use torture and coercive techniques when interviewing terrorist suspects. Yoo said that only those techniques that inflict pain equivalent to “death, organ failure or permanent damage resulting in a loss of significant body functions” constitute torture. Last year, he refused to answer whether or not the president could order a detainee to be buried alive.
12. Ari Fleischer — Bush’s first press secretary helped redefine the role as that of liar-in-chief rather than informer of the public, earning a reputation as “the world’s most dishonest flack.” Whereas his successors sometimes looked uncomfortable lying, Fleischer was having fun, spinning a cowed and gullible press corps through two massive tax cuts and the initiation of a war undertaken on false pretenses.
13. John Ashcroft — In 2003, as Bush’s first Attorney General, Ashcroft approved waterboarding and other torture techniques on detainees. Ashcroft’s nomination was controversial, as he had a history of opposing school desegregation. The chief architect of the invasive Patriot Act, Ashcroft maintains to this day that Bush is “among the most respectful of all leaders ever” of civil liberties.
14. Henry Paulson — Even as the financial system was crashing down around him, Treasury Secretary Paulson insisted for months that the banking system was “safe and sound.” Once he decided that the economy needed saving, Paulson requested nearly unfettered authority to send billions of taxpayer dollars to banks with no oversight.
15. L. Paul Bremer — This Presidential Medal of Freedom winner took over the Coalition Provisional Authority in May 2003. Under his mismanagement, the insurgency exploded in Iraq. Bremer claimed he had all the troops he needed to secure the country, overestimated the strength of the new U.S.-trained Iraqi army, disbanded the Iraqi army leaving thousands of Iraqi soldiers with no income and no occupation, and enacted a de-Baathification law that barred many experienced Iraqis from government positions.
16. Bradley Schlozman — As a recent DOJ Inspector General report demonstrates, Schlozman was a central figure in Bush’s politicization of the Justice Department. Violating civil service laws, Schlozman used political and ideological considerations to ensure that only “right-thinking Americans” received jobs. He eventually lied to Congress about his efforts.
17. J. Steven Griles — A former energy lobbyist and no. 2 official in the Interior Department, Griles went to jail for lying to Congress about illegal favors he did for corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Griles also abused his position “to unlock nearly every legal barrier to exploitation” of our nation’s oil and mineral reserves. Before his conviction, Griles left the White House to become a lobbyist for ConocoPhillips.
18. Condoleezza Rice — As Bush’s national security adviser, Rice was another strong advocate for invading Iraq, once famously warning that the U.S. should attack Iraq and not wait for solid proof of its WMD because “we don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.” Rice also ignored an urgent warningfrom the CIA before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that a strike inside the U.S. was imminent.
19. Scooter Libby — Cheney’s former chief of staff was a key player in the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame as part of the Bush administration’s quest to punish Plame’s husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, for publishing an op-ed debunking one of the White House’s main justifications for invading Iraq. Libby was ultimately convicted of perjury and obstructing justice in a federal investigation into Plame’s outing but later had his 30-month prison sentence commuted by Bush. :{
- Monica Goodling — Goodling was the most notorious graduate of Pat Robertson’s Regent University during her tenure in the Justice Department. As the White House liaison at the DOJ, she based the department’s hiring of candidates on their sexual preference, GOP loyalty, and adherence to conservative ideology.
- Alphonso Jackson — As Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Jackson let the U.S. housing market crumble while he was busy giving lucrative contracts to his golfing buddies, retaliating against Bush critics, and erecting giant photo homages to himself.}:
22. Michael Hayden — As director of the National Security Agency, Hayden ran Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program and misled Congress about the program’s legality. After moving to the CIA, he dismissed the destruction of evidence implicating the CIA in torture as “in line with the law.”
23. Lurita Doan — The former head of the General Services Administration (GSA)who doled out a no-bid contract to a friend, Doan famously hosted a meeting of White House political operatives where she asked how GSA employees could “help ‘our candidates’ in the next election.” After the Office of Special Counsel called for her firing, she was forced to resign
24. Gale Norton — A former industry lobbyist and Bush’s first Secretary of the Interior, Norton pushed a radical ideological agenda “through regulatory rollbacks, suppression of science, preferential treatment, and collusion with industry” — including doctoring scientific findings on the impacts of oil drilling on caribou. After resigning under the cloud of ties to Jack Abramoff, she joined Shell Oil.
25. Lester Crawford — After promising to act on the morning-after contraceptive pill during his confirmation hearings, the former FDA Commissioner “indefinitely postponed nonprescription sales of emergency contraception over the objections of staff scientists who had declared the pill safe.” Crawford resigned after just two months on the job and later pleaded guilty “to charges that he hid his ownership of stock in food and drug companies that his agency regulated.”
26. Harriet Miers — Well-known for being Bush’s failed Supreme Court nominee, Miers also thought it was “important” to her as White House Counsel that Rove protege Tim Griffin was installed as a U.S. Attorney, making her a central figure in the U.S. Attorney scandal. She is said to have called Bush “the most brilliant man she had ever met.”
27. Hans Von Spakovsky — Originally a political appointee in the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department, Spakovsky “injected partisan political factors into decision-making” and used every opportunity “to make it difficult for voters — poor, minority and Democratic — to go to the polls.” In 2008, Spakovsky withdrew his name from consideration for the FEC, following months of opposition from lawmakers and civil rights groups.
28. Tommy Franks — As head of U.S. Central Command from 2000 to 2003, Franks oversaw Osama bin Laden’s great escape from Afghanistan, gave orders for the stabilization of Iraq via PowerPoint, assumed that the U.S. would draw down to 25,000 troops by the end of 2004, and had American soldiers stand idly by as chaos and lawlessness took hold after the invasion.
29. Thomas Scully — As chief administrator for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Scully was the White House’s head negotiator on the Medicare prescription drug bill. Scully threatened to fire chief actuary Richard Foster if he revealed that Bush’s Medicare Part D legislation “would cost 25% to 50% more than the Bush administration’s public estimates.”
30. Julie MacDonald — A top Interior Department appointee, MacDonald “interjected herself personally and profoundly” and “tainted nearly every decisionmade on the protection of endangered species” over a five-year period, intimidating the staff with “abrupt and abrasive, if not abusive” tactics. MacDonald also leaked government documents to a young acquaintance whom she met while playing “internet role-playing games.”
31. William Haynes — As the former general counsel at the Defense Department, he was part of a five-person team of high-level administration lawyers, dubbed the “War Council,” that tossed the Geneva Conventions aside and hatched out the legal framework for torture in secret meetings.
32. David Safavian — Safavian was (twice) tried and convicted for his role in the jack Abramoff scandal. Safavian was found guilty of “lying and obstructing justice” in an attempt to cover-up “his many efforts to assist Abramoff in acquiring two properties controlled by the GSA.”
33. James Connaughton — As chairman of the White House Council of Environmental Quality, Connaughton wrote EPA press releases downplaying the danger of the air quality in lower Manhattan following 9/11. “A former lobbyist for utilities, mining, chemical, and other industrial polluters,” Connaughton insisted “there’s a lot of disagreement” about humans’ impact on global warming, and he touted a bogus study purporting to show that the 20th century was not unusually warm.
34. William Luti — A former Navy officer and Cheney aide, Luti was dispatched to the Pentagon in 2001 to work underneath Feith to find “evidence” to support his boss’s belief in conspiracy theories linking Saddam to al Qaeda. Luti was an integral component of Cheney’s campaign to pressure intelligence professionals to conform their judgments to administration policy rather than reality.
35. Susan Orr — As Assistant Deputy Secretary for Population Affairs, this former Family Research Council officialIt’s not a medical necessity that you have [contraception].”
36. Christopher Cox — Under Chairman Cox, the Securities and Exchange Commission censored internal reports showing that it ignored critical signs pointing to Wall Street’s meltdown. Cox’s SEC also failed to detect Bernie Madoff’s $50 billion Ponzi scheme, despite a decade of warnings.
37. Elliott Abrams — An Iran-Contra convict pardoned by Bush 41, Abrams was named by Bush 43 as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Democracy, Human Rights, and International Operations. As a foundingIsrael‘s 2006 bombing of Lebanon into Syria and advocated a Fatah coupafter Hamas won the February 2006 Palestinian elections.
38. Philip Cooney — A former oil lobbyist who served as chief of staff of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Cooney doctored climate reports to “soften” words and phrases linking greenhouse gas emissions to global warming. After his political interference was revealed, Cooney left the White House to become a lobbyist for Exxon.
39. Colin Powell — Though Bush called him “an American hero” when he appointed him to be the first African-American Secretary of State, Powell placed an ugly “blot” on his record when he pushed the Bush administration’s faulty case for the Iraq war in a speech to the U.N. on Feb.5, 2003, using inaccurate information. Liberal hawks and the media rallied around Powell’s false case, calling it the “winning hand” for war.
40. Elaine Chao — The Labor Secretary made it through all eight years of the Bush administration, driving morale at the Labor Department so low that staffers threw a “good-riddance party” to cheer her departure. She leaves behind a “deeply troubled department” that “spent eight years attacking workers’ rights, strong workplace health and safety rules, and unions while they carried the water for Big Business.”
41. Julie Myers — After being hired as head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement based on little more than her personal connections, Myers made herself famous by awarding “Most Original Costume” to an employee who dressed up in blackface and a prison costume for Halloween. She was also heavily criticized for conducting politically-motivated immigration raids.
42. Wade Horn — As Assistant Secretary for Community Initiatives at the Department of Health and Human Services, Horn funneled millions of tax-payer dollars into right-wing abstinence-only programs. Shortly before he resigned, it was revealed that he had given nearly $1 million “to the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI), where he was the president for at least three years until joining the Bush administration in 2001.”
43. George Deutsch — As a young, inexperienced press officer for NASA, Deutsch “told public affairs workers to limit reporters’ access to a top climate scientist and told a Web designer to add the word ‘theory’ at every mention of the Big Bang.” He resigned in 2006 after it was discovered he had lied on his resume, falsely claiming that he had a journalism degree from Texas A&M.
Dishonorable Mentions: Bush appointees who didn’t quite make the list included a child pornography aficionado, a patron of hookers, a shoplifter, a mail fraudster, an operator of an illegal horse gambling ring, and a CIA official who took bribes in the form of prostitutes.
Update
After we published this list in The Progress Report, Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), Chairman of the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Science and Technology Committee, contacted us to urge that OIRA head Susan Dudley be added to the list. Dudley headed the Mercatus Center at George Mason University before heading OIRA. “The Mercatus Center takes the view that regulation is never appropriate unless there has been a market failure, and the market never fails,” Miller said. “Dudley concocted elaborate explanations for how the market will eventually solve whatever the problem is. She was probably more responsible for EPA’s failings than Stephen Johnson.”
Rod PaigeChairman, Chartwell Education Group LLC; Former U...Henry M Paulson JrSecretary of Treasury under George W Bush; former...Lt Gen James PeakeSecretary of Veterans Affairs under George W BushDana M PerinoWhite House Press Secretary under George W BushMary PetersSecretary of Transportation under George W BushRobert Jones PortmanUS Senator and Representative from OhioAnthony J PrincipiCondoleezza RiceNational Security Advisor and Secretary of State...Tom RidgeLobbyist; Secretary of Homeland Security under...Karl RoveChief strategist and top advisor to George W BushDonald H RumsfeldSecretary of Defense under George W Bush and...Edward SchaferSecretary of Agriculture under George W BushSusan C SchwabUS Trade Representative under George W BushJohn W SnowRobert K SteelFormer Wachovia CEO; Under Secretary of Treasury...George TenetCIA director under George W BushTommy G ThompsonLobbyist; former Secretary of Health and Human...Ann M VenemanSecretary of Agriculture under George W BushChristine Todd WhitmanEPA Administrator under Geoge W Bush; former...Paul WolfowitzDeputy Secretary of Defense under George W bush;...Robert ZoellickUS Trade Representative and World Bank president...
| NAME | ABOUT |
|---|---|
| Spencer Abraham | former US Senator from Michigan |
| John Ashcroft | Former US Senator from Missouri, also served as... |
| Chuck Blahous | Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute & Social... |
| Samuel Bodman | 11th Secretary of Energy under George W Bush |
| Josh Bolten | Chief of Staff under George W Bush |
| John R Bolton | UN Ambassador from '05-'06 |
| George W Bush | 43rd US president, ex-governor of Texas, son of... |
| Nicholas Calio | President & CEO, Airlines for America |
| Roel C Campos | Former SEC Commissioner under George W Bush |
| Andrew H Card Jr | Chief of Staff under George W Bush |
| Elaine Chao | Secretary of Labor under George W Bush |
| Dick Cheney | Vice President under George W Bush;... |
| Michael Chertoff | Secretary of Homeland Security under George W... |
| John Claggett Danforth | US Senator from Missouri |
| William Donaldson | Former SEC Commissioner under George W Bush |
| Gordon R England | Deputy Secretary of Defense under George W Bush;... |
| Fred Fielding | White House Counsel under Ronald Reagan and... |
| Ari Fleischer | White House Press Secretary under George W Bush |
| Robert Gates | Secretary of Defense under George W Bush and... |
| Alberto Gonzales | Attorney General under George W Bush |
| Porter J Goss | US Representative from Florida; director of CIA... |
| Stephen J Hadley | |
| Joe Hagin | Deputy Chieif of Staff to George W Bush and... |
| Michael Hayden | CIA director under George W Bush; former NSA... |
| Alphonso Jackson | Secretary of HUD under George W Bush |
| Mike Johanns | U.S. Senator; Former governor of Nebraska;... |
| Stephen L Johnson | Administrator of EPA under George W Bush |
| Dirk Kempthorne | Secretary of Interior under George W Bush; former... |
| Zalmay Khalilzad | Ambassador to the UN and Iraq under George W Bush... |
| AB Krongard | Former executive director of the CIA |
| Mike Leavitt | Secretary of Health and Human Services under... |
| Scooter Libby | Chief of Staff to Dick Cheney during the George W... |
| Lt Gen Douglas Lute | Deputy National Security Advisor under George W... |
| Kevin J Martin | FCC chairman under George W Bush |
| Mel Martinez | US Senator from Florida |
| Scott McClellan | White House Press Secretary under George W Bush |
| Mike McConnell | former Director of National Intelligence under... |
| Harriet Miers | White House Counsel under George W Bush;... |
| Norman Y Mineta | US Representative from California |
| Robert Swan Mueller III | Director of FBI under George W Bush |
| Michael Mukasey | Attorney General under George W Bush; former US... |
| Mike Mullen | Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| Richard B Myers | |
| John D Negroponte | UN ambassador, Director of National Intelligence,... |
| Jim Nicholson | Secretary of Veteran Affairs under George W Bush;... |
| Gale Norton | Secretary of Interior under George W Bush |
| Paul H O'Neill | Treasury Secretary under George W Bush; former... |
| Meghan O'Sullivan | Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and... |
| Kathie Olsen | Former Deputy Director (Bush Appointee) of the... |
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| Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under... |