The Use of RNC E-Mail Accounts by White House Officials

Source: House Oversight

<snip>

* The number of White House officials given RNC e-mail accounts is higher than previously disclosed. In March 2007, White House spokesperson Dana Perino said that only a “handful of officials” had RNC e-mail accounts. In later statements, her estimate rose to “50 over the course of the administration.” In fact, the Committee has learned from the RNC that at least 88 White House officials had RNC e-mail accounts. The officials with RNC e-mail accounts include Karl Rove, the President’s senior advisor; Andrew Card, the former White House Chief of Staff; Ken Mehlman, the former White House Director of Political Affairs; and many other officials in the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Communications, and the Office of the Vice President.

* White House officials made extensive use of their RNC e-mail accounts. The RNC has preserved 140,216 e-mails sent or received by Karl Rove. Over half of these e-mails (75,374) were sent to or received from individuals using official “.gov” e-mail accounts. Other heavy users of RNC e-mail accounts include former White House Director of Political Affairs Sara Taylor (66,018 e-mails) and Deputy Director of Political Affairs Scott Jennings (35,198 e-mails). These e-mail accounts were used by White House officials for official purposes, such as communicating with federal agencies about federal appointments and policies.

* There has been extensive destruction of the e-mails of White House officials by the RNC. Of the 88 White House officials who received RNC e-mail accounts, the RNC has preserved no e-mails for 51 officials. In a deposition, Susan Ralston, Mr. Rove’s former executive assistant, testified that many of the White House officials for whom the RNC has no e-mail records were regular users of their RNC e-mail accounts. Although the RNC has preserved no e-mail records for Ken Mehlman, the former Director of Political Affairs, Ms. Ralston testified that Mr. Mehlman used his account “frequently, daily.” In addition, there are major gaps in the e-mail records of the 37 White House officials for whom the RNC did preserve e-mails. The RNC has preserved only 130 e-mails sent to Mr. Rove during President Bush’s first term and no e-mails sent by Mr. Rove prior to November 2003. For many other White House officials, the RNC has no e-mails from before the fall of 2006.

* There is evidence that the Office of White House Counsel under Alberto Gonzales may have known that White House officials were using RNC e-mail accounts for official business, but took no action to preserve these presidential records. In her deposition, Ms. Ralston testified that she searched Mr. Rove’s RNC e-mail account in response to an Enron-related investigation in 2001 and the investigation of Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald later in the Administration. According to Ms. Ralston, the White House Counsel’s office knew about these e-mails because “all of the documents we collected were then turned over to the White House Counsel’s office.” There is no evidence, however, that White House Counsel Gonzales initiated any action to ensure the preservation of the e-mail records that were destroyed by the RNC.


Read more: http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1362

I just wanted to see how it felt to belt that one out...eh not so much

in hopes of figuring out why my parents still support these freaks. So far, nothing.

The only explanation is that they've been so afraid for so long that their brains are becoming permanently rewired to ignore reality and accept whatever alternate reality Faux feeds them. My parents aren't fundies and they are socially liberal (like most people in the country), but they still love Bush because all their neighbors do.

..didn't work for me either.

Shocked. Shocked, I tell you!

This is standard operating procedure, for this administration.

A special prosecutor now. If the White House stonewalls on such an appointment, then there are clear grounds for impeachment.

This is a gross violation of the law, on a much larger scale than was seen during Watergate.

On the independent prosecutor or impeachment.

Is the ballot box our only other weapon? Do we have to get some Army guys and physically drag people in to testify under oath in court? We have got to start impeachment proceedings against Alberto.

Gonzales of course can't appoint the SP. McNulty is compromised as well. ("The indisputable fact is that United States attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president. They come and they go for lots of reasons."

Wonder who's next in line to appoint the Special Prosecutor.

glc

Special Prosecutor is appointed by a judge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_prosecutor#Federal_government

glc

There are several next steps that should be pursued in the investigation into the use of RNC e-mail accounts by White House officials. First, the records of federal agencies should be examined to assess whether they may contain some of the White House e-mails that have been destroyed by the RNC. The Committee has already written to 25 federal agencies to inquire about the e-mail records they may have retained from White House officials who used RNC and Bush Cheney ’04 e-mail accounts. Preliminary responses from the agencies indicate that they may have preserved official communications that were destroyed by the RNC.

Second, the Committee should investigate what former White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales knew about the use of political e-mail accounts by White House officials. If Susan Ralston’s testimony to the Committee is accurate, there is evidence that Mr. Gonzales or counsels working in his office knew in 2001 that Karl Rove was using his RNC e-mail account to communicate about official business, but took no action to preserve Mr. Rove’s official communications.

(and here's the new news...they are going after Bush/Cheney '04 Campaign for their emails)

Third, the Committee may need to issue compulsory process to obtain the cooperation of the Bush Cheney ’04 campaign. The campaign has informed the Committee that it provided e-mail accounts to 11 White House officials, but the campaign has unjustifiably refused to provide the Committee with basic information about these accounts, such as the identity of the White House officials and the number of e-mails that have been preserved.

"are spending more time with their families."

is about as sure as "we are making progress" in Iraq. Both never gonna happen.

Cheney regime all libel for violations

88 and more to come

Will Bush save them ??? Looking at Libby

NO
when it comes to King George he will run for the hills yelling a horse a kingdom for a horse

THEY FAILED and they will FAIL in ANYTHING THEY DO for it is a dark evil they have spread and Truth will shine

Corporate World Power is failing ... its last gasp the irony is the country which protected corporatism has been destroyed which is what protected them but alas NO MORE

THEY had their fun and now its over

and went about routinely using these email accounts knowing full well they were in violation of the law. They also intended the accounts to be unknown and thereby obstruct any justice needed. And, the WH's own counsel, Gonzo his self, knew of the designed obstruction of justice, said nothing, then went on to be the country's AG, a position responsible for prosecuting crimes that would be committed using the email accounts that were designed to obstruct justice and he was fully aware that it was happening.

Nothing unusual here for this WH.

Given the actions of Gonzales to date, it would not surprise me if he did, indeed, have such an account seeing as he has no integrity wrt the law, the Constitution, etc.

that are "entrusted" to do it.

"Network Hosting Attorney Scandal E-Mails Also Hosted Ohio's 2004 Election Results" started by Octafish 4-23-2007
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x735051

"Email-Gate FACTS:Felons,georgewbush.com.,gwb43.com et.al." started by L.Coyote 3-28-2007
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x523978

"Second, the Committee should investigate what former White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales knew about the use of political e-mail accounts by White House officials. If Susan Ralston’s testimony to the Committee is accurate, there is evidence that Mr. Gonzales or counsels working in his office knew in 2001 that Karl Rove was using his RNC e-mail account to communicate about official business, but took no action to preserve Mr. Rove’s official communications."

Right now, somewhere, a meeting is going on to try and blame this on the Clenis.

I'm beginning to be glad he's been left in place for the time being, he just keeps attracting more and more attention to the powers that be behind the curtains, namely Unca Karl. The Rovettes are starting to sing and its a beautiful thing.

Plus, my cable is back in working order.
Yippee, the clubhouse will be a great place to be tonight.

And Gonzo is looking a lot like this piece of flypaper:



:loveya:

I've got a district get-together and a Draft Gore meeting tonight. Luckily, they're only about 10 minutes away from each other and the first is from 6-7:30 and the meeting starts at 7-ish.

I should see you all tomorrow, but may even get home before the show is over tonight -- if we don't have many people show up for the Gore meeting, it will be over early and is only 10 minutes from home.

You hate us. :)

:hug:

I just read most of the Ralston transcript. Lots more "I don't knows," I can't be sures." I think she'll need immunity before we get everything out of her.

It felt so real in the moment I started to cry before I'd realized it. We need him sooooo badly.
I hope to see you in the clubhouse tonight but I hope lots of people show up for the Draft Gore meeting.

I asked him if he'd run, and he said he would. I also asked him to come to YearlyKos, and he said he'd would.

Including me, we had 7 people at our meeting. Better than last month, but I'd really like to have more than that.

"Subpoena SUSAN B. RALSTON. She holds the key to WH e-mail systems, election night '04 and Abramoff" started 3-26-2007
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x505855

I just meant I like her much better now that she's singing like a canary (a subpoenaed canary, but a canary nonetheless), and not switching votes with Karl, or getting skybox seats for Jack's friends.

Thanks for the info! :thumbsup:

They always do.

:hi:

CAN WE IMPEACH THE BASTARDS YET? (I had to do that for DG.)

19 Do you recall any conversations in the Political
20 Affairs Office or in your office about these kinds of
21 briefings during the Clinton administration?

Man, I am psychic!

:rofl:

They hate the rule of law and want to replace democracy with their extremist theocratic rule.

"The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment."

When oh when is Waxman going to set the wheels in motion to hold some of these treasonist beast who stole the whitehouse accountable. And treason is the word for their action. Crooked yes, but what these people have done is in on uncertain words....TREASON. WHO AGREES. rove needs to be locked up for the rest of his evil life.

Can we impeach the lot of them and lock them up for good.
Kick and Rec.

:kick:

glc

I wonder who the *cough* brilliant "architect" of this idea was, to circumvent the rules by using the RNC.

It just staggers the imagination that anyone sane would consider data distributed wholesale through the RNC would retain any national security classification. Even in suggesting it, they'd be portraying a Soviet/Nazi-style system of party above nation.

It's so hard to keep up with all their lies and obfuscations, it's like a labyrinth of corruption. The minotaur, I suppose, would be the BFEE.

:woohoo:

page 17:

there was an e-maì1 that
25 was sent out by the staff about the campaign's e-mail
retention policy, and somebody at the campa'ign called me to
notify me that this e-mail was goìng to go out.

a The e-mail was sent by whom?

A By somebody on the campaign staff. 5o it was a
staf f wide e-mai l, and the e-mai I expla'ined the retention
pol'icy, but somebody on the campaìgn staff -- and I don't
recall who specifìcally called me to say that it didn't
apply to myself and to Karl, and to let h'im know that when he
saw j t , 'i t d'id not apply .
a When dìd you receive this communication?
A It was probably sometime in 2003.

-snip
http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20070618105351.pdf


So Rove & Ralston were aware the retention policy was seperate from the others-doesn't this indicate they knew they were violating the Hatch Act?

shows the WH lied when they said they didn't know the "political" e-mail accounts were being used for admin business:

Q Were other White House officials aware that Mr. Rove in 2001 was providing e-mails from his political accounts to investigators who were looking at Enron?

A I believe so, because all of the documents collected were turned over to the White House Counsel's Office.

Q Similarly, with respect to the six or seven subpoenas from Mr. Fitzgerald, or whatever the number was from Mr. Fitzgerald, were White House officials aware that you and Mr. Rove were providing e-mails sent and received on his political accounts to Mr. Fitzgerald?

A All the documents that we collected in those investigations or for those requests as well were turned over to the White House Counsel's Office to then submit.


Susan Ralston's deposition is VERY interesting wrt to the e-mails, Rove's practices regarding them, etc. Definitely worth reading the whole 90 page pdf, imo.

about unless offered immunity. The subjects that were declared off limits by Ralston and her attorney were the following:

As stated, at the beginning of the deposition, by her lawyer, Mr. Berenson:

"The subjects this morning that she will not be able to testify on those grounds are the subjects of the relationship between Jack Abramoff and his associates and White House officials, including Ms. Ralston, and the subject of the use by White House officials of political e-mail accounts at the RNC."

There is NO question in my mind, Ralston knows where MANY skeletons are buried but she would have to provide one hell of a proffer, one chock full of gems, before she would get immunity, imo.

she can yield a wealth of knowledge. She's probably a little pissed off about how the WH treated Abramoff and might be taking out some revenge.

Note the question is related to

Q Do you know whether Ken Mehlman used a political
e-mail account?

A You know. Karl also had a "Rove.com" e-mai1
address.

Q You are referrìng to a personal e-mail address?

A Well, it was -- it wasn't -- I don't know how you would classify it, but it was a "Rove. com" e-mail address. There were -- I can't remember when, but at some point his
Rove. com e-mails all went to the same political account. So
if you sent an account if you sent an e-maìl to George W.
Bush.com or if you sent an e-mail to him at Rove.com, it went
to the same place.

Q Do you know why his e-mail was set up that way?

A I don't.

Q Do you know whether he made any official
communications over his Rove.com e-mail- account?

A He may have, but I can't think of I mean, he may
have, because he used it all the time.

thanks for the tidbits!

RICO their asses.

On edit, My R, is #50

is a democratic WH, and an overwhelmingly democratic congress. I say let them play their games-they'll be closer to extinction soon.

owns the election infrastruture with their machines and methods of suppressing voters. They've stolen the past 2 presidential elections. I wonder if they could steal the next. That is, if they are not all in prison by then. Go Waxman GO!!

at the highest levels to subvert recordkeeping laws in order to cover up its pervasive criminal mismanagement of the entire government for purposes of destroying the American people's faith in their leaders. Presumably so that we will demand a dismantling of what little remains when the criminals are done with it.

If it isn't treason, then I don't know what the hell it is. They are seeking the utter destruction of our system of government. They want EVERYTHING controlled by the major multinational corporations.

secret prisons and torture, getting "disloyal" attorney generals fired, etc. ad nauseum. :puke:

CHIMPEACH!

Nothing to see here, just move along....

By Paul Kane
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Monday, June 18, 2007; 2:30 PM

Almost 90 White House officials have maintained private e-mail accounts on the server of the Republican National Committee, including top advisers such as Karl Rove and former White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card, according to a House committee report released today.

The disclosure means the practice is much more common than Bush administration officials have previously acknowledged, the report noted.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/18/AR2007061800809.html?nav=rss_politics

... and they think they are the shining examples of Democracy for the world to emulate?

They are the lowest form of pond scum (human waste lagoon), turds floating on the top of Government, stinking up the White House and an infestation of disease ridden rats! Who would want to emulate that? King George was a saint compared to these vermin.

Unfortunately, they are not that unusual for Government leaders - thus the balance of powers ideas in our Constitution.

Oh Henry! We've got your back & support you 100% here - go get 'em!

I'm beginning to get 'outrage fatigue' myself.

We can open up a fucking theme restaurant with all of these scandals; anyone of which would have brought down a democratic president. Remember when they tried to sell the ports to Dubai? Imagine if Kerry said he was going to do that during the 2004 election. When will enough be enough? I am a political science student and 90% of the people in my class have no idea about this story (or half of the other ones) or if they do, don't know why its ILLEGAL. I am quickly losing faith in my fellow Americans and DU is the only thing that keeps me sane (I read more than post).

This is from the cnn.com article about this subject. (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/18/white.house.emails/index.html)

Tony Snow's comments:

"This is an administration that is very careful about obeying the law. We take it seriously. The White House legal counsel's office takes it seriously."

:rofl: It's amazing he can say that with a straight face.

...makes it not true.

and SO SURPRISED to not hear it on NPR ...

Thanks for finding this!

When they start executing people in the streets, that MAY get someone''s attention, if Tweety decides to discuss it.

This is the difference maker for justice. Break it loose Keith.

Messages sent by Karl Rove and 88 White House aides may be in violation of a 1978 law requiring the preservation of presidential documents.
BY RON HUTCHESON
rhutcheson@mcclatchydc.com

WASHINGTON -- Presidential advisor Karl Rove sent more than 140,000 e-mails through the Republican National Committee's computer system, circumventing a federal law intended to guarantee the preservation of presidential records, House of Representatives investigators have concluded.

While 88 White House aides used the back-channel system, Rove was its biggest user at the White House, and more than half of his communications dealt with official business, according to an interim report by the House Oversight Committee.

The White House initially had said that about 50 presidential aides used the Republican Party e-mail system to avoid sending political messages improperly through the White House system, which is supposed to be reserved for official government business.

But the line between official communications and partisan political messages seems to have been blurred. Susan Ralston, a former aide to Rove, told congressional investigators that Rove sent almost all of his e-mails through the RNC system and used a Blackberry that he received from the Republican Party from his first day at the White House.

DESTROYED MESSAGES

Although 140,216 of Rove's e-mails have been preserved, committee investigators found that e-mails from 51 of the 88 White House aides who used the back-channel message system appear to have been destroyed.

more:http://www.miamiherald.com/509/story/144002.html

I've crossposted this message on both Daily Kos and ThinkProgress. However, I think it is necessary to let the MSM know that we are interested in this story.

It appears as if the White House email scandal is picking up steam - or at least being mentioned by the main stream media. The stories are sometimes buried, but in this day and age, in order for a story to get top spot, some interest needs to be generated. I've linked to quite a few of the stories below...click on them, link to them, email them. Let's generate some interest.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/18/white.house.emails/index.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19299304/

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/washington/19email.html?_r=1&ref=washington&oref=slogin

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/18/AR2007061800809.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-emails_19jun19,1,4004882.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070619/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_e_mails;_ylt=At_fqZ8XvyzyHj9SPEx0xONp24cA

:D :kick: