The Off the Record Club Weighs In

by emptywheel

Say, does anyone remember the Off the Record Club? It was one of the most interesting details revealed at the Libby trial--that there's this group of GOP-lobbyist-hacks who meet monthly and serve as an on-call damage control group for the Republicans.

But [Richard] Hohlt's more significant role may be his leadership of a secretive social group of GOP heavy hitters and, occasionally, White House officials, who convene to smoke cigars and mull over politics. The group's name: the Off The Record Club. Hohlt is the club's "keeper of the flame," says one participant who, like others contacted for this story, didn't want to be named because it violates the group's rules. Each month or so for more than 15 years, Hohlt has booked a room at a posh Washington hotel or restaurant and invited the guests for dinner. Among the regulars, according to three participants: fellow lobbyists Ken Duberstein, Charlie Black and Vin Weber. Rove and White House chief of staff Josh Bolten "have both attended these meetings on occasion," says a White House spokesperson.

[snip]

The club, participants say, helps the White House with damage control—they prodded GOP pols to back the president's post-Katrina cleanup—and thinks up ways to get the party's message across to the press. [my emphasis]

I haven't forgotten what the Off the Record Club is. I particularly remember that there is a good deal of circumstantial evidence thatthe leak of Plame's identity got laundered right through the group. Ken Duberstein set up the meeting between Bob Novak and Richard Armitage and then, when the shit started hitting the fan in the fall, he made some kind of obstructive call to Bob Novak. And Richard Hohlt seems to have pressed Novak to write a story on Plame; once Novak wrote that story, Hohlt gave a copy to the White House, three days before the story's publication. Right there, right at the heart of the leak case ... remarkable. You might call it the "Leak in a Box Club."

Equally remarkable is the way that the country's two leading newspapers seem to have forgotten all these details--particularly the detail that one shouldn't give an Off the Record Club member prominent copy in an article about the crime their colleagues may well have facilitated. It just seems like basic blogger journalistic ethics, after all, that you don't go to a Crips member to find out his opinion on a murder committed by another member of the same gang. These guys, like any other gang members, are simply going to defend the gang.

Well, here's the NYT providing space to let Off the Record Club member Charlie Black argue that Bush's commutation decision was measured.

“I think he sincerely believed that Scooter was not shown proper justice,” said Charlie Black, a Republican strategist close to the administration. “We can get into the whole definition of justice versus mercy, but the point is the president didn’t say justice wasn’t done, he just didn’t think the sentence was fair and therefore he showed mercy.”

[snip]

Mr. Bush comes at the decision a weakened leader, with his public approval ratings at historic lows for any president, his domestic agenda faltering on Capitol Hill and his aides facing subpoenas from the Democrats who control Congress. Those circumstances offer him a certain amount of freedom; as Mr. Black said, “He knows he’s going to get hammered no matter what he does.”

And here's the WaPo letting Off the Record Club member Vin Weber argue that Libby should have been pardoned rather than his sentence commuted:

Vin Weber, a conservative lobbyist and adviser to GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, said he was puzzled by Bush's deferring a decision on a pardon, given what Weber described as the overwhelming consensus in Republican political circles that Libby should be pardoned.

"We seem to have decided that we are going to prolong this thing as long as we can, which is drag this into the presidential election," he said. "I don't understand why. I don't know what their thinking is. . . . No Republican wants this issue to be alive in the next election."

Full disclosure: I was interviewed for one of these stories. I made the argument--as I have elsewhere--that this constituted obstruction of justice. You probably don't see that viewpoint reflected in either article, huh? Admittedly, I've eaten dinner once with the Wilsons, appeared on two panels with Joe Wilson, and had a nice chat with Patrick Fitzgerald once about playing rugby at Amherst. So I guess that makes me biased and therefore it's reasonable that the article in question left out my standpoint entirely. I'm so glad the club members of two people who are intimately involved in this crime got my column space instead--it's only right after all! Call it good reporting.

Comments

[Ishmael]

Blogger ethics panel!!! STAT! :)

[P J Evans]

And the MSM argues that bloggers are lacking in ethics? What are they using, because I'd like to either ban it or make it a mandatory food additive?

(We're starting to see the 'forgive and forget' message being put out in various locations. I told one of the people going for 'forgiveness' and 'get along with them' that the last couple of times (not counting Clinton) we did that, the criminals were back in government a couple of presidents later. No. Not again. Never again. They did the crime, they can f*cking well do the time.)

[scav]

Hey, Walton's shown up - IOAG (I'm only a geographer) but this looks handy. Legal Confusion Follows Libby Decision

[Woodhall Hollow]

A Leak in a Box Club!" LOL. Rivals the Amici Illuminati!

[Frank Probst]

We've heard a lot of talk about Democratic reaction to Bush's obstruction of justice. Where's the Republican reaction? I haven't seen a quote from a single sitting GOP Senator or Congressman yet. What gives?

[Boo Radley]

Great catch scav.

[spud]

Could someone please help with this question:

Fitz said that Libby threw sand at the investigators, and there remained a cloud over the VP. The argument has been that Fitz couldn't go further in the investigation because of Libby's lies.

The other two leakers were Armitage and Rove. Why wasn't Fitz able to penetrate further through these two? Was it ever revealed who gave these two Plame's identity?

[Dismayed]

It's interesting how many Republicans are crying about how they don't understand why Libby wasn't given a full pardon - Clearly they don't read The Next Hurrah!

I guess these boobs truely don't understand that their P and VP are crooks. With all the pressure form the right, I'm sure Bush would have given a full pardon if he could have. Seems like the clearest proof of all that Bush is obstructing justice with this action.

He didn't do it for the wingnuts - they're pissed - He did it for himself and his dick.

[Anon]

Rather than spend time pointing fingers at what doesn't appaer to be criminal conduct; how about the DNC developing the same kind of thing?

Just an idea to focus some energy in a construtive direction. I'm tired of the DNC whining and reacting to the GOP. When is the DNC going to lead, established the agenda, and run with it?

[Canuck Stuck in Muck]

Dear Anon,
I understand your exasperation. However, I don't think lowering ourselves to their level is a way to get even.

[JohnJ]

I love it! MTV!

"Did Paris Hilton And Lil' Kim Get It Worse Than Scooter Libby?"
link: 'http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1564010/20070703/index.jhtml'

At the top of Google news!

Do ya think the rest of the country may be finally be waking up?

[Elliot Ness]

EW

I'm so pissed I can't see straight. I can't adequately address in writing all that's running through my mind.

I had a situation where a new Ass't State's attorney was appointed to prosecute several of my cases. I hated the son of a bitch because he was an incompetent political hack and he hated me because I knew he was incompetent.

To make a long story short, he dismissed all of my cases as well as all other cases where I was a witness. Needless to say many of my brethren advised him of his peril and as a result he started a bogus investigation of me.

Took me two years and several thousand dollars to clear my name. I don't want to hear one word from Libby or his noise machine about a political prosecution, cause I damn well know one when I see one, and he sure as hell wasn't a victim of one.

Pity the poor law enforcement professionals who worked their ass off on this case and to whom Bush just gave them the finger.

[JohnJ]

Apologies for that last sentence, I should read it before I send it.

[tekel]

here's some inspiration. Sure it's san francisco, but that's an MLB ballpark which I'm sure some of you will recognize. Sure would be neat to see a screencap of that sign if anyone was tivoing the game...

http://freewayblogger.blogspot.com/2007/07/from-usa.html

[lolo]

HA! 'leak in a box', what a story. I would like to hear more about this topic ew. Are they part of the Aspens? The Armitage, Woodward angle always bugged me. It was always such a red herring spliced in to take the heat off scooter. The piece of the puzzle that doesn't fit I bet it came in the leak box.

[emptywheel]

spud

BC OVP ran the leak. There's no place to go with Armitage, at least. Rove, maybe, but I think it brings you right back to Libby.

Fitz didn't just prosecute Libby bc he was easy. He prosecuted Libby because he was standing in the way of the clear culprit.

[Gary]

Leak in a box? One: Cut a hole in the box.

The Washington press corps is beyond repair. NYT and WaPo are the worst, together with the cable nets.

Marcy, no kidding, you need to get a press agent, stat, to make you as available to comment as the neocons always are. You're obviously on the right track, but we need more of you, and people like you, on TV to counter the hacks and liars.

[Woodhall Hollow]

The Dick leaked in a box.

(sorry couldn't resist, slinking away now!)

[pseudonymous in nc]

Ah, but Marcy, you forget that Charlie Black and Ed Rogers and Vin Weber and Ken Duberstein and Bill Kristol run the country, without the disadvantage of elections.

[eyesonthestreet]

After reading the NYTimes article about Walton from scav above, now I know who advised Bush (see end of last thread) it was Regent U law school interns, of course, but they didn't mean to....

[Griffin]

Dear EW,
In the previous obstruction of justice post you had an exchange with RH about doing video broadcasts. You said the biggest problem was you live in Ann Arbor and politics TV is in Washington. I taped them taping you in DC a couple of times. They did a great job, but their production equipment was not very expensive and their tech skills not super-advanced. There must be 50- okay maybe only thirty- people with comparable skills and equipment in Ann Arbor who would be very pleased to do the taping and production. PTV would probably host or post any tapes you sent them too.
I would have emailed you this note but couldn't find your address. If you think doing some videos would be helpful, I could help find tech people to do them. TomGriffin1@gmail.com

[AZ Matt]

The Off the Record Club, hmmm, more like the Adult Diaper Club since they can't hold anything.

[eyesonthestreet]

Marcy- There where a many empty seats at that Snowjob presser today- I can only imagine how you would have made him squirm.

[johnny pee]

Jeez, this just gets better. "leak in a box club". Are they real expensive? EW spotlight more.

[Slothrop]

How can it be obstruction of justice when Black says it's not about justice but mercy? The President didn't say justice wasn't done, he just wanted to show mercy. Therefore, it's not obstruction of justice.

What a pleasant way of thinking about it. Not much mercy for Valerie though, huh?

I heard Joe Wilson on the radio today -- he corrected an interviewer who referred to "Valerie Plame." Joe jumped in and said, "Her name is Valerie Wilson."