Cabinet Secretary Counsels

by emptywheel

Over in this post, we got into a discussion of whether all the Cabinet Secretaries can respond to Henry Waxman's request for an inventory of RNC server emails together (issuing one giant "go Cheney yourself") or whether they have to respond individually. While we're debating that question in the comments, Peterr put together a list of all the legal advisors for each Cabinet Secretary, and I wanted to put them together in one list. So thanks, Peterr.

Agriculture: Marc L. Kesselman, General Counsel
Commerce: John J. Sullivan, General Counsel
Defense: William “Jim” Haynes II, General Counsel
Education: Kent Talbert, General Counsel
Energy: David R. Hill, General Counsel
Health and Human Services: Daniel Meron, General Counsel
Homeland Security: Gus P. Coldebella, General Counsel (Acting)
Housing and Urban Development: Robert Couch, General Counsel (Acting)
Interior: David Longly Bernhardt, Solicitor
Justice: Paul D. Clement, Solicitor General
Labor: Jonathan L. Snare, Solicitor (Acting)
State: John B. Bellinger III, Legal Advisor [Asst. Sec. rank]
Transportation: Rosalind “Lindy” Knapp, General Counsel (Acting)
Treasury: Robert F. Hoyt, General Counsel
Veterans Affairs: Paul J. Hutter, General Counsel (Acting)

As Peterr pointed out,

Of these legal officers, note that five are “acting,” and in looking at the bios, several of the others are new in their positions (within the last year). That could make for some interesting dynamics. Some could be hoping for the permanent position, and thus be unwilling to stand up to the White House. Others may be rather upset with their predecessors over this mess, and thus be more than willing to help Waxman out.

So if they can't mount one unified opposition, then it may well get rather interesting.

Comments

[Jodi]

Could it be that only the truth, the whole truth, and all the truth has already been told, and all these people will sing with one single harmonious voice and repeat that truth that seems so unpalatable to the Democrats?

Maybe?

[freepatriot]

yeah, right tokyo jodi the wormtougne

just like scooter told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

get a clue you fucking dolt abu gonzo told a Congressional Committee that he had NOTHING TO DO WITH THE US ATTORNEY PURGE

now abu gonzo is writting wapo articles claiming the purge was his decision

so which is it tokyo jodi the wormtougne ???

abu gonzo can't be responsible for a decision he had nothing to do with

are you so fucking stupid that you can't see these statements directly contradict each other

or is your head so far up your ass that logic and breathing are no longer possible ???

which is it worm tongue ???

[Uppity Gal]

oh ok, I'll bite...

I guess it "could" be possible that "only the truth, the whole truth, and all the truth has already been told"; I would not lay down a nickel on that bet, though. Pretty WEAK.

If that's the case, why not release everything? ALL emails, access to server accounts, all of it. It could be done in committee at first, before public release. And, please, this is NOT a solely "Democrat vs. Republican" thing. The issues run very deep, and have a lot more to do with a legal system based on the law, not politicization, rule by mindless "consensus" and "loyal" political operatives acting out all the bad, painful stuff that happened to them as teenagers. They have a lot of power, and they are grinding through their disassociative, disingenious and pathological behavior, on the taxpayer dime. that is crap= regardless of party.

We deserve the truth. We should demand the truth. And public servants should deliver the truth.

so in the words of Bush, "Bring it on!"

[freepatriot]

here's your "Truth" wormtongue

blockquote>A Justice Department e-mail released on Friday shows that the former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales proposed replacement candidates for seven United States attorneys nearly a year before those prosecutors were fired, in contrast to testimony last month in which the aide said that no successors were considered before the firings.

hey tokyo jodi the worm tongue, if two men say they're jesus, doesn't one of them have to be wrong ???

so which is true was there a list or wasn't there a list ???

or is the stylish wormtongue buying back in to believing in the patented scooter libby memory defense again ???

[freepatriot]

here's another one worm tongue. This one clearly demonstrates a conspiricy to obstruct justice

from TPM

Another document--internal Justice Department "talking points" about the fired prosecutors--shows that Justice officials used identical language to describe alleged shortcomings in immigration enforcement by two U.S. attorneys.

About Carol S. Lam of San Diego, the memo said: "Regardless of what was done by the office in this area, she failed to tackle this responsibility as aggressively and as vigorously as we expected and needed her to do." The same sentence was used for David C. Iglesias of New Mexico, except that "her" was replaced with "him."

since everybody now agrees that the "preformance related issues" was a lie, ain't it suspicious that the same lie was used in two different cases ???

you can't tell the whole truth if you're caught trying to conspire to lie to Congress and We The People of the United States

or can you ???

love to hear you splain that one wormtongue

[Jodi]

Uppity Gal,

there are certain problems with releasing all emails on all accounts to the world. For example would the Democrats and or say the Clinton Administration do this.

I am sure the great majority of emails have nothing to do with the USAs.

Another reason against it is there is no underlying crime that has been charged. Even with Plame, supposedly there was an underlying crime to look into.

And what everyone chooses to ignore is the obvious which was reiterated by Mr Rove's lawyer a few days ago. I won't go get the quote but it goes something like this. ~~for over two years Mr Fitzgerald had total and unfettered access to all Mr Rove's computers, accounts, etc.~~

Tokyo wormtongue freepatriot

you are getting overwrought. 3 post in a row to me!!

Gee, I am flattered.

[greenhouse]

Jodi,

Like the roach, I have no doubts that you'll still be around after the rest of us humans get annihilated by nuclear attack.

[Dismayed]

Free, you know I love ya, but you're giving jodi exactly what she's here for.

[Joni James]

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