# FBI director's notes prove the story of Gonzalez & Ashcroft's sickbed **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 17, 2007, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958 "2007-08-17T16:47:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/1 "2007-08-17T16:47:52Z")
Story [here:](http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Conyers_FBI_director_notes_prove_Bush_0816.html) > [@](#): > > Attorney General John Ashcroft was “feeble, barely articulate (and) clearly stressed” when then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card visited his hospital room to push for legal approval of a warrantless wiretap program approved by President Bush, according to newly released notes from FBI Director Robert Mueller. > > The notes were released Thursday by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee that is investigating the legality of the warrantless wiretapping program. Mueller’s notes of the March 10, 2004 incident outline a dispute between the Justice Department and the White House over the legality of a National Security Agency surveillance program. > > “[Then deputy Attorney General James Comey] tells me Card and J. [Judge] Gonzales are on the way to hospital to see the AG, but that AG is in no condition to see them, much less make decisions to authorize continuation of the program,” Mueller writes. > > Comey previously testified to Conyers committee that Ashcroft had refused to approve the NSA warrantless wiretapping program before a 45-day deadline on a previous justification was to expire. > > “Director Mueller’s notes and recollections concerning the White House visit to the Attorney General’s hospital bed confirm an attempt to goad a sick and heavily medicated Ashcroft to approve the warrantless surveillance program,” Conyers said in a prepared statement. Can they go ahead and impeach Gonzalez now? I mean, shouldn’t the “ick factor” play **some** role in deciding what’s an impeachable offense? (It did with Clinton.) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/2 "2007-08-17T16:51:30Z")
Corroborate is a better word. “Prove”, in fact, is incorrect. Just saying is all. ---
**Author:** ![Flea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d78d45/32.png) [@Flea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flea)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/3 "2007-08-17T16:55:06Z")
I don’t know. By now I’m starting to think Gonzalez is made out of butter. Or teflon. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/4 "2007-08-17T17:05:05Z")
Why get all bound up about impeachment when it clearly cannot happen? Why not focus instead on the efforts of James Comey as he defied the President and his goons? James Comey: American Hero. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/5 "2007-08-17T17:21:03Z")
[QUOTE=Flea] I don’t know. By now I’m starting to think Gonzalez is made out of butter. Or teflon. ☹ [/QUOTE] Teflon, shmeflon, he is as pitted and corroded as the face of the moon, it just doesn’t matter. The Leader is stuck with him, he has no other option, he absolutely must have a total loyalist in that position, if for no other reason than to keep the lid on the boiling pot of sewer stew. His chances of putting in another loyalist as solid as Fredo are next to nil. Just imagine if an iron-ass straight shooter like Fitzgerald got that seat, got his hands on all the facts and files. Ooooh, that felt good, I’m going to imagine it again! ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/6 "2007-08-17T17:24:53Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] …to keep the lid on the boiling pot of sewer stew. [/quote] That’s one hell of a mental image! :eek: > [@](#): > > Just imagine if an iron-ass straight shooter like Fitzgerald got that seat, got his hands on all the facts and files. Ooooh, that felt good, I’m going to imagine it again! Can I join you in that fantasy? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/7 "2007-08-17T17:27:03Z")
But of course! More tea? ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/8 "2007-08-17T17:28:10Z")
Why, certainly. Thank you kindly for the tea, and the mental images… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/9 "2007-08-17T17:30:48Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] … His chances of putting in another loyalist as solid as Fredo are next to nil… [/QUOTE] Hey, they got to Fredo too. Do not abandon all hope. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/10 "2007-08-17T17:31:57Z")
Once again, **lucy** comes up with verbiage that could only come from a Texan. I see him as Sam McGee, living in the cold tundra of Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/11 "2007-08-17T17:38:09Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] The Leader is stuck with him, he has no other option, he absolutely must have a total loyalist in that position, if for no other reason than to keep the lid on the boiling pot of sewer stew. [/QUOTE] Well, I don’t think Ed Meese is currently employed and he has not yet died. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/12 "2007-08-17T17:39:42Z")
[QUOTE=Tranquilis] Why, certainly. Thank you kindly for the tea, and the mental images… [/QUOTE] Its a form of Tourette’s as yet unrecognized, probably incurable. Not that I’d let them cure it, if they could. [QUOTE=Boyo] …Do not abandon all hope. [/QUOTE] You can’t be a Tom Paine sort of radical and a cynic at the same time, they are mutually exclusive. > [@Robert Service](#): > > …Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows… Close enough. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/13 "2007-08-17T17:40:07Z")
My personal WAG is that some lawyers have told them they’re not going to be able to shield all those emails sent through the RNC, and there’s gonna be a boatload of real bad shit coming out all at once from them. Everthing from Plame-gate, to the US Attorney firings, to things we haven’t even heard of yet. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/14 "2007-08-17T17:40:52Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Well, I don’t think Ed Meese is currently employed and he has not yet died. [/QUOTE] Lord, how I despise that man! And his whole damn family as well! I hates Meeses to pieces! ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/15 "2007-08-17T20:00:47Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Lord, how I despise that man! And his whole damn family as well! I hates Meeses to pieces! [/QUOTE] See. That’s why I love this place. My 15 year old daughter doesn’t understand why tears are rolling down my eyes. She just thinks I’m old. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/16 "2007-08-17T20:24:34Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Lord, how I despise that man! And his whole damn family as well! I hates Meeses to pieces! [/QUOTE] Oh, I dunno. The Meese Commission Report is porn you don’t have to be embarrassed to be seen buying! Robin ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-directors-notes-prove-the-story-of-gonzalez-ashcrofts-sickbed/415958/17 "2007-08-17T20:51:19Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] My personal WAG is that some lawyers have told them they’re not going to be able to shield all those emails sent through the RNC, and there’s gonna be a boatload of real bad shit coming out all at once from them. Everthing from Plame-gate, to the US Attorney firings, to things we haven’t even heard of yet. [/QUOTE] There might be noise, but nothing is gong to happen to anyone. Sad, but it’s a lost cause thinking that any of these arrogant bastards will ever pay for their greed.