IG report flatly says no evidence of political motivations. and if they were politically motivated, wouldnt they have at least gone after the groups that matter like rove's?
It is a difficult balance but a dynamic balance is needed. Take Daniel Ellsberg & his leak of the Pentagon Papers. Technically Ellsberg commited a crime but his action was more important as a 1st amendment issue than crime. If you read the many columns covering this reporters and whistleblowers/leakers need room to manuever. Look at how President Obama leaked details of the OBL killing to his benefit. All administrations do this and rail against it when it hurts them. It appears rather than protecting the law these actions were meant to intimidate...especially whistle blowers/leakers. That is the problem.
id guess the motive was more to prevent future natl sec leaks. this wasnt about cya (as far as we know).
Lois Lerner is the lone person to take the fifth in this case. One mid level supervisor invokes the fifth amendment and you extrapolate that to mean that everyone involved is pleading the fifth? Like I said before, I am sure that you fall asleep at night hoping that this becomes a scandal but it just isn't my friend. For God's sake, Tom Pickering, a former Republican congressman, conducted the initial investigation and found that there was no wrong doing. Today, Issa and his committee are meeting wither Pickering in private......want to know why? Because they sure as hell don't want him on television telling the general public that he found no sign of cover up or wrong doing in his investigation.
I think the odds are that with all the shit that has been stirred, someones toilet is going to be clogged.
Mid level supervisor? She was the director of the tax exempt organizations division. Don't downplay her status. Also, where is she now? (that is a rhetorical question)
Eric Holder personnally approved the survailence on Rosen. This may or not be political but they have a lot of explaining to do because it stinks. Rarely are both left and right sides of the political aisle united with the press but they are for this one. ALL feel it was done to put a chill on the press's ability to do reporting. As was said on MSNBC trying to make reporting a crime goes at the heart of the 1st amendment. Yes administrations have an interest and duty to protect against leaks but again as BOTH left and right have said the broad and heavy handed path the DOJ took seemed to be more than investigation but a threat to the press. There is no cover up but a broad attack from the DOJ on the press.
