The always essential Eschaton tipped me off to yesterday's report from U.S. Newswire about the organization entitled Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances (PRCB). This is a group that believes the President has violated the law by wiretapping without following FISA requirements.
In the last few years, Bob Barr, former GA Congressman and floor manager for Clinton's impeachment, has been quite active in the field of civil liberties. So his participation is not a big surprise.
What I, as well as a lot of other Atriots, found amazing was Grover Norquist's jumping on this particular bandwagon.
He's the President of Americans for Tax Reform, a close friend of Karl Rove's and the host of the famed Wednesday morning meetings that have been invaluable in pushing Bush's agenda forward. So it is a bit of a shock when he said "Public hearings on this issue are essential to addressing the serious concerns raised by alarming revelations of NSA electronic eavesdropping."
There was a lot of speculation at Eschaton as to why he would have done this. My simple explanation is that Grover Norquist is fighting to save Grover Norquist.
The strategy he has chosen in order to pursue this goal demonstrates the perfidy that is this administration, and suggests that it might be in more trouble than we suspect.
Norquist and Abramoff and Reed have worked together for over 25 years. When Jack wants to get some money to Ralph, he sends it through Grover's washing machine. Abramoff's plea bargaining deal spelled the probable demise of Norquist as well. Fearing that his end is near, Grover wants to appear to take the high road and calls for investigations.
But the investigations he wants are into the wiretapping scandal. Grover does not have a lot of chips left, so he decides to bluff. His bet? That investigations into national security, crimes committed by Bush, and possible impeachment, will make his "little" scandal seem insignificant.
There is a lot about Bush to denigrate; and although I thought it frequently misplaced, I did have respect for his loyalty. Now we'll see about the loyalty of his lieutenants.
And who actually believes this is a legal issue and not a political issue?
Show of hands?
Posted by: ThatGayConservative | January 20, 2006 at 02:39 AM
There are very few issues in Washington that Republicans do not politicize. Tell me how Clinton's impeachment was a legal, not a politcal issue.
Posted by: bbbustard | January 20, 2006 at 05:59 PM
Republicans politicize issues? That's a bit one sided and partisan isn't it?
Clinton LIED, LIED, LIED, LIED, LIED, to a grand jury.
Posted by: Queer Conservative | January 21, 2006 at 12:36 AM