Friday, May 31, 2013

Will A John Dean Emerge From This Administration's Many Scandals?

Biden Investigated For Questionable Workers' Comp Claim...The Onion





In 1970, John Dean III was the White House Counsel for Pres. Nixon. He was also deeply involved in the Watergate scandal. Subsequently he pleased guilty to a felony count in exchange for becoming a witness for the prosecution. He became the first administration official to accuse Nixon of direct involvement in Watergate. 




Will a John Dean emerge from this administration's many scandals? We know of the following scandals to date:




  • The attack on our consulate in Benghazi. We now know that CIA talking points were changed (those initially referring to the attack being a terrorist attack. Instead, we were told the attack was "spontaneous" and a reaction to an anti-Muslim video that almost no one viewed). We also know that additional security was requested on many occasions prior to the 9/11/12 attack but was denied. We know military and security assets that could have assisted our security personnel under attack were ordered to "stand down." We do not know who gave the orders to "stand down." We still do not know where Pres. Obama was during most of that day and evening. Note: The State Department released a report this week that there were 11 terrorist attacks in Benghazi prior to the attack on our consulate.



  • The IRS targeting of conservatives and conservative groups. We now know that over 300 conservative groups were targeted by the IRS. We do not know who ordered the targeting. The acting IRS commissioner essentially said he knew nothing. Lois Lerner, the IRS official in charge of reviewing exempt organizations, pleaded the 5th at her congressional hearing.
  • The Department of Justice (under Eric Holder) targeting the press. The DOJ monitored phone records, cell phone records and emails of AP and Fox News reporters (at least that's what we know now). Holder did testify that going after the press "is not something I've ever been involved in." Yet, he personally approved the subpoena for Fox News reporter James Rosen's phone records. Perjury? Perhaps.




  • The Fast and Furious Scandal.  Again, Holder's DOJ lost track of over 2000 firearms that eventually ended up in the hands of Mexican drug cartel thugs and murderers. In fact, we know  Border Patrol Agent, Brian Terry, was killed by one of those weapons. In 2012 Holder was held in contempt of Congress for failing to cooperate in the congressional inquiry into Fast and Furious.


  • The "Green Energy" Scandals. In spite of being warned on many occasions that these companies---like Solyndra---would be bankrupt, the federal government still provided billions in taxpayer money to failing "green energy" companies.
How many more scandals are awaiting in the wings (oh, like ObamaCare, yes ObamaCare. We now also know that most of what Pres. Obama promised about ObamaCare is not true, e.g. controlling costs and not losing the health insurance you now have are but two of many promises broken. In fact, Forbes is reporting today that California will experience ObamaCare related health insurance rate increases from 64-146%).

 So back to my original question: Will a John Dean emerge?