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271 Comments
- freedomjoe, on 04/05/2009, -50/+171Yeah, and you know who charged him? One of the Bush DoJ left-overs. Don't know if he's one of the ones who refused to leave (as is custom when administrations change) or if Obama/Holder just haven't gotten around to it yet, but clearly these fundy/neo-cons have agendas.US Dist Attorney Brett Tolman -- law school grad from Brigham Young University. He is the one who had late night dealings with Bush Regime's Patriot Act, and many think he belongs in jail.
for more info on Brett's background, which does not bode well for justice:
There may be legitimate reasons why Brett Tolman isn't in prison; I'm not sure. But there are certainly none that would explain why he is still the U.S. Attorney for Utah. Yes, another U.S. Attorney -- but one, unlike crimebusters Carol Lam, David Iglesias, John McKay, etc -- that wasn't fired. In fact, if not for Mr. Tolman none of them would have been fired. But that goes back to his old job when he was a staffer for Arlen Specter at the time when Specter was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Tolman was a counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee when they were reauthorizing the so-called "Patriot Act" in 2005-06. He reported to Snarlin' Arlen -- or at least that is what Specter believed. Specter was unaware of the Bush Regime's tight-knit "Mormon Mafia" operated by Karl Rove at the heart of the U.S. government. He learned the hard way.
One night, before passage of the bill, Tolman surreptitiously inserted a paragraph into the legislation that basically removed Senate oversight and approval of replacements for U.S. Attorneys. Tolman didn't ask Specter and didn't tell Specter or, as far as we know, any other senators. He just snuck it into the bill and none of them knew they were voting for that provision. Is that embarrassing, or what? I think so. And I think it plays a role in why the senators have been pretty mum on this episode. And what made it worse is that the Senate unanimously approved Bush's nomination of Tolman, soon after... as U.S. Attorney for Utah!
When Specter finally did discover he had been duped by Tolman and tried to get to the bottom of it, all he was told was that Tolman had acted on behalf of the Justice Department! No names. The question remains, did Rove tell Tolman to do it directly or did he use Gonzales as his messenger boy?
Today it was revealed that the Saudis have turned their backs on BushCo. That leaves one base of support, the Mormons, right? Well... not so fast. Utah may be the reddest of the red states-- and the lowest information state anywhere -- but even there things are turning around a bit. A poll in the Salt Lake City Tribune has some bad news for the Bush Regime. Like the Saudis, the Mormons have about had it with Bush's disastrous war and catastrophic occupation of Iraq.
In the survey, just 44 percent of those identifying themselves as Mormon said they backed Bush's war management. That's a level considerably higher than Bush gets from Utah's non-Mormon population and the nation at large, but it's also a 21 percentage point drop from just five months earlier.... Such abrupt moves in group opinion are uncommon. Pollsters say numbers generally move gradually, unless "spooked" by something.
Rove, who went to high school and college in Utah and first got into political campaigning working for Senator Wallace Bennett (R-UT), operates a virtual "Mormon Mafia" out of his White House office, recently uncovered by our own Karen Allen while she was investigating Kyle Sampson, another in Rove's web, for Down With Tyranny.
Oddly, after Tolman had rendered his little service to Rove at the Judiciary Committee, it appeared that Rove was backing Sampson for the U.S. Attorney gig-- although with Rove, appearances are almost always deceptive. It was Utah Senator Orrin Hatch who was behind Tolman, a protege of his, and Hatch seems to have come to terms with Rove.
A few weeks ago Karen Tumulty flagged this in Time as a potential problem for Gonzales and the Bush Regime -- twice. No one seems to have bitten. It's difficult for me to understand -- beyond their own embarrassment -- why senators, particularly those on the Judiciary Committee, have failed to haul Brett Tolman's ass in and find out who exactly gave him the order to insert the secret paragraph into the Patriot Act in the dead of night. Once that is cleared up, I believe the rest of Purge-Gate will fall into place.
http://firedoglake.com/2007/03/28/why-isnt-brett-t ...
more
On Feb. 6, when the Senate held hearings on the issue of prosecutorial independence, former judiciary committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., proudly claimed to have been as clueless as the rest of us. Denying New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer's claim that he or his staff had "slipped the new provision into the Patriot Act in the dead of night," Specter asserted, "The first I found out about the change in the Patriot Act occurred a few weeks ago when Sen. Feinstein approached me on the floor."
Specter added that he only looked into how the provision was altered after Feinstein told him about it. As he explained, "I then contacted my very able chief counsel, Michael O'Neill, to find out exactly what had happened. And Mr. O'Neill advised me that the requested change had come from the Department of Justice, that it had been handled by Brett Tolman, who is now the U.S. attorney for Utah, and that the change had been requested by the Department of Justice because there had been difficulty with the replacement of a U.S. attorney in South Dakota."
http://www.slate.com/id/2161260 /
I'm not usually one to advocate going outside of the law, but I remember when Tim did this. He saved that land for our future, from being raped and destroyed. Sometimes you have to stand up for what's right.
And these Bush appointees - these cowboy's with fundy, partisan agendas, need to GO! get the ***** out of our justice department. Holder, get rid of this absolute albatross. Yes:
"Tolman surreptitiously inserted a paragraph into the legislation that basically removed Senate oversight and approval of replacements for U.S. Attorneys." -- more dictatorship from the Bush regime, and now we know part of the puzzle re the outrages that have gone on in our DoJ. - Relikh, on 04/06/2009, -6/+9010 YEARS?!
- masturbator, on 04/06/2009, -4/+72Yeah, ten years is quite excessive. Personally, I'd just leave neg. feedback for him as a non-paying bidder
- darkened, on 04/06/2009, -20/+86As much as I hate the justice system and disagree alot of laws, laws regarding fraud I definitely do not. While I don't wish to see this guy's life ruined with a decade in jail he deserves to be punished for his fraud. Hopefully they reach some more appropriate punishment than 10 years in a fed pen.
- swizzcheez, on 04/06/2009, -16/+72Bid under a false alias? Check.
Failed to uphold the obligations under contract when he won? Check.
Totally, unabashedly unapologetic about the deception? Check.
I'm have a hard time trying to figure out why he should be let off the hook from a legal standpoint, but the underlying legal nuances are not contained in the article (not to mention, as an interview, the article is entirely one sided). - inactive, on 04/06/2009, -14/+63fraud is fraud. I learned that in fraud school.
- ousthouse, on 04/06/2009, -14/+60When you break the law, you're supposed to be tried. That's how this works.
- SillyRabbits, on 04/06/2009, -19/+63Hey, guess what. This wasn't an ebay auction for burned toast. You go and screw with an auction where people/companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars, and put in fake bids? And then you're surprised they throw the book at you? Welcome to the real world. If he bid up other parcels of land then it likely only a matter of time before he is served with multiple lawsuits from those individuals/companies. Great way to throw your financial life away. He will likely have his wages garnished for the rest of his life.
- ahhell, on 04/06/2009, -35/+79They should give him a ***** medal.
- dusanmal, on 04/06/2009, -9/+42Environmentalists should raise money for areas which they want to be protected and outbid the companies who want to use legitimate resources (be it drilling, logging,...) there. If such areas matter to them, they should be able to raise enough funds to outbid companies who have limits based on the value of the resources there on the market. But, fake bidding is insanity and clearly illegal, though I'd rather send this one to mental treatment vs. jail. Typical Left thinking - just the first cool step and ignoring consequences.
- inactive, on 04/06/2009, -5/+32Well, ***** if it'd only been in the billions, maybe he'd have gotten that sweet handout cash from the federal reserve instead.
- sulthernao, on 04/06/2009, -3/+28Obama has no control of the judicial or legislative process. So you thought wrong.
- inactive, on 04/06/2009, -50/+74Just because YOU don't like drilling does not mean it is inherently bad or that you should take the law into your own hands and break the law to prevent it. That much should be obvious to even the simple minded on Digg.
- sarahlee, on 04/05/2009, -3/+27Many thanks for all the additional info about Tolman.
I believe I read that some environmental groups were stepping up to help provide attorneys, but I image they will need contributions to cover various trial expenses. - flaminglips, on 04/06/2009, -12/+35Sometimes it takes a person who is willing to do something crazy in order to get a message across. Laws are not set in stone; they are decided by society as general rules and can be changed.
My point is not that we should lose all civility and go nuts, but that occasionally, as was the case in the founding of America, you have to "fight the power."
Furthermore, I'm annoyed that we would put so much effort into sending this guy to jail before considering the Bush administration for starting an illegal war or maybe those CEO's that robbed millions of people. - ksalminen, on 04/06/2009, -3/+25HE'S A BIG FAT PHONY!
- Zap2, on 04/06/2009, -29/+51Hopefully Obama pardon's him if it comes down to that
- URnotheonly1, on 04/06/2009, -31/+52He owes for 22 thousand, he is a fraud, he is going to jail.
- freedomjoe, on 04/05/2009, -24/+43adding this just to draw the circle for you all: RE the Rove testimony we've been trying to get forever:
Tolman needs to be on the Senate witness list, under oath.
The insertion of the Patriot Act language was the predicate act to implementing the attorney firing and DOJ politicization plan.
The surreptitious nature of the act also demonstrates the guilty knowledge by Rove et. al. that their actions could not survive scrutiny. It may be even be (prosecutor types weigh in please) evidence of criminal intent.
Rove received a "thank you" for the firings of DoJ attorneys from the RNC.....nice touch, eh? - Cycline3, on 04/06/2009, -1/+18misleading. he hasn't been sentenced... if he gets 10years it's worthy of some huge rants, since he won't likely.. well...can't we wait and see?
- CanadaMan87, on 04/06/2009, -4/+20tl;dr
- qwertydvorak, on 04/06/2009, -4/+19"So I assume that if you were alive during the Boston tea party, you would find it reasonable to see those patriots charged with destruction of property etc?"
it is commonly understood that if you are to practice civil disobedience you willingly accept the consequences that go along with it.
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_disobedience
"In seeking an active form of civil disobedience, one may choose to deliberately break certain laws, such as by forming a peaceful blockade or occupying a facility illegally. Protesters practice this non-violent form of civil disorder with the expectation that they will be arrested, or even attacked or beaten by the authorities. Protesters often undergo training in advance on how to react to arrest or to attack, so that they will do so in a manner that quietly or limply resists without threatening the authorities." - SillyRabbits, on 04/06/2009, -8/+23He shouldn't. He's demonstrating the mentality of somebody that's been protected his entire life from the real world by his parents. This is exactly what happens when you teach your children that they are never wrong and they can do anything they like. The concept of having to deal with consequences seems completely lost on this kid. He seems to be crying "but, it's not fair". Hey, he's an adult now. He should have learned long before now that there are consequences to actions - his parents should have taught him that. I think 10 years of "pound me in the *ass" federal prison might be the only way to get this idea across. If not just for him, but as an example for others. You don't get to break any law you feel like just because you feel your cause is worthy.
- Pake, on 04/06/2009, -6/+21And what should be obvious to you if you took the time to read the article is that the auction was deemed inappropriate by Ken Salazar, the Secretary of the Interior. It wasn't a legal auction and they want to charge him for breaking the law when the Bush administration gets to walk free even though they were the true law breakers.
- dartmanx, on 04/06/2009, -4/+19The guy is obviously very dangerous, as evidenced by his buying land leases and raising the money to pay for them. Not only does he need to be put in jail for 10 years, but it needs to be the cell next to Ted Kaszinsky at Supermax. The nerve of the guy!
- MrHawkins, on 04/06/2009, -6/+20Reply dugg for length. Jesus Christ, that's a lot of text.
Article buried for "Where's the point?". This was a legal auction, disagreeable as it was. Bush administration or not, this sort of thing is against the law. The punishment, however, I find a bit... excessive.
Also, an observation- This (the article debate) is gonna get ugly... - GoKings, on 04/06/2009, -13/+26What does this have to do with Bush? Like there's some grand conspircy here? He committed FRAUD... If this was anyone else's land it would be no-brainer that he committed fraud and should face the proper penalties. For some reason because it's Bush's land he should be exempt from this? Or that because it's Bush's land there is some illegal conspiracy to throw this guy in jail? What a load of crap. If you impersonate a bidder, buy land, and can't pay, you are going to jail for fraud. Plain and simple... I don't care whose land it is.
- inactive, on 04/06/2009, -7/+19do you have any idea how the courts system works? The maximum is ALWAYS very high. IT is for repeat offenders.
I know...but on Digg, it is always nice to take that maximum and get all up in a rage over how it is RIDICULOUS that somene is going to spend all that time in jail - MikeFallopian, on 04/06/2009, -9/+20Step 1: Fraudulently bid on land with money you don't have
Step 2: ?????????
Step 3: SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT!
Seriously, what did this kid think would happen? The government would shrug and say "good one kid, you sure fooled us" and let him keep the land? 10 years is obviously excessive, but he'll plead down to probation and a stiff fine, and hopefully learn not to ***** around with fraud laws. - meed, on 04/06/2009, -8/+18This guy is a hero, this was a situation where something really needed to be done and no amount of protesting would of changed it. If only more people cared like this guy did. The downside is that he will have to pay for it with his freedom.
- magus_melchior, on 04/06/2009, -1/+11Uh-huh... let me know when a non-profit can out-raise international conglomerates.
- mactackle52, on 04/06/2009, -15/+25I don't know why you're being dugg down, that seems like a reasonable response to fraud.
- inactive, on 04/06/2009, -1/+11great, so are we going to charge all the people who put together the ***** auction? by some viewpoints, he was acting to prevent a MUCH greater fraud.
- inactive, on 04/06/2009, -11/+21Don't hold your breath. Obama is turning out to be a lemon.
- inactive, on 04/06/2009, -9/+18Just remember that civil disobedience isn't a license to break the law. Part of the deal is the legal consequences.
- gheide, on 04/06/2009, -1/+10From what I understood is that he bid on acreage that he had funding to pay for the leases, but all of that property was later deemed unsellable. Then the administration filed suit. I hope he sticks with it...
- HappyScrappy, on 04/06/2009, -10/+19Inaccurate. He did not buy the land, he fraudulently bid on it.
He did not have the money nor any way to get it when he bid. He committed fraud. That's a felony. - Birdoftruth, on 04/06/2009, -0/+9DID NOT BUYYY! Buyer did not follow proper paypal procedure!
- centerblack, on 04/06/2009, -2/+10FROM THE ARTICLE:
" Yes, yes. All the parcels that I bid on were part of that decision, so all of those were nullified. That’s why we had raised the funds to actually make the payments on there and offer that payment to the BLM, but they weren’t able to accept that because of the Salazar decision, because it was all invalidated. " - WoollyMittens, on 04/06/2009, -1/+9Only the brave and the foolish oppose the ruling class.
- Killeroid, on 04/06/2009, -2/+10Here's hoping that President Obama gives this guy a pardon and scrubs this lawsuit ASAP.
- evilgeorgew, on 04/06/2009, -1/+8Yes fraud is fraud - when it's actually fraud. This event, in my opinion, is a case of civil disobedience. The amount of oil on these lands only represents cold hard cash for a handful of wealthy individuals. It has absolutely no effect on foreign oil dependence or price of gasoline at the pump - zero, zip, nada - or ANYTHING that would benefit the public (the owners of this land).
Non violent civil disobedience is the only tool we've got in these kinds of situations. Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Gandhi all broke the law and spent time in jail. Perhaps you feel it was in the public interest to jail these folks? The United States itself was founded on breaking English laws.
This isn't about ideology - this is about someone standing up to a handful of corrupt politicians in the public interest. These are public lands and there is absolutely no public good that would come out of these oil/gas leases - only harm to the land and area residents.
Theft from the public to give to private corporations. A good book you should read that is available for free ... http://www.gangsofamerica.com/read.html "Gangs of America: The Rise of Corporate Power and the Disabling of Democracy " - brucealmighty, on 04/06/2009, -3/+10Fraud or Civil Disobedience? Hard to tell sometimes. Either way I'd support giving him the Freedom Medal before most of the Bush recipients....at least he wasn't acting out of blatant self interest and personal gain.
- downwardspiral, on 04/06/2009, -5/+12Time de christopher ***** rocks. He wanted to save those lands which he cared for dearly and did it by all means. Best of luck fighting the filth.
- TexMexRex, on 04/06/2009, -11/+18He was willing to take a stand and accept the consequences, and now, he is trying really hard not to accept the consequences. Hooray!
- rynsa, on 04/06/2009, -2/+9"Bottom-earner?" Not sure if this is supposed to be offensive or not, but it sounds like the sort of slight one might hear on an episode of the Sopranos. In any case, and being that I am most definitely a proud member of the growing American underclass, I'm gonna take it as a compliment.
We "bottom-earners" tend NOT to share the near-fascist fervor of the capitalist elite. We prefer, for instance, the freedom to express dissent through non-violent means over the quasi-religious drive to acquire wealth at the expense of the American public and the natural world.
Go "bottom-earners!" - OrdinaryPanda, on 04/06/2009, -0/+7"others" would be us, the citizens of the US. It is federal land that is not supposed to be sold to cronies of whoever is currently in power.
- stubear, on 04/06/2009, -4/+10Jesus ***** Christ people, 10 years is the MAXIMUM sentence possible crimes for which he has been indicted. Is it really that ***** difficult to understand this concept?
- PopcornDave, on 04/06/2009, -2/+8Yes and those practicing civil disobedience back then knew full well it could cost them their lives but they pressed on anyway.
If you're going to do something, possibly illegal, to change the way things operate you can't be afraid of being tried, possibly convicted and sentenced to jail time.
While I don't agree with this fellow's approach, I commend him on not being a pussy and whining that he might go to jail. - Pake, on 04/06/2009, -2/+8It's not Bush's land, it's Federal land that was put up illegally on auction, hence the reason Salazar nullified it.
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