Talis Colberg is Pro-Choice!
That’s right, embattled Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg is all about freedom of personal choice. He thinks people have the right to choose whethere to ignore legislative subpoenas or not. He feels it’s a personal decision between you, your governor and your Attorney General. And the legislature has no business interfering, and telling you what to do.
That was the overriding message in today’s beautifully merciless grilling of Attorney General Talis Colberg by Rep. Jay Ramras. He said over and over that he never “directed” state employees to ignore subpoenas. He simply gave them a choice. He gave them options. Oh. Now I feel so much better.
The entire session lasted almost two hours, and although at times I was really tempted to try to transcribe the whole thing, I settled instead for what I’d call the “highlight reel”.
Our cast of characters: Reps. Jay Ramras (R), Carl Gatto (R), Lindsay Holmes (D) (attorney), Max Gruenberg (D) (attorney), Jack Coghill (R), and Talis Colberg (AG).
Colberg said Wednesday that he doesn’t dispute the Legislature can launch investigations and issue subpoenas. But he maintains the Senate Judiciary Committee did not get proper authority from the Legislature for the subpoenas at issue here.
Colberg took his arguments to the state Superior Court last fall in a lawsuit attempting to kill the subpoenas. He lost.
When Colberg mentioned the lawsuit he used to challenge the validity of the subpoenas, Ramras sarcastically asked, “How’d that work out?” Ouch!
So, although the Daily News did a good job with the summary, they left out some choice bits.
Rep. Jay Ramras (R) Who do you work for? Because it didn’t feel to me like you were working for Alaskans. I couldn’t tell who you were working for, and you managed to skip over in your introductory remarks that part of my question, so perhaps I didn’t ask it plainly enough. Who do you work for?
Talis Colberg – I work for several people at the same time. [snip]
Rep. Jay Ramras (R) – The whole affair was messy and sloppy to me and cast a black eye on the State of Alaska and the manner in which we handle due process.
Ramras then went on to describe the Troopergate subpoena issue as “an Orwellian experience for the State of Alaska.” That was one of several times during the interrogation I found myself saying, “Yes!” out loud.
Rep. Lindsay Holmes (D) - I’m looking at a letter that was signed I believe on your behalf by Asst. AG Barnhill on the 9th of September and it starts by saying that “The purpose of this letter is twofold. First, to explain why the Department of Law decided not to proceed with the depositions of the Department of Administration employees last week.” Not “why my clients decided not to participate”. It’s why the Department of Law decided not to proceed.
(Me: “Yes!”)
Talis Colberg – “The clients were given options. These are choices that were given to them.”
Then Rep. Carl Gatto (R) piped up and said that he thought everyone was picking on Colberg.
Rep. Gatto (R) – “I’ve gotten the feeling since the beginning that he’s sitting here as a defendant. Is that the direction we were supposed to be going here today?”
Rep. Jay Ramras (R) – I thought you [Colberg] did systemic damage to the rights of the Legislature to bring an appropriate subpoena against somebody and the rights that any normal citizen would have had, and the obligations any normal citizen would have had to ignore a subpoena at their peril. Instead, you empowered these 7 or 4 people with “super rights” and they were advised by you that they could ignore a subpoena and frankly, Rep. Gatto, I’ve been waiting months and months and months to have this conversation [snip] I want to uncover exactly what went wrong and the manner in which the Legislative Branch was compromised by the Attorney General’s office, and I’m rather incensed about what transpired some months ago.
Enter Rep. Max Gruenberg (D) on matters of the law. This was one of my favorite exchanges. In the battle of Attorney vs. Attorney, score a big one for Gruenberg.
Rep. Max Gruenberg: On a lengthy letter dated September 16. I’d like to refer to the second paragraph in that letter from General Colberg to Senator Hollis French. “As state employees our clients have taken an oath to uphold the constitution, etc. and for that reason they respect the Legislature’s desire to carry out an investigation in support of its law-making powers. however our clients are also loyal employees subject to the supervision of the governor. Your subpoena places them in the difficult position of choosing either to support the governors position to cooperate only with the Personnel Board investigation or to voluntarily comply with the subpoenas issued by the committee.”
Gen. Colberg, that paragraph contains a number of contradictory statements, not that it’s internally contradictory but that it expresses several contradictory positions. Number one: that there’s a need to uphold the constitution and that includes, I think you’ll concede here, the right of the Legislature to investigate. On the other, their desires to be loyal to the governor in this case. Isn’t it true that that’s not really a conflict because if they’re under a subpoena they only have a duty to obey the law despite their loyalty to the Governor? Wouldn’t their duty to uphold the law preempt and supercede their loyalty to the Governor as a matter of law?
TC: I think that’s a correct statement.
MG: Second, then they wouldn’t “voluntarily” be complying with the subpoena, they would be complying as a result of complying with Alaska law. True?
TC: Right. [snip]
Then Colberg went on to talk about constitutional rights, and options, and choices, etc.
So, where do things stand now?
The legal argument isn’t settled. Colberg’s appeal of his unsuccessful lawsuit over the subpoenas is pending before the state Supreme Court.
At least one change to the law is likely as a result of this. Last fall the Legislature wasn’t in session so couldn’t vote to hold people who defied the subpoenas in contempt. Coghill said he plans to propose a bill to clear that up and let legislators enforce subpoenas even when out of session.
Anchorage Democratic Rep. Harry Crawford has also proposed a constitutional amendment for the attorney general to be elected, rather than appointed. Judiciary chairman Ramras said he’d support that, but it would require a two-thirds vote of the state House and Senate, as well as a public vote.
If you want more than just my highlight reel of the proceedings, you can listen to the whole thing from beginning to end, right HERE. It’s listed under “House Judiciary Committee, 1/28/09 1:02pm)
May I just say, Max Gruenberg is good. He’s very good. I had dealings with Mr. Gruenberg before he was in the Legislature, and I was quite impressed. He didn’t let me down.
And how about that Jay Ramras? It always makes me feel vaguely uncomfortable when I have the urge to “attaboy” the other side of the aisle. But, I’ll do it this time. Kind of like clicking that button that says “Temporarily Allow Pop-Ups”. I will temporarily allow Attaboys for Jay Ramras. He wins the Mudflats “Vertebrate Award” for showing some major spine.
AKM -Thanks for the “highlights”.Pro-choice indeed !!
Options? And this guy passed the bar?
In simple terms, being loyal to Palin means you don’t have to comply with Alaska law. Or, if we’re considering the Constitution, federal law.
I hope they push forward with this, as it is really a huge abuse of power case. Using your power (or power of whom you serve) to put yourself about not only the law, but above those who have elected you, is not only criminla but unethical as well (if we must use a lighter term).
Toss these SOBs to the wolves.
Now if they continue to follow up on Mr Todd and the others.
Will there be any direct consequences for the AG for his mishandling of this whole thing?
Finger typer = bad speller
Sorry.
above the law
criminal
etc.
Two bootlickers-Colberg and Phil Gingrey, congressman from Georgia
pvazwindy – or in this case – red “Naughty Monkey” lickers…..
LMAO!! AKM
Could someone explain to me why obeying the subpoeas would make it impossible to also comply with the Personnel Board enquiry, were they mutually exclusive? Am I stupid or just missing something?
Wonder if TC is so smug about being SP’s lap dog now!
Well, it’s about time for some spine – It always baffled me how subpoenas could be ignored – most especially by the Attorney General.
OT seen Politcos latest? http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18161.html
Why does this coming weekend’s events remind me of a John Grisham novel? Splat!
I e-mailed Gatto this morning reminding him he had a elected job to fulfill. And it wasn’t to present a bullshit defense for TC. Dammit, if your subpoeaned act like an American Citizen and honor it. The Bush regime is over, I’ll say it again, over. Its smackdown time.
Colberg…Gettin’ all Maverickey in his office also, too…
Nah..compliance is not necessary under his watch..you have options and choices!
I’m shocked he wasn’t disbarred over this.
Whooohooo!!!! I’m beginning to have faith on our government again! It started ten days ago.
So, does the AG “work for Alaskans” or does he “work for several people at the same time”?
Is the AG implying that his duty to uphold the law did NOT preempt and supercede HIS loyalty to the Governor?
BigPeteNo Gravatar (13:56:16) :
So, does the AG “work for Alaskans” or does he “work for several people at the same time”?
Is the AG implying that his duty to uphold the law did NOT preempt and supercede HIS loyalty to the Governor?
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Sounds like it. I thought all attorneys had to take an oath. And doesn’t he have to take an oath to assume that office? Seems like he could be kicked to the curb for breaking his oath – isn’t that perjury?
Blago’s gone removed from office. Next up Alaska.
@AKM, I clicked your link and this was not listed :“House Judiciary Committee, 1/28/09 1:02pm)”
???? Was it taken down? Argg….
Thank you for the additional information, yup ADN left out some good stuff.
If they don’t censure this ASSHAT I’m going to ignore my next jury duty summons and write a letter to the court stating that Tolberg said I could. I’m due to come up at any time…or never again – who knows, but I plan to blame Tolberg for ANY transgressions that I make between now and when they actually penalize him.
Its about time! Nice reporting!
Martha Unalaska Yard SignNo Gravatar (14:11:15) :
If they don’t censure this ASSHAT I’m going to ignore my next jury duty summons and write a letter to the court stating that Tolberg said I could.
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That’s what I’d be tempted to do if I lived there.
Tolberg is a walking penis with ears.
It’s Colberg folks…
Well, the vote is in…Blago impeached.
Now, what about impeaching SP?
Choice…to abide by the law or to break the law. If being loyal to the governor meant breaking the law, well, than I would think that the governor should be held accountable for all her actions as well as the actions of the others. And the AG should be an advocate for the people … the people pay his salary like all the rest, except for that unemployed spouse, co-governor, uh? No one should be above the law and that should be the message.
Thanks, AKM!
And they voted to bar him from ever holding elected office in Illinois again: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/01/blagojevich-to-give-impeachment-speech-in-a-few-hours.html
Sorry AKM – OT – but I can’t help it, laughing my a** off.
Jack Cafferty just slaughtered SP on CNN!
“Everyone’s favourite empty dress just opened a PAC – does she know how to even spell it? I bet not, and who cares?, it is four years away and she has as much chance as Bugs Bunny of being POTUS”
Paraphrasing slightly, but close enough!
@ InJuneau
Thank you for the correction, Tolberg – gosh how did so many of us miss that??
Just trying to contract his first and last names, were you? Not that I think he couldn’t use a little contracting…
@ Injuneau
As well they should. No one should be allowed to use an elected office for personal, monetary or political gain. Has SP used her elected office for personal, monetary or political gain? Maybe all?!Thanks for the link!
South Side Chicago
Blagojevic removed from office.
Oh man, when Sarah runs in 2012, I hope her fellow R’s use some of this stuff to rip her to shreds during the Primary.
Now this is good news…. I needed some good news today!
Way to go Illinois……… Now Alaska it’s your turn take notes. Impeach SP
anon blogger said @ (14:28:59) : Well, the vote is in…Blago impeached. Now, what about impeaching SP?
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exactly what I was thinking. Illinois just did. Alaska, PLEASE be next!
Got thrown into spam for trying to tell you all about Jack Cafferty on CNN tonight. He was priceless – “SP has as much chance of being POTUS as Bugs Bunny”
Blago is gone. I’m just doin’ the Snoopy Dance!! Thanks to our senators for having a spine!
Best line was by Senator Meeks: We’ve got this impeachment thing, and it’s bleeping Golden!
Most sobering moment: Senator Watson’s comments in support of impeachment made through his tears.
Best wishes to now Governor Quinn!
UK Lady (14:59:30) :
Got thrown into spam for trying to tell you all about Jack Cafferty on CNN tonight. He was priceless – “SP has as much chance of being POTUS as Bugs Bunny”
………………………………I Like Jack Cafferty …..Bugs Bunny LMAO
I’m sure Jack Cafferty meant no insult to Bugs Bunny.
@Goalie in NM (14:08:20) :
You should be able to find and listen to the archived audio on this page: http://www.ktoo.org/gavel/audio.cfm Click on January 28 on the little calendar on the left then look for the link to the House Judiciary Committee and click on that to listen.
@InJuneau…
Oh thank you, thank you! I’m a bonafide techno-idiot and must be lead through the tubes by hand….
IMPEACH NOW
@Goalie in NM (15:32:24) :
Nah, you’re not. It can be an odd website to work around in and find all the right things. Did you notice you could actually order a VIDEO of the lovely committee hearing if you so desired too? Also…
Spine transplants happening all over the place. It’s about time.
Now, if we could just borrow a few of those Illini spines for a couple of months up here, we’d be all set!
The Colberg Act – a fitting honor.
“Sunshine is the best disinfectant”. Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis
Bring it on.
Sounds like Talis was just taking his cues from the previous White House administration — “If we do it, it isn’t illegal.”
It will probably take a few years at least before that mindset is regarded as ridiculous.
Fellow posters on a CNN blog back in 1999 and 2000 — who supported Bush — said, at the time, “Look, even if he is elected and is as awful as you say, how much harm could he do in 4 years?”
Now we know. The disease that was the Bush years spread further and wider than we thought.
Oh, and if you need funds to support an Impeach Palin or Impeach Colberg movement, count me in.
EnnealogicNo Gravatar (15:53:54) :
Now we know. The disease that was the Bush years spread further and wider than we thought.
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Has cost this country thousands of lives, trillions of dollars, and respect. That won’t end anytime soon.
Yes, Colberg, you are SUPPOSED to work for the Alaskan citizenry and “also too though” serve Queen Snowbilly, but WHILE OBEYING AND UPHOLDING the law. Or did you and your roomie Blago skip that day in law school???
Gotta give the gu credit though, he’s tapdancing as fast as he can in snow shoes!
South Side Chicago
AKM and others, it’s a good thing that spines are not extinct–like the dinosaurs that recently walked with Sarah Palins ancestors. Do spines trump cajones?
Times, they are a-changing…
Bea – You know Talis is gonna have a hard time sleeping tonite thinking about his college room-mate and how he is on target to be next !!
Wow, I am glad they addressed this finally, will this lead to the Alaskan legis. and the people to hold SP accountable.? We can hope.
@austintx (16:19:06) :
No, no, it’s better than that…they were law school roommates!
But in his rebuttal to the governor’s statement, impeachment prosecutor David Ellis painted Blagojevich as a selfish politician who had become a “stain on the state.”
“He doesn’t think one minute about the people, just himself,” he said, asserting that the impeachment was for the people, not to punish Blagojevich as he had suggested.
“He has a Constitutional right not to be thrown in jail without a fair trial,” he said. “But he does not have a Constitutional right to be governor. That is not a right; it’s a privilege and he forfeited that right. He has abused the power of his office.”
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Insert Palin for Blagojevich, she for he…………just don’t know who to insert for the
impeachment prosecutor.
These spin doctors just have such a hard time in snowshoes, don’t they? Before the election he thought he was so cute and doing just what the Snow Queen wanted, now, not so sure…
She for sure is never going to say she asked him to do it….also
But, bless her heart, you’ll never be able to insert Sarah here.
“Blagojevich acknowledged that the truth about his conduct is “maybe not flattering in some cases,”
Colberg : “….however our clients are also loyal employees subject to the supervision of the governor. Your subpoena places them in the difficult position of choosing either to support the governors position to cooperate only with the Personnel Board investigation or to voluntarily comply with the subpoenas issued by the committee.”
Colberg’s asinine reasoning in this statement sounds like the result of coaching by Palin (and/or McCain’s lawyers). Of course it fell apart under Rep. Gruenberg’s questioning!! It’s not based on the law and constitution. It reeks of “Palin’s Law of Loyalty orYou Get Your A$$ Fired.” How many of those ” loyal” employees, including Colberg, had the screws put to them and tightened?
It’s pretty obvious this bogus pseudo-legal argument was drummed up after Palin’s Veep nomination in order to give the “loyal employees” a reason to ignore the subpoenas. Why not? It was politically expedient. It bought the McCain/Palin ticket some time during the campaign…..(and if the McCain/Palin ticket had triumphed, it would have been swept under the rug through some other political “immunity” machinations!)
I wonder if Colberg will now “choose” to fall on his sword “voluntarily” for the Guv……for the greater good, doncha know. On second thought, it seems he already did….last September.
Love the Bugs/Palin POTUS connection a la Cafferty…
Made me think of one of my fave Bugs episodes where he jumps off a high dive and doesn’t splat — looks at the camera and says, “I know this is violating the laws of physics, but then, I never studied law!”
InJuneau – yes sir !! At Pepperdine where Ken Starr is the dean or somesuch……..I hope the irony was not lost on Talis that he and Blago were both before their respective Legislatures today having to answer for breaking the law !! Shit – They probably took the same courses…….let’s see….Public Corruption 101……..FAIL.
austintxNo Gravatar (16:54:15) :
InJuneau – yes sir !! At Pepperdine where Ken Starr is the dean or somesuch……..I hope the irony was not lost on Talis that he and Blago were both before their respective Legislatures today having to answer for breaking the law !! Shit
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Wow, that is irony – thanks for pointing that out to me.
I am curious about Colberg’s appeal of the Superior Court decision- anyone know what the basis of his lawsuit is? If the AK Constitution says witnesses are compelled to testify, is he arguing that the Legislature can’t issue subpoenas? Or is he arguing that employees of the Governor don’t have to testify? I would think the AK Supreme Court would drop kick him right back to his office, but there must be a reason he is spending Alaskan cash to get the decision overturned.
CO almost native (16:59:56) :
I would think the AK Supreme Court would drop kick him right back to his office, but there must be a reason he is spending Alaskan cash to get the decision overturned.
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Sarah’s wrath? Disbarment?
@ CO almost native (16:59:56)
I would think the AK Supreme Court would drop kick him right back to his office, but there must be a reason he is spending Alaskan cash to get the decision overturned.
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Maybe SP said, “DO SOMETHING!!!” Or maybe it was pressure from all the calls from that dude. LOL!!
Finally, finally, some members of the legislature of whom I can be proud. Very well done, lady and gentlemen – thank you. Talis’s assertion that “loyal” employees shouldn’t have to obey the law is chilling. Reminds me of “Animal Farm”: all animals are equal but some are more equal than others.
It’s called stalling because we can, and keeping the goverment funds amoung friends, well at least spending the funds in state on other lawyer kinda stuff, to some it’s call trickle down legalize…
CO almost native – Good question……is the brief he filed available for citizen perusal ?? Hey – these 2 might be roomies again !!
Lance the Boil aka Crust Scramble (17:07:27) :
CO almost native (16:59:56) :
I would think the AK Supreme Court would drop kick him right back to his office, but there must be a reason he is spending Alaskan cash to get the decision overturned.
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Sarah’s wrath? Disbarment?
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Hmm…good point. Keep appealing Colberg, but do it on SP’s dollar; yeah, tap into SarahPAC:-)
Lee323No Gravatar (16:43:39) :
Colberg’s asinine reasoning in this statement sounds like the result of coaching by Palin (and/or McCain’s lawyers). Of course it fell apart under Rep. Gruenberg’s questioning!! It’s not based on the law and constitution. It reeks of “Palin’s Law of Loyalty orYou Get Your A$$ Fired.” How many of those ” loyal” employees, including Colberg, had the screws put to them
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I think it has ALL to do with the RNC lawyers and a formal investigation should be launched! On the Federal level. Also Barbie and dud were being coached by RNC lawyers when they did their depositions….!
I definitely think TROOPERGATE should NOT be let go, if anything its worse than before.
Just heard on RM Bush told Rove to ignore his supoena…Must be a repub. thing!!!! Oh and Rove said President Bush!!!!
I am having computer problems today….
I plan to email Rep Ramas
Its still Mercury retrograde…! So that figures! Will check in later…
Great post AKM, as always!!
i had to go wash my hands after reading the comments on that politico link given earlier……….nasty bits of sarah loving illogic going on over there. wow.
austintxNo Gravatar (17:15:42) :
CO almost native – Good question……is the brief he filed available for citizen perusal ?? Hey – these 2 might be roomies again !!
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My recollection is that Colberg did was not party to the appeal, and the Supreme Court has already issued an order denying the appeal by the legislators, just not issued reasons for that order yet…
Was not able to find either of the briefs, but had a very nice e-mail exchange with the Leg Comm’s lawyer following his initial victory.
See for record:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2008/10/troopergate-pro.html
See also, for a brief synopsis of arguments made: http://sarahpalintruthsquad.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/supreme-court-wont-block-gov-palin-troopergate-inquiry/
Since you all heard here that Blago & Talis were roomies in uni, you might not be very surprised at what you will find that’s been put together by TC. Remember Blago’s insane speech citing Tennyson? Well, this has shades of that, but is even more utterly bizarre. First, there’s the cover. Uhm, hello, flowers? Perhaps the planet flowers for the planet that TC and SP live on? And whoa! His opening page/remarks/address/whatever-you-want-to-call-it-it-defies-description…
Check out this link before they find out we’re mocking it, and it gets wiped!!!!
http://www.law.state.ak.us/pdf/admin/AnnualReport08_web.pdf
@ the problem child
I think CO almost Native is referring to Colberg’s appeal that the subpoenas issued by the committee while the Legislature was not in session were not legal.
Stupid logic and they better shoot it down! Since AK only has a 90 day session, what the heck does that mean for our lawmaking branch for the other 9 mos? There is NO ONE to censure any executive branch employee for 9 mos? Sorry, not happening. So why do we appoint the folks for these committees while the Legislature is not in session if they can’t DO ANYTHING?
SMRNo Gravatar (18:09:17)
Check out this link before they find out we’re mocking it, and it gets wiped!!!!
http://www.law.state.ak.us/pdf/admin/AnnualReport08_web.pdf
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OMG – surely that’s…………a joke? Shakespearean Palinese? That’s scary.
My understanding was that Colberg/ witnesses did not join in the “emergency” appeal. Do you have more info?
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/lawmakers_to_issue_subpoenas_in_troopergate
“Under Alaska law, a subpoena requiring the attendance of a witness before a standing committee may be issued by the chairman of a committee when authorized to do so by a majority of the membership of the committee and with the concurrence of the Senate President or of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. ”
I know they had the majority backing of the committee, and the President of the Senate was Lyda Green (yes, she was backing them ALL the way!). I believe the Speaker of the House was John Harris, but don’t know if he agreed, too. Does anyone know?
Sounds like the Speaker of the House misplaced his spine, and also the other body part:
http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2008/09/9840_palin_troopergate_mccain_green_ocallaghan_lyda-green.html
“Ever since the McCain operatives became involved, the pushback against the investigation has been fierce. Five Republican legislators filed a lawsuit to stop the investigation, which had been unanimously endorsed by a bipartisan council of the state House and Senate. They claimed the probe was “a ‘McCarthyistic’ investigation” and was compromised because Democrats who supported the investigation were Obama backers. A Texas-based conservative legal outfit called the Liberty Legal Institute has been representing these lawmakers. Six Alaskan residents filed a similar but separate lawsuit. And the Republican Speaker of the House, John Harris, stepped back from his previous endorsement of the investigation.”
In his own words: “Our job is in part to uphold the law and at the same time not lose the confidence of the public in doing so.” Colberg is going to be hard pressed to keep the confidence of the public, if he keeps telling one group they don’t have to play by the rules and another group they will end up in jail in the don’t. Has there ever been anyone else in AK that didn’t have to show for a subpoena?
I thought that was how the game was played in Bushes, Washington DC. justice department, not in state departments of justice.
Hmmm…first he was for it, then he was against it. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Do we call this the Support from Nowhere?
http://www.zimbio.com/Sarah+Palin/articles/646/McCain+Palin+Troopergate+Stonewall+Bush+Cheney
Democrat Hollis French Chairman of the Judiciary Committee stated in July:
â??the legislative council, a joint Senate-House committee, would pick and hire the investigator. Fench also stated that the Legislative Counsel would be headed by Republican Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom.â??
However, in typical republican fashion of hiding the truth, John Coghill a McCain operative, calls fowl. Supporting Coghill is Alaskan Republican Speaker of the House John Harris.
But Coghill, who told NEWSWEEK that he has the backing of Republican Speaker of the House John Harris in his effort to remove French, suggested Friday that the investigation into Palinâ??s firing of Monegan should be shut down entirely. â??If this has been botched up the way it has, thereâ??s a question as to whether it should continue,â?? Coghill told NEWSWEEK.
However in a July, Anchorage Daily News article Speaker John Harris was for the investigation before the McCain team made him against it.
SMR – Well instead of studying law – Blago and Talis obviously were quoting the old masters of literature to each other !! These guys are 2 peas in a pod……..I mean WTF can you even say……..
SMR @ 18:09:17 – WTF? It sounds like he was trippin’ when he wrote the intro! Seriously! Good catch.
So am I off base or hasn’t the AK AG and those that didn’t appear to testify been in contempt of court since when ever they didn’t appear and the judge said they had to, so now we have all been waiting for AK legis to reconven, so some one could be made to appear, but some of the spineless want to sweep it all under the rug because, hey I can’t even remember that part tonight, but for sure they want to pretend it should all go away, like as if we didn’t notice some laws were broken and the faith of the people has been badly bent here.
I got caught in the spam filter for the first time – yikes! It was just more about spineless John Harris and how he “was for it, then against it” re: Troopergate. Ack ack ack! I don’t know what else to say.
@austintx & BS — I know, is that sh!t weird or what? Has he been going out for coffee w/Sherry J or something? Maybe Sherry supplies both TC & Scumbag Millionhair?
pvazwindy (13:21:51) said: Two bootlickers-Colberg and Phil Gingrey, congressman from Georgia
No kidding. A little OT, but in the spirit of censuring wrong-headed politicians and talk-show hosts who lie like Sarah Palin…
You might be interested in a link over at Crooksandliars.com that leads you to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — no, you don’t HAVE to give them any money — they’ve set up a petition to censure Rush Limbaugh for his unrepentant wish that President Obama fail “to meet America’s challenges”.
I wrote my 2c worth in the comment section — I hope some of you take the time to do the same.
Back to TC’s pro-choice and the AG 2008 Annual Report, (see link above) I didn’t take time to read every word of the 32 pg report, but was able to get by the poetic rambling of the 1st 2 pg, and take a peek inside, where he seemed to touch base on everything his department has take credit for since back when AK became a state 50 yrs ago, OK, that’s something to be proud of, but with all the things he mentioned that they did right, there were some glaring holes were things went wrong, like the very thing that Montagal(sp) was complaining about in Apirl last year, before he got dumped over Troopergate…oh, and no word that I could see in the report on troopergate and no word of being called before the Legis…so, some head hanging must be going on in his department, as well as more sweepers trying to lift the rub and get that all behind him and the Gov’s office.
The report is a pretty good read if you want to learn what the Repub agenda for the State of AK is. He kind of lays some interesting bais’ right out there in front like his suits against whales and bears being put on the endangered list and even their side of the SnakeRiver Dams debate, something I’m interested living here in Lewiston, seat of the only SeaPort in ID.
Lance the Boil aka Crust Scramble
CO almost native (16:59:56) :
I would think the AK Supreme Court would drop kick him right back to his office, but there must be a reason he is spending Alaskan cash to get the decision overturned.
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Sarah’s wrath? Disbarment?
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Maybe he’s more afraid of DISMEMBERMENT !!!
In Stephen Jay Gould’s book The Richness of Life (page 278) — one can find the quote that was mined for the flower report. Interestingly enough the entire book is available online – just google it – i tried posting a link and got sent into 404 error land. but i digress
the title of the page that the quote was taken from is “The Power of the Modal Bacter, Or Why the Tail Can’t Wag the Dog”
but wait – it gets more interesting.
first, Gould is hands-down our generation’s most beloved evolutionist.
second, i think palin doesn’t go for that stuff, right?
third — the rest of the paragraph is full of wonderful little phrases like “grasping at straws” and “myopic focus on extreme values” and “false surrogate for progress”
(may gould forgive me for just yanking out those phrases out of context)
or that the next page in the book mentions Dana’s (Darwin’s contemporary) personal transformation from creationism to evolution
or that this particular chapter of the book is used to lay down the seven arguments that define Gould’s perception of how evolution occurs
hmmm. seven arguments…..seven mountains……one is logical and based on scientific inquiry — the other (to quote gould once again out of context but quite spot on) “the invalid elevation of a small and epiphenomenal consequence into a major and controlling cause” (ie., tail wagging the dog)
my head hurts.
TC quotes famous evolutionist to make a point with Palin? about law? or the exponential growth of the Department of Law….. is he trying to make a satirical jab at Cambrian explosion?
surely he didn’t think palin actually would recognize Gould’s name right?
i will post (but first make copy so if tubes eat lovely post i don’t have to recreate it again) and then go look for some sugar in the kitchen.
This has been a rough day for the Pepperdine roomies…..yup, Talis and Rod, Rod and Talis….roomies and BFFs….I bet they are texting each other furiously about how unfair the world can be!!!
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/alaska_ear/story/635460.html
FOLLOW-UP … Ear reported a couple weeks ago that A.G. Talis Colberg was a 1983 law school classmate of (still, amazingly) Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and was maybe his actual roommate.
An earwig from the Valley reports Talis, on a mission to sell Sarah’s budget to the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce, confirmed he was.
He noted with a straight face that he has the distinction of knowing personally the two most famous governors in the nation.
Or words to that effect. Probably cleverer words since he has a pretty impressive dry wit.
And speaking of Blagojevich, who is not notably witty, he tells people he earned money for college by working in Alaska after high school as a dishwasher on the trans-Alaska pipeline.
Hmmm, wonder if he roomed with that other famous Alaska temp, George Bush.
@BigSlick (21:27:53) :
Yup, that’s where my info had come from; I just didn’t bother to copy in the whole thing. Thank you for doing it!
And, wow, that DOL report message from TC is something else… WTF?
BTW, NEW THREAD ALERT. It’s lonely over there, though I am going to bed soon so wont’ be around to play for much longer…
Oh, now there are others there (note to self–remember to refresh, remember to refresh.).
So what’s the excuse they are giving for the governor’s husband, a non-employee, not appearing?
Since when do citizens get to determine if an investigation is legitimate before they agree testify? This is bullshit, pure and simple.
The marital confidence privilege is completely inapplicable here, because among other reasons:
(1) what is at issue is not the content of private marital communications between Todd and Sarah Palin, but the content of Todd Palin’s communications to other state employees.
(2) the fact that you may have a privilege does not excuse you from showing up. To assert a privilege you have to show up and then claim that right at the relevant hearing.
(3) this is not a civil or criminal case. It was/is an independent oversight investigaton by the legislative branch regarding executive branch actions.
I’m sure there’s a bunch of mafioso who are paying attention to the “they didn’t want to choose between loyalty and the law” view that Colberg is trying to push as good law here. I’m fairly sure that type of argument has gone nowhere, most recently in the trial of John Gotti.
But I have a question re this comment: “Last fall the Legislature wasn’t in session so couldn’t vote to hold people who defied the subpoenas in contempt. “
Now that they are in session, what’s holding them back? If they are not enforcing the subpoena’s, why are they complaining about anything? Issue some contempt citations and push to make these folks appear as they were originally required to do.
In the Alaska Law Report by Colberg there’s a section called “Defending Alaska”s Public Process” entirely filled with notes on three cases where the state is being sued by members of the public. In the next annual report, will he fill this section with an account of his battle to protect public servants from legislative subpoenas even unto appealing to the Supreme Court?
I just sent it to my State AG – I’m sure his office could use a good laugh.