Should Eric Holder Have Told Obama About the Petraeus Scandal Sooner?

[Freeper]

DonViejo (1,523 posts)

Should Eric Holder Have Told Obama About the Petraeus Scandal Sooner?


 

by James Warren Nov 19, 2012 4:45 AM EST

The attorney general defends his decision to delay informing Obama about the Petraeus probe. But several ex-Justice officials think Holder erred. James Warren reports.

When Attorney General Eric Holder kept word from President Obama about investigating then-Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus, he took what he deemed a high road in following protocols governing when it’s appropriate to inform the White House of criminal probes.

He might also have been displaying lousy judgment, according to several former high-ranking Justice Department officials. “Bad judgment on a matter of large consequence,” says one former high-ranking department official.

Several former Justice officials, all Democrats, agreed. All declined to have their names used. And they neither disparaged Holder’s honesty nor impugned his motives. But while they conceded that a strict constructionist take on department rules or perceived policy could justify not telling Obama far earlier, to a person these sources feel the Petraeus case underscores the evolution of needlessly rigid practice that ill serves any White House.

There is a long and tawdry history of politicization of the relationship between the White House and both the Justice Department and FBI. The most vivid offenders included longtime FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who illegally collected personal information on individuals for political reasons, and President Richard Nixon, whose attempts to misuse the CIA and FBI were central to the Watergate scandal.

Complete article:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/19/should-eric-holder-have-told-obama-about-petraeus-scandal-sooner.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251251448

Silly DUmmies actually believe the lies that they are being fed.

still_one (29,566 posts)
1. He should have told the President, and personally my gut tells me he did. Regardless, it would not

have changed anything

Jackpine Radical (34,895 posts)
2. So you figure Holder's taking the rap?

As in taking one for the team?

Who knows?

Anyway, Rice was putting out the official CIA line, which had been crafted to preserve certain intelligence interests, and contained at most a relatively inconsequential error.

 

If by inconsequential error you mean not a word was true, then you are right. The whole thing was a lie, it is obvious that they didn't want it known that Al Queda is alive and kicking when the entire campaign was based on 0sama is dead and GM is alive.

[thundley4]

They sat on the Petraeus  scandal until they needed it to distract people from Benghazi and it worked.  If Holder knew and didn't tell Obama then he is incompetent.  If that is the case and Obama is keeping Holder on as AG then they are both incompetent.  But we already knew that.

[Freeper]

They sat on the Petraeus  scandal until they needed it to distract people from Benghazi and it worked.  If Holder knew and didn't tell Obama then he is incompetent.  If that is the case and Obama is keeping Holder on as AG then they are both incompetent.  But we already knew that.

The reality is, we have once again changed the focus, we are no longer talking about the incompetence that got 4 people killed we are talking about who it was who changed the talking points that Susan Rice was spewing. I think we fell into their trap. I think 0bama is quite happy that Rice is the target and no one seems to be talking about his incompetence during the attack. Then throw in this sex scandal and it muddies the waters even further.

[BEG]

Seriously, there has never been an administration that claimed "we didn't know" more than this one. It's maddening.

[thundley4]

Seriously, there has never been an administration that claimed "we didn't know" more than this one. It's maddening.

Are they lying or just that incompetent?  Either way they should have been fired on November 6.

[Bad Dog]

Are they lying or just that incompetent?  Either way they should have been fired on November 6.

I'm going with incompetent liars but, with the MSM protecting them it doesn't seem to matter.

[Airwolf]

And wait there's more. You will still get four more years of stunning corruption and incompetence and more destruction of the economy by the same folks that brought you Bill and Monica and Fat Ted and Barney Frank and his little adventures with the banks and running gay prostitution rings out of his home. Order by Midnight and you'll get the Second Assault Weapons Ban and Obamacare for free.