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Bolton Inaccurately Filled Out Senate Questionaire
Topic Started: Jul 29 2005, 07:37 AM (466 Views)
gvok
Unregistered

source

Quote:
 
Bolton Inaccurately Filled Out Senate Panel Questionnaire
Friday, July 29, 2005

WASHINGTON — While John Bolton (search) has enjoyed renewed scrutiny because of an alleged tie to the leak of a CIA officer's name, the State Department acknowledged Thursday night that President Bush's pick to be ambassador to the United Nations did inaccurately state his role in another probe.

A spokesman said that Bolton had in fact been questioned by the State Department inspector general, contrary to his response in a questionnaire filled out for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (search) during the confirmation process.

"Mr. Bolton was not interviewed as part of the [CIA leak] investigation. When Mr. Bolton completed the forms during the confirmation process, he did not recall being interviewed by the State Department's inspector general. Therefore his form as submitted was inaccurate. He will correct it," State Department spokesman Noel Clay said.

Just hours earlier, the State Department said Bolton had filled out the questionnaire truthfully and accurately.

"Mr. Bolton, as part of the nomination process, supplied an answer to the question that asked whether or not a nominee as been interviewed or asked to supply any information in connection with any administrative, including an inspector general congressional or grand jury investigation, within the past five years, except routine congressional testimony," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

"Mr. Bolton, in his response on the written paperwork, was to say 'no.' And that answer is truthful then and it remains the case now."

But Bolton was interviewed by the State Department's inspector general as part of a joint investigation with the CIA into Iraq's attempts to purchase yellow-cake uranium from Niger. The president cited the Iraq-Niger connection two years ago in his State of the Union address justifying an invasion, an assertion the administration later retracted.

In March, ranking Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman asked Rep. Christopher Shays, chairman of a House subcommittee on national security, to look at why Bolton's role in the creation of a State Department fact sheet about the bogus Iraq-Niger connection was concealed.

To read the text of Waxman's letter click here.

It is still possible that Bolton was questioned in the CIA leak probe and was truthful about that matter in the questionnaire. He submitted the questionnaire in March, and could have been approached by investigators afterwards.

Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald is leading the investigation into who outed CIA officer Valerie Plame (search) to reporters two years ago. A classified State Department memo from June 2003 discusses Plame's identity, and may have been how the leaker or leakers learned who she was. Bolton was then working for the State Department as undersecretary for arms control.

Fitzgerald's handling of the investigation is notable because he has cast such a wide net in questioning people. New York Times reporter Judith Miller is in jail for her refusal to answer all the grand jury's questions.

The president himself has been questioned in the probe. Former Bush adviser Karen Hughes recently filled out the same questionnaire as Bolton for her nomination to a State Department post, and she acknowledged testifying before the grand jury in the same case.

Last week, MSNBC reported that Bolton was questioned by a federal grand jury in the probe, prompting Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., to demand to know whether Bolton had filled out the committee questionnaire accurately.

To read the text of Biden's letter click here.

According to Democrats on the committee, Bolton swore in an affidavit that the questionnaire answers were all true. Earlier on Thursday, Sen. Barbara Boxer declined to state whether Bolton had responded "no" to the question about being interviewed in a probe, but said "he indicated in his form that he had not [been interviewed or asked to supply information in such proceedings]."

Boxer said she believes Fitzgerald completed interviewing witnesses by March, but that even if Bolton later cooperated, "ethics tells me you go and amend" the questionnaire.

It was unlikely the White House would weigh in before Friday morning. Bolton's nomination has been held up for months by Democrats who see him as an ill-tempered bully not fit to fill such a prestigious diplomatic post. Bush has recently indicated his willingness to resort to a recess appointment, and earlier on Thursday FOX News learned that the appointment could happen as early as next week.

Bolton was nominated in March for the U.N. post but has twice failed to win the 60 Senate votes needed to end debate and move toward final confirmation.

FOX News' Molly Henneberg and Jane Roh contributed to this report.

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gvok
Unregistered

It's interesting that the only place I've seen this reported is Fox News.
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psyfi
psyfi
I read last night that Bush is going to use a recess appointment to install him as ambassador, maybe as early as next week.
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gvok
Unregistered

I'm still not sure how appointing Bolton will help reform the UN or even further the US's interests. It's basically a big "FU" to the UN from the Bush Administration.
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Admiralbill_gomec
UberAdmiral
Works for me...
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gvok
Unregistered

So you admit that Bolton's nomination is more of an FU and less of an attempt to "reform" the UN as you have stated previously?
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24thcenstfan
Member Avatar
Something Wicked This Fae Comes
I still don't trust that this is the right person for the job. I don't mind if the person has a strong personality and wants to go in and turn the place upside down and really reform the UN (we all know it needs it).

What I am most concerned about are the allegations of abusive behavior. Bolton can be strong-willed (tough as nails), have a clear vision for what he wants to do at the UN, but to be abusive in his approach is unacceptable. Especially so in a position that demands intimate diplomatic knowledge and the ability to practice that knowledge. Which he will need to be able to do as Ambassador to the UN.
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gvok
Unregistered

How exactly is Bolton going to reform the UN by being obnoxious? I've never seen a good explaination for this.
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ImpulseEngine
Admiral
Gvok,

I have some problems with this article.

Quote:
 
Bolton Inaccurately Filled Out Senate Panel Questionnaire

That's the title, but when you read the article, the title should read "Bolton MAY HAVE inaccurately filled out senate panel questionnaire".

Quote:
 
"Mr. Bolton was not interviewed as part of the [CIA leak] investigation. When Mr. Bolton completed the forms during the confirmation process, he did not recall being interviewed by the State Department's inspector general. Therefore his form as submitted was inaccurate. He will correct it," State Department spokesman Noel Clay said.
I read this paragraph 3 or 4 times and it still makes no sense to me. If he was NOT interviewed and did not recall being interviewed, how is his form completion inaccurate?

Quote:
 
It is still possible that Bolton was questioned in the CIA leak probe and was truthful about that matter in the questionnaire. He submitted the questionnaire in March, and could have been approached by investigators afterwards.
This is a possibility that needs an answer. The answer can make all the difference.

Quote:
 
Boxer said she believes Fitzgerald completed interviewing witnesses by March, but that even if Bolton later cooperated, "ethics tells me you go and amend" the questionnaire.
This is just party politics and frankly is BS. Where in any job are you required to go back and change your application information before you have the job. Once you have the job, you would only change personal information like address or phone number. I completely disagree with Boxer on this.

Now, if it turns out that Bolton was questioned before he filled out the questionnaire, that would be different. But the timing needs to be answered before anyone can judge whether there is any issue here.
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Admiralbill_gomec
UberAdmiral
gvok
Jul 29 2005, 08:31 AM
How exactly is Bolton going to reform the UN by being obnoxious? I've never seen a good explaination for this.

So you think what, that he's going to go to the UN, walk into the chamber with both middle finger's extended, and start berating everyone?

Catch a clue.

President Bush has his reasons for naming Bolton to that slot. He won't simply go in there and say, "I'm reforming you and you won't receive a dime until you do."

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gvok
Unregistered

What do you think he will do? Everytime I've heard him speak he's been obnoxious. It seems that more than a few of his co-workers think he's obnoxious as well. Why do you think he'll be any different when he goes to the UN (an organization he clearly has contempt for)?
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Admiralbill_gomec
UberAdmiral
He won't be a wussy pushover who jumps at the UN's command...
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gvok
Unregistered

What is he going to do besides rant and rave? How is that going to accomplish anything?
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Admiralbill_gomec
UberAdmiral
gvok
Jul 29 2005, 10:11 AM
What is he going to do besides rant and rave?  How is that going to accomplish anything?

Oh grow up. Seriously.

You really think that is all he does in life. This is beyond pathetic.
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ImpulseEngine
Admiral
Since none of us really know what he's going to do, I'm finding this whole discourse rather amusing. :)
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