A poster on Talking Points Memo reports that the FBI wanted to bring conspiracy charges against the three white supremacists who were arrested in Colorado with sniper rifles and other gear, who were apparently gearing up to attempt to murder Barack Obama.
The Rove-connected Colorado US Attorny, Troy Aid, has refused to bring such charges, stating that the mens aims were "more aspirational than operational".
Why?
Was the plot to murder Obama soley "aspirational"? The Colorado Independent notes that that the suspects
had sniper rifles, bulletproof vests and disguises in his rented pickup truck...Adolf was a member of the Sons of Silence, a white nationalist group, and described all three men as racists
http://www.coloradoindependent.com/...
Those are pretty concrete aspirations. Yet Aid didn't pursue conspiracy charges against them.
Eid has a long and ugly history of political entanglements. He was selected by Karl Rove and Harriet Meiers.
A Colorado political blog notes
Senator Wayne Allard only nominated Eid, a confidant of Governor Bill Owens, because of political pressure....But now the mandatory background check on Eid has hit a few snags, with the FBI asking around about some questionable lobbying decisions he may have been a part of. Eid left his job as Governor Owens’ counsel to become a shareholder at the national law firm of Greenberg Traurig, for which he was an aggressive rainmaker. In recent days and weeks, former partners of the firm’s Denver office, clients, rivals, and state agency employees have all been questioned about Eid, and now word is that the FBI may even be contemplating the rare move of asking Governor Owens for an interview regarding Eid’s lobbying activities. One of the questions they might ask: Was Eid making lobbying deals at the same time he was drawing a state paycheck?
The Greenberg Traurig firm is known nationally for bare-knuckled lobbying tactics, and a recent scandal over shake downs over an Indian casino forced the firm to get rid of their top earner in Washington D.C., Jack Abramoff, also dubbed "Casino Jack." Take a gander at some of those stories by the Washington Post, The Hill, Indianz.com, and Obligation, Inc.
Those revelations and subsequent press coverage got the FBI interested in digging a little deeper than normal with Eid, to make sure his background doesn’t have the same sticky warts. The implications, however, are interesting, and Eid has dealt with Indian lobbying clients before.
http://coloradopoliticalnews.blogs.c...
So... here's the question: Sarah Palin politicized police functions in Alaska. Mr. Eid seems to be hard at work on the same project in Colorado.
Are these the people we want protecting national security?
Does the Obama campaign recognize that a Rove-appointed US Attorney seems to be covering for would-be assassins?
I called Chuck Schumer's office, which had no comment. Perhaps you might contact Mr. Schumer, and ask him what he thinks.
202-224-6542
http://schumer.senate.gov/...
Update a post below reads
I just called the Colorado U.S. Attorney's Office, their main office, at (303)454-0100. I told the receptionist I wasn't from a movement or anything, I was just a citizen, but that I was calling because I was baffled and very concerned about Attorney Eid (prn. Ah-Eed) not pressing charges against the men who had threatened Barack Obama.
The receptionist pondered a moment, then said, "Let me transfer you, okay?" I said, "Sure," of course, and I got a recording. The voicemail said it was for Melba DuPres (sp?), and to leave a msg. etc. I left my name & phone #, along with the same basic message.
Need I encourage you all to do the same? Report back, if you do!
I called, and was transferred to a PR aid named "Jeff Dorser" (sp?) and left a respectful message. I suggest you call too!
Here's the complete post from TPM, and other important links:
FBI Wanted Obama Plotters Charged, But A Rove Appointee Said No
By seanjballen - September 4, 2008, 2:13PM
We noticed last week that it was awfully peculiar that Colorado’s U.S. Attorney, Troy Eid, had so airily dismissed conspiracy charges against the three white-supremacist tweakers who were caught planning to assassinate Barack Obama at last week’s Democratic National Convention in Denver.
..............................
Even more significant, beyond the details of the plot, was the fact that, as the Colorado Independent notes, the FBI asked for more serious charges to be filed and were turned down.
....................
Another funny thing: When a black man in prison sent a threatening letter containing baby powder to John McCain, Troy Eid brought down the full force of the law, complete with press conferences and public declarations that "We won't stand for threats of this kind in Colorado."
But when it’s a claque of white men with rifles, disguises, and all the accoutrement of a conspiracy – as well as open admissions to it – Troy Eid isn’t worried. After all, they just a bunch of harmless, tweakers, right? ... Just like little Timmy McVeigh.
..............................
Based on the evidence, FBI special agent Robert Sawyer believed there was probable cause to charge the men with conspiracy to kill Senator Obama. However, US Attorney Troy Eid last week said there is insufficient evidence to indicate a true threat, plot or conspiracy against the senator.
http://firedoglake.com/...
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com...
http://www.coloradoindependent.com/...