Speaking of the Saudis

Check out who Bandar Bush bin Sultan hired to defend him in the BAE bribery investigation:

Prince Bandar, a confidant of the Bush family, recently retained the former Federal Bureau of Investigation director Louis J. Freeh,  as well as one of the fathers of the F.C.P.A., the retired federal judge Stanley Sporkin, to represent him.

“Therehave been no charges filed,” Mr. Freeh said in an interview. “Theprince denies any impropriety and violating any statutes in the UnitedKingdom or the United States.”

The news is eye-popping (to me, at least) for more than just Freeh’s former role as the head of the FBI. You see, Freeh is a very good buddy of our new AG, Michael Mukasey, showing up at his confirmation hearings.

Something in the front row of the spectator’s gallery kept catchingmy eye as I watched the stock footage of the Mukasey confirmationhearings being played over and over on Friday–I kept thinking isn’tthat Louis Freeh in the front row? So, on Saturday Morning I did a little googling and lo and behold! — it WAS Louis!

How curious!

What would Louis Freeh be doing at that hearing?  Hmmmm?

And his swearing-in ceremony.

Dignitaries in attendance included Sens. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., SamBrownback, R-Kan., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and former attorneysgeneral John Ashcroft and Dick Thornburgh. Also seated near the frontwere FBI Director Robert Mueller and ex-FBI Director Louis Freeh, aformer Southern District of New York judge and friend of Mukasey’s.

I’d say recent events have taken a turn in Bandar’s favor, wouldn’t you? How convenient that the newly-installed top law enforcement officer in this country happens to be great buddies with your lawyer.

Somehow, Bandar manages to have all the luck.