Just a super quick comment about the new emails released today. These are all, AFAIK from a quick scan, emails listed on the list of documents not turned over. This trend has actually been true for a while–that DOJ has dribbled out documents that they said, no way, no how, they weren’t going to release. And then they release them.
What does that say about their standards for releasing documents?
And, as in the past, the release of these are tied to recent or impending events. We got a big dump of documents just before Monica Goodling testified, presumably, because she might discuss or release them herself.
So we might call this batch the Taylor, Griffin, McNulty batch. Many are emails where Taylor exhibits herself to be a big jerk among a clique of jerks. There is more detail on the Griffin nomination (it appears it came from DOJ, not Miers, as I thought, but I’ll return to this tomorrow). And there are a few comments where members of the clique attack McNulty for saying something that put DOJ in a tough spot. The release of these, then, seem to be tied to Taylor and Griffin’s recent departures and McNulty’s upcoming testimony.
And the surprise of all surprise of this dump? Harriet Miers, not the nasty clique at DOJ, was the one insisting that DOJ/WH not go negative on the fired USAs. She always was pretty cute, with her pink blog and whatnot. Which makes me wonder how much the increasing negativity against the USAs had to do with her departure at the end of January?
As with Ashcroft, I can’t believe I’m thinking that things got worse with Harriet’s departure.
Update: Just an FYI, the email on page 17–regarding whether or not Sampson would hire Iglesias–was sent to a D Higbee. Don’t know who that is, but since they’re trying to hide it, I thought I’d make sure it was public.