Tom Ridge Admits To Raising Terror Alert For Political Gain
Of course we all knew this anyway, but it's nice to have confirmation.
In a new book, former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge reveals new details on politicization under President Bush, reports US News & World Report's Paul Bedard. Among other things, Ridge admits that he was pressured to raise the terror alert to help Bush win re-election in 2004.All moral questions notwithstanding, who's going to pick up the bill for all the extra law enforcement officers deployed every time the alert level was raised? And remind me again, why aren't Bush and Cheney in jail?Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings; was "blindsided" by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over.
Olbermann Timeline: How The Bush Administration Exploited Terror Threats For Political Gain, 2002-2008 [via]
Comments
media will forget about it in a week, and nothing will happen.
how is this not like yelling 'fire' in a crowded room? well a lot of ways, but you know what i mean.
Posted by: al oof | August 23, 2009 04:48 PM
It is upsetting because terror alerts scare the public. This should have never been used to promote a political agenda.
Posted by: Chris | August 21, 2009 04:54 PM
Now that this has come out, what are we going to do about it?
Hey Republicans, do you think this is acceptable?
Posted by: Chris R | August 21, 2009 12:11 PM
I am really looking forward to going to NY (my friends and me will be there in less than 4 days) but after knowing this blog I'm even more excited!
See you in Williamsburg!
Besos from Madrid!
Posted by: ana | August 20, 2009 03:11 PM