Actually, neocon, I've used many kb here trying to rebut your various unsupported characterizations of the history of the Jones case. Starting, of course, with:
Actually, Paula decided to come forward after an allusion to the incident in David Brock's original article on Clinton's abuse of office and reckless behavior in Little Rock. She was not enlisted. Her original attorneys were straightforward litigators. It was only after it became too expensive to support the suit that conservative groups stepped in.
Moving through:
The article stirred up old feelings;
and then all the various "conspiracy" , "guilt by association", "innuendo" dismissals.
I don't think it's right to call the Times story a "conspiracy". It sounds like a fairly straightforward story to me, centered around Porter and Marcus. Smith planted the Arkansas trooper story with Brock. Porter's involvement there is clear, since Smith sent Brock to Porter on the issue of payments to the troopers. Marcus went out and "helped recruit" the attorneys of record, Davis and Cammarata , and Marcus and Porter collaborated and assisted Davis and Cammarata from the very beginning. Marcus and Porter also were in on the Tripp deal, and when the time came, Porter placed the call to Rosenzweig in Starr's office.
Conspiracy? Seems like a simple story to me, just some interesting history. How Jones actually came to file her suit isn't explained, but the "stirred up old memories" line seems improbable, from your Occam's razor point of view. She just happened to go public at some conservative conferrence to clear her name from the vicious slurs by the Arkansas troopers planted with Brock by Smith, with the help of Porter.
As to "the billings records", please. Lawyers bill for their time, and they usually keep meticulous records. The billing records referred to in the story are clearly those of Davis and Cammarata, Jones' attorneys of record.
One of those who was approached, Paul Rosenzweig, briefly considered doing work for Ms. Jones in 1994, according to billing records and interviews, but decided not to. In November 1997, Rosenzweig joined Starr's office, where he and Marcus had several telephone conversations about the Jones case.
It was Rosenzweig who fielded a "heads-up" phone call from Marcus on Jan. 8, 1998, that first tipped off Starr's office about Monica S. Lewinsky and Linda R. Tripp. The tip was not mentioned in the 445-page Starr report, even though the information revived a moribund Whitewater investigation that would not have produced, it now seems, an impeachment referral to Congress.
Conway wanted his role kept hidden as well, because his New York law firm, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, included influential Democrats like Bernard W. Nussbaum, a former White House counsel. Conway's name does not appear on any billing records.
Although the billing records show communication between Porter and the Jones lawyers from 1994 to 1997, he denied in a written statement last fall doing legal work for Ms. Jones.
The Davis and Cammarata billing records show that from their earliest involvement in the case, they were consulting with Marcus and Porter. Conway also helped draft briefs, Cammarata said.
According to the billing records, Porter also offered "legal strategy" and once wrote a memo on "investigative leads" that might embarrass the President.
Although the billing records show communication between Porter and the Jones lawyers from 1994 to 1997, he denied in a written statement last fall doing legal work for Ms. Jones.
Because Porter is a partner at the firm where Starr worked until he took a leave of absence last August, any role played by Porter in the Jones case could have posed a conflict of interest for Starr once he became independent counsel. Starr has said he did not discuss the Jones case with Porter. (all from nytimes.com )
The sources of this story are clear, the billing records are those of Davis and Cammarata. The stuff about Smith, Porter, and the Arkansas troopers clearly comes from Brock. Innuendo? The whole story isn't spelled out, but the parts that are can hardly be characterized as innuendo. Then there's that last little bit of Rosenzweig fielding the call from Porter on Tripp, where Porter couldn't call Starr because he used to be a partner in Starr's firm. But this whole sordid mess transpired because Brock's article "stirred up memories" in the "guileless" Paula Jones, right, Neocon? Who's zooming who here?
|
