Officials: Hastert “In the Mix” of Congressional Bribery Investigation

Geez, is there a republican who’s not corrupt?

Republican…Democrat…it makes NO difference…these corrupt, self-serving idiots have been doing this for YEARS! And WE allow them to do it! Shame on us!
Being elected to public office is akin to being given a license to steal…

UNbelievable! No wonder he wants the FBI to return the documents they took from Jefferson’s office because he knows they’ll be after his soon!
Brian, I absolutely praise you for continuing to report knowing that they are watching, listening and monitoring you.
Don’t worry: the American people who are actively demanding that our congressional members WAKE UP and begin some oversight procedures! What is wrong Brian? They’ll be rounding us up and putting us in the detention centers that KRB is building for Haliburton!
Please keep digging Brian, and don’t worry. We’ve got your back, and they can’t stop us.

“My opinion is that they took the wrong path, Hastert said of the FBI. “They need to back up, and we need to go from there.”
What’s this supposed to mean? Since when does congress tell the FBI who or what to investigate?

It’s about time.
I doubt that I am alone in being sick to death of all of the corruption that seems to be the only thing that the Congress has been up to these last five years.
This is not the first claim of Hastert accepting bribes, either.
So much for values.
Just drop the s, it’s all these morally vapid public officials care about.

My! My! My! Aren’t we all surprised? Another upstanding Republican in the Congress in a NO NO scandal. And he has the audacity to complain about the execution of a Search Warrant by the FBI. Another fine representative of the people who believes he’s above the law. Sounds to me like its time for the Republicans to clean house!

It’s about time something is being done about politicians who think they are above the law. I don’t care what party afilliation they have they should be brought to justice and pay the penalty regardless.
Politicians need to remember what they were elected for and to remember that.

Regardless the party, our “representatives” in Congress are all for sale. They do not think of the people, they think only about whatever fills their coffers. As for me, I intend to vote against ALL incumbents this and future elections. Term limits won’t get voted on favorably in DC, therefore, we need to impose our own.
Rich
Berlin, MD

What is it Hastert & Pelosi are trying to hide from the legal citizens of America??? – They are so afraid of being exposed in corruption by JEFFERSON DOCUMENTS — Amnesty for illegals – DNC/GOP let our elected officials show their true colors – who is for/against illegals – then go face the voters in the fall, DNC – vote on both sides of the immigration issue – GOP are weak-kneed

Why am I not Surprised?

Here’s my suggestion for next fall:
THROW EVERY SINGLE SENATOR AND CONGRESSMAN OUT OF OFFICE! NO EXCEPTIONS!
Damn, if there were a viable third party, I’d vote for it’s candidates in a heartbeat.

Brian Ross: How can you investigate anyone when you’re #1 on the FBI”S hit parade?

Why haven’t people become at least concerned about these nasty polital habits and allegations of nasty political habits that have been exposed over the last year or so? Too many Americans seem to believe that this is just some sort of cost of doing business, instead of recognizing that this is eroding our government and our society’s ethics. Few also seem to recognize that the FBI’s recent raid of a Congressman’s office is a constitutional breach. Instead, too many seem worried about what Hollywood is doing for “family values”, what language Hispanics are singing in, and shopping.

It was fine for the Executive Branch to do Congress’ job and declare war (Congress had to beg to rubberstamp the Iraq war resolution and, apparently, any spying GWB wants to do) but now that the Exec branch is raiding offices they are outraged? Amazing.
So perhaps this is why Hastert and the Congress have suddenly re-discovered the Separation of Powers…to get their payola papers back?

Very misleading title…

Developing.
Could be something. Could be nothing.

*LOL*!!!
This Is So Funny That, I Burst-Out Laughing When I 1st Read The Headline!!!
In Reality Though, It’s SO DARN *SAD*!
:-(

This is just the tip of the iceberg…
Of course the members of congress are stating this is unconstitutional, they are all corrupt and they all have something to hide.
I THINK IT’S ABOUT TIME FOR ANOTHER BOSTON TEA PARTY…
Throw all of those theiving bastards out and make mandatory term limits so they aren’t tempted to take bribes and become engrained in corruption.

Dennis Hastert is out to lunch.
Let’s have the House and Congress abide by and subject to the same laws the rest of the nation lives under.
Is he and his conrades exempt from the very rule of law he pleaded to uphold?
Save a jail cell for this one, XL.

Whatever happened to the bribe from russia that hastert received…Did the FBI forget that or oops sorry hastert is a republican, they dont do republicans, just democrats…

Ahhh..I love this left wing bias in the media…It’ll help get those Neo-con pigs out of office 06 and 08.

Thanks brian…Thank you so much…Thank you for not letting them keep this quiet..

This is not a republican thing. They are all corrupt. They don’t give a damn about the American people. They will sell their own mother out. We must have term limits. No more than 8 years for anybody.

Tried, convicted and hung all on the unsubstantiated reporting of a “trusted” newsman…let’s see the results before being so quick to pass sentence…

The Bush administration will catch ‘holy hell’ from Congress about this. If they thought they were getting grief before from Republican legislators, just wait. It is clear that this leak came from the executive branch with high-level approval. I’m betting on the legislative branch- any takers?

Perhaps this country needs another Clinton administration to awaken conservatives.

The story is false. The Justice Department has issued a statement that Speaker Hastert is not under investigation, and the Speaker’s office is demanding a retraction from ABC.

no wonder why media like ABC are going south!!!!

EVERY PERSON IN GOVERMENT SHOULD
BY LAW HAVE TO TAKE A LIE DECECTOR
TEST IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED THEM,LETS HAVE A REAL
GOVERMENT,BY HONEST PEOPLE ,..BUT ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY…GREED.
“ONCE PEOPLE BELIVE IN NOTHING…THEY’LL BELIVE IN ANYTHING”
JOHANN DOHMANN

Wires are circulating that the DOJ has been contacted and denied this story is true. What’s going on? He’s either “under investigation by the FBI” or he isn’t.

Greetings,
It is no wonder the Speaker for the United States House of Representatives, thereby being constitutionally authorized, in time of a national tradgedy to take over the role as president if our country were to suffer an unforseen loss of our President and or Vice President of the United States, was one of the first of our nations leaders to be “offended” by the FBI executing a search warrant on the Louisiana democratic congressman’s office this past Saturday, as it directly relates to his being implicated in a bribery event himself.
As an American citizen, who fought in Desert Storm and continue to serve my country in a local community for which I am employed as a law enforcement official, am deeply troubled and appalled by our nations leaders for having a sense of being “above the law” when it comes to conducting the country’s business.
If a regular american citizen, not entitled to the “perks” as are the elected officals, were to act in a manner consitent with the behavior of some of our elected leaders, he or she would have been remanded to the custody of the local sheriff and or state prison system upon the trial of said individual and be publicly scrutinized in a manner more severe than the elected officials would ever think of facing.
These elected officials need to understand that they are there strickly on the backs of the working class society and yet they continue to conduct themselves in a very scandalous manner.
I call for the immediate and unequivocal resignation of any all elected official and there staffs, if when all evidence comes to fruition that they were implicated in these criminal acts.
The American people need to be very worried as to how our elected leaders conduct themselves on our behalves. I am a Repulican voter, however, it is of my belief that the corruption freely flows on both sides of the isle and it needs to cease for the betterment of our country.
This is not a Republican and or Democratic issue, it is an American issue that needs to be addressed swiftly.
Thank you,
MLB

You’re all a bunch of suckers! You’ll fall for anything the media reports. Check this out:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OPA
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2006 (202) 514-2007
http://WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888
STATEMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
“Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department.”
###
Speaker’s Press Office
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: 202-225-2800
May 24, 2006 Ron Bonjean or Heidi Armstrong
Statement from Ron Bonjean, Communications Director
for Speaker Hastert
(Washington, D.C.) Ron Bonjean, Communications Director for Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) issued the following statement regarding the ABC Nightly News story that aired this evening:
“The ABC News report is absolutely untrue. As confirmed by the Justice Department, ‘Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department.’ We are demanding a full retraction of the ABC News story. The Speaker’s earlier statement issued today accurately reflects the facts regarding this matter.”
###

At least Bushes justice department is going after both republicans and democrats. Clintons Reno did nothing about all the obvious corruption.

The Republican party is imploding, and out of the ashes, Bush will try to take absolute power.
They didn’t do 911 for nothing.

Is there anyone in the “house” surprised about this so called revelation???

Federal officials, yeah they’re never wrong. You’ve been played ABC the story isn’t true. Why don’t you tell us who those federal officials are. This is why Main Stream Medis is fading away.

To Jeff Rogers,
Why is it that all the people moaning about separation of powers fail to mention THE FEDERAL JUDGE who issued the warrent?

Brian Ross must be out with Jason Leopold wondering why they are so easy to be PUNKED by their “un named sources”

this is what pols do. they are usually some rich big shot type who get into politics to make more biz..from the mayor on up..its all about control….this is not a party thing. its a power thing.

I have been a Republican my entire life. I have voted for Bush twice. Isn’t it time we impeached both Bush and Cheney? How about a third party?

Of course some members of Congress are too rich to have to steal. They do it recreationally…

I think that the next American Revolution is long overdue. Not a violent one, but a revolution nevertheless. The two party system is failing us as is the checks and balance system. But perhaps the politicians will realize that the American people will not take this anymore and maybe change their strategies. That may be wishful thinking, but not completely out of sight yet.

Yay, yay! This wills surely dwarf the Jefferson story! Brian Ross always comes through for us!

Two words…”TERM LIMITS!”

This investigation also seems to be inching closer to Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt, who also signed several letters to DOI, including one with Hastert, on behalf of Abarmoff clients. Abramoff contributed to Blunt’s ROYB PAC soon after.

Personally, I think anyone who serves in elected office should have to submit to in depth and random lie detection tests, complete background investigations and know that at any time their complete communication chain might be investigated – if they are privy to any classified information. Makes sense to me.

This hand has played out. Time to reshuffle the deck.

So what if the DOJ denied it? The ABC article says nothing about him being investigated by the DOJ. I’ll believe him when we get a response from the FBI saying they’re not investigating him.

Brian, who was your source? It appears your story has absoltely zero truth to it….

All politicians are corrupt. Not just Hastert. He’s just been named as the latest target for someone’s personal vendetta. If all corrupt politicians were ever called to account I am 100% sure that 95% of Congress would have to tender a resignation letter. The REAL problem is the morons who vote these people back into office each year.

I see the justice department has definitively rebutted your story. You’re not just careless, you’re deliberately pursuing a liberal agenda designed to discredit republoicans. Deny it? HOW! Your credibility is at an all time low.

Why are some of you picking on Bush..gee whiz it is his administration that is exposing the corruption EVEN when it is republicans. You can’t say he is just going after democrats. It seems pretty even handed. I think Congress’ halls are fair game, I mean it is where the PEOPLE’s business takes place, and it is from US that they get the power which they misuse. Their house is our house…….and I see no reason for it to be off limits to searches. But, let’s at least agree that no matter what party a crook is, he is a crook. And at least the Bush team is exposing them all and let the chips fall where they may.

Hmmm — If this is not correct will Brian Ross resign or be fired?
First CBS and now maybe ABC?
Now wonder we turn to blogs anymore for news.

So Rather-gate distroyed what was left of CBS news ….( ok there was not much left) , will this turn off the lights on ABC? hope so…either way… FOX one more viewer coming:)

There are plenty of Republicans in Congress that are not corrupt but overall they are not enough to overcome the pork barrel corrupt “moderates”. There is a direct correllation between corruption and the size and scope of government. Shrink the federal government and corruption will shrink. Shrink spending and you will see the influence of special interests shrink. Impose term limits. We cannot ask the Federal government to do more because this gives it more power. Ask it to do less and this will decrease the power of politicians and the corruption that naturally follows.

This is absolutely ridiculous, let me quote from a college level political science textbook that I own which is titled “American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials” (2006-2007):
“The framers of the U.S. Constitution chose to craft a Republic, meaning sovereign power rests with the people . . . the idea of a republic also meant a government based on common beliefs and virtues that would be fostered within small communities . . . THE RULERS WERE TO BE AMATEAURS- GOOD CITIZENS WHO WOULD TAKE TURNS REPRESENTING THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS.”
I think our elected officials need a crash course on the essence of leadership and politics, don’t you think??

I think Brian Ross owes us an explanation and Dennis Hastert a public apology. This is journalism at its worst….

I am so upset at our culture as a culture of ‘convict first, ask questions never’. Come on guys and gals, aren’t we innocent until proven guilty? If this charge was against you, wouldn’t you want that respect? It makes me very upset that we have become a generation that believes anything that is said in the media. Neither the left or right can be perfect. I lean right a bit, but consider myself pretty much an independent. We will always have ‘scandals’ in politics. It’s in the nature of the business as it is today. Let’s see how bad we can make our opponent look. Just be reasonable and ley justice take it’s course. Isn’t that what our forfathers came here? Justice? Freedom?

Ok – Brian Ross needs to say who the federal “officials” are who said Hastert was in the bribery mix since the Dept of Justice spokesperson has now said Hastert is not under investigation. Its funny how critics who have posted a comment deriding Hastert and other Republicans just lick up the rumors as divine gospel truth from these unnamed federal “officials” who are helping ABC out with these juicy tidbits. People see and report what they want to see – forget the facts.

Ross Perot was right about one thing when he said “time to clean out the barn” Republican or Democrat if they are crooked they must go. There is a seperation of branches and freedom of speach rules but it was not an excuse for criminal activity. The FBI went to a Judge and got a warrant as required after there was ample reasonable belief of criminal activities.
We need to continue the founding fathers ideals and values of honest Christian Conserativism that our country was founded upon. Theirs too much money and too many deals. The access of business to lobby congress and also foriegn governments must stop.

“Hastert…says he has a long history of opposing certain types of Indian casinos.”
me too. specially the ones that don’t pay out.

To those who say we will all be eating crow when Hastert is absolved assumes that Hastert hasn’t already eaten all the crows.

I’m no fan of Dennis Hastert, and he just MAY be guilty of some wrongdoing. However, I find it very suspect that unnamed “federal officials” have mysteriously linked Hastart to the Abramoff scandal one day after Hastart takes Bush to the woodshed over raiding another Congressman’s office and further eroding what’s left of the separation of powers. The FBI raid on Jefferson’s office was another White House power grab. And if anyone in congress voices opposition to this fascist dictator…well what Mr. Hastart has to say about the FBI raid in the coming days. This President in now officially a dictator.

The US imports about ten million barrels of oil per day. The US EXPORTS one million barrels per day. Google: CRS Report RS20540.
We also EXPORT a large amount of refined products,gasoline etc. mostly to Mexico. In 1997 British Petroleum was accused of exporting oil from Alaska to China and Japan at a reduced price in order to create a shortage on the West Coast states. The FTC began an investigation of this but dropped that later. Senator Ron Wyden has tried to get bills passed to stop exporting Alaskan oil but all we hear from the Administration is the claim that we must drill in ANWAR. To believe that there is a supply and demand free market determining the price of oil is most naive. There are other sites about these oil exports if you search around.

Well according to the Feds Hastert is not under investigation. Will ABC have the decency to retract their original allegation.

Impose term limits……….if they will not do it, we must by creating and voting for a third party.
We have no choice. I am sick of the inefficiency of my govt.

It’s all of our faults! The founding fathers never intended for congress to vote themselves pay and raises. These people have been given the keys…more like given themselves the keys to unlock any and everything that gives them an advantage and re-election.
Hard to believe, but there are some politicians that are honest…not sure who that may be at this point. One thing is for certain; politicians will compromise everything in their feeble attempts to sucker us all for what they believe will be the gain of political power. Just look at Hillary on ethanol and McCain on illegal migrants in this country.
I’m guessing that the politics in D.C. is a world none of us could believe unless we’ve experienced it as a federal politician. I’m guessing it tests the best of them, and the inferior give in first…then it goes right on down the line!
The ONLY reason the public knows about factual corruption, is because someone was caught red handed. More recently, being caught red handed does not mean anything because there are a thousand excuses most will accept in one form or other to justify the actions of the corrupt. Just look at Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) He says “I did nothing wrong”. Just like Marion Berry. In spite of the fact that the evidence is irrefutable.
Now having rambled on about all that…let’s work to raise taxes and penalize business for creating jobs and being prosperous!!! After that, let’s make sure that people in this country illegally are given the best treatment possible. We need to pay them from the raised taxes so they don’t have to work…oh..and don’t forget…they are not citizens of the USA so they are not subject to our law either. WOW!!! Talk about the American dream.
Thanks John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Tom Harkin, Lindsey Graham, Denny Hastert, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Charles Rangel, Bill Clinton, Algore and all the rest of the politicians who really hate this country and what it was founded upon that only care about being re-elected.
One more thing; thanks to the supporters of politicians who only care about being elected or re-elected. You all have done a bang up job of supporting the ruination this country. I look forward to its quick end because man and woman’s “infinite wisdom” will see to it.

Watch — my money is that Hastert cut some deal to ease up on the FBI in return for their denial that he is under investigation. I hear that Hastert’s press statement claiming that he’s not under investigation was seized on Sunday in Rep. Jeffersons’s papers.
Amnesty for illegals, harassing American oil companies while making 10x more in taxes per gallon than the companies made in profit, falsely accusing our own troops of atrocities — let’s turn all of the bums on the Hill out, Repub and Democrats alike!!

And let us do remember why Sybil Edmonds is the most gagged person in our nations history.
IT WAS BECAUSE LITTLE DENNY WAS CAUGHT TAKING BRIBES ON TAPE.

With all the crooks in the House, they should just park a police wagon out in front of the capital and round them up at once.

>With all the crooks in the House, they should >just park a police wagon out in front of the >capital and round them up at once.
That’s true, and imagine all the gas they’d save.

The rich get richer. The poor get poorer. This is no accident. The rich want power and more power. It is called greed folks.
I highly doubt it we really get to choose our leaders anymore. Sure we may vote between to people but in all honesty, when it boils down to it, they all are for the elite and powerful.
So whats the solution? Honestly, its a war, and it already has started and the rich are winning because the poor and middle class have no idea they are fighting a war (or most don’t).

I want to know why the content of this article changed. Earlier today, the article at this URL was completely different text. It explicitly stated that the Speaker was under investigation. Now it has been changed to say he was “involved” in the investigation which could mean he is assisting. The text of this blog entry earlier today was:
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, is under investigtaion by the FBI, which is seeking to determine his role in an ongoing public corruption probe into members of Congress, ABC News has learned from high level official sources.
Federal officials say the information implicating Hastert was developed from convicted lobbysists who are now cooperating with the government.
Part of the investigation involves a letter Hastert wrote three years ago, urging the Secretary of the Interior to block a casino on an Indian reservation that would have competed with other tribes.
The other tribes were represented by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff who reportedly has provided details of his dealings with Hastert as part of his plea agreement with the government.
The letter was written shortly after a fund-raiser for Hastert at a restaurant owned by Abramoff. Abramoff and his clients contributed more than $26,000 at the time.
The day Abramoff was indicted, Hastert denied any unlawful connection and said he would donate to charity any campaign contribution he had received from Abramoff and his clients.
A spokesman for Speaker Hastert told ABC News, “We are not aware of this. The Speaker has a long history and a well-documented record of opposing Indian Reservation shopping for casino gaming purposes.”
This week, Hastert has been outspoken in his criticism of the FBI for its raid on the office of anotehr congressman under investigation, Democrat William Jefferson of Louisiana.
“My opinion is that they toook the worng path, Hastert said of the FBI. “They need to back up, and we need to go from there.”
Which is completely different text than was posted. My question is: Which text is ABC standing behind, the original text, this text, or the text that will be under this URL in the future? It is dishonest journalism to rewrite your story and then claim to “stand behind” it. Are you going to rewrite it yet again if it turns out that the Speaker isn’t even “involved”? It is one thing to publish a new article but quite another to go back and modify an existant article to make it appear to say something different than it did originally. Shame on ABC. This displays a total lack of journalistic integrity.

If Dennis Hastert is not under investigation, he ought to be. Google “Sibel Edwards” and “Dennis Haster” together and read about the Turkish bribery scandal that never made the headlines.

This from a subsequent news report at “The Hill”:
================================
The Department of Justice issued a statement clarifying that Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) is not under investigation Wednesday evening after ABC World News Tonight reported that he was “very much in the mix” of the DOJ’s sweeping congressional bribery probe.
“Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department,” DOJ Director of Public Affairs Tasia Scolinos said in a one-line statement.
The DOJ started releasing the statement in response to reporters’ questions around 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The ABC News story, which was picked up by the Drudge Report in the early evening, claimed that Hastert was under investigation by the FBI, “which is seeking to determine his role in an ongoing public corruption probe into members of Congress,” according to the story. The story first cited “high-level government sources,” but later changed the sourcing on its web story to “senior U.S. law enforcement officials.”
================================
Can anyone out there say “Dan Rather”?

Sounds like Brian & ABC are graduates of “DAN RATHER SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM”. When will you appear on 60 mins to justify.

The following is the text of a letter written by Speaker Hastert’s legal counsel to ABC:
===================================
David Westin
George Stephanopoulos
Brain Ross
ABC News
7 West 66th St.
New York, NY 10023
RE: False Story Regarding Justice Department Investigation
Dear Mr. Westin, Stephanopoulos, and Mr. Ross:
At 7:25 p.m., the Statement of the Department of Justice confirmed:
“Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department.”
At 10:21 p.m., you wrote:
“Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation,” one federal official said tonight.”
This statement is false, and your republication of it after actual knowledge of its falsity constitutes libel and defamation. ABC News’ continued publication of this false information, after having actual knowledge of its falsity, evidences a specific and malicious intent to injure and damage Speaker Hastert’s reputation by continued repetition of a known falsehood.
We will take any and all actions necessary to rectify the harm ABC has caused and to hold those at ABC responsible for their conduct.
Please advise regarding who will accept service of process to remedy this international falsehood.
Very truly yours,
J. Randolph Evans
Stefan C. Passantino
Counsel to Speaker J. Dennis Hastert
==================================
It seems to me Fox News or no Fox News, ABC got the story wrong. Failure to acknowledge the story’s error runs the risk of compounding this error into a Dan Rather moment. It’s one thing to shoot yourself in the foot, it’s an entirely different thing to do so while it is in your mouth.

Democrats are above the law and has been for a long time , and that is good because if they were not above the law the majority of them would be in jail, at this time, you know what I am talking about. clintons, kennedy adam claton powell al sharpton, jessie jackson to many to name.

Gee wiz, Honesty, Integrity, and Deecency really have returned to the Guvment. This puffed-up looking “Speaker” should have been locked up years ago. And to now hear him cry ‘foul’ is truly pathetic. Why wasn’t this puffed up dirt bag crying ‘foul’ five years ago when you could see Excutive Power being both expanded and corrupted. And now this swollen-up toad wants some justice. Hah!

I see the Deputy AG said this:
Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty; “With regard to reports suggesting that the Speaker of the House is under investigation or ‘in the mix,’ as stated by ABC News, I reconfirm, as stated by the Department earlier this evening, that these reports are untrue.”
What I want to know is why the story on this page was modified after the initial DAG statement while ABC was claiming to “stand behind” the story. The initial story said Hastert was “under investigation” with no “careful reading” required. Then the article mysteriously changed to Hastert being “included” in the investigation.
Not only does this reflect poorly on Mr. Ross and ABC News, it reflects poorly on the entire journalism trade. It’s dishonest. You don’t “stand behind” a story that you went back and changed. It is obvious that ABC doesn’t stand behind the story because they keep changing it. Goobers.

Looks like ABC didn’t learn anything after the CBS fiasco re: George Bush and the National Guard.
Hope ABC looses their shirts in this suit:
Hastert Legal Letter To ABCNEWS President Westin
David Westin
George Stephanopoulos
Brian Ross
ABC News
7 West 66th St.
New York, NY 10023
RE: False Story Regarding Justice Department Investigation
Dear Mr. Westin, Stephanopoulos, and Mr. Ross:
At 7:25 p.m., the Statement of the Department of Justice confirmed:
“Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department.”
At 10:21 p.m., you wrote:
“Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation,” one federal official said tonight.”
This statement is false, and your republication of it after actual knowledge of its falsity constitutes libel and defamation. ABC News’ continued publication of this false information, after having actual knowledge of its falsity, evidences a specific and malicious intent to injure and damage Speaker Hastert’s reputation by continued repetition of a known falsehood.
We will take any and all actions necessary to rectify the harm ABC has caused and to hold those at ABC responsible for their conduct.
Please advise regarding who will accept service of process to remedy this intentional falsehood.
Very truly yours,
J. Randolph Evans
Stefan C. Passantino
Counsel to Speaker J. Dennis Hastert

I’d vote for no journalistic immunity in a flash. ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and “so called public” broadcasting stations (funded by your tax dollars by the way) have been liberal biased for years and don’t deserve either journalistic immunity or our tax dollars. I hope Hastert sues the crap out of ABC. Maybe money will force them to stick to the facts! Too bad they can’t be handed some of their own “medicine”; ie. lies broadcast nationwide about them!

For those saying that if this is untrue, Hastert should sue, looks like you get your wish.
Dems should be careful – first the Rove indictment story is false, then Jessie Macbeth is debunked, now this. Will you have ANY credibility left when this is over?

It is obvious to anyone who takes journalism seriously, that ABC NEWS needs to reveal their sources who are contending that Speaker Hastert is under investigation.
It is against every journalistic ethic to maintain as fact what has been denied by the government department doing the investigation. Media scandals over the recent years have centered around ‘unnamed sources’, who are not held accountable for the comments they make and are just quoted as fact.
If ABC NEWS wants to maintain its reputation as a reliable news source, it must come clean and state who their sources are with this contradictory information. Until they do, they can justifiably be considered biased and untrustworthy.

Is anybody really surprised? In these last 6 years, ABC news has made no bones about who they are. Water carriers for the DNC. It really doesn’t matter if the story is factual or not, as long as it damages the Republicn Party. So what if ABC might give information to Americas enemies, that may cause the death of some of our troops. As long as it helps the cause.
Thank God for the new media. A lot of us get sick of being insulted, and having to listen ABC dis-respecting our President night after night, while covering for an increaasingly bitter, and even treasonous democrat party.

Until a campaign for public office does not also require a continuous campaign for private campaign funds, we will have conflicts of true public and disguised private interest. Term limits will only create a ‘revolving door’ through which naive know-nothings put up by private interest groups will come and go. The equation of money and “free speech” helps not at all; “feee speech” is a great equalizer when all voices can civilly receive an equal audience. But it doesn’t equalize today when more campaign money equates to more public audience for a campaigner’s point of view. I don’t know how to fix it, but perhaps if there were limits imposed on campaign *advertising* (and that advertising were free?) rather than limits on *terms* — we might see more campaigners speak to their points with concise civilty rather than yell at their opponents with disgusting and expensive attack ads. The present “market imposed” system of whoever can afford the most campaign advertising clearly delivers more corruption and less public interest; more heat than light.

There is no journalistic standard or commandment that says a reporter must reveal their anonymous sources.
Think about it:
Recent American history shows that the criminality of one Richard Millhouse Nixon and his corrupt administration only became public knowledge because two enterprising reporters named Woodward and Bernstein used a anonymous source named “Deepthroat,” whose identity was not revealed until decades later.
Further, many will recall that Woodstein’s intial reporting was vigorously refuted as false and untrue by Nixon’s Attorney General.
Officious sounding claims of “falsehood” against the media are a common public relations tactic by government officials, because they are, on the main, immune from libel and defamation (by virtue of their public office) from the very media organizations they are slandering, often in a cynical effort to confuse and manipulate public opinion.
If it were not for the use of anonymous sources, the American public would hardly know a damn thing about how their government truly and often operates contrary to their best interests.
Be patient with this one and let the grandstanding play out.
History will show who was issuing falsehoods and who was trying to manufacture consent.

Drive by media. report it before you know it it true. Liberals will believe anything the drive by media reports. My gosh, if reporters could be held responsible for false reporting this column would not have existed.

Why is ABC network airing Bush’s right wing propaganda “The Path to 9/11″?
I think people are sick of the administration and the republicans exploiting this tragedy for their own gain.
Why don’t they air “Fahrenheit 911″?

So it’s almost four months later and this story has gone NOWHERE. Rather than acknowledge their screw-up, ABC and Ross merely walked away from their report. Irresponsible journalism at its worst.

Any honest Republicans on this planet?? This is crazy.

First I would like to say I had nothing against The Clintons,(until now) I just think Obama is the better Person. Now I don’t think it I know it. I was at the Nevada caucus on January 12, and if all of them where like the one I was at, I know why The Clinton camp won.From the minute I got there the Clinton party were (for lack of a better word) playing dirty pool. I know this because I saw it first hand. It is a shame we can’t have a honest race, I thought we where pass this from the Bushes.I am not writing this because they said she won in Nevada but it is because of the way she did that I have a problem with it.