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May 05, 2006
Goss A Goner At CIA
The White House has just made another personnel change, which given the "staff shakeup" over the last few weeks, isn't surprising. That it is CIA Director Porter Goss resigning, however, is a shocker -- well, sort of.
Since Josh Bolten took over as White House Chief of Staff, several changes have been made (most notably a significant alteration of Karl Rove's official role and the departure of spokesman Scott McClellan), and more have been rumored. Names like Treasury Secretary John Snow and communications director Nicolle Devenish have often been floated in recent weeks as the next to leave the Bush administration.
Goss's name has scarcely been mentioned in such speculation, so his resignation has caught the clueless press corps off guard. In fact, given what's been percolating out on that media hinterland known as the Web, today's announcement shouldn't be all that shocking.
Remember Duke Cunningham? For those that don't, the Dukestir (spelled to match the name of his illegally acquired yacht), is a now former San Diego Congressman who recently plead guilty to receiving over $2 million in bribes, and who just began serving an 8-year sentence in federal prison.
Well, in recent weeks more information about the Dukestir's ties to dirty lobbyists -- Mitchell Wade and Brent Wilkes, in particular -- has come to light, including partying with prostitutes at the Watergate Hotel; that's right, folks the Watergate. Talking Points Memo has done some great reporting on these developments.
It turns out Kyle Foggo, the executive director and "number three" guy at the CIA, and long-time buddy of troubled lobbyist Brent Wilkes is under investigation in this matter as well. Speculation has now extended to Director Goss, himself a former fellow Republican Congressman from Florida.
So, while the White House is attempting to send Goss out with the Friday afternoon trash (press lingo for a time when nobody is paying attention), and spin his resignation as part of Bolten's overall White House shakeup, you discerning Houtopia readers can connect the dots.
Another scandal brewing at the White House -- how does one keep up? It's downright dizzying.
Oh, and for those of you wondering how a scandal this big could have happened that didn't involve Tom DeLay, don't jump to conclusions just yet. The Dukestir and the Hammer shared a mutual friend, Brent Wilkes. We couldn't make this stuff up if we tried.
Posted by houtopia at May 5, 2006 01:46 PM