Via the General, a message from Tom Wales’ brother-in-law:
Anonymity is a fine thing. Many an evening I have rafted down the Internets Tubes, safe and secure in my anonymity: unafraid to speak up and unafraid of consequences. Toes have been stomped. Feathers ruffled (my tactfulness is not legendary). Well, mea culpa.
Today I risk nakedness, my fig leaf Googleable.
In testimony Thursday, James Comey, former #2 at the Department of Justice under Ashcroft, testified to the House Judiciary Committee (actually brought up first by Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC), while Watt was questioning him) that John McKay, one of the fired USA’s, got in hot water in 2005 for agitating with the bigwigs in DC for more resources in hunting the assassin of Tom Wales, an assistant DA in Seattle killed on October 11, 2001.
Tom was shot a half-dozen times in the neck and head with hollow-point bullets (aka “cop killers””) as he sat at his home computer, answering an email. Sitting as we do, now. He prosecuted white-collar crime in Washington State, and was also a visible and dedicated gun-control advocate. I watched him debate Wayne LaPierre once, on Good Morning America, and thought Tom ate Wayne’s lunch. He headed Washington Cease Fire until murdered with a handgun.
His slaying has never been solved.
The FBI has a team, permanently investigating…they’re on record as saying they know the killer. They released a letter to the press, purportedly from the suspect, and asked the public’s help in identifying him. The FBI has, they say, ruined the suspect’s life, and hassled many a gun owner.
Now I learn through these Internets Tubes that John McKay may have been fired for paying too much attention to the assassination of his fellow federal prosecutor, instead of filing bogus voter-fraud suits.
It appears the DOJ (who sent no reps to Tom’s memorial service, btw, even though he was the first active Federal DA to be murdered, and this just one month after 9/11) was directed to minimize the hunt for Tom’s killer because it would harm the Republican Party’s NRA base, and inflame gun-control advocates.
I don’t speak for the Wales family. Several of them still lose sleep when the case re-makes the news, fearful for the safety of Tom’s children, now grown. And I see their point, though the children are as brave as he.
But if the DOJ is now in the business of ignoring the murders of dedicated prosecutors who spent a career contributing to the community and standing up for the powerless to better win the next election, then it’s time to clean house. If I had been murdered, instead, and my case swept under the rug, Tom would have charged in like an angry wolf.
I married his sister, you see.
And so I ask you, gentle reader, to call or write your Congresspersons, especially if they sit on the Judiciary Committees; demand they ask each DOJ employee, parading through in this shameful affair, what they know or knew of reasons for McKay’s firing.
If this White House is willing to murder Justice for power, we should replace them. Now.
UPDATE:
Tom Wales’ brother-in-law has asked that I post the following correction and clarification:
Monday, I posted re: the unsolved Tom Wales case, and did so in anger. In allowing my anger and resurgent grief sway, I stupidly misstated details that upon reflection deserved more perfect accuracy. No matter the threats to it, or from whence they arise, justice and truth will win out; they must, eventually. I believe that, as Tom did and worked toward. The FBI, DOJ, and law enforcement are filled with public servants as dedicated to justice as Tom. I deeply regret putting my two cents in on a case already so difficult and emotional for so many of them.
To be more specific: the FBI is NOT on record as saying they have but one suspect; though it’s true they have one who is particularly a focus, and has been the subject of public appeals. Also, Mr. Comey only responded to Rep. Watt repeating earlier testimony, as noted in the link. I knew that, and simply erred.
My post showed insufficient respect to Mr. Comey, and to the FBI, and the rank and file at the DOJ, respect I continue to have. My deepest and heartfelt apology for any trouble or confusion I have caused.
FYI, Tom Wales’ brother-in-law posts comments to blogs under an assumed name, because, well, his brother was assassinated by somebody who disagreed with him.
Goldy —
What exactly did James Comey TESTIFY to on Thursday? All I have seen is an inflammatory QUESTIONS asked by Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC):
In QUESTIONING former Deputy Attorney General James Comey, Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., said: “It was suggested that Mr. Sampson had concerns or that concerns had been raised … relating to the murder of an assistant U.S. attorney named Thomas Wales, in which Mr. McKay had requested some action by the department.”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....ay03m.html
If Comey had TESTIFIED to something really explosive, I am sure we would have read about it, and Comey’s words would be quoted.
Likewise, had Kyle Sampson TESTIFIED in the manner that Watt represented in his questioning of Comey, I am sure we would have read about it, and Sampson words would be quoted.
At this point, I strongly think Gonzo ought to be fired — and soon. There are plenty of reasons to fire him, without having to invent fanciful reasons out of whole cloth. Nor should we tolerate Watt using apparent untruths to advance his gun control agenda.
In any event, it appears that the federal government took this matter very seriously, and devoted enormous resources to the investigation. This included questioning over 4,000 people and tracking down over 10,000 leads in all 50 states and several foreign countries:
http://archives.seattletimes.n.....m+wales%22
“If this White House is willing to murder Justice for power, we should replace them. Now.”
And forever…
What’s this “gentle reader” crap? To hell with gentleness, it’s WAY PAST TIME for liberals to get tough with these rightwing thugs!!! And, I beg to differ with Mr. Brother-in-Law, but the U.S. Attorney scandal has nothing to do with winning elections. The Busheviks don’t win elections. They steal them.
@2 Richard, you certainly have a talent for alienating EVERYONE. Maybe you should form your own political party. You can not only be its official spokesperson, but also its only member.
It took Sheriff Blowdry 20 years to catch a very busy serial killer who was right under his nose! Six years after 9/11, the “commander guy” still doesn’t know where Osama is, and still doesn’t care. Be patient, folks … be very patient. Gonzo & Co. will catch the DA-killer in … oh … 50 years or so.
Make sure you all understand this. The pretend Dems, the John Berelli’s of the world, would have you throw up your hands and be civil to these thugs. Don’t be misled. These right wing fuckers will outright kill people who disagree with the Bush regime. They will fire people, wreck careers, marraiges, out covert agents, start wars, do dirty backroom deals, embezzle, steal and anyfucking thing else they want to do as long as nobody opposes them. They’re an outright criminal enterprise that makes the mob look like a bunch of kindergarten kids.
Well folks I learned in high school that the only way to deal with a bully is to confront him head on. It’s time to take a stand or sit down and get out of the way.
Dems need to move away from the middle and show that our government isn’t going to be corrupted like this. Either you’re a traitor and a coward who supports shit like this guy’s murder or you don’t. The DICKLESS POPE’s of the world will try to talk you into thinking something is being done, but that’s a typical Publican ruse. They always make it look like they’re doing something right when in fact, wrong is the only direction they know.
When will it stop? Will your loved ones be targeted next? If you stand by and let this happen, then the next MISSION ACCOMPLISHED sign could be over your dead body.
Vote for liberal Democrats who are tough on Publican bullshit and hold the right accountable for their attempted destruction of America.
Oh yes and one more thing, Fuck You Pope you piece of shit who nobody gives a fuck about. Your attempts to deflect here are even more reprehensible than usual.
more conjecture; he reads this blog and thinks he’s found plot by NRA to diminish the hunt for the killer.
He knows zero more than any of us, but because of his relationship, gets extra credit.
Goldy, you have zip. And I’m neither a gun not nor interested in any dimming of the Wales hunt. You’re an angry nut making something out of nothing.
@ 6 & 8
Nice ad hominem attacks, but neither of you refute Mr. Pope’s facts.
Sound and fury signifying nothing.
Since when are hollow point bullets “cop killers”?
A) Hollow point bullets do not penetrate body armor.
B) Hollow points penetrate LESS than ball ammo (round nose stuff). They are designed to expand at impact thus transferring as much kinetic energy as possible in the shortest period of time. This is in fact a safety feature as it lessens the chance of over penetration and the bullet exiting the target and hitting somebody else.
C) Police use hollow point bullets in their service pistols.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18530710/
Looks like it’s a Publican who now wants to CUT AND RUN. What are you righties gonna do for talking points now? Quick – call your hero Limpdick Limbaugh and ask for a new slogan. You got nothing else.
Pope-A-Dope saying something doesn’t make it a fact. Actually, looking at his track record with the courts, elections, the Bar and this blog, there’s significant evidence that Pope saying something is true means it is NOT!
re 11: Thanks for the info. I was unaware until now of the built in safety features of hollowpoints.
Police departments across the nation should be very grateful.
Richard @2, et al…
Why are folks so invested in defending the Bushies, that they seek to discredit and dismiss anybody who threatens to get at the truth? Um…
You guys can argue all you want whether a hollow-point bullet is technically a “cop killer” or not, but the fact is Wales was assassinated, and folks at DOJ want to fire McKay because he’s pursuing the case of a murdered Assistant USA too aggressively.
Goldy @ 15
Actually, what you posted was:
“In testimony Thursday, James Comey, former #2 at the Department of Justice under Ashcroft, testified to the House Judiciary Committee … that John McKay, one of the fired USA’s, got in hot water in 2005 for agitating with the bigwigs in DC for more resources in hunting the assassin of Tom Wales, an assistant DA in Seattle killed on October 11, 2001.”
Posted by Goldy, 05/06/2007, 11:12 PM
It doesn’t appear that Mr. Comey testified to anything of the sort. His actual testimony to the House Judiciary Committee, as quoted by the Seattle Times, was as follows:
Comey responded: “I don’t remember discussing that tragedy with anyone other than Mr. McKay, and it was simply briefly to talk to him about how awful it was. He cared very passionately about finding the person who killed his assistant U.S. attorney.”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....ay03m.html
So when are you going to apologize to Mr. Comey for falsely representing his testimony?
#14 Lucy,
Here’s a pretty good write up on hollow points:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_point
Pope you lying piece of shit – you got a transcript? Because if you don’t, I don’t believe you when you say the sky in blue.
Kansas officials are saying National Guard response to the tornado is poor because so many of the troops are in Iraq instead of protecting the homeland.
Serves those right wing bastards in Kansas right. They like to vote Publican so I hope they die waiting for help that never comes because they sent their guys to drill for oil for Halliburton.
19
Settle down. While they may have voted against your particular party (mine too), they are our fellow citizens, Americans and wishing them dead is not the attitude to take.
You can be sure that this episode is going to open some eyes and change even more minds about our involvment in the Middle East. What this country does better than any other on the face of the earth is band together in a disaster. We need to do that first, then place cause and blame.
I am as liberal as you are and you know that. Please, don’t wish others dead. Kansas is not Texas, some liberals live there.
I heard that both liberals in Kansas survied the tornado.
Goldy — you and this anonymous “brother-in-law” of Tom Wales owe a BIG APOLOGY to James Comey.
I have just listened to the entire 1:36:08 of the hearing on video. This hearing was 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, May 3, 2007 before the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law of the House Judiciary Committee.
The link to the hearing video can be found by going to the following link, and clicking the “Video Webcast” button:
http://judiciary.house.gov/Oversight.aspx?ID=310
Mr. Comey’s questioning by Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) starts at 44:00 on the video webcast. The question relating to the murder of Tom Wales is about the second or third question asked by Rep. Watt. Mr. Comey’s answer to this question concludes at 46:10 on the video webcast. Mr. Comey says absolutely NOTHING about John McKay being fired because of the murder of Tom Wales, or Mr. McKay’s reaction to the murder or its investigation.
Basically, Mr. Comey simply testifies exactly as he was quoted by the Seattle Times article previously linked: “I don’t remember discussing that tragedy with anyone other than Mr. McKay, and it was simply briefly to talk to him about how awful it was. He cared very passionately about finding the person who killed his assistant U.S. attorney.”
So when are we going to see Goldy apologize and the anonymous “brother-in-law” of Tom Wales identify himself and apologize?
Don’t apologize to this fool Pope-a-dope Goldy. After all, he supports terrorists’ right to gain firearm access.
By the way, it’s telling that Dickie has time to sit around and watch this kind of video. Certainly couldn’t expect a lawyer with such a poor track record to get any paying clients. HE HE!
Come to think of it, aren’t OK and Kansas part of the Bible belt? Will Pat Robertson and his ilk start saying the dead in the tornado were punished by God the way he did when the hurricane killed “sinners” in Florida?
Any word from Rev Fred Phelps? Surely Kansas is being punished by his God.
Wait a minute here…presumably the motive for Wales’ murder was revenge. We started with Goldy’s speculation that because the presumed murderer was a gun afficionado, that his prosecution might have irritated the NRA, and that the administration might have tried to, well, maybe “slow it down” so as to avoid it becoming a political liability. Now, in this thread, some of you seem to have Ouija-boarded yourselves into using terms like “assassination”. Seems just a bit of a stretch, somehow.
goldy,
when you going to retract your bad reporting?
I recently read one of your articles about Tom Wales, the federal prosecutor in Seattle who was murdered the month after the 9/11 attacks, and it reminded me of another unusual news report that was circulating at the time and then just faded away. This story was broadcast on at least 2 of the major evening news shows (if I remember correctly, it was ABC and NBC) but there was never a follow-up as far as I can tell. I don’t see any direct connection to the Wales case, but it still seems suspicious. You can draw your own conclusions.
The links below will give you more details,
http://911research.wtc7.net/sept11/stockputs.html
http://www.hereinreality.com/insidertrading.html
but the basic story goes like this –
Just after 9/11, some people in the banking/financial industry noticed that someone (it was never stated exactly who, but the suspicions at the time centered on terrorists) had made some very unusual stock transactions immediately before the attacks. It seemed that someone with advance knowledge of the attacks had invested some large sums in “put” options on airline stocks. In other words, they were betting that these stocks would soon go into a steep decline. Again, these stories were reported on the major networks and then just vanished.
Tom Wales investigated white-collar crimes in the banking/financial industry. Doesn’t it seem odd that a federal prosecutor with this specialty would be killed (assassinated?) at about the same time as this other story makes national news and then disappears?
Maybe I’m just a conspiracy nut, but I’d be interested in hearing your opinion.
Rex Randolph
Goldy,
this last guy makes Roger look positively sane.
You’re an angry nut
PERFECT DESCRIPTION OF WRONG ON, THE BIGGEST SORE LOSER IN WASHINGTON STATE.
GOLDY’S HAD A PRETTY GOOD WINNING STREAK AND LOSERS LIKE WRONGON CAN’T HANDLE IT.
Richard, I always respected you before as a thoughtful conservative. No more asshole. Tom Wales’ brother-in-law is a friend of mine and he owes no one, but no one, an apology. You jerk. For your edification here is the Washington Post link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....02169.html
This is not only a family tragedy, that you have decided to shit on, it reflects horribly on the DOJ. You want to identify with that sort of bullshit, well, fine.
Didn’t I know you from yours before when I had a bookstore in Montlake? I’m pretty sure we did. But I could be wrong about that. But not about the rest of your fucking nonsense, pal.
yawn, not much in that article either
he believes he may have recommended former U.S. attorney John McKay’s removal
Comey said that McKay “cared very passionately about finding the person who killed” Wales.
Charles Mandigo, who at the time of Wales’s murder was special agent in charge of Seattle’s FBI office, recalled that McKay, his staff and FBI agents all felt “a little bit neglected” because they did not receive the support they expected for the Wales murder investigation.
McKay’s advocacy for the investigation was never “more than normal interplay,” said Mandigo, who retired in 2003. “Did he push it? Yeah, he pushed it. Was he ardent? Yeah, he was ardent about it, and I think he should have been.”
And who the hell cares if hollow bullets are considered “cop killers” or not? The man is dead, no matter what ammunition was used. More bullshit misdirection.
Get a soul, righton. You seem to be missing one now. “Yawn” ? A man is dead. And you couldn’t fucking care less. What a pitiful life you must lead, living in your parent’s basement.
SeattleDan @ 31
Where is the inflammatory revelation in James Comey’s testimony? Absolutely nowhere! I listened to ALL 96 minutes of the hearing where Comey testified, on May 3, 2007, and he says absolutely NOTHING of the sort.
Certainly the murder of Tom Wales is a family tragedy. But it doesn’t give ANYONE the right to defame others. And that is exactly what his alleged “brother-in-law” is doing to James Comey by knowingly misrepresenting his testimony.
SeattleDan,
In any event, the story you linked from the May 5, 2007 Washington Post does not mention James Comey’s name at all. Instead, it alleges that Kyle Sampson recommended John McKay for firing in March 2005, allegedly because McKay was pushing too hard on the Tom Wales murder investigation. The Washington Post allegations are not based on any public hearing testimony by Sampson, but instead on what Sampson supposedly said to investigators in an interview.
In any event, it doesn’t seem likely that Sampson would have recommended McKay for dismissal as U.S. Attorney in March 2005, since he was strongly advocating McKay’s appointment as a lifetime federal judge in August 2006.
On August 8, 2006, former Justice Department Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson e-mailed a White House official to complain that McKay “got screwed” by the selection panel and urged the White House to consider him anyway. The next day, in an e-mail to someone else about McKay, Sampson wrote, “it’s highly unlikely that we could do better in Seattle.”
http://archives.seattletimes.n wsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/ web/vortex/display?slug=jones2 5m&date=20070325&query=YMCA
But even if Kyle Sampson really did recommend John McKay’s firing (at any point in time) because McKay was supposedly pushing too hard on the Tom Wales murder investigation — THIS STILL DOES NOT GIVE ANYONE THE RIGHT TO DEFAME JAMES COVEY! Goldy and this anonymous “brother-in-law” owe Mr. Covey an APOLOGY!
Being subtle is not your strong suit, Richard. Did you look at the Post piece? So, ok, I made the whole thing up. Nothing wrong there. No siree. Nothing political going on in the DOJ investigation.
As to your aspersion that the “alleged brother-in-law” is unreal, I can assure you that he is very real and I have shook hands with him in my bookstore. And he doesn’t owe you or anyone else squat.
Here is the correct link for the March 25, 2007 Seattle Times story that is referenced in # 36 at 10:11 p.m.:
http://archives.seattletimes.n.....query=YMCA
Fuck you, Richard. As I said before, I used to think you had a brain, some empathy, and a soul. But I learn something new everyday.
SeattleDan @ 38
Absolutely you made the whole thing up. James Comey’s name does not appear anywhere in the Washington Post article. An entirely different person is alleged to have recommended John McKay for firing on this extremely outrageous basis.
I guess it is okay for you and this “brother-in-law” to defame Mr. Comey and deliberately confuse him with another former employee of the Justice Department (Kyle Sampson) who resigned under less than graceful circumstances.
Why don’t you actually LISTEN to Mr. Comey’s actual testimony on May 3, 2007? If you will take 96 minutes to do so, you will see that Mr. Comey is extremely professional (perhaps a rarity in D.C. these days), thought John McKay was one of the finest U.S. Attorneys in the nation, and was shocked to learn that McKay had been fired.
The link to the hearing video can be found by going to the following link, and clicking the “Video Webcast” button:
http://judiciary.house.gov/Ove rsight.aspx?ID=310
Mr. Comey’s questioning by Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) starts at 44:00 on the video webcast. The question relating to the murder of Tom Wales is about the second or third question asked by Rep. Watt. Mr. Comey’s answer to this question concludes at 46:10 on the video webcast. Mr. Comey says absolutely NOTHING about John McKay being fired because of the murder of Tom Wales, or Mr. McKay’s reaction to the murder or its investigation.
The system cannot find the file specified.
Provide me a real link.
Try this one:
http://judiciary.house.gov/Oversight.aspx?ID=310
Apparently, the blog software adds a space every so often in website links. It is okay when the space first appears, but when you copy the link, it doesn’t work.
And, of course, the “brother-in-law” is a complete figment of my imagination. And Goldy’s, too. I saw Goldy at the one time my wife and I went to ‘Drinkingl Liberally’, but we were not introduced. Oh, yeah, well, we did recommend an auto mechanic to him once, but don’t know if he pursued that one. But we both completly made up the brother-in-law. Cuz, you know, we don’t have anything better to do on a Monday night.
And now that I review the info, we’re talking about Sampson’s testimony, not Comey’s. Who the fuck cares about Comey’s testimony? Good on you for listenting to an hour and half worth of bullshit. Thanks for completetly misdirecting the conversation. Typical wingnut behavior, something I expected better from you. That would be your, Richard.
typical seattle liberals; can’t separate fact from feelings
While we all should mourn the murder of Wales, this post isn’t about that, but rather the supposed intervention into the investigation, and supposed sacking of McKay to limit the investigation.
Fact so far; nothing posted shows anything of substance. Even my prior paste from the Wash Post article has guy closest to it, saying he can’t really recall.
This would be a big and tragic story if true, but it doesn’t became true just because you hate Bush.
Hey Pope-A-Dope why don’t you put on your ambulance chasing shoes and see if you can talk this guy into letting you represent him in a lawsuit claiming Goldy defamed him? That way you could add one more devistating loss to your pitiful, lousy, mind-blowing record of abject failure.
Dan’s right; I do exist, and we’ve shaken hands. Seeing my words bouncing around the internet tubes is sobering, for sure. Right off; I didn’t mean or intend to put words in Comey’s mouth. I read the links, knew what he’d said, and what Watt had, and hell, I even like and respect Comey. Sampson’s another story altogether…
Thing is, I was furious. And words in anger have a way of biting you back. The whole thing, having Tom die violently and being with his family afterward and then, finally, coming to grips with it myself after helping my wife grieve, came back at once. Those who’ve been through a similar death know how much it sucks.
Tom would say that justice will prevail. And now, so will I. If the DOJ is no longer the independent force it has always been, it will convulse and become so again. I, and we, have to trust that’ll happen. And, of course, work to see that’s so.
regardless of inflammatory post i think (speaking for the right) we’d all agree
the murder was tragic
the investigation should continue and not get diverted
if indeed politics is involved that is wrong, and should be stopped, investigated
Thanks, vertalio, for the affirmation. I thought you might have been a post-some-drug hallucination. The point was never Comey/Sampson, and if I got that wrong, I’m sorry. It’s the attitude of blaming the victim, which sickened me. Pope never said anything about the actual circumstances and took the wingnut route of misdirecting the conversation. It’s all about Comey and not about Tom Wales. A plague on his house for that. But, alas, this thread is buried and I am talking maybe to you and no one else.