Political Crossfire Forums

[beachbum bob]

So why did AG John Ashcroft stop taking commerical air flights apparently a week or so after the famous "non-meeting" that Condi forgot all about?? Must be a reasonable explanation, right???





http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/07/26/national/main303601.shtml

Ashcroft Flying High

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2001
Attorney General Ashcroft, with President Bush (AP)

Quote

"There was a threat assessment and there are guidelines. He is acting under the guidelines."
FBI spokesman

(CBS) Fishing rod in hand, Attorney General John Ashcroft left on a weekend trip to Missouri Thursday afternoon aboard a chartered government jet, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart.

In response to inquiries from CBS News over why Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines, the Justice Department cited what it called a "threat assessment" by the FBI, and said Ashcroft has been advised to travel only by private jet for the remainder of his term.

"There was a threat assessment and there are guidelines. He is acting under the guidelines," an FBI spokesman said. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department, however, would identify what the threat was, when it was detected or who made it.

A senior official at the CIA said he was unaware of specific threats against any Cabinet member, and Ashcroft himself, in a speech in California, seemed unsure of the nature of the threat.

"I don't do threat assessments myself and I rely on those whose responsibility it is in the law enforcement community, particularly the FBI. And I try to stay within the guidelines that they've suggested I should stay within for those purposes," Ashcroft said.

Asked if he knew anything about the threat or who might have made it, the attorney general replied, "Frankly, I don't. That's the answer."

Earlier this week, the Justice Department leased a NASA-owned G-3 Gulfstream for a 6-day trip to Western states. Such aircraft cost the government more than $1,600 an hour to fly. When asked whether Ashcroft was paying for any portion of the trips devoted to personal business, a Justice Department spokeswoman declined to respond.

All other Bush Cabinet appointees, with the exception of Interior and Energy with remote sites to oversee, fly commercial airliners. Janet Reno, Ashcroft's predecessor as attorney general, also routinely flew commercial. The secretaries of State and Defense traditionally travel with extra security on military planes.

The Justice Department insists that it wasn't Ashcroft who wanted to fly leased aircraft. That idea, they said, came strictly from Ashcroft's FBI security detail. The FBI had no further comment.

[ChuckBerry]

This article does not reveal exactly when the AG began taking leased jet aircraft, nor when the threat assessment was issued. For all we know it could have been prior to the July 10th meeting you are referring to.

We also do not know what the threat was perceived to be from the source you have citied.

[beachbum bob]

CCD wrote: This article does not reveal exactly when the AG began taking leased jet aircraft, nor when the threat assessment was issued. For all we know it could have been prior to the July 10th meeting you are referring to.

We also do not know what the threat was perceived to be from the source you have citied.

its clear that a threat level was in existence....that is clear....the time and dats, who knows....but it is still clear that some took whatever warnings serious.....
and its is reasonable question to be asking and to have answered

[Kilo Tango]

Wow, this was news like, uh, 5 years ago!

[beachbum bob]

Kilo Tango wrote: Wow, this was news like, uh, 5 years ago!

it brings the allegations of Condi Rice's forgetfulness as somewhat more in question...as John Ashcroft did respond to warnings of some type...so, lets find out...

[jamesp]

it doesn't bring up anything other than OLD news being brought forward as NEW news by some.

The issues are still the same..

Blast the R's for whatever they are doing..
but never reveal what the DEMS actually will do on pretty much any issue.

Vote for me because I am not an R....

[Gdawg007]

It establishes that the FBI were aware of a threat, but it doesn't establish what that threat was. Rice is not being totally honest or forthcoming about her recollection of meetings with the Justice Dept. or having a plan handed from Clinton to her, that much is clear.

The news may be old, but it supports the contention that a threat did exist and at least the FBI felt having Ashcraft off commercial flights was a good idea. If anyone's trying to imply that Bush or the administration or the FBI had advanced knoweldge of 9/11, then I'll have to move this to the Alternate theories forum

[00timh]

Gdawg007 wrote: It establishes that the FBI were aware of a threat, but it doesn't establish what that threat was. Rice is not being totally honest or forthcoming about her recollection of meetings with the Justice Dept. or having a plan handed from Clinton to her, that much is clear.

The news may be old, but it supports the contention that a threat did exist and at least the FBI felt having Ashcraft off commercial flights was a good idea. If anyone's trying to imply that Bush or the administration or the FBI had advanced knoweldge of 9/11, then I'll have to move this to the Alternate theories forum It could be headed there anyway. why is it only ashcroft started taking leased flights? why not so many others?

[Quell]

Gdawg007 wrote: It establishes that the FBI were aware of a threat, but it doesn't establish what that threat was. Rice is not being totally honest or forthcoming about her recollection of meetings with the Justice Dept. or having a plan handed from Clinton to her, that much is clear.

The news may be old, but it supports the contention that a threat did exist and at least the FBI felt having Ashcraft off commercial flights was a good idea. If anyone's trying to imply that Bush or the administration or the FBI had advanced knoweldge of 9/11, then I'll have to move this to the Alternate theories forum

With all due respect, there is a CRAP LOAD of evidence pointing to the fact that the FBI did in fact have quite a bit of evidence pointing to 9-11, and more and more every day is revealed that there were in fact people in the administration that were aware of the threat of terrorist flying commercial air craft into buildings.

Its not even a valid debate anymore.

What could be debated, and I guess what would make it go into the "no read zone" of alt theories, is if the implication is that Bush knew about 9-11 specificly.

[Reverend_HellH0und]

State department issues warnings all the time even pre-911. ;)

[NAB]

Quell wrote: Gdawg007 wrote: It establishes that the FBI were aware of a threat, but it doesn't establish what that threat was. Rice is not being totally honest or forthcoming about her recollection of meetings with the Justice Dept. or having a plan handed from Clinton to her, that much is clear.

The news may be old, but it supports the contention that a threat did exist and at least the FBI felt having Ashcraft off commercial flights was a good idea. If anyone's trying to imply that Bush or the administration or the FBI had advanced knoweldge of 9/11, then I'll have to move this to the Alternate theories forum

With all due respect, there is a CRAP LOAD of evidence pointing to the fact that the FBI did in fact have quite a bit of evidence pointing to 9-11, and more and more every day is revealed that there were in fact people in the administration that were aware of the threat of terrorist flying commercial air craft into buildings.

Its not even a valid debate anymore.

What could be debated, and I guess what would make it go into the "no read zone" of alt theories, is if the implication is that Bush knew about 9-11 specificly.

The bolded part pretty much spells out the difference between a P&G topic and an AT topic. One simple phrase, that creates such a wide gulf of disagreement for many.

[William Amos]

beachbum bob wrote: So why did AG John Ashcroft stop taking commerical air flights apparently a week or so after the famous "non-meeting" that Condi forgot all about?? Must be a reasonable explanation, right???



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/07/26/national/main303601.shtml

Ashcroft Flying High

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2001
Attorney General Ashcroft, with President Bush (AP)

Quote

"There was a threat assessment and there are guidelines. He is acting under the guidelines."
FBI spokesman

(CBS) Fishing rod in hand, Attorney General John Ashcroft left on a weekend trip to Missouri Thursday afternoon aboard a chartered government jet, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart.

In response to inquiries from CBS News over why Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines, the Justice Department cited what it called a "threat assessment" by the FBI, and said Ashcroft has been advised to travel only by private jet for the remainder of his term.

"There was a threat assessment and there are guidelines. He is acting under the guidelines," an FBI spokesman said. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department, however, would identify what the threat was, when it was detected or who made it.

A senior official at the CIA said he was unaware of specific threats against any Cabinet member, and Ashcroft himself, in a speech in California, seemed unsure of the nature of the threat.

"I don't do threat assessments myself and I rely on those whose responsibility it is in the law enforcement community, particularly the FBI. And I try to stay within the guidelines that they've suggested I should stay within for those purposes," Ashcroft said.

Asked if he knew anything about the threat or who might have made it, the attorney general replied, "Frankly, I don't. That's the answer."

Earlier this week, the Justice Department leased a NASA-owned G-3 Gulfstream for a 6-day trip to Western states. Such aircraft cost the government more than $1,600 an hour to fly. When asked whether Ashcroft was paying for any portion of the trips devoted to personal business, a Justice Department spokeswoman declined to respond.

All other Bush Cabinet appointees, with the exception of Interior and Energy with remote sites to oversee, fly commercial airliners. Janet Reno, Ashcroft's predecessor as attorney general, also routinely flew commercial. The secretaries of State and Defense traditionally travel with extra security on military planes.

The Justice Department insists that it wasn't Ashcroft who wanted to fly leased aircraft. That idea, they said, came strictly from Ashcroft's FBI security detail. The FBI had no further comment.


Maybe because he got a death threat ? Isnt outside the realm of possibility.

[cap'n queasy]

Maybe he just doesn't care to travel on aircraft.

[steve abdul jabbar]

cap'n queasy wrote: Maybe he just doesn't care to travel on aircraft.

Quote: Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines

That was easy.

Why not try reading the post?

[cap'n queasy]

steve abdul jabbar wrote: cap'n queasy wrote: Maybe he just doesn't care to travel on aircraft.

Quote: Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines

That was easy.

Why not try reading the post?

People occasionally change their minds about things they do. You do realize that don't you?

[Gdawg007]

00timh wrote: Gdawg007 wrote: It establishes that the FBI were aware of a threat, but it doesn't establish what that threat was. Rice is not being totally honest or forthcoming about her recollection of meetings with the Justice Dept. or having a plan handed from Clinton to her, that much is clear.

The news may be old, but it supports the contention that a threat did exist and at least the FBI felt having Ashcraft off commercial flights was a good idea. If anyone's trying to imply that Bush or the administration or the FBI had advanced knoweldge of 9/11, then I'll have to move this to the Alternate theories forum It could be headed there anyway. why is it only ashcroft started taking leased flights? why not so many others?

I have no answer, obviously, but it does show that our gov't was aware of a threat, perhaps not a specific threat to 9/11, but they clearly were concerned about commercial aircraft. Why they were more concerned about Ashcroft I have no idea.

[Gdawg007]

Quell wrote: Gdawg007 wrote: It establishes that the FBI were aware of a threat, but it doesn't establish what that threat was. Rice is not being totally honest or forthcoming about her recollection of meetings with the Justice Dept. or having a plan handed from Clinton to her, that much is clear.

The news may be old, but it supports the contention that a threat did exist and at least the FBI felt having Ashcraft off commercial flights was a good idea. If anyone's trying to imply that Bush or the administration or the FBI had advanced knoweldge of 9/11, then I'll have to move this to the Alternate theories forum

With all due respect, there is a CRAP LOAD of evidence pointing to the fact that the FBI did in fact have quite a bit of evidence pointing to 9-11, and more and more every day is revealed that there were in fact people in the administration that were aware of the threat of terrorist flying commercial air craft into buildings.

Its not even a valid debate anymore.

What could be debated, and I guess what would make it go into the "no read zone" of alt theories, is if the implication is that Bush knew about 9-11 specificly.

Then unless we all want to debate this in the AT forum, then let's not discuss the possible knowledge Bush had before 9/11.

[beachbum bob]

Gdawg007 wrote: Quell wrote: Gdawg007 wrote: It establishes that the FBI were aware of a threat, but it doesn't establish what that threat was. Rice is not being totally honest or forthcoming about her recollection of meetings with the Justice Dept. or having a plan handed from Clinton to her, that much is clear.

The news may be old, but it supports the contention that a threat did exist and at least the FBI felt having Ashcraft off commercial flights was a good idea. If anyone's trying to imply that Bush or the administration or the FBI had advanced knoweldge of 9/11, then I'll have to move this to the Alternate theories forum

With all due respect, there is a CRAP LOAD of evidence pointing to the fact that the FBI did in fact have quite a bit of evidence pointing to 9-11, and more and more every day is revealed that there were in fact people in the administration that were aware of the threat of terrorist flying commercial air craft into buildings.

Its not even a valid debate anymore.

What could be debated, and I guess what would make it go into the "no read zone" of alt theories, is if the implication is that Bush knew about 9-11 specificly.

Then unless we all want to debate this in the AT forum, then let's not discuss the possible knowledge Bush had before 9/11.

the point is...Condi wanted to claim "a memory lapse" of a meeting with Tenet on July 10th concerning potentional of attacks by Osama...then Ashcroft started using non-commerical flights...I would have this looked into concerning other high ranking govt officials if they started changing from commerical flights to charter flights at this same time...I wonder if 9-11 commission looked into this at all...I didn't see it in the report...


why would Ashcroft all of sudden go to charter flight....days after significant warnings were given to Condi by Tenet....Are these quesions too tough to ask?? Or are the answers not wanted???
Are we afraid to ask??

[Nixon]

This ridiculous conpiracy theory was debunked years ago.

go find some other nut-job conpiracy to discuss.

[Counter]

The threat was a personal threat to the Attorney General, nothing to do with national security.

Ashcroft still used flights when on official government business.

This was one of the propaganda points that that ridiculously low IQ documentary "Loose Change" brought up.