The entrée of Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut’s J. Edgar Hoover, into the Countrywide scandal has caused several conspiracy theories to arise.
Conspiracy theory 1: Blumenthal really, really, really wants to be senator.
But there is a problem. One of Connecticut’s senatorial chairs is occupied by Sen. Joe Lieberman, formerly a Democrat, now a Democrat leaning Independent. Lieberman, unhorsed by Ned Lamont in a Democrat primary, ran in the general election as an Independent and cleaned the clock of former Governor and Senator Lowell Weicker’s favorite politician, fellow Greenwich millionaire Lamont.
The other chair is held by Sen. Chris Dodd.
As a general rule in Connecticut politics, opportunities for senatorial slots do not become available until the grim reaper hauls off the reigning incumbent across the Styx. Weicker, torpedoed by Lieberman, was the exception that proves the rule.
The Countrywide scandal presents a rare opportunity for Blumenthal. Hoover, the ambitious head of the FBI, was able to accumulate files on the important politicians of the day and leak compromising information to his favorite reportorial turnstiles whenever it suited his purposes. Blumenthal, who is not camera shy and who has during the course of his career shared information with his favorites in the media, has seemingly borderless investigatory powers that even Hoover might have envied.
The temptation among those who are privy to secret information is to use the information politically.
Conspiracy theory 2: Blumenthal really, really, really wants Dodd to emerge unscathed by the Countrywide scandal
Hoover also used the information in his possession to curry favor with powerful politicians. It was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who burnished the reputation of Hoover and his G-men in order to blunt the romantic notions that surrounded depression era criminals. An entire division in Hoover’s office was devoted solely to publicity. Hoover ingratiated himself with the Roosevelt administration by performing services for anyone who could advance the interests of the FBI, including Roosevelt. Hoover did not scruple to leak information to favorite columnists, a technique that later expanded to include politicians and prominent people.
Dodd is a prominent politician; Blumenthal often has been helpful to the FBI, media stars and others… and, well, any conspitatorialist worth his salt will be able to draw pertinent conclusions…
(End Note: For the willfully stupid, I suppose I should add that this blog is intended partly as satire)
Conspiracy theory 1: Blumenthal really, really, really wants to be senator.
But there is a problem. One of Connecticut’s senatorial chairs is occupied by Sen. Joe Lieberman, formerly a Democrat, now a Democrat leaning Independent. Lieberman, unhorsed by Ned Lamont in a Democrat primary, ran in the general election as an Independent and cleaned the clock of former Governor and Senator Lowell Weicker’s favorite politician, fellow Greenwich millionaire Lamont.
The other chair is held by Sen. Chris Dodd.
As a general rule in Connecticut politics, opportunities for senatorial slots do not become available until the grim reaper hauls off the reigning incumbent across the Styx. Weicker, torpedoed by Lieberman, was the exception that proves the rule.
The Countrywide scandal presents a rare opportunity for Blumenthal. Hoover, the ambitious head of the FBI, was able to accumulate files on the important politicians of the day and leak compromising information to his favorite reportorial turnstiles whenever it suited his purposes. Blumenthal, who is not camera shy and who has during the course of his career shared information with his favorites in the media, has seemingly borderless investigatory powers that even Hoover might have envied.
The temptation among those who are privy to secret information is to use the information politically.
Conspiracy theory 2: Blumenthal really, really, really wants Dodd to emerge unscathed by the Countrywide scandal
Hoover also used the information in his possession to curry favor with powerful politicians. It was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who burnished the reputation of Hoover and his G-men in order to blunt the romantic notions that surrounded depression era criminals. An entire division in Hoover’s office was devoted solely to publicity. Hoover ingratiated himself with the Roosevelt administration by performing services for anyone who could advance the interests of the FBI, including Roosevelt. Hoover did not scruple to leak information to favorite columnists, a technique that later expanded to include politicians and prominent people.
Dodd is a prominent politician; Blumenthal often has been helpful to the FBI, media stars and others… and, well, any conspitatorialist worth his salt will be able to draw pertinent conclusions…
(End Note: For the willfully stupid, I suppose I should add that this blog is intended partly as satire)
Comments
I suspect he'll be AG until he retires.