Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Bush' Press Secretary Scott McClellan Gives Up - Washington Post


These actions don't just happen without reason. Scott became the whipping boy for President Bush and it's certain the resultant stress took its toll. His meetings with the press became battles, and it seemed clear he was not able to separate business from personal response. He will no go down as the best press secretary, but certainly the most combative.

McClellan Out as White House Press Secretary
Karl Rove Gives Up Policy Oversight to Focus on 2006 Elections

By Fred Barbash and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, April 19, 2006; 10:21 AM

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan announced his resignation this morning and President's Bush's longtime adviser Karl Rove is scaling back his responsibilities.

It was the third major change at the White House in the past few weeks and perhaps the most visible to the public, as McClellan is the most televised face of the administration through his often-combative daily briefings.

McClellan's resignation was not unexpected.

Rove, who was named a deputy chief of staff for policy after Bush's second election, will leave that post to spend more time on politics as the mid-term elections approach. He is expected to be replaced by Joel Kaplan, who now serves as deputy White House budget director.

Appearing with Bush on the White House South Lawn just before the president left for a trip to Alabama, McClellan told Bush: "I have given it my all sir and I have given you my all sir, and I will continue to do so as we transition to a new press secretary."

Bush thanked McClellan for "a job well done."

"I thought he handled his assignment with class, integrity," Bush said. "It's going to be hard to replace Scott, but nevertheless he made the decision and I accepted it. One of these days, he and I are going to be rocking in chairs in Texas and talking about the good old days."

Earlier today, Bush, concerned about a dangerous "vacuum" in Iraq, once again prodded Iraq's political leadership to put a "government in place" soon.

"We fully recognize that the Iraqis must step up and form a unity government, so that those who went to the polls to vote recognize that a government will be in place to respond to their needs. . . .

"We also recognize that vacuums in the political process create opportunity for malfeasance and harm," he said.

Bush commented after meeting with four governors who recently returned from a trip to Iraq. The governors included Jeb Bush, Republican of Florida and the president's brother; Tom Vilsack, Democrat of Iowa; Mitch Daniels, Republican of Indiana and former director of the White House budget office; and Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia.

Four months of haggling among Iraqi politicians have now passed since the country went to the polls to choose elected representatives, who were, in turn, supposed to choose a government.

The 275-member assembly had been scheduled to meet Monday but agreed to a delay so that Shiites could resolve the continuing dispute over who will be prime minister.

Staff writer Bill Brubaker contributed to this story .

Duke Lacrosse Scandal - First Arrests Made

The Prosecutor seeks 3rd suspect in Duke rape case
Two lacrosse players charged with rape, kidnapping


Wednesday, April 19, 2006; Posted: 1:38 a.m. EDT (05:38 GMT)

DURHAM, North Carolina (CNN) -- Two Duke University lacrosse team members were charged Tuesday in the rape of a woman hired to dance at a team party, and the district attorney is trying to determine the identity of a third suspect.

Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty, both sophomores, are charged with first-degree forcible rape, first-degree sexual offense and kidnapping, officials said.

District Attorney Mike Nifong said authorities were trying to gather sufficient evidence to identity a third suspect. (Two Duke students surrender -- 2:10)

"It had been my hope to be able to charge all three of the assailants at the same time, but the evidence available to me at this moment does not permit that," Nifong said.

"It is important that we not only bring the assailants to justice but also that we lift the cloud of suspicion from those team members who were not involved in the assault."

Kirk Osborn, one of Seligmann's attorneys, said lawyers arranged the surrender of the two men early Tuesday.

"It's hard to put in words the unfairness and injustice," Osborn said. "We look forward [to] showing he is absolutely innocent as soon as we can." (Watch as CNN's Jeffrey Toobin explains what will happen to the two students -- 2:15)

Another defense attorney, Bill Thomas, called the indictments "absolutely outrageous."

"The two that they indicted had no contact with this woman whatsoever," he said. "We are shocked, absolutely shocked. We always thought she would pick out someone who at least had a conversation with her."

Sources close to the investigation said Tuesday that the defense will present evidence -- including ATM receipts -- that neither Seligmann, 20, nor Finnerty, 19, were at the team party at the time the alleged rape took place.

A cab driver allegedly carried one of the young men to an ATM, where a security camera captured his picture, the sources said, and the other man was reportedly at a restaurant.

Deputies brought the two men to Durham County jail before 5 a.m. ET Tuesday, and they were fingerprinted and photographed.

Seligmann waived his right to appear in court and was represented by his attorneys. Finnerty made a brief court appearance. Both men posted $400,000 bail. Their next court date is May 15.

Upon leaving jail, Seligmann ran with another man to a Ford Explorer with New Jersey license plates, The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported. The vehicle then ran a red light, according to the paper.

The newspaper identified Seligmann's hometown as Essex Fells, New Jersey, and Finnerty's as Garden City, New York.

In November, Finnerty was arrested on assault charges in Washington, according to the paper. Citing his attorney, the paper said Finnerty had been ordered to perform community service and the charges would be dropped if he performs the service and avoids new arrests.

A grand jury in North Carolina returned sealed indictments Monday against Seligmann and Finnerty.

A 27-year-old student at North Carolina Central University told police three men raped and beat her March 13 at an off-campus party thrown by Duke lacrosse players.

She and another woman were hired to perform as dancers there. The case has inflamed racial and economic divisions in Durham, which is home to both the accuser's historically black public university and the elite Duke. She is African-American; the accused are white.

On Tuesday, the woman's cousin said the indictments brought some degree of vindication. "We just want to let her know we're there for her, because she's been afraid to talk to so many people for so long," said Jackie, whose last name was withheld to protect the accuser's identity.

"She's a very sweet girl. She's very humble. She's the youngest of three, very quiet," the cousin said.

"She's your average 27-year-old trying to take care of her family," she added, referring to the woman's two children.

Court documents filed in the case have said a medical examination of the accuser showed signs consistent with sexual assault. DNA samples from the players failed to match material collected by investigators, defense attorneys hired by some of the players said last week.

The defense lawyers also said photos taken at the party show the woman was injured before she arrived.

The allegations have resulted in the cancellation of the lacrosse season, the resignation of the team's coach, Mike Pressler, and public scrutiny of what Duke President Richard Brodhead called the "history of boorish behavior and underage drinking" among players.

Duke's athletics director, Joe Alleva, had warned Pressler to get his team "in line" following a high-level review of disciplinary records last year, The (Durham) Herald-Sun quoted Alleva as saying Monday.

The paper also quoted the dean of students, Sue Wasiolek, as saying her office had compiled a "disproportionate" number of violations and that about half the team had been cited for alcohol violations and disruptive conduct.

Monday, April 17, 2006

Vince Young On His Lawyer, Major Adams "He Means So Much To Me" - An Insite Into The Importance of Trust

This shed's light on the thinking behind the formation of "Team Vince."


This is from the blog:
April 15, 2006, 11:39PM

NFL NOTEBOOK
Texans have to consider buzz factor
Team knows it's Bush or Young, not Williams, who will sell tickets

By JOHN MCCLAIN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Major league

Houston attorney Major Adams is getting a lot of frequent-flier miles traveling around the NFL with his most famous client — quarterback Vince Young.

After the Jets work out Young in Houston this week, the quarterback and Adams visit Cleveland and Minnesota.

"Major means so much to me," Young said. "He's like a father to me. We have a good time together, even when it's not just business. I'm real close to him. He's got my best interests at heart."

Young has come under a lot of criticism for selecting Adams to represent him rather than a more established agent.

"Major's been around our family so long," Young said. "He and my uncle ( Keith) grew up together. I don't know what I'd do without them.

"I feel very comfortable with Major. He and my uncle work so well together. They take great care of me. They'll protect me. They know what I want for me and my family. We're going to stick together and make this work over the long haul.

"Some of those (agents) taking shots at Major started the same way he did with one client. I hope people come to respect him. He's been in the (law) business a long time. He wanted to do something different, and I felt like I could give him an opportunity to do that.

"I'm confident that Major can do the things that need to be done for me and my family."

62 Percent Of Houston Chronicle Readers Think Texans Should Pick Reggie Bush Over Vince Young

I just saw it on the Houston Chronicle's website. It's a landside election for the USC tailback and in Vince Young's back yard, Houston.

New Blog URL: www.nflbusinessblog.com

Yep. That's the new website adress of this blog. It's easier to remember than the other one.
So, bookmark www.nflbusinessblog.com

A Great And Happy Easter Sunday!

I had a great and happy Easter Sunday, even if I was more than a little sluggish.

It started out with good intentions in that I was either going to brunch with my friend Cherie and others or she and I were going to my friend KJ's party on Angel Island. Well, the rain played a role in that I thought it was going to terminate the island party, but didn't get word it was still on until late. By then, Cherie went to the brunch.

After I got the word, I kind of lazed around because I'd found the movie "The Wedding Crashers" which was funny, but weirdly paced. It was fast, fast, then slowed way down and kind of lost me in the change. Not constant at all.

The other thing that kind of stalled me as well, was the sight of this lovely athletic woman on Grand Avenue. Since I'm not seriously hooked up with anyone right now, I can report this with one word: Wow.

She was wearing just leotards and walking briskly toward Lake Merritt, cut and muscularly shapely legs pumping, and everyone was looking at her. It was hilarious. As she walked by I had to ask how she maintaned her body; "I do some of everything," she said. Boy, I'll say.

Ok. Enought of that.

The Angel Island party was too fun and afterward we went to a yacht club bar next to the Tiburon Cove where the ferries and boats come in.

Later than evening, Cherie and I saw Spike Lee's "The Inside Man." A totally excellent film, seen with a totally excellent person.

Duke Lacrosse Lawyers Offer Their Version Of Events - Newsweek

I don't think the smoking gun has been found yet. The question is did one of the players commit assault -- not rape. And are the dancers lying about the entire outcome of the party because one or two of the players made a racial slur? Personally, I think that may have happened.

April 24, 2006 issue of Newsweek -- Attorneys for members of the Duke University lacrosse team are presenting their fullest accounting yet of what happened the night a stripper says three players raped her. The timeline -- illuminated by photos from one partygoer's digital camera that NEWSWEEK has viewed -- offers a preview of the defense strategy should indictments come as expected early this week.

At 11:02 p.m. on March 13, a group of partygoers, sitting on couches around the edge of the room awaiting the arrival of two strippers, smile for the camera. They're holding plastic cups. Above their heads, a Duke lacrosse poster on the wall reads it's hard to beat a team that never gives up. (Robert Ekstrand, who represents 33 of the players, used a forensics expert to establish the photo times.) The accuser is dropped off at about 11:45, about a half hour after the other (second) stripper arrived. By midnight, according to a photo, the two are almost naked on the beige carpet in front of their visibly happy audience. But by 12:03, the mood has turned: in a photo, the women are standing and the second stripper appears to be reaching toward the guys, all of whom have lost their smiles. She slaps one of them for suggesting the alleged victim use a broom as a sex toy, according to Ekstrand. Then both women lock themselves in the bathroom, Ekstrand details. The partygoers get nervous about what the women are up to and start slipping money under the door asking them to leave, says Bill Thomas, a lawyer who represents one of the captains. The women go out to the second stripper's car at about 12:20, but the accuser has left her purse behind; she goes back inside to get it, according to Ekstrand. A photo at 12:30 shows the alleged victim standing outside the back door of the house looking down into two bags with what appears to be a smile. She's wearing only her scant red-and-white outfit and one shoe. By the time she realizes she's missing a shoe—a few minutes later—the guys have locked the door to keep her out, say the attorneys. A 12:37 photo shows she's lying on the back stoop; she fell, according to Ekstrand. Her elbow is dusted and scraped, and her ankle is cut and bleeding. At 12:41 she gets into the car, and one of the partygoers appears to be helping her. In a call to a police dispatcher at about 1:30 made public last week, one of the first officers to see the accuser, in a parking lot, said she was "passed-out drunk" but "not in distress." Since the release of the recording, Ekstrand has suggested that if any assault happened, it was after the accuser left the house. Defense attorneys said last week that no DNA had been found on or inside the accuser. She was never alone in the house for more than about 10 minutes, according to their timeline.

The second woman supports the partygoers' story, says Thomas, who says he has seen a summary of an interview with her conducted by a member of the defense team. "Their versions are basically identical," he says. But Mark Simeon, an attorney for the second dancer, tells NEWSWEEK that Thomas's claim is not accurate. "She rejects the notion that she agrees with their timeline. I've shown their story line to my client, and she says there's a lot that's wrong with it. From the beginning, she has been cooperating fully with [Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong] and the police, and she looks forward to testifying truthfully at the trial." Thomas replies, "She has given us several statements, so I don't see any room for her to change her story now simply because she has a lawyer speaking for her." Nifong could not be reached for comment.

—Susannah Meadows and Evan Thomas