You may remember that a memo citing the political advantages to Republicans from the Schiavo matter popped up in the media when Congress decided to intervene in the Schiavo case. The sponsor of the bill said that the memo didn't come from his office, and there were claims that the Democrats had manufactured the memo as a dirty trick.

Well, it turns that the memo DID come from the Republican sponsor's (Sen. Martinez, from Fla) office. It was written by his legal counsel, who now has resigned.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1803&e=1&u=/washpost/20050407/pl_washpost/a32554_2005apr6

What I find particularly amusing is the legal counsel's claim that he didn't even know that the memo had been printed and doesn't know how Sen. Martinez got it, and Sen. Martinez's claim that he never read the memo and inadvertently distributed it to a Democratic colleague (well, I do believe that he wouldn't have intentionally distributed it to the Democrats, anyway).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32554-2005Apr6.html

The legal counsel to Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) admitted yesterday that he was the author of a memo citing the political advantage to Republicans of intervening in the case of Terri Schiavo, the senator said in an interview last night.
...
The mystery of the memo's origin had roiled the Capitol, with Republicans accusing Democrats of concocting the document as a dirty trick, and Democrats accusing Republicans of trying to duck responsibility for exploiting the dying days of an incapacitated woman.
...
The unsigned memo -- which initially misspells Schiavo's first name and gives the wrong number for the pending bill -- includes eight talking points in support of the legislation and calls the controversy "a great political issue."

"This legislation ensures that individuals like Terri Schiavo are guaranteed the same legal protections as convicted murderers like Ted Bundy," the memo concludes.
...
Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) said he believed that the memo originated with the GOP because it is "totally consistent" with how the Republicans have operated for the past four years. "They just shouldn't lose their memos," he said.


Personally I think it was a ploy to take the spotlight off of Delay's shenanigans.

OMG, politicians did something because it had poltical implications!!!

It will be interesting to see how this play's out in Florida's next election's campaign for senators.

Kalest.

The funny part is that republican senators, Rush Limbaugh, conservative bloggers, etc all tried to blame it on Democrats planting the memo. LOL! Senator Martinez finally confessed he had it all along. And Delay basically quoted the talking points verbatum.

It will be interesting to see how this play's out in Florida's next election's campaign for senators.

Kalest.

As I recall, Mel Martinez won the race in the last election....six years from now when he's up again, noone is going to remember this heh.

Congress is made up of Republics, Democrats and various assortments of minor parties. They are all equally guilty of engaging in things that distract them form doing the "hard work" they need to be doing.

Anyone can do this sort of bad thing. Those that do should be strongly punsihed at the ballot box. This Martinez person has really shown all of the worst characterics you associate with politicians in just this one incident.

Hopefully whoever runs against him will remember to bring it up in 6 years... I'm sure most wouldn't want to miss the opportunity. Will anyone care though in 6 years? Hard to say.

As with most all political maneuvers exposed... we have a new "fall guy".

Florida senator's aide resigns over Schiavo memo (http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/07/schiavo.memo.ap/index.html)

He said he accepted the resignation of the staffer who drafted and circulated the memo. "This type of behavior and sentiment will not be tolerated in my office," he said.

*boggle* But he was carrying around the memo and distributing it!

Martinez, in his statement, said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, had asked for background information on the bill ordering a federal court to review the Schiavo case.

He said he pulled a one-page document from his coat pocket and handed to Harkin. "Unbeknownst to me ... I had given him a copy of the now infamous memo."

Now... how would you have a memo in your pocket, that Delay, Frist and the bunch were quoting from almost verbatim, hand it to a another senator when asked about the issue... and then claim you didn't know you had it?

My my. This guy has enough slick dance moves to run for president.

This guy has enough slick dance moves to run for president.

Nah he's a complete liar. Hasn't the media made him a laughing stock yet?

Nah he's a complete liar. Hasn't the media made him a laughing stock yet?
That doesn't mean anything...look at Clinton.

Meh, no man ever blamed Clinton for that lie...not for real.

He lied to a question that never should have been asked...about something with no bearing on his presidency, in order to keep from having to tell his wife he was messing around, sheesh.

Meh, no man ever blamed Clinton for that lie...not for real.

He lied to a question that never should have been asked...about something with no bearing on his presidency, in order to keep from having to tell his wife he was messing around, sheesh.You mean Whitewater? Or Monica? Or another? Don't be so vague... tell us which one! :p

Monica =P

I blame Hillary for whitewater. Willy was too busy sleeping with Paula and politicking.

I heard recently that whole Paula thing was proven false. She, or someone, paid the state troopers 6k apiece to lie under oath.

*nods* I know what you mean Pan. I heard recently that Elvis is alive and never left the building. Reported in PRINT in the tabloids! It's gotta be true.

From Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/jones040198.htm

Outside the legal arena, there were two new disclosures yesterday -- one embarrassing to the president, the other to his conservative opponents. A former Miss America said for the first time publicly that she had a one-night sexual liaison with Clinton while he was governor of Arkansas in 1983. Meanwhile, reports surfaced that a Republican fund-raiser paid thousands of dollars to two state troopers who alleged sexual indiscretions by Clinton.

But not sure that disproves anything about Paula Jones.

It also doesn't prove the allegations false or true.