Schiavo Republican Memo source found

[strandinthewind]

from the AP

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

WASHINGTON — A one-page unsigned memo that became part of the debate preceding Congress' vote ordering a federal court review of the Terri Schiavo case originated in Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez' (search) office, Martinez said Wednesday.

The memo — first reported by ABC News on March 18 and by The Washington Post and The Associated Press two days later — said the fight over removing Schiavo's (search) feeding tube "is a great political issue ... and a tough issue for Democrats."

"This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue," said the memo, which was described at the time as being circulated among Senate Republicans.

Martinez said in a written statement he discovered Wednesday that the memo had been written by an aide in his office. "It is with profound disappointment and regret that I learned today that a senior member of my staff was unilaterally responsible for this document," Martinez said.

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

"Until this afternoon, I had never seen it and had no idea a copy of it had ever been in my possession," Martinez said of the document. He had previously denied knowing anything about the memo and condemned its sentiments.

The memo had been disavowed by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (search), R-Tenn., and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (search), R-Texas, both primary forces behind Congress passing the bill and sending it to President Bush on March 21.

Democrats had pounced on the document as evidence that Republicans were seeking a political advantage in the fight between Schiavo's husband and her parents over removing her feeding tube 15 years after she incurred severe brain damage that left her incapacitated.

Schiavo, 41, died last Thursday in a Florida hospice, 13 days after the feeding tube was removed. During the interim, federal courts repeatedly rejected what Republicans said was the intent of the bill: to have the tube reinserted and prolong Schiavo's life.

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."

He said Harkin had called him earlier Wednesday to say he believes the memo had been given to him by Martinez. The Florida senator said he then ordered an internal investigation in his office.

Allison Dobson, a spokeswoman for Harkin, said the Iowa Democrat had received the memo from Martinez in the days leading up to passage of the bill.

Martinez said he also had apologized to Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who is up for re-election in 2006 and was cited in the memo because he had declined to become a sponsor of the bill.

[strandinthewind]

O course this ass knew nothing about it

I am sure that internal investigation will be as effective as the Plame one.

The shiite this a$$holes get away with and the public's stupidity on it just kills me I mean it was IN HIS MF'ING POCKET

[xxxmx]

as a newly minted floridian, i am appalled that over half of my neighbors voted for that hack. he and kath. harris deserve each other, though it's unfortunate that the rest of us are forced to observe and abide by their pandering. i don't believe a word he says...

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

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."

Liar, liar pants on fire.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by xxxmx

as a newly minted floridian, i am appalled that over half of my neighbors voted for that hack. he and kath. harris deserve each other, though it's unfortunate that the rest of us are forced to observe and abide by their pandering. i don't believe a word he says...

I think you've got Diebold and ES&S to thank for Martinez and Harris, not the citizens of Florida.

[strandinthewind]

Oh - the poor aid resigned - gee what shocker - maybe he was the one who clandestinely snuck it into THAT JACKA$$' POCKET

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/....ap/index.html

What a crock of shiite

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Martinez said in a written statement he discovered Wednesday that the memo had been written by an aide in his office. "It is with profound disappointment and regret that I learned today that a senior member of my staff was unilaterally responsible for this document," Martinez said.

He's so full of **** that I can see it dribbling down his chin.

[golddustdragon]

Is a leaked memo really needed to tell us what we already know about those slimy bastards?

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Oh - the poor aid resigned - gee what shocker - maybe he was the one who clandestinely snuck it into THAT JACKA$$' POCKET

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/....ap/index.html

What a crock of shiite

Yeah, the little guys are the ones that burn, those creeps offer their young as sacrifices to their warped ideology.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

Yeah, the little guys are the ones that burn, those creeps offer their young as sacrifices to their warped ideology.

I mean it was in his MF'ING POCKET - HELLO how dumb do we look

[heyjupiter678]

http://www.wftv.com/news/4357555/detail.html

Governor Defends Schiavo Memo Sent Around On Capitol Hill

POSTED: 5:08 pm EDT April 7, 2005

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Governor Jeb Bush is defending U.S. Senator Mel Martinez and other Republicans for their actions surrounding the case of Terri Schiavo.

Martinez is coming under fire for an infamous unsigned memo passed around on Capitol Hill emphasizing the politics of the Schiavo case.

The memo, which originated in Martinez's office, says the fight going on then over removing Schiavo's feeding tube was a political issue and a tough one for Democrats.

The memo was reportedly circulated among Senate Republicans while legislation was being considered to place the Schiavo case under the jurisdiction of federal courts.

Bush insists the motivation behind his actions and those of others in the Schiavo case had nothing to do with politics.

"I knew that going in that sometime you've got to take a stand based on conviction and based on important things that go beyond politics," said Gov. Bush. "So for someone to write a memo about the political implications or taking advantage of it for political purposes, a, they weren't really good at politics. Their lack of understanding of politics is striking. and b, I don't think that was Mel Martinez's motivation to get involved and it certainly wasn't mine."

Martinez says he found out Wednesday that the memo had been written by an aide in his office. He adds that he has accepted the resignation of the staffer but would not disclose the person's identity.

The Washington Post says it's the senator's legal counsel, Brian Darling. The Washington Times is reporting that only one senator has acknowledged seeing the memo.

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Riiiiiight.

[strandinthewind]

Funny, thousands have died and many more have been in pain and other agony because he refuses to provide state health care for all. And - do not get me started on his brother autrocity. I guess life does not matter so much when there is no health insurance involved

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Funny, thousands have died and many more have been in pain and other agony because he refuses to provide state health care for all. And - do not get me started on his brother autrocity. I guess life does not matter so much when there is no health insurance involved

Give the man a cookie, he cracked the secret code!

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Funny, thousands have died and many more have been in pain and other agony because he refuses to provide state health care for all. And - do not get me started on his brother autrocity. I guess life does not matter so much when there is no health insurance involved

Excellent point. And others have been financially ruined by hospital bills, etc. etc.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

Excellent point. And others have been financially ruined by hospital bills, etc. etc.

I mean I get that medicine is expensive to develop, etc. But around $25 for a $0.05 aspirin in a hospital is just sickening