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George Bush Sr. on Government Reform
President of the U.S., 1989-1993; Former Republican Rep. (TX)
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1967: Fundraising not necessarily corrupt; misuse is
Targeted for senatorial malfeasance, Thomas Dodd in 1967 was censured for using political funds for his personal benefit. He was defeated for reelection in 1970 and died at the age of 63 in 1971.Dodd's financial misconduct led the Senate to enact
laws governing the use of political funds for private use, which, fortunately for Richard Nixon and Prescott Bush, had not existed during their slush fund years. George, who was in the House or Representatives at the time, gleefully denounced
Dodd. In a letter dated April 8, 1967, defended political fund raisers:
"A party needs money to run: it's that simple-- just dough for the party. .I don't agree that fundraising dinners are corrupt--directly or indirectly. If you Tom Dodd it and add on
to the house or send the kids somewhere on the proceeds--that is a horse of a different shade."
Years later George Bush published his letter without a care toward the unseemly comment deriding Tom Dodd.
Source: The Family, by Kitty Kelley, p.178-179
, Sep 14, 2004
GOP county chair, 1962; redistricted for Congress, 1964
Birchers, in Houston, tried to take over the Republican Party, until GOP locals set up a flare. The locals wanted someone sensible. Bush felt he was the right man for the job.He won an overwhelming victory--by default. He became the Republican
chairman of Harris County in 1962 when his opponent withdrew. As county chairman, he immediately launched an aggressive lawsuit to force legislative reapportionment in Texas to get a winnable district for the Republicans for the first time since
Reconstruction. The one big city that Richard Nixon carried in 1960 was Houston.
The lawsuit George lodged rocketed to the US Supreme Court, and in 1964 their ruling of "one man, one vote" fell back in his lap like a bowl of rich cream
The ruling required the city of Houston, previously one congressional district, to be divided into 3. One of the new districts--the 7th--was predominantly rich, white, and Republican: that was the district George wanted to represent in Congress.
Source: The Family, by Kitty Kelley, p.205-6 & 226
, Sep 14, 2004
1976: Appointed CIA Director by Pres. Ford
At the same time Pres. Ford submitted George's nomination as CIA director, he forced Nelson Rockefeller to announce that he would not seek reelection as V.P.in 1976. When the President was asked if being the director of the CIA would eliminate George as
a possible running mate, Ford said that George would be very much in the running.During George's hearings before the Senate, he would not withdraw from consideration as VP, which inflamed resistance on both sides of the aisle.
Even so, the
Senate committee voted 12-4 to confirm George as director of the CIA. After the President read the minority report [from the 4 dissenters], he sensed trouble for full confirmation. He drafted a letter stating: "If Ambassador Bush is confirmed by the
Senate as Director of Central Intelligence, I will not consider him as my V.P. running mate in 1976."
George, who later wondered if he had not played into a wily scheme by Ford to deprive him of the vice presidency, was confirmed by the Senate (64-27).
Source: The Family, by Kitty Kelley, p.339-341
, Sep 14, 2004
Claimed records of White House Office of Personnel Security
The Office of Personnel Security, despite its imposing title, did not perform "security checks"--that was done by the FBI. Nor was it responsible for security--that was the job of the Secret Service.
I never quite figured out what else it did, but it was responsible for keeping track of present White House employees, making sure their clearances were up to date, and giving security briefings to new White House personnel.
When President Bush left the White House in January 1993, his people took all the files of the Office of Personnel Security--which they were allowed to do under the Presidential Records Act--for the Bush Library.
The incoming Administration thus had none of its own records (as distinct from the Secret Service's records) of the permanent employees in the White House.
Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p.371
, Nov 1, 2003
Appointed Justices with intent of changing Court's direction
Changing the Court through appointments is a failed tactic. Republican presidents have appointed Justice after Justice with the avowed intention of changing the Court's direction. That has not worked. Most of those appointed turn out not to be restrained
or start that way but then, having no firm judicial philosophy, migrate to the left. Presidents Reagan and Bush, who quite deliberately tried to bring the Court back to a judicial rather than a political role, had five appointments, three of whom voted
to retrain Roe v. Wade. Now that Bill Clinton has made two appointments, the Court is certain to be activist on the cultural left well into the next century. Any more serious efforts to limit the power of the courts will run in to the familiar refrain
that this would threaten our liberties. To the contrary, it is now clear that it is the courts that threaten our liberty--the liberty to govern ourselves--more profoundly than does any legislation.
Source: Slouching Towards Gomorrah, by Robert Bork. p.114-115
, May 31, 1996
Page last updated: Apr 28, 2013
