US prosecutors drop case against Armstrong/USPS

[Escarabajo]

I was never an LA defender, thats another clinic myth. Truth is, I never had much in the game other than trolling the trolls but I gave that up. Cycling is ripe with fraud; the riders, the governing bodies, the drugs, the payoffs and the coverups. The only difference between Indurain and LA is humility.

Every person in this whole mess made a personal choice to cheat, dope or help somebody dope. They are responsible for their own decisions, I just choose to care about real inequity and injustice against people not empowered to decide. What goes on in cycling is a joke and yet I choose to love it for what it means to me. Getting muddy in the fall.

You have a peculiar way of not showing it.

 

[BotanyBay]

A followup big story on CBS would be much more effective.

I don't think meaningful change can happen incrementally within any system. An outside jolt is always needed.

I think CBS will at least have a peek.

This could be as complicated as Obama's underlings not wanting to upset a bunch of voting cancer-haters during an election year.

This could be as simple as not having full confidence that your witness list will appear as "rock-solid-credible" in front of a jury... during your boss' election year.

 

[Velodude]

Back in 2005 I "signed" my one and only on line petition to the UCI not to drop the kilometre track cycling event from the Olympics.

There were thousands who "signed" and you could insert a comment. Real known name people with very relevant comments.

The petition went to UCI's newly appointed head honcho, Patrick McQuaid. (Edit: It was June 2005 so Patrick must have been President-elect)

In hindsight BMX must have greased a few palms, like Japanese keirin, cos the UCI were not swayed. The BBC were three years too late in exposing the Japanese/Verbruggen bribe.

Meanwhile swimming added another 50 events

 

[BotanyBay]

Meanwhile swimming added another 50 events

Yeah, like the 55 meter, 60 meter and 65 meter (all strokes)

Actually, it's not even close to being funny. It's a cash machine.

 

[Oldman]

I think CBS will at least have a peek.

This could be as complicated as Obama's underlings not wanting to upset a bunch of voting cancer-haters during an election year.

This could be as simple as not having full confidence that your witness list will appear as "rock-solid-credible" in front of a jury... during your boss' election year.

Obama's team would be dam*ed if they did and dam*ed if they don't on this issue. If they did the Republicans could embrace the "waste of money" principle and condemn the current administration for the cost and pursuing a savior, never mind they don't believe either point. Livestrong support for the entire birth control issue gives the White House a little relief but not if they "stopped" a legitimate investigation. If they delay assistance to USADA publicly until after November they could slip under the radar. Oh wait, there's CBS....

 

[Race Radio]

Not only did Lanny Breuer, head of the criminal division of the justice department, work with Fabiani and Lehaune in the Clinton Whitehouse......but he was also Clemens Lawyer?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19701.html

 

[MarkvW]

Obama's team would be dam*ed if they did and dam*ed if they don't on this issue. If they did the Republicans could embrace the "waste of money" principle and condemn the current administration for the cost and pursuing a savior, never mind they don't believe either point. Livestrong support for the entire birth control issue gives the White House a little relief but not if they "stopped" a legitimate investigation. If they delay assistance to USADA publicly until after November they could slip under the radar. Oh wait, there's CBS....

The USA has secretly investigated Armstrong and his associates for a couple years. Armstrong has had no ability to even see, much less challenge, the evidence that has been gathered. A public revelation of the evidence would be extremely unfair and illegal. It is never going to happen.

Any leak that might happen will never be more than a rumor. Reporters sit in jail when they refuse to disclose the source of GJ testimony (compare the experience of Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams in the BALCO case). No source inside the federal investigation is ever going to out himself. The best you're ever going to get from leaks is more unsubstantiated Armstrong rumors telling us what we already know: Armstrong doped and he doped big.

The Planned Parenthood thing is tinfoil hat stuff.

The feds are not in any kind of dilemma at all. They declined to prosecute a case, simple as that. It happens every day. A few sports fetishists are not going to prompt the USA to restart an investigation that was obviously terminated with high-level advance knowledge, if not explicit approval. Restarting an investigation without new evidence would be a massive nightmare, for obvious reasons--it would plainly demonstrate that the investigation is driven by the political need to placate the extreme hater special interest group (as utterly implausible as that is).

If the feds do try to stiff WADA/USADA for the doping info, then maybe there will be some cause to suspect special treatment for Armstrong. But we're not there yet. Howman thinks the US will comply with its obligations. Why not wait and see?

The Extreme Hater Referendum has garnered six more signatures! It's up to 126:

 

[Anonymous]

Not only did Lanny Breuer, head of the criminal division of the justice department, work with Fabiani and Lehaune in the Clinton Whitehouse......but he was also Clemens Lawyer?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19701.html

Wow. He sounds like a real D-Bag.

I wonder if the rabid left will see that he has defended the Koch Bros? That alone is enough for those guys to go off the deep end.

Hmmm.... Holder was a partner at Covington too...

Nothing like a little political incest... probably not corrupt though

 

[MacRoadie]

In hindsight BMX must have greased a few palms, like Japanese keirin, cos the UCI were not swayed. The BBC were three years too late in exposing the Japanese/Verbruggen bribe.

Let's just hope THESE guys never find adequate funding...

 

[BotanyBay]

Not only did Lanny Breuer, head of the criminal division of the justice department, work with Fabiani and Lehaune in the Clinton Whitehouse......but he was also Clemens Lawyer?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19701.html

Why buy a favor when you can rent one?

The one single law we need to further ourselves as a nation is the "Anyone who is employed in the white house or on Capitol Hill is prohibited from ever working (or acting) as a lobbyist" law.

 

[goober]

It is not my petition, as I mentioned it was sent to me by a person burned by the investigation.

I would not expect many signatures but some might see it as a way to voice their frustration with a flawed process.

How was this person burned?

 

[BotanyBay]

Not only did Lanny Breuer, head of the criminal division of the justice department, work with Fabiani and Lehaune in the Clinton Whitehouse......but he was also Clemens Lawyer?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19701.html

I certainly hope that Scott Pelley knows of this connection. Hopefully his producers will follow-up on it. But Clemans' Breuer connection does not seem to be helping him much at the DOJ. Although his first trial was thrown-out as a mistrial (prosecutorial misconduct), they are expected to retry the case.

But on another note: Want to play in the WH club? Send your kid to Harvard...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Lehane

 

[MarkvW]

I certainly hope that Scott Pelley knows of this connection. Hopefully his producers will follow-up on it. But Clemans' Breuer connection does not seem to be helping him much at the DOJ. Although his first trial was thrown-out as a mistrial (prosecutorial misconduct), they are expected to retry the case.

But on another note: Want to play in the WH club? Send your kid to Harvard...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Lehane

Breuer disqualified himself from everything to do with the prosecution of Clemens. No brainer.

 

[Race Radio]

Betsy Andreu interview about the Lance investigation being dropped:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/02/news/opinion-betsys-word-on-lance_206336

Wow

Stupidest thing Lance ever did was tangle with Betsy.

 

[Cal_Joe]

Betsy Andreu interview about the Lance investigation being dropped:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/02/news/opinion-betsys-word-on-lance_206336

She is definitely not afraid of LA. The part of the article I found most interesting was

"[Betsy] claimed there were no leaks from the Los Angeles grand jury proceedings"

and the author then states

"I dispute this, since I have seen and read testimony from a number of those who were subpoenaed or disposed".

I'm guessing he meant "deposed" there.

Interesting.

 

[MarkvW]

Wow

Stupidest thing Lance ever did was tangle with Betsy.

Bit of news in there. BA says Birotte's office said it will forward all non-GJ information to WADA. That could mean George. It does look like Armstrong's got an antidoping hearing coming straight his way!

 

[Race Radio]

She is definitely not afraid of LA. The part of the article I found most interesting was



and the author then states

I'm guessing he meant "deposed" there.

Interesting.

Tan is not the sharpest tool in the shed. He seems to think that everyone spoke to the Grand Jury, he even makes that mistake with Betsy. He is wrong.

Funny how all these claims of leaks but so far nobody has provided an example of one. Armstrong filed a complaint months ago, the FBI investigated, and found nothing.

Funny how it Armstrong's press releases seldom result in anything

 

[Cal_Joe]

Tan is not the sharpest tool in the shed. He seems to think that everyone spoke to the Grand Jury, he even makes that mistake with Betsy. He is wrong.

Funny how all these claims of leaks but so far nobody has provided an example of one. Armstrong filed a complaint months ago, the FBI investigated, and found nothing.

Funny how it Armstrong's press releases seldom result in anything

I read that the FBI investigated, but can't recall if they (or anyone connected to the investigation) announced their findings. Isn't that still sealed? If you have the link to the announcement I would like to read it.

Also, Tan may be a bit off at times, but his claim to have testimony from the Grand Jury proceedings is astounding.

 

[mewmewmew13]

I would love to see Betsy 'vindicated' as per Armstrong's favorite word.
She has put up with ,what I am supposing , an unbelievable amount of cra* and poor treatment from most involved on Lance's side---for years.

If I were in her shoes I would do exactly the same thing!

I will be awaiting further development and rooting for the truth to win out.

 

[Velodude]

I read that the FBI investigated, but can't recall if they (or anyone connected to the investigation) announced their findings. Isn't that still sealed? If you have the link to the announcement I would like to read it.

Also, Tan may be a bit off at times, but his claim to have testimony from the Grand Jury proceedings is astounding.

"I dispute this, since I have seen and read testimony from a number of those who were subpoenaed or disposed."

Looks like some of the witnesses were "disposed". Into the Pacific Ocean with cement boots?

 

[Spider1964]

Go Betsy

“I just wanted to correct you on a couple of things,” began the e-mail.

She claimed there were no leaks from the Los Angeles grand jury proceedings

"To even presume there were leaks by the government shows you’ve bought into Lance’s defense attorneys’ tactics."

"Again, here is misinformation. Your question is based on presumption which is wrong"

"I’m astounded at the presumptions being made here – third question in which the presumption is false."

If A Tan had any shame he'd be curled up in the foetal position.

 

[Oldman]

Go Betsy

“I just wanted to correct you on a couple of things,” began the e-mail.

She claimed there were no leaks from the Los Angeles grand jury proceedings

"To even presume there were leaks by the government shows you’ve bought into Lance’s defense attorneys’ tactics."

"Again, here is misinformation. Your question is based on presumption which is wrong"

"I’m astounded at the presumptions being made here – third question in which the presumption is false."

If A Tan had any shame he'd be curled up in the foetal position.

It's spelled fetal andhe probably doesn't but may end up in the fecal position with several others....near a fan. Sounds the same but much less comforting.

 

[LarryBudMelman]

Tan is not the sharpest tool in the shed. He seems to think that everyone spoke to the Grand Jury, he even makes that mistake with Betsy. He is wrong.

Funny how all these claims of leaks but so far nobody has provided an example of one. Armstrong filed a complaint months ago, the FBI investigated, and found nothing.

Funny how it Armstrong's press releases seldom result in anything

Tan is wrong and the 126 "extreme haters" who signed the petition know it

I disagree that LA's press releases seldom result in anything.

His press releases result in the conventional wisdom that there have been unfair leaks and that the government conducted a witch hunt against him.

The conventional wisdom is that you, me, and Betsy are haters.

http://ideas.time.com/2012/02/06/why-the-wheels-came-off-the-lance-armstrong-case/

 

[Velodude]

It's spelled fetal andhe probably doesn't but may end up in the fecal position with several others....near a fan. Sounds the same but much less comforting.

Bit of useless trivia

Spider1964 is from "God's own country".

By the spelling of "foetal" it is not the US.

Definition of FOETAL
chiefly British variant of fetal, fetus

 

[ChrisE]

Tan is wrong and the 126 "extreme haters" who signed the petition know it

I disagree that LA's press releases seldom result in anything.

His press releases result in the conventional wisdom that there have been unfair leaks and that the government conducted a witch hunt against him.

The conventional wisdom is that you, me, and Betsy are haters.

http://ideas.time.com/2012/02/06/why-the-wheels-came-off-the-lance-armstrong-case/

I never consider myself conventional, but whatever.