Velonews looking into Birotte situation

[tofino]

Nice to see Velonews doing some extra reporting on the Birotte situation.

The evidence gathered by USADA once again brings Birotte’s closure into question. VeloNews has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request regarding the federal case, though the Justice Department has yet to respond.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012...adas-case-file-means-to-those-involved_256676

 

[krebs303]

Nice to see Velonews doing some extra reporting on the Birotte situation.

The evidence gathered by USADA once again brings Birotte’s closure into question. VeloNews has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request regarding the federal case, though the Justice Department has yet to respond.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012...adas-case-file-means-to-those-involved_256676

good on them. I am very interested myself.

 

[Maxiton]

I'll believe journalism from Velonews when I see journalism from Velonews.

 

[Ferminal]

I'll believe journalism from Velonews when I see journalism from Velonews.

tencharacters

 

[trailrunner]

Yawn. (10 char)

 

[Cloxxki]

Did someone just swap sides? Was that the moment?
Or will they intensionally fail?

Making money on the yellow side of cycling is going to get that much harder from today on...

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

I'm sure we'll see a lot of the media switching sides and forgetting the things they have said and done in the past, lots of people either blaming others (before my time) or re-writing their histories.

 

[Big Daddy]

This is big. The top legal analyst at ESPN, Lester Munson, was just on TV criticizing US Attorney Andre Birotte for closing the federal investigation of Armstrong and the USPS team.

Just wait. The federal case could potentially be re-opened. If Armstrong or his lobbying group had ANY influence at all on ANY part of the federal investigation process being closed they are in deep, deep, doo doo.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Hope Birotte falls soon. Now that Armstrong is history, that devil is the next in line (the No. 2 on my list). Step by step. After that go for McQuaid and Heini.

 

[Fortyninefourteen]

Nice to see Velonews doing some extra reporting on the Birotte situation.

The evidence gathered by USADA once again brings Birotte’s closure into question. VeloNews has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request regarding the federal case, though the Justice Department has yet to respond.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012...adas-case-file-means-to-those-involved_256676

This will be interesting...not because of Velonews, but because of the many others who will become re-interested in the Birotte decision now that this evidence is in the public domain. I doubt he buried this entirely on his own....surely there were some pressures from above. In that sense he gets a perfect excuse to re-open if the decision to close was not his at all....he can use the public pressure as a justification to re-open. This should be really good, in fact they are probably wondering what the hell to do right now since before it spirals......

 

[Cloxxki]

This is big. The top legal analyst at ESPN, Lester Munson, was just on TV criticizing US Attorney Andre Birotte for closing the federal investigation of Armstrong and the USPS team.

Just wait. The federal case could potentially be re-opened. If Armstrong or his lobbying group had ANY influence at all on ANY part of the federal investigation process being closed they are in deep, deep, doo doo.

In what light to see the pro-choice $100k donation? So plain and obvious, like a finger stuck up by Lance to all following the case. F*** you, this is how cheaply I fix blips on my radar.
Doing it out in the open as not to be accused of secrecy or ulterior motives other than filantropy?

US voters need to NOW make their Stance Against Lance clear. Don't let Romney and Obama have mixed idea about this. Romney is talking already, but that says nothing. Tomorrow at a LieStrong clinic or a Texas appearance the story can be different.

 

[Nick C.]

Hope Birotte falls soon. Now that Armstrong is history, that devil is the next in line (the No. 2 on my list). Step by step. After that go for McQuaid and Heini.

If he fails hopefully he reveals who, what and why led him to close the case and does it before the election just in case that person's term is up.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I'm sure we'll see a lot of the media switching sides and forgetting the things they have said and done in the past, lots of people either blaming others (before my time) or re-writing their histories.

While I certainly looked twice at the thread title and said "Velonews??" - what are they (and the rest of the media) supposed to do?

Sure, certain publications were cheerleaders and had a role in the lies and myth making - so, I do hope they 'switch sides' and rewrite their history.

Back on point - does anyone know how successful a FOI request in California will be and if successful what details would be released?

 

[Tinman]

US voters need to NOW make their Stance Against Lance clear. Don't let Romney and Obama have mixed idea about this. Romney is talking already, but that says nothing. Tomorrow at a LieStrong clinic or a Texas appearance the story can be different.

Romney and Obama are not going to cover this on the eve of an election. Way too unpredictable/risky. they will simply deflect, "sad to see", "can't comment as investigation within the sports organizations is still ongoing", etc.

 

[Pancreas]

What are the realistic chances of the investigation being reopened? Bet there is 10 times more info in that investigation than in the USADA investigation

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

While I certainly looked twice at the thread title and said "Velonews??" - what are they (and the rest of the media) supposed to do?

Sure, certain publications were cheerleaders and had a role in the lies and myth making - so, I do hope they 'switch sides' and rewrite their history.

Back on point - does anyone know how successful a FOI request in California will be and if successful what details would be released?

Switching sides is fine but it needs a mea culpa and it needs an acknowledgement of having ****ed up for the last 13 years.

Fellow travellers can **** off.

 

[Cloxxki]

Romney and Obama are not going to cover this on the eve of an election. Way too unpredictable/risky. they will simply deflect, "sad to see", "can't comment as investigation within the sports organizations is still ongoing", etc.

I read somewhere a support by Romney a support of USADA. Makes sense in a way, governmental orgs are doing great work. Good people, great country.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Switching sides is fine but it needs a mea culpa and it needs an acknowledgement of having ****ed up for the last 13 years.

Fellow travellers can **** off.

I have no idea what that means.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

A fellow traveller is someone who claims to part of a movement but whose commitment is weak, temporary and opportunistic. Someone who joins a movement not because they believe in it but because they believe it to be advantageous to themselves.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Velonews? Really?

Either it's a smokescreen and nothing will happen, or it could get legs if picked up elsewhere (like, ESPN, WSJ, SI, etc). Not that Birotte will act.

Not to sound too political but Obama's justice dept is the worst in my lifetime. Eric Holder has done almost nothing and been completely impotent, worse than John Mitchell, worse than Alberto Gonzalez. So to expect anything from Birotte is like hoping to smell flowers in a diarrhea filled toilet.

 

[D-Queued]

I read somewhere a support by Romney a support of USADA. Makes sense in a way, governmental orgs are doing great work. Good people, great country.

Really? Anyone have a link? (May be impossible to find with all the coverage of the USADA report, as well as the election coverage at the same time)

That would be a pleasant surprise (and McCain is a breath of fresh air on USADA support). We aren't supposed to discuss politics here, but this would be inconsistent with the whole PBS / Big Bird discussion.

Romney needs to identify $Trillions in cutbacks and closed tax loopholes to make good on his promises.

At the level this is discussed during the campaign, that means every single 'non-essential' service is on the block.

Dave.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

A fellow traveller is someone who claims to part of a movement but whose commitment is weak, temporary and opportunistic. Someone who joins a movement not because they believe in it but because they believe it to be advantageous to themselves.

Got it now - cool.

As Alpe says this could just be a smokescreen by VN - and I would actually prefer if it was the main stream media who was seeking the FoI.

 

[thehog]

Really? Anyone have a link? (May be impossible to find with all the coverage of the USADA report, as well as the election coverage at the same time)

That would be a pleasant surprise (and McCain is a breath of fresh air on USADA support). We aren't supposed to discuss politics here, but this would be inconsistent with the whole PBS / Big Bird discussion.

Romney needs to identify $Trillions in cutbacks and closed tax loopholes to make good on his promises.

At the level this is discussed during the campaign, that means every single 'non-essential' service is on the block.

Dave.

This is the silliness of political involvement in the anti-doping process. Politicians don’t want to be dealing with sports and anti-doping. They were never going to pull the funding on USADA. If they did – what then? Run all anti-doping cases via Congress?

Both sides of the floor are happy for this to be handled by an alternate body than themselves. Now it’s all out there no polly is going to touch this with a 20-ft bargepole.

Besides the Feds haven’t stopped their case.

 

[red_flanders]

Besides the Feds haven’t stopped their case.

I don't recall where exactly, but I think I read a quote from Birotte that this is over and won't be re-opened. Is he wrong, misleading or are you suggesting another organization that the justice lea...sorry department will open the case?

 

[krebs303]

One lawyer familiar with the case said that when Birotte announced the decision to drop the investigation - which Justice Department officials rarely do - he “poisoned the well,” making it difficult for other prosecutors to bring a case against Armstrong. “We’ll let people speculate and criticize,” Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for Birotte’s office, said on Monday. “We’ve made our decision.” That decision does not mean the Justice Department can’t revive the case, Mrozek said. “If some strong new evidence came up, we could revisit the investigation,” Mrozek said. “But the chances of that happening are slim.”
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-10-02/news/34222188_1_usada-travis-tygart-justice-department