| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Michelle Malkin" |
| Date: |
13 Mar 2007 07:35:37 PM |
| Object: |
White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
Gonzales rejects calls for resignation
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales rejected growing calls for
his resignation Tuesday as scores of newly released documents detailed a
two-year campaign by the Justice Department and White House to purge federal
prosecutors.
Gonzales acknowledged his department mishandled the dismissals of eight U.S.
attorneys and misled Congress about how they were fired. He said he was
ultimately to blame for those "mistakes" but stood by the firings.
"I acknowledge that mistakes were made here," Gonzales told reporters at a
news briefing after he canceled an out-of-town trip. "I accept that
responsibility." He promised changes "so that the mistakes that occurred in
this instance do not occur again in the future."
He focused on his department's dealings with Congress concerning the firings
rather than the actual dismissals - which Democrats have suggested were
politically motivated - and the planning behind them.
"I believe very strongly in our obligation to ensure that when I provide
information to the Congress that it's accurate and that it's complete. And I
am very dismayed that that may not have occurred here," he said.
Gonzales also accepted the resignation of his chief of staff, Kyle Sampson.
The aide, along with then-White House Counsel Harriet Miers, had begun
discussing possible firings of U.S. attorneys in early 2005, according to
e-mails released Tuesday.
It was the second time in as many weeks that Gonzales was under fire. Last
week, the attorney general and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller admitted the
FBI improperly, and at times illegally, used the USA Patriot Act to secretly
pry out personal information about Americans in terrorism investigations.
Gonzales, himself a former White House counsel, has been friends with
President Bush for years, going back to when he served as Bush's secretary
of state in Texas. Bush retains full confidence in the attorney general,
said spokesman Dan Bartlett, traveling with Bush in Mexico.
"He's a standup guy," Bartlett said of Gonzales.
As for the firings, Bartlett said White House officials had heard complaints
from members of Congress regarding prosecutors and Bush had raised the
subject during an October 2006 meeting with Gonzales. He described the
exchange as "offhand" and said Bush did not name any specific prosecutors
but did identify their states.
"This briefly came up and the president said, 'I've been hearing about this
election fraud issue from members of Congress and want to be sure you're on
top of it as well,'" Bartlett said.
Bartlett said Gonzales responded, "I know and we're looking at those
issues."
Democrats clamored for Gonzales' to resign. Republicans also said they were
outraged at being misled over the circumstances of the firings. GOP Rep.
James Sensenbrenner, a Judiciary Committee member, said the situation could
cause Gonzales to "die by a thousand cuts."
For nearly two months, Democrats have accused the Justice Department of
playing politics with the prosecutors' jobs. They suggested some of the U.S.
attorneys were fired for either investigating Republicans or failing to
pursue cases against Democrats. Several ousted prosecutors have told
Congress they were improperly pressured by Republicans on pending cases.
Top Justice officials, including Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, have
maintained in congressional testimony the dismissals were based on the
prosecutors' performance, not politics. The fired prosecutors headed the
U.S. attorneys' offices in Albuquerque, N.M.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Las
Vegas; Little Rock, Ark.; Phoenix; San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle.
The e-mails released Tuesday revealed that the firings were considered and
discussed for two years by Justice Department and White House officials. The
issue first arose in a February 2005 discussion between Sampson and Miers,
officials said. At the time, Miers suggested the possibility of firing all
93 U.S. attorneys. Such purges of the political appointees often come at the
beginning of a new president's administration, not midway through.
The e-mails show Sampson discouraged the across-the-board housecleaning but
began a review to weed out prosecutors whom the administration deemed to be
performing poorly.
In a Sept 13, 2006, e-mail to Miers, Sampson listed one prosecutor, Bud
Cummins in Little Rock, as "in the process of being pushed out." Five
others - in Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, San Diego and Seattle - were listed
as U.S attorneys "we should now consider pushing out."
Four days later, Miers responded: "Kyle, thanks for this. I have not
forgotten I need to follow up on the info but things have been crazy."
Sampson then drew up an elaborate five-step plan to replace the targeted
prosecutors with as little political fallout as possible, which he sent in a
Nov. 15, 2006, e-mail to Miers, deputy White House counsel William K. Kelley
and McNulty.
"We'll stand by for a green light from you," Sampson wrote to Miers and
Kelley. Upon getting their approval, Sampson wrote, he asked that they
"circulate it to Karl's shop" - which officials confirmed was a reference to
Karl Rove, Bush's top political adviser and deputy chief of staff.
White House approval came a month later.
"We're a go for the US Atty plan," Kelley wrote in a Dec. 4, 2006, e-mail to
Sampson and Miers. "WH leg, political, communications have signed off and
acknowledged that we have to be committed to following through once the
pressure comes."
The term "WH leg" refers to the White House office of legislative affairs,
which deals with Congress. Copies of dozens of Sampson's e-mails to various
White House and Justice Department officials were released by Congress and
the Justice Department.
They also included documents from J. Scott Jennings, the White House deputy
political director, who e-mailed Sampson about the Little Rock prosecutor's
replacement from an address with a "gwb43.com" domain name. That domain is
registered to the Republican National Committee, according to a Network
Solutions tracking system.
Democrats on House and Senate judiciary panels said they would subpoena
Miers, Rove and other White House and Justice Department officials if
necessary to have them testify about the reasons for the firings.
Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., renewed his call for Gonzales to resign and
was joined by a host of other Democrats, including national party chairman
Howard Dean and presidential hopeful John Edwards of North Carolina.
"This purge was based purely on politics, to punish prosecutors who were
perceived to be too light on Democrats or too tough on Republicans," Schumer
said. "Attorney General Gonzales has either forgotten the oath he took to
uphold the Constitution or just doesn't understand that his duty to protect
the law is greater than his duty to protect the president."
Among Democrats calling for Gonzales' resignation were presidential
candidates Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Sen. John Edwards. "The
buck should stop somewhere," Clinton said in an interview with ABC's "Good
Morning America" being aired Wednesday morning.
Republicans also joined in the criticism.
Sen. John Ensign (news, bio, voting record), R-Nev., said the dismissal of
the U.S. attorney in Las Vegas was "completely mishandled by the United
States attorney general." And Sensenbrenner warned that the Justice
Department was "going to have to come up with some answers" in explaining
the firings.
"If they don't, they're going to lose everyone's confidence," Sensenbrenner
said. "What I'd like to hear is the truth."
.
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| User: "johac" |
|
| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
15 Mar 2007 12:55:34 AM |
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In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Gonzales rejects calls for resignation
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales rejected growing calls for
his resignation Tuesday as scores of newly released documents detailed a
two-year campaign by the Justice Department and White House to purge federal
prosecutors.
Gonzales acknowledged his department mishandled the dismissals of eight U.S.
attorneys and misled Congress about how they were fired. He said he was
ultimately to blame for those "mistakes" but stood by the firings.
"I acknowledge that mistakes were made here," Gonzales told reporters at a
news briefing after he canceled an out-of-town trip. "I accept that
responsibility." He promised changes "so that the mistakes that occurred in
this instance do not occur again in the future."
He focused on his department's dealings with Congress concerning the firings
rather than the actual dismissals - which Democrats have suggested were
politically motivated - and the planning behind them.
--
John #1782
"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."
- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.
.
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| User: "Michelle Malkin" |
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| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
15 Mar 2007 01:08:30 AM |
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"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-11A070.22553414032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Now we know why Rove has been so quiet lately. He's
been busy thinking up ways to ruin himself.
Gonzales rejects calls for resignation
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales rejected growing calls for
his resignation Tuesday as scores of newly released documents detailed a
two-year campaign by the Justice Department and White House to purge
federal
prosecutors.
Gonzales acknowledged his department mishandled the dismissals of eight
U.S.
attorneys and misled Congress about how they were fired. He said he was
ultimately to blame for those "mistakes" but stood by the firings.
"I acknowledge that mistakes were made here," Gonzales told reporters at
a
news briefing after he canceled an out-of-town trip. "I accept that
responsibility." He promised changes "so that the mistakes that occurred
in
this instance do not occur again in the future."
He focused on his department's dealings with Congress concerning the
firings
rather than the actual dismissals - which Democrats have suggested were
politically motivated - and the planning behind them.
--
John #1782
"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."
- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.
.
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| User: "johac" |
|
| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
15 Mar 2007 06:24:10 PM |
|
|
In article <X7KdnehzB7lSf2XYnZ2dnUVZ_vWtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-11A070.22553414032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Now we know why Rove has been so quiet lately. He's
been busy thinking up ways to ruin himself.
No wonder. I thought that he was talking to his lawyers and looking for
cheap airline tickets to Dubai. Maybe he can get a job with Allahburton,
along with Dubya, *****, Alberto, Condi, etc.
Gonzales rejects calls for resignation
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago
--
John #1782
"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."
- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.
.
|
|
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| User: "Michelle Malkin" |
|
| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
15 Mar 2007 08:10:05 PM |
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"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-353E78.16241015032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <X7KdnehzB7lSf2XYnZ2dnUVZ_vWtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-11A070.22553414032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Now we know why Rove has been so quiet lately. He's
been busy thinking up ways to ruin himself.
No wonder. I thought that he was talking to his lawyers and looking for
cheap airline tickets to Dubai. Maybe he can get a job with Allahburton,
along with Dubya, *****, Alberto, Condi, etc.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves would fill an
entire airliner.
Gonzales rejects calls for resignation
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago
.
|
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| User: "johac" |
|
| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
15 Mar 2007 11:34:16 PM |
|
|
In article <h62dnQvX2aX8c2TYnZ2dnUVZ_rSjnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-353E78.16241015032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <X7KdnehzB7lSf2XYnZ2dnUVZ_vWtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-11A070.22553414032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Now we know why Rove has been so quiet lately. He's
been busy thinking up ways to ruin himself.
No wonder. I thought that he was talking to his lawyers and looking for
cheap airline tickets to Dubai. Maybe he can get a job with Allahburton,
along with Dubya, *****, Alberto, Condi, etc.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves would fill an
entire airliner.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves! I love it! We could also have Bushladdin
and his lamp. When he rubs it, instead of a genie, Nancy Pelsoi pops out.
Gonzales rejects calls for resignation
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago
--
John #1782
"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."
- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.
.
|
|
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| User: "Michelle Malkin" |
|
| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
16 Mar 2007 12:30:05 AM |
|
|
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-5A98A9.21341515032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <h62dnQvX2aX8c2TYnZ2dnUVZ_rSjnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-353E78.16241015032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <X7KdnehzB7lSf2XYnZ2dnUVZ_vWtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-11A070.22553414032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm
hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Now we know why Rove has been so quiet lately. He's
been busy thinking up ways to ruin himself.
No wonder. I thought that he was talking to his lawyers and looking for
cheap airline tickets to Dubai. Maybe he can get a job with
Allahburton,
along with Dubya, *****, Alberto, Condi, etc.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves would fill an
entire airliner.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves! I love it! We could also have Bushladdin
and his lamp. When he rubs it, instead of a genie, Nancy Pelsoi pops out.
Well, that would certainly send Cheney off to his well-
deserved reward.
.
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| User: "johac" |
|
| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
16 Mar 2007 05:42:08 PM |
|
|
In article <49idnSNSM9rNtmfYnZ2dnUVZ_ragnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-5A98A9.21341515032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <h62dnQvX2aX8c2TYnZ2dnUVZ_rSjnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-353E78.16241015032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <X7KdnehzB7lSf2XYnZ2dnUVZ_vWtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-11A070.22553414032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm
hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Now we know why Rove has been so quiet lately. He's
been busy thinking up ways to ruin himself.
No wonder. I thought that he was talking to his lawyers and looking for
cheap airline tickets to Dubai. Maybe he can get a job with
Allahburton,
along with Dubya, *****, Alberto, Condi, etc.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves would fill an
entire airliner.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves! I love it! We could also have Bushladdin
and his lamp. When he rubs it, instead of a genie, Nancy Pelsoi pops out.
Well, that would certainly send Cheney off to his well-
deserved reward.
LOL! Hearing the Plame testimony today he may be in even bigger trouble.
--
John #1782
"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."
- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.
.
|
|
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| User: "Michelle Malkin" |
|
| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
17 Mar 2007 12:56:11 AM |
|
|
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-FFF88F.15420816032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <49idnSNSM9rNtmfYnZ2dnUVZ_ragnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-5A98A9.21341515032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <h62dnQvX2aX8c2TYnZ2dnUVZ_rSjnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-353E78.16241015032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <X7KdnehzB7lSf2XYnZ2dnUVZ_vWtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-11A070.22553414032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm
hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Now we know why Rove has been so quiet lately. He's
been busy thinking up ways to ruin himself.
No wonder. I thought that he was talking to his lawyers and looking
for
cheap airline tickets to Dubai. Maybe he can get a job with
Allahburton,
along with Dubya, *****, Alberto, Condi, etc.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves would fill an
entire airliner.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves! I love it! We could also have
Bushladdin
and his lamp. When he rubs it, instead of a genie, Nancy Pelsoi pops
out.
Well, that would certainly send Cheney off to his well-
deserved reward.
LOL! Hearing the Plame testimony today he may be in even bigger trouble.
They are in sooooo much trouble and more coming up
every day. I love it!
.
|
|
|
| User: "johac" |
|
| Title: Re: White House Bowling Pins Knocked Down One By One |
17 Mar 2007 05:51:36 PM |
|
|
In article <rc6dnRDcxrV0H2bYnZ2dnUVZ_h-vnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-FFF88F.15420816032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <49idnSNSM9rNtmfYnZ2dnUVZ_ragnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-5A98A9.21341515032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <h62dnQvX2aX8c2TYnZ2dnUVZ_rSjnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-353E78.16241015032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <X7KdnehzB7lSf2XYnZ2dnUVZ_vWtnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-11A070.22553414032007@news.giganews.com...
In article <m_WdncYCsJjP3mrYnZ2dnUVZ_rOqnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
Another one bites the dust. Rove was involved in this too so I'm
hoping
to see him finally 'frog marched' out of the White House too.
Now we know why Rove has been so quiet lately. He's
been busy thinking up ways to ruin himself.
No wonder. I thought that he was talking to his lawyers and looking
for
cheap airline tickets to Dubai. Maybe he can get a job with
Allahburton,
along with Dubya, *****, Alberto, Condi, etc.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves would fill an
entire airliner.
Bushibabba and his 40+ thieves! I love it! We could also have
Bushladdin
and his lamp. When he rubs it, instead of a genie, Nancy Pelsoi pops
out.
Well, that would certainly send Cheney off to his well-
deserved reward.
LOL! Hearing the Plame testimony today he may be in even bigger trouble.
They are in sooooo much trouble and more coming up
every day. I love it!
I know. We keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it drops, and
drops, and drops..... I think that this 'Prosecutorgate' is going to be
huge.
--
John #1782
"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."
- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.
.
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