Perjure (verb) – be false, be untruthful, bear false wittess, break one’s oath, break one’s word, deviate from the truth, falsify, falsify testimony, feign, forswear, hide the truth, lie, misrepresent
The real story here is not Jon Corzine perjuring himself per se, but rather the corrupt and highly strategic leaking of the memo in advance of congressional inquiry. THAT is the aspect of this story the media will avoid like the plague.
You might have heard yesterday a story about a leaked e-mail from former MF Global head Jon Corzine that implicates him in directly coordinating the illegal transfer of $200 million last fall out of a customer account days before the brokerage firm collapsed. But another aspect yet reported is how, and more importantly why, this email, obtained by congressional investigators, was released to the press.
The “how” and “why” has far broader implications of risk for the Obama administration, than the factual discovery carries risk for Corzine himself.
(via HuffPo) Edith O’Brien, MF Global’s former assistant treasurer, says Corzine ordered the money shifted to one of the firm’s bank accounts overseas on Oct. 28 to cover an overdraft, according to a memo that cited the email.
The email noted that the transfer was made “per JC’s direct instructions.”
MF Global filed for bankruptcy protection on Oct. 31. The firm failed because of a disastrous bet on European debt. About $1.6 billion of customers’ money hasn’t been recovered.
A House Financial Services subcommittee released the memo Friday in advance of a hearing Wednesday. O’Brien has been subpoenaed to testify. The Associated Press was unable to reach her for comment. (more)
While it would appear that former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is in a precarious position, perhaps we should query why such an e-mail would be leaked before the Financial Services subcommittee has a chance to question him about it next Wednesday.
You do not need a law degree to understand the value of such a significant evidentiary communication against the backdrop of prior congressional testimony. Just being able to put Corzine again on record while holding back releasing the discovered information until he speaks would have been a slam dunk moment.
The e-mail itself held far more value as a tool to surprise Corzine, than it now possesses. Indeed Mr. Corzine now has several days to think about and create a narrative to defend himself against the discovery itself.
One can easily see how much better positioned Corzine and his defenders are right now. He would have been walking into a major trap. Now the trap is completely avoidable, and he’ll formulate a carefully worded response that allows him to stand by his prior testimony free from perjurious implications. Indeed already the following statement from his spokesman Steven Goldberg is dispatched:
“He never directed Ms. O’Brien or anyone else regarding which account should be used to cure the overdrafts, and he never directed that customer funds should be used for that purpose,” Goldberg said.
“Nor was he informed that customer funds had been used for that purpose. To the contrary, as Mr. Corzine testified, he recalls having received written material indicating that the funds used to cure the overdrafts were appropriate for that purpose.”
Perjury avoided. Thanks to the leak.
But there is also another reason for the leak, a less obvious reason. But, a much Bigger reason.
Protect the President.
If Jon Corzine had been caught in perjurous testimony the Obama administration would have been damaged almost as much as Corzine himself.
President Obama has openly advocated and supported Jon Corzine in all of his endeavors. Not only was Corzine a major fundraiser and supporter of the President, but he was also widely and openly mentioned as the soon needed replacement for Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Both President Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden poured public praise upon Corzine prior to the MF Global collapse.
Joe Biden even went as far as to tell people publicly that when the administration needed advice on the economy Jon Corzine was the first call they make.
Not once, but twice…
So you can see with so much credibility on the line the Obama administration could not allow such a close connection to be showcased as insufferably, albeit factually corrupt. Especially so close to the election; and especially since part of their re-election strategy is hammering Mitt Romney over his potentially corrupt connections within the financial services industry, see Bain Capital.
The risk to the administration was far, far to great to let Corzine walk into the trap of perjury.
So who leaked the memo?
Here are the Democrat Party House Committee members. You decide who stood to benefit the most from avoidance and protection of the administration:
Barney Frank, Massachusetts, Ranking Member
Maxine Waters, California
Carolyn B. Maloney, New York
Luis Gutierrez, Illinois
Nydia Velázquez, New York
Mel Watt, North Carolina
Gary Ackerman, New York
Brad Sherman, California
Gregory W. Meeks, New York
Michael Capuano, Massachusetts
Ruben Hinojosa, Texas
William Clay, Jr., Missouri
Carolyn McCarthy, New York
Joe Baca, California
Stephen Lynch, Massachusetts
Brad Miller, North Carolina
David Scott, Georgia
Al Green, Texas
Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri
Gwen Moore, Wisconsin
Keith Ellison, Minnesota
Ed Perlmutter, Colorado
Joe Donnelly, Indiana
André Carson, Indiana
Jim Himes, Connecticut
Gary Peters, Michigan
John Carney, Delaware
Any one of these Democrat congressional peeps may have stood to benefit from protecting the White House. But who is willing to fall on their sword and take the risk ? Perhaps the answer is in the question ‘who will not be seeking re-election’ and is in the best position to gain advanced knowledge of the memo? Occam’s Razor n’ all.
It would not come from them directly, that would be more of a staff level leak to make, but it is still troubling.
Alas, this Big Effen deal will probably be no more than filler for the Rabbit Hole Alice. The institutional leftist water-carrying media always willing to provide the proverbial shovel.
