Renner: Kucinich Grills Rummy at Tillman Hearing

From Truthout.org:



By Matt Renner

t r u t h o u t Report
Wednesday 01 August 2007


Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich accused Donald Rumsfeld on Wednesday of participating in a widespread cover-up over the circumstances in the death of Army Cpl. Pat Tillman.


Kucinich, a 2008 presidential candidate, questioned the former secretary of defense during a Congressional investigation into Tillman's death and expressed doubt about the veracity of Rumsfeld's testimony.


The investigation turned to the senior military leadership at the time of Tillman's death. The hearings left key questions unanswered, despite testimony from former military leaders who were in charge of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.


In his first public appearance since leaving the Bush administration, former Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld testified Wednesday that he could not recall how or when he learned of Cpl. Pat Tillman's death. Kucinich accused Rumsfeld of being involved in a string of cover-ups.


"Well, you know, maybe it was good because you actually covered up the Tillman case for awhile, you covered up the Jessica Lynch case, you covered up Abu Ghraib, so something was working for you."


Rumsfeld asserted that he had not been involved in a cover-up or any attempt to create a false narrative. Kucinich then inquired about the involvement of the Rendon Group, a public relations firm that has previously contracted with the Department of Defense and the CIA in overseas propaganda efforts. Kucinich asked Rumsfeld if the Rendon Group was involved with creating a "press strategy," or media spin for the Tillman incident. Rumsfeld denied the involvement of the group in the Tillman case, but later said that "entities within the DOD" have held contracts with the group. He did not specify whether the contracts were ongoing.


Under oath, Rumsfeld testified that he could not recall when he learned that the Tillman story being perpetuated by the White House was false. He said that he tried to stay out of the investigation and did not discuss the matter with the president. He repeatedly said that his lack of involvement in the Tillman investigation was intentional because he wanted to avoid "command influence," later adding that he learned of Tillman's death "at a stage when investigations were underway, so I wouldn't have told anyone to do anything."