Funeralgate
Bush's First Scandal
As governor, George W. Bush had to choose between upholding the law or intervening on behalf of a big campaign contributor.  He asked his Chief of Staff, Joe Allbaugh, to pressure a state agency into silence so the money guys could keep breaking the law.  

Now both Allbaugh and Bush are about to be caught lying under oath. 

Could Bush be impeached? Stay tuned!!

Eliza May was head of the Texas Funderal Services Commission when it began receiving complaints about unlicensed embalmers being used by Service Corporation International (SCI), the world's largest funeral services company. 

In one case, the mother of a popular newscaster went to lay flowers at her son's mausoleum. She was horrified to find it was "infested with gnats, and a malodorous maroon-colored fluid oozed out of her son's crypt," according to Newsweek. 

May launched an investigation of SCI. But instead of receiving praise for defending the interests of Texas citizens, she was called into the Governor's office where Joe Allbaugh, Bush's Chief of Staff, was waiting with Robert Waltrip, the owner of SCI - and major Bush campaign contributor. These officials tried to pressure May into stopping her investigation - and George W. Bush stopped in to help them.

May refused to buckle under, and ultimately imposed a $445,000 fine.  Soon thereafter, May was fired.  May then filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Bush, Waltrip, and SCI.  

To avoid being named as a defendant, Bush gave a sworn affidavit. That affidavit has since been contradicted at least four times. In other words, Bush lied under oath.

In the Paula Jones case, the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that a President can be compelled to testify in a civil case stemming from actions taken before he became President. Eliza May plans to depose Bush sometime this year. If Bush lies under oath, he could be impeached.

Likewise, Joe Allbaugh will be deposed by Eliza May.  Will Allbaugh tell the truth or lie to protect Bush and himself?  "There isn't anything more important," Allbaugh has been  quoted as saying, "as protecting him."

Documents

February 13, 2001
Testimony of Joe Allbaugh before the Senate Government Affairs Committee

February 8, 2001
Funeralgate: Bush Charged With Lying Under Oath About Influence-Peddling

February 5, 2001
Senate Government Oversight Committee
Nomination of Joe M. Allbaugh for Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Pre-Hearing Questions: Allbaugh Answer

July 10, 2000
Plaintiff's Response To Request For Disclosure
By Defendant Governor George W. Bush
Excerpts Naming Joe Allbaugh
Full Document (149 Pages)
Word for Windows 95 (408KB)
HTML (897 KB)

July 20, 1999
Affidavit by Governor George W. Bush
(see 2/9/01 Funeralgate article above)

Media Coverage

Austin Chronicle:  Timeline

3/99 Austin Chronicle:  Buried in Scandal, by Robert Bryce