I've written here many times before about how this administration resembles the mafia. They apply pressure to gag those who may squeal or speak truths, expect complete allegiance to "the family" and nix or smear those who don't cooperate, work shady if not illegal dealings to benefit "the family" at the expense of others -- the list goes on.

The latest example of this Sopranos-like tendency is Chris Matthews' assertion that he was pressured to keep silent about a few things:

After praising the drafters of the First Amendment for allowing him to make a living, he outlined what he said was the fundamental difference between the Bush and Clinton administrations.

The Clinton camp, he said, never put pressure on his bosses to silence him.

“Not so this crowd,” he added, explaining that Bush White House officials — especially those from Vice President Cheney’s office — called MSNBC brass to complain about the content of his show and attempted to influence its editorial content. “They will not silence me!” Matthews declared.

“They’ve finally been caught in their criminality,” Matthews continued, although he did not specify the exact criminal behavior to which he referred.

It's a bit ironic that of all the media talking heads Cheney decides to lean on he picks Matthews, a lightweight blather-head who quite often has advanced this administration's agenda with his lack of rigorous reporting or inquiry. Matthews is by no means a Keith Olbermann.

What does it say about these thugs when they begin to target the moderately-compliant water carriers?