Why Have So Many U.S. Attorneys Been Fired? It Looks a Lot Like Politics

[RickSp]

Why Have So Many U.S. Attorneys Been Fired? It Looks a Lot Like Politics

Carol Lam, the former United States attorney for San Diego, is smart and tireless and was very good at her job. Her investigation of Representative Randy Cunningham resulted in a guilty plea for taking more than $2 million in bribes from defense contractors and a sentence of more than eight years. Two weeks ago, she indicted Kyle Dustin Foggo, the former No. 3 official in the C.I.A. The defense-contracting scandal she pursued so vigorously could yet drag in other politicians. In many Justice Departments, her record would have won her awards, and perhaps a promotion to a top post in Washington. In the Bush Justice Department, it got her fired. Ms. Lam is one of at least seven United States attorneys fired recently under questionable circumstances. The Justice Department is claiming that Ms. Lam and other well-regarded prosecutors like John McKay of Seattle, David Iglesias of New Mexico, Daniel Bogden of Nevada and Paul Charlton of Arizona — who all received strong job evaluations — performed inadequately. It is hard to call what’s happening anything other than a political purge. And it’s another shameful example of how in the Bush administration, everything — from rebuilding a hurricane-ravaged city to allocating homeland security dollars to invading Iraq — is sacrificed to partisan politics and winning elections. It is not just the large numbers. The firing of H. E. Cummins III is raising as many questions as Ms. Lam’s. Mr. Cummins, one of the most distinguished lawyers in Arkansas, is respected by Republicans and Democrats alike. But he was forced out to make room for J. Timothy Griffin, a former Karl Rove deputy with thin legal experience who did opposition research for the Republican National Committee. (Mr. Griffin recently bowed to the inevitable and said he will not try for a permanent appointment. But he remains in office indefinitely.) The Bush administration cleared the way for these personnel changes by slipping a little-noticed provision into the Patriot Act last year that allows the president to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for an indefinite period without Senate confirmation. The politicization of government over the last six years has had tragic consequences — in New Orleans, Iraq and elsewhere. But allowing politics to infect U.S. attorney offices takes it to a whole new level. Congress should continue to pursue the case of the fired U.S. attorneys vigorously, both to find out what really happened and to make sure that it does not happen again.

More abuse of power by the Bush Administration, more qualified professionals sacrificed for partisan politics and the imperial presidency. Where will it end?

[Osborn F Enready]

Yet people have been telling us to trust the Supreme Court, which has been defiled by partisan appointment for its entire history.....

157 years of bi-partisan political lock on elected seats, goes a long way to "stacking the deck" of the judicial branch, which is SUPPOSED to be a check on authority, not the AID of authority.

Their partisan stripes show with every decision since the creation and precedent of the Federal Reserve Banks, and the perversion of the idea of taxation.

[RickSp]

Quote by: Osborn F Enready Yet people have been telling us to trust the Supreme Court, which has been defiled by partisan appointment for its entire history..... 157 years of bi-partisan political lock on elected seats, goes a long way to "stacking the deck" of the judicial branch, which is SUPPOSED to be a check on authority, not the AID of authority. Their partisan stripes show with every decision since the creation and precedent of the Federal Reserve Banks, and the perversion of the idea of taxation.

What ever you may feel about your various pet isssues, it is the Bush administration who has been firing US attorneys for political reasons, not the Federal Reserve nor any theory on taxation.

[Praxius]

You know what to do? Start another political party that not only points out the faults of the two popular evils, but also bring everything to the publics attention on how things are going and go for a revolt via democratic election.

Chances are the powers at play will try to trump this idea, but once you get some of the new generation in there, who are not corrupted by decades of corrupt government, exploit all their faults, you might be surprised.

Easier said then done.

[Osborn F Enready]

Rick said: What ever you may feel about your various pet isssues, it is the Bush administration who has been firing US attorneys for political reasons, not the Federal Reserve nor any theory on taxation.

No shit Rick, and why? For partisan political gain.

That is what I was pointing out, and has been happening in the courts for years. Your article just provides more proof of it, and the democrats have done similar before.

Over 157 years, is it any wonder this is hardly noticed by the general public?

[RickSp]

Of course the point of the article was the large number of US attorneys being fired for political reasons by the Bush administration which has nothing to do with your broadbursh generalizations.

Unlike even the worst past administrations, the Bush administration has been noted for hiring based on political views and connections rather than competence. Clinton chose James Lee Witt to run FEMA while Bush chose Michael Brown. Witt had a background in disaster management while Brown was an experienced Republican fund raiser. Likewise those hired by CPA in Iraq were hired based on party affiliation and their views on abortion.

Now Bush is firing a Federal prosecutor right as she is narrowing in on ex-senior CIA officials and Republican Party fundraiser.

[Jack]

It stinks of political maneuvering of the worst kind, punishing success that doesn't please the boss.
The situation is getting some play on the local news, but not enough to scare the sheeple.

[Joe Doakes]

"The Bush administration cleared the way for these personnel changes by slipping a little-noticed provision into the Patriot Act last year that allows the president to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for an indefinite period without Senate confirmation.More abuse of power by the Bush Administration, more qualified professionals sacrificed for partisan politics and the imperial presidency. Where will it end?." Martial Law comes to mind.

[RickSp]

An update on what is increasingly looking like strictly political firings of Federal prosecuters.

A New Mystery to Prosecutors: Their Lost Jobs

Summoning five of the dismissed prosecutors for hearings on Tuesday, the newly empowered Congressional Democrats have charged that the mass firing is a political purge, intended to squelch corruption investigations or install less independent-minded successors. ..Across the country, legal and public officials have expressed dismay over the firings. In Western Michigan, for example, lawyers and a federal judge came to the defense of Margaret M. Chiara, the United States attorney there, saying she was well regarded. “It just doesn’t look right,” said James S. Brady, who was United States attorney in Western Michigan during the Carter administration. “It compromises the credibility that justice is being dealt with fairly and impartially. There is a fear that politics have entered in life and death situations.”

[Boetie]

I know this is a bit off topic but I just want to point out how this performance evalutation is pure bullshit. Back when the American Disablity Act was passed as law Bush Sr did a photo opt signing the law. He then later behind the scences changed the policy barring just about every disabled American from the Vocational Rehabilitation Services by limiting the services to just those Americans whom are so disabled they couldn't work if they wanted to. Then surprise surprise Bush Sr gives tax breaks to companies that hire disabled Americans good for only 90 days.

There was an increase in the hiring of Disabled Americans then surprise surprise these Americans were let go after 90 days via performance records. Hmmm. After ten years another funny thing happened. The percentage of Disabled Americans being unemployed hasn't change in other words the ADA had no impact. Why is this?

The usual suspect Bush Jr apologist aka gas bags such as Cal Thomas and other of the usual pea brain minds try to explain it away by blaming it on the Disabled Americans. Well there you go.

The fact is governors such as former Governor Cuomo noticed this huge dumping of Disabled Americans after 90 days. Cuomo tried to get this observation out to the public but it got no play. But the gas bags got plenty of play. Note: not a singe Disabled American voice was heard in this perponderment of why the unemployment rate didn't change.

As you can see the performance evalutation experged millions and conveniently after the 90 day tax break.

RickSp my apologies if you feel this post derails the thread. I only wanted to show the readers that the White House and or anyone that throws the performance evalution card in the face of the public is only exercising bullshit.

[Osborn F Enready]

The obvious question should be what is the next democrip President who gets in office going to do, with these precedents being set and the party "claiming" to feel wronged?

More of the same, in their name, screwing the citizens once again.

[Zeebadee]

"Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has indicated he is too busy to answer letters from Democratic congressional leaders about his firing seven U.S. attorneys involved in probes of public corruption, though a lower-level Justice Department official rejected their proposals.

<snip>

Asked by Melissa Charbonneau of the Christian Broadcasting Network about this column’s report that Gonzales did not respond, Gonzales said: “I think that the American people lose if I spend all my time worrying about congressional requests for information, if I spend all my time responding to subpoenas.” http://www.unionleader.com/article.a...6-1d5189c56100

Further proof that bush is the absolute worst.

[Boetie]

Quote by: Zeebadee "Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has indicated he is too busy to answer letters from Democratic congressional leaders about his firing seven U.S. attorneys involved in probes of public corruption, though a lower-level Justice Department official rejected their proposals. <snip> Asked by Melissa Charbonneau of the Christian Broadcasting Network about this column’s report that Gonzales did not respond, Gonzales said: “I think that the American people lose if I spend all my time worrying about congressional requests for information, if I spend all my time responding to subpoenas.” http://www.unionleader.com/article.a...6-1d5189c56100 Further proof that bush is the absolute worst.

Of course Gonzales doesn't have time to respond he is to busy politicizing the judicial system via firing competent prosecuters.

[PatrickHenry]

We gotta impeach those bastards...

[Osborn F Enready]

Patrick Henry said: We gotta impeach those bastards...

I agree, all of 'em that voted to pass the Patriot Act, and the Iraq War Powers should be impeached down the line, President to Congressmen.

That would provide the best election this country has ever known, since the first one, assuming all canidates who met ballot access requirements could debate of course.......which isn't the way things are.......

So many problems, so little help.

[RickSp]

White House Said to Prompt Firing of Prosecutors

The White House was deeply involved in the decision late last year to dismiss federal prosecutors, including some who had been criticized by Republican lawmakers, administration officials said Monday. The role of the president and his advisers in the prosecutor shakeup is likely to intensify calls by Congress for an investigation. It is the worst crisis of Mr. Gonzales’s tenure and provoked charges that the dismissals were a political purge threatening the historical independence of the Justice Department. The idea of dismissing federal prosecutors originated in the White House more than a year earlier, White House and Justice officials said Monday.

Gonzales' Chief of Staff, Kyle Sampson, resigned this morning. Another centurion falling on his sword for the emperor.

[Zeebadee]

It's pretty evident that gonzales ability to lie well isn't up to the usual bush standards.

"Obviously I am concerned about the fact that information _ incomplete information was communicated or may have been communicated to the Congress," Gonzales said. "I believe very strongly in our obligation to ensure that when we provide information to the Congress, it is accurate and it is complete. And I very dismayed that that may not have occurred here." Gonzales: Prosecutors Firings Mishandled

Compare that with what he said earlier:

"Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has indicated he is too busy to answer letters from Democratic congressional leaders about his firing seven U.S. attorneys involved in probes of public corruption, though a lower-level Justice Department official rejected their proposals.

<snip>

Asked by Melissa Charbonneau of the Christian Broadcasting Network about this column’s report that Gonzales did not respond, Gonzales said: “I think that the American people lose if I spend all my time worrying about congressional requests for information, if I spend all my time responding to subpoenas.” http://www.unionleader.com/article.a...6-1d5189c56100

Also, at his news conference gonzales repeatedly accepted "full responsibility" and said "mistakes were made", then went back to his office. "Full responsibility" has become a meaningless term in American politics.

[Osborn F Enready]

Zee said: Also, at his news conference gonzales repeatedly accepted "full responsibility" and said "mistakes were made", then went back to his office. "Full responsibility" has become a meaningless term in American politics.

I agree.

Bush, leading by example......

[brien]

Let's see here, who was the first President to do this?

Clinton Ends His Presidency as He Began It

We should not forget that Bill Clinton’s first act as president was to fire all the U.S attorneys across the U.S. – an unprecedented act by an American president.

I suppose Bush is ramping up defense for himself as the shitstorms fly and the fan is on high speed. Monkey see, monkey do.

[Osborn F Enready]

Or are they the same stupid monkeys, in different costumes?