WASHINGTON D.C., March 18, 2007

"Inconvenient" U.S. Attorneys Fired?

Sen. Dianne Feinstein Says Attorneys Working Major Corruption Cases Were Let Go

  • Play CBS Video Video Feinstein On U.S. Attorneys

    Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., discusses the controversy surrounding the firings of eight U.S. attorneys. She says that federal prosecutors must be politically independent.

  • Sen. Dianne Feinstein said that the firings of the U.S. attorneys looks very suspicious. Photo

    Sen. Dianne Feinstein said that the firings of the U.S. attorneys looks very suspicious.  (AP)

  • Who's Who Firings Firestorm

    Justice Department at center of controversy over firing of eight U.S. attorneys.

(CBS/AP)  In the wake of the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, some people are calling for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's head.

The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Sunday he intends to subpoena White House officials involved in ousting federal prosecutors and is dismissing anything short of their testimony in public.

The Bush White House was expected to announce early this week whether it will let political strategist Karl Rove, former White House counsel Harriet Miers and other officials testify, or will seek to assert executive privilege in preventing their appearance.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calf., a member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said she's reserving judgment about whether or not he should resign. But one of the fired U.S. attorneys is from San Diego. Feinstein said Carol Lam was fired after she sent a notice to the Justice Department that she had a case against Dusty Foggo, a defense contractor.

"The next day, an e-mail went from the Justice Department to the White House saying 'We have a real problem with Carol Lam,'" Feinstein told Chief Washington correspondent Bob Scheiffer. "All I'm saying, as the evidence comes in, as we look at the e-mails, there were clearly U.S. attorneys that were thorns in the side — for one reason or another — of the Justice Department. And they decided, by strategy, in one fell swoop, to get rid of seven of them on that day, December the 7th."

Feinstein said that even though U.S. attorneys are appointed by the President, they have to be politically independent, and she worries that if this issue isn't dealt with, U.S. attorneys will not be able to act objectively.

"That is very difficult for me to believe that you can fire seven prosecutors on a given day, five of whom are involved in major corruption cases one way or another, and the attorney general who is the head of the organization hasn't given a go-ahead somewhere along the line," she said. "We need to find that out."

Feinstein also said that senior Justice Department official William Moschella suggested a change in the Patriot Act which essentially would let the attorney general have the ability to appoint a U.S. attorney without confirmation by the Senate. She and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., have co-sponsored a bill which would prevent this from happening.

"Most, if not all, United States Senators believe it is critical to have Senate confirmation," she said. "This is what prevents people from coming in who aren't qualified, for people coming in who are political operatives. This is what makes our system of justice so stellar. It's the system of checks and balances."

© MMVII, CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Add a Comment See all 82 Comments
by dallison7 March 18, 2007 3:20 PM PDT
"The next day, an e-mail went from the Justice Department to the White House saying 'We have a real problem with Carol Lam,'"


Let's see, the White House has a problem because a federal prosecutor says she has a case against a defense contractor???

What could that possible mean??? Is the White House taking bribes??

We need to know a lot more about this!!
Reply to this comment
by scott4261 March 18, 2007 3:29 PM PDT
I get exasperated trying to correct the lies repeated over and over by the Bush water-bearers. With them, I don't know if a stream of Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Rielly and FOX News is constantly going, but it's time to start looking at the facts (and there are plenty here, contrary to what is acknowledged).

Bush apologists here keep repeating the same broken record, "But CLINTON fired all 93 U. S. Attorneys when he took office and Bush only fired 8!" Not only is the part of the sentence about Bush not correct (he fired all the U.S. Attorneys when he took office, too), but here's the truth:

All eight of these U.S. Attorneys are Bush appointees. All are Republican. George W. Bush appointed all new prosecutors upon assuming office, just like Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan.... This happens with each new president. The difference here is that Alberto Gonzales replaced these prosecutors with interim appointments which do not have to go through confirmation in the U.S. Senate. This is due to a hidden provision in the USA PATRIOT Act. But the reason U.S. Attorneys have Senate confirmation in the first place is that it is an expression of confidence in their character and to insure that they would be free from partisan service.

This is an effort to replace these prosecutors with Rovian hacks who will skirt the law and the ethical boundaries to the detriment of our civil liberties. If you're not outraged by this, you're not paying attention.
Reply to this comment
by linfinster March 18, 2007 3:31 PM PDT

You all are blind if you think that this isn't a perfect example of how evil and corrupt this government is. Don't be surprised if it doesn't eventually get swept under the political rug. Eventually there will be a distraction .. or maybe this IS the distraction. Wonder what else has been going on that they wont leave such an obvious trail ..
Reply to this comment
by forthepeaple March 18, 2007 3:54 PM PDT
HAVE BEEN TELLING ALL OF YOU TO GO AND READ THE FACTS TRUE FACTS ABOUT IRAQ AND IRAN..HOW MUCH LONGER TO I HAVE TO KEEP POSTING THE SAME THING UNTIL YOU ALL READ IT..go to www.scoop.co.nz go to search tab and put in PENTAGON WHISTLE-BLOWER IRAQ and read it..it is sad but true and until you americans wake up and smell the s/h/i/t/ that your government has been telling you for CENTURIES.....
I was once proud to be american and proud to say i i'm a vet,now i just want out.You all in congress and capital hill and white house should be working for america and the americans that elected you to protect us,that isn't the case and i know why. I have been looking and found something that all america has forgotton.Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I..... so you all have been following your orders well i want you all to know that i hold all of you accountable for the murders of thousends of americans that have died and wounded in a war we have no buisness being in,
Reply to this comment
by springfever0 March 18, 2007 3:55 PM PDT
This all began because the White House as part of the renewal of the contraversial, inappropriately named-Patriot Act slipped through legislation that allowed appointment of US Attorneys without Senate confirmation. This was the opening step in what would be a campaign to slip partisans into the US Attorney positions without their having been vetted by the Congress and ultimately to politicize the US Attorney Offices. When they were caught with a hand in the cookie jar, the first reaction was to savage the reputations of the persons who were dismissed. When that flopped, they denied that politics had anything to do with it. When that excuse failed, they fell back on a mantra that the president could do wantever he wanted to do. Before the law was changed, that wasn't the case. His appointments would have had to be vetted by the Congress. That's what they wanted to avoid. That's what this is all about.
Reply to this comment
by randalds March 18, 2007 4:01 PM PDT
Posted by scott4261 at 03:29 PM : Mar 18, 2007

But you know Scott they're still going to parrot the lies from FOX News no matter how many times the truth that all presidents fire the US Attorneys from the other parties administration when they take office is explained to them. Once Rush or Bill opens their skulls and pours a line onto their tiny brains they just keep bleating it out like a herd of sheep. Face it, if they were smart enough to understand the truth they wouldn't be stupid enough to still support Bush.
Reply to this comment
by scott4261 March 18, 2007 4:19 PM PDT
Of course, you're right, Randal. But I'm just flabbergasted by the denial of these idiots. It defies all logic.
Reply to this comment
by j0hnwi11iams March 18, 2007 4:20 PM PDT
The reason for NOT firing attorneys, and the basis of the tradition of not firing attorneys mid term, is the same reason the supreme court has lifetime appointments. It is to take politics OUT of the judicial system. This is a serious breach into the judicial system and undermines the confidence that the law is being applied to everyone. Sure looks like political anticompetitive behavior, and it should be rewarded with SCANDAL.

I stopped trusting Republicans with Reagan. Some of you may take a little more convincing.
Reply to this comment
by scott4261 March 18, 2007 4:23 PM PDT
The Reagan presidency was indeed the beginning of this downward spiral that we're currently experiencing.
Reply to this comment
by tucano2 March 18, 2007 4:36 PM PDT
Mexican illegal alien drug smuggler gets shot in the butt escaping back over the USA/Mexico border Bush wants to erase. Drug smuggler tells his Mom who calls wife of another US Border Patrol who tips off her stooge husband who calls Mexican Consulate which calls Rove who gets clearance from Bush and orders Gonzales to hammer these two American Border Patrol Officers because they have upset the Mexicans - Gonzales orders Sutton to do whatever is necessary to hammer the two USA Border Patrol Officers and get the Mexican Consulate and the Mexican Drug Lords off Bushs case. Gonzales follows orders from Bush/Rove to dump any District Attorney who dares to prosecute either Drug Lords or Illegal Aliens. All sound familier? Sound like the history of Compion and Ramos and others? Sound crooked? Sound like selling out the USA? Sound traitorous? Sound like just what Bush/Rove/Gonzales/Sutton might do? Did, in fact, do?........Duh, Yeah, you betcha
Reply to this comment
by randalds March 18, 2007 4:56 PM PDT
Of course, you're right, Randal. But I'm just flabbergasted by the denial of these idiots. It defies all logic.
Posted by scott4261 at 04:19 PM : Mar 18, 2007

It does indeed, just like continuing to support this moron of a president does. I can't understand the raw ignorance of some people.
Reply to this comment
by forthepeaple March 18, 2007 5:11 PM PDT
HAVE BEEN TELLING ALL OF YOU TO GO AND READ THE FACTS TRUE FACTS ABOUT IRAQ AND IRAN..HOW MUCH LONGER TO I HAVE TO KEEP POSTING THE SAME THING UNTIL YOU ALL READ IT..go to www.scoop.co.nz go to search tab and put in PENTAGON WHISTLE-BLOWER IRAQ and read it..it is sad but true and until you americans wake up and smell the s/h/i/t/ that your government has been telling you for CENTURIES.....
I was once proud to be american and proud to say i i'm a vet,now i just want out.You all in congress and capital hill and white house should be working for america and the americans that elected you to protect us,that isn't the case and i know why. I have been looking and found something that all america has forgotton.Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I..... so you all have been following your orders well i want you all to know that i hold all of you accountable for the murders of thousends of americans that have died and wounded in a war we have no buisness being in,
Reply to this comment
by scott4261 March 18, 2007 5:13 PM PDT
What you Bush apologists don't seem to get is that those of us who are opposed to what is happening in the Bush Administration are not necessarily Clinton apologists. You see, anyone with a modicum of critical thinking skills can see that this administration is rotten to the core.

And for the record, I've criticized President Clinton plenty. But you know what else? This IS NOT ABOUT BILL CLINTON!
Reply to this comment
by getcentered March 18, 2007 5:14 PM PDT
It's great to see that the commentary up here is on the same page and that people understand the facts that the Bush admin's incompetence is comprised of.

Gonzales is a fool. Plain and simple. He's a puppet of the neo-cons just like Bush. Firing US attorneys for political reasons will destroy everything good about our justice system.

What attorney's will prosecute Republicans if they think they could be fired on a whim? NONE!

ALL involved in this disgusting abuse of power and politics should lose their jobs and forever be band from public service.


Republicans are still a rubber stamp! Never forget it.
Reply to this comment
by randalds March 18, 2007 5:22 PM PDT
Where is this outcry for all the employees that lost their Jobs at the white house travel office during Clintons firsat term? Whatever administration is in power gets to hire and fire whoever they like based on their political agenda or political debt for helping get them elected. In this case its clearly to further conservative cause. Want to change the rules? By all means change the rules but dont whine and cry about the status quo.

Posted by didntinhale at 05:02 PM : Mar 18, 2007

Firing US Attorneys is not the same as firing people in the Travel office because once in their office as a US Attorney they swear an oath to serve the people of the United States. At that point they are no longer the presidents lawyers (no matter which party appointed them) they are OUR lawyers and they have a moral, legal and ethical obligation to serve in OUR best interests, not the president's. He gets to appoint them, but that doesn't make him their boss! WE are their bosses! He can NOT ethically (OK I understand Bush has no grasp on the word "ethics") fire them for purely political reasons, or because they refuse to be his hit squad and only go after people of the opposite party! They are NOT his private legal goon squad. THAT'S where Bush is wrong.
Reply to this comment
by sainethepain March 18, 2007 5:27 PM PDT
All of this is a wast of time and print. You work for the head of any company, they have the right to keep our get you out. It happens ever day in all companies.
Reply to this comment
by randalds March 18, 2007 5:52 PM PDT
All of this is a wast of time and print. You work for the head of any company, they have the right to keep our get you out. It happens ever day in all companies.
Posted by sainethepain at 05:27 PM : Mar 18, 2007

The United States of America is not just "any company". It is a nation where we are the bosses, not the president. Yes he has the right to appoint US Attorney's, but once they are in office they work for us, not him. Yes he can fire them, for cause, but that's not what this was about. he fired them because they weren't loyal enough to him personally, not that they were incompetent (like him). he fired them because they went after criminals like Duke Cunningham because they broke the law and not because of the party they're in. This White House does not want honest US Attorneys, it wants a legal team that only goes after members of the other party and ignores blatant criminal acts of members of theirs. That is a huge difference then a company boss hiring and firing a janitor or secretary in his own company.
Reply to this comment
by oimiass March 18, 2007 5:52 PM PDT
All of this is a wast of time and print. You work for the head of any company, they have the right to keep our get you out. It happens ever day in all companies.
Posted by sainethepain at 05:27 PM : Mar 18, 2007

Nice analogy, but needs a little refinement. US Inc is the company, with citizens as shareholders and Bush as CEO. Think of US attorneys like internal auditors of the firm. Sure, they work for the CEO, but imagine what signals it sends to shareholders if an internal auditor gets fired because s/he is snooping around questionable deals approved by the CEO...
Reply to this comment
by forthepeaple March 18, 2007 6:08 PM PDT
The American People are not stupid! We know that if the Democratic Majority does not approve the Iraq War Supplemental Budget Requested by President Bush for the War the War Stops!

IMMEDIATELY No matter who they are, Democrats in positions of Leadership, from the County Leadership to the Leadership of the Congress that do not execute the will of the people, must be removed from their Leadership Positions and replaced with someone that will effectively execute the office in which they are trusted.

CONGRESS FIDDLES WHILE IRAQ BURNS AND BUSH RUNS AMOK!

Write your Representatives and Senators! SHOW THEM YOUR DISDAIN OF THEIR COWARDOUS ACTIONS WHILE OUR TROOPS ARE BEING KILLED AND OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE BEING TRAMPLED ON BY THIS

SO VOTE FOR A REAL AMERICAN THAT WANTS TO GIVE ALL AMERICA BACK TO WHO OWNS ITS AMERICANS, AND HIS MANE IS DAVID A BELANGER FOR PRESIDENT AMERICA CHOICE FOR FREEDOM.. SEND HIM A NOTE AT FOR-AMERICA@HOTMAIL.COM AND SHOW HIM YOUR SUPPORT
Reply to this comment
by imprisonbush March 18, 2007 6:58 PM PDT
Gonzales obviously must go. Many believe that Bush must appoint a new A-G with integrity to try and restore the incredible damage Rove and friends have done to justice (and the perception thereof) in this country. There is but one attorney of sufficient character and record to restore the Justice Department: Patrick Fitzgerald. My suggestion is that all intelligent members of Congress recommend Patrick for this position. Of course, various Republicans (and one Independent) will not join. Moreover, Bush would be unlikely to choose such a man of character as he obviously is unwilling to kiss Bush's as$. Consequently, the congressional members recommending Fitzgerald should warn that if Bush does not appoint him, that they will then appoint Fitzgerald to be in charge of the criminal investigation for the Justice Department attorneys (including Gonzales apparently) who came and testified under oath (read: perjury) that the White House and politics was not involved in the firings. Patrick has a pretty good record with getting to the bottom of this type of crime.
Reply to this comment
by processor2 March 18, 2007 7:13 PM PDT
RandalDS and all lib's

Were you this upset when Clinton fired attorneys???

If Clinton firing attorneys didn't upset you, then Bush firing attorneys shouldn't upset you either.

Why the double standard ???? Were you this upset when Clinton fired attorneys ???? Hmmmmm????

But then "double standard" is one of the definitions of Liberalism.

....

Reply to this comment
by jn122736 March 18, 2007 7:20 PM PDT
Re.: Posted by ImprisonBush at 06:58 PM : Mar 18, 2007

I would feel better about Patrick Fitzgerald if he had indicted someone in the Plame case (other than for perjury). I have the uneasy feeling the whole thing, in itself, could have been a cover-up. After all he is a republican. It is really hard not to have doubts after the last 6-plus years.
Reply to this comment
by jn122736 March 18, 2007 7:31 PM PDT
processor2

You must go to bed each night thanking God for Bill Clinton.

When all one has for ammunition are blanks they try to get the loudest they can find and just keep on firing regardless of relevancy. .
Perhaps you should post in all capital letters in your comments they may come across a little louder.
Reply to this comment
by nearl4511 March 18, 2007 7:34 PM PDT
OK let's drop the "look at what Clinton did" mantra, shall we.

For you intelect challenge.......

Once again.......

THE CLINTON FIRINGS HAPPENED WHEN HE CAME INTO OFFICE AS IT DOES FOR ANY AND EVERY PRESIDENT.

These firings were politically based retribution, not an intitial alignment of the attorneys with whitehose philisophy.

Is any of this sinking in, Mr. Process-troll??

I thought not.
Reply to this comment
by sharncedar March 18, 2007 7:53 PM PDT
This phony "fired attorneys" issue is a test of ethics. If you are a Democrat, and you pretend this is a serious issue, in a nation that is so bloody, so battered, you are showing you are a phony and worthless.

It's almost like the mountains of dead Americans mean nothing to Democrats, the millions of offshored jobs, the millions of alcohol addicted youth, the thousands of soldiers dead. All mean nothing to Democrats. But lawyers, my God, 10 of them lost their slimy evil jobs, and might be forced to work for a living. What a tradgedy. The Democrats care about that. They have passion about that. Not the dead bodies lining our streets, not the broken borders, the gangs and violence, the quiet desperation of people with underwater mortgages still trying to pay the enormous new tax burdens. Not the roads crowded and in disrepair, the schools full of violent offenders, the lack of entry-level jobs for young people. These aren't problems for the Democrats. They don't give a ***.

They Feel for lawyers. Their hearts bleed for those lawyers, some of them are even Jewish, hence godly and worth living, unlike us crud Americans.

Thanks, Demorats, thanks for defending lawyers so vigorously. Thanks, you show what big hearts you have. Perhaps if we all go to law school and get rich, then maybe, jes maybe, the big-hearted Democrats would lift their little fingers to help the nation.
Reply to this comment
by sharncedar March 18, 2007 8:00 PM PDT
It was OK for gonzales to torture and destroy living men, it was OK for gonzales to spit on the constitution, it was OK for gonzales to spy on Americans, to arrest and harrass people for their religion without probable cause, to keep people off airplanes for having a suspicious name, to lie and hide documents to defend his evil president.

But he fired 10 lawyers. 10 corrupt, devil-loving lawyers. For that, they want his head. He has harmed the lawyers . For that, the Democrats say, he must resign. That, they will not tolerate. Why, those lawyers were rich people. Rich people are not allowed to lose their cushy government jobs, only the scum of the earth, the dirt and corpses under the feet of Queen Pelosi and her minions, those dirty Americans. They may lose jobs, not 10, not 100, not 1000, not 10000 jobs, not 100000 jobs, not 1000000 jobs lost to NAFTA and offshoring but several millions by even their own estimtes. So what? We are scum. We are dirt to Queen Pelosi. We are not lawyers, by GOd, who are wem just crud, not beautiful rich lawyers. We will not be invited on the private Pelosi plane.
Reply to this comment
by scott4261 March 18, 2007 8:03 PM PDT
processor2(the imposter):

I don't know why I keep having to reiterate this, but here goes:

All eight of these U.S. Attorneys are Bush appointees. All are Republican. George W. Bush appointed all new prosecutors upon assuming office, just like Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan.... This happens with each new president. The difference here is that Alberto Gonzales replaced these prosecutors with interim appointments which do not have to go through confirmation in the U.S. Senate. This is due to a hidden provision in the USA PATRIOT Act. But the reason U.S. Attorneys have Senate confirmation in the first place is that it is an expression of confidence in their character and to insure that they would be free from partisan service.

This is an effort to replace these prosecutors with Rovian hacks who will skirt the law and the ethical boundaries to the detriment of our civil liberties. If you're not outraged by this, you're not paying attention.
Reply to this comment
by scott4261 March 18, 2007 8:10 PM PDT
Begging your pardon, processor2, the post was from you and not your imposter, but you're still wrong.
Reply to this comment
by taddles-2009 March 18, 2007 8:18 PM PDT
"We will not be invited on the private Pelosi plane.
Posted by SharnCedar at 08:00 PM : Mar 18, 2007"

You are a Fu%king moron, you are a prime example of why Republicans should not be allowd to breed.
Reply to this comment
by scott4261 March 18, 2007 8:29 PM PDT
processor2,

And one more thing. You've made the claim that you are not a Republican and that you have made posts that have pissed off the left and the right on these blogs. And while I have no reason to doubt what you claim here is true, in this instance and in most posts I've seen from you, you seem to be drinking the Kool-Aid with the best of them. Now I can't possibly know whether or not you have that steady stream of Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Rielly and FOX News constantly going, but for the love of Pete, please use your critical thinking skills (and that goes for the rest of you waiting at the punch bowl)!

Bill Clinton may have fired all 93 U.S. Attorneys upon assuming office. BUT SO DID GEORGE W. BUSH! They ALL do! It is a standard practice when a new president assumes office. So please! I'm sick of this broken Clinton record!

And I AM an independent voter. I've just been radicalized by the baffoon currently occupying the White House.
Reply to this comment
by toldyouso21 March 18, 2007 8:40 PM PDT
It's almost like the mountains of dead Americans mean nothing to Democrats, the millions of offshored jobs, the millions of alcohol addicted youth, the thousands of soldiers dead. All mean nothing to Democrats

Posted by SharnCedar at 07:53 PM : Mar 18, 2007

Try to begin to understand how politics work. In order to get the moderate Bush defectors on board to take over heavily weighted Republican districts--Democrats promised they would not impeach Bush, would not cut funding to troops, would not launch vendettas. So what can they do?

They tied their own hands just to get elected and now must renege and go into the 2008 campaigns as liars or....find other issues---to get the Republicans and Bush over a barrel and squeeze and squeeze until they give in on the war and other issues to save their political necks. The Republicans will r@pe and eat their own young if they sense Americans are about to throw more of them over and Bush has that little war crimes and lies about the war eating into is legacy. such awful stuff can even make a stubborn war President rethink his objectives.
Reply to this comment
by sshard March 18, 2007 8:57 PM PDT
When the Patriot Act was renewed, parts of the US Code (Title 28, Chapter 35, Section 546) were changed. These changes either amened or completed deleted sections to allow for the administration arbitrarily to appoint federal attorneys without any role of the district courts or the senate. Congress renewed the Patriot Act and these changes are law.

It is interesting Brett Tolman, who is now the federal attorney in Utah, played a major role in getting these changes into the Patriot Act. Nice reward for doing the work for the administration.
Reply to this comment
by macusweil March 18, 2007 10:40 PM PDT
eviscerate the government's ability to enforce the laws of the nation and you have a feeding frenzy of Republican corruption ..

just too bad the GOP (Tom Delay zealots and the like) who lost their "lasting" majority this past Nov 2006

the gluttonous orgy may have continued at tax payer expense unabated until our great country was insolvent and the US treasury in a completely ruinous state
Reply to this comment
by hisjag March 18, 2007 10:56 PM PDT
US Attorneys Not Fired Scandal


It seems to me that most people are missing the boat on this US Attorney firing %u2018scandal%u2019. Most folks seem to be concerned with what the fired 6-8 US Attorneys did or didn%u2019t do to earn the wrath of Rove and Gonzales. The real question is what the other 85 US Attorneys did to be considered %u2018good Bushies%u2019 by Rove and Gonzales. Was the abbreviate investigation of US Senator Menendez in NJ just before the 2006 election an example of a US Attorney being a %u2018good Bushie%u2019? Are there other examples?
Reply to this comment
by homespunlady March 18, 2007 11:05 PM PDT
At least now there's a bit more intelligent discourse than when the story broke and all there seemed to be was unfounded accusations that had little to no relevance. Thank you.

Unfortunately as this plays out it's beginning to look even more poorly on the current administration. I agree with 1 post that I too wonder what else is being hidden from the people by all the publicity on this subject. I know there was to be budget hearings, etc. Anyone hearing anything about them?
Reply to this comment
by homespunlady March 18, 2007 11:16 PM PDT
SharnCedar:
I'm confused. What do Democrats have to do with starting the war in Iraq, corporate malfeasance in shippping jobs overseas and the manufacture and sale of alcohol???
Most Corporate heads I know are for the other party which is currently in control of the White House, lied to start Iraq and has until the recent election had free reign over congress and probably to a large degree the Supreme Court???
The recent play to bring that control down to lower levels of the Justice Department may have just been the tipping point for a lot of people who previously cringed but tried to compromise thinking they were being civil.
Reply to this comment
by randalds March 19, 2007 12:40 AM PDT
RandalDS and all lib's

Were you this upset when Clinton fired attorneys???

If Clinton firing attorneys didn't upset you, then Bush firing attorneys shouldn't upset you either.

Why the double standard ???? Were you this upset when Clinton fired attorneys ???? Hmmmmm????

But then "double standard" is one of the definitions of Liberalism.

....


Posted by processor2 at 07:13 PM : Mar 18, 2007

If Clinton had fired US Attorneys mid-term and for no other reason then they wouldn't set up phony investigations of republicans and wouldn't stop investigating democrats who broke the law, then you're dam*m right I'd be outraged. He didn't. Bush fired these attorney's because they weren't "loyal Bushys" (to use the former assistant AG's words). They wouldn't make up cases against democrats that weren't there. They wouldn't back off from cases where republicans had broken the law (Like Duke Cunningham). In other words they were fired because they wouldn't violate the canon of ethics. They insisted on doing their jobs honestly and of course Rove couldn't allow that. And yes it something all Americans should be outraged about.
Reply to this comment
by bigdadpatrio March 19, 2007 12:40 AM PDT
The problem is with a double standard. Because of the relentless left-wing press, these things are made a bigger deal than they are worth. A perfect example is that, while Hillary Clinton and her law firm was found to have over 900 private files on prominent Republicans, she, nor any of her firm spent one day in jail, nor were even charged with a crime. YET, one of Nixon's cohorts spent more than 2 years in jail for having ONE of the private files on a prominent Democrat. The difference? NO relentless pursuit by the press to make a bigger deal than it was. This situation here is EXACTLY the same. We all know about the 93 lawyers Mr. Clinton replaced, and he even replaced one that was prosecuting the Whitewater scandal with one og his former law students, yet NOTHING was made of it by the liberal press. Typical double standard practiced by the Libs. Get over it and focus on something that is IMPORTANT, like current social problems.
Reply to this comment
by randalds March 19, 2007 1:02 AM PDT
Posted by BIGDADPATRIO at 12:40 AM : Mar 19, 2007

You just pull these lies right out of thin air don't you? Either there or right out of your as*s. Try not listening to Rush, Bill and Sean at FOX "News" for awhile and maybe, someday, your brain infection will pass.
Reply to this comment
by frankly6 March 19, 2007 2:52 AM PDT


Looks like Bush and Co. were trying to turn the Justice Department into the "Just Us" Department.

Reply to this comment
by w00lyb00g3r March 19, 2007 3:08 AM PDT
RandallDS, CLinton did fire all of the federal attorneys upon taking office, they were told to resign and they could re-apply for their job (none were rehired). He did this to get rid of the Republican appointed feds over the last 12 years. Know you facts, know your history, lest you end up looking like someone arguing for political reasons and not the truth.
Reply to this comment
by randalds March 19, 2007 3:19 AM PDT
RandallDS, CLinton did fire all of the federal attorneys upon taking office, they were told to resign and they could re-apply for their job (none were rehired). He did this to get rid of the Republican appointed feds over the last 12 years. Know you facts, know your history, lest you end up looking like someone arguing for political reasons and not the truth.
Posted by W00lyb00g3r at 03:08 AM : Mar 19, 2007

(sigh) How many times do I have to explain this? Yes, Clinton did fire all of the US Attorneys when he took office. As did Reagan. As did George H.W. Bush. As did George W. Bush. Cater. Johnson. Nixon. Kenndey. As has practically every president in our generation and in generations before us. NO ONE has ever fu*cking denied that! Will you PLEASE Pay attention! All presidents do that! Yes I agree that Clinton did and that all president do! Do you bother to ****king read the posts here at all?

What this Bush did however was to fire 8 US Attorneys mid-term (unprecedented except when the US Attorney committed a crime) because they would not whip up phony cases against Democrats and would not stop going after lawbreakers who happened to be republican. He fired them because they wanted to do thier jobs honestly and without favortism and that was the ONLY reason. That is wrong! Got it?
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by March 19, 2007 3:25 AM PDT
BIGDADPATRIO wrote:

"The problem is with a double standard. Because of the relentless left-wing press, these things are made a bigger deal than they are worth. A perfect example is that, while Hillary Clinton and her law firm was found to have over 900 private files on prominent Republicans, she, nor any of her firm spent one day in jail, nor were even charged with a crime."

Really? I'd really appreciate seeing the proof on that.

Perhaps you could post a link?

If you don't, I'll just have to assume that you're speaking out of your a*s.
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by bigdadpatrio March 19, 2007 3:27 AM PDT
RandalDS, You are a typical liberal dumb..s. When FACTS are thrown in your face your brain just shuts down, you get a glazed look in your eyes, you then repeat the liberal mantra....:BUSH is a *******, Bush is a liar, Bush is a crook, etc. etc. etc. You have proven once again, that you extreme leftists are incapable of accepting truth when confronted by FACTS. You make all liberals PROUD.......
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by randalds March 19, 2007 3:29 AM PDT
And you know what's so fu*cking ignorant about the right wing republican Bush as*slickers? In a few posts some idiot will type on their little computer keyboard something incredibly ignorant like "Yeah, but Clinton fired all of the US attorneys when he was president" again. Like it's some surprising new previously hidden news or something that anyone has been denying!

Once and for all! YES! Clinton did fire 92 of 93 US Attorneys when he took office! Reagan also fired all the US Attorney's when he took office! So did George H.W. Bush! So did George W. Bush! None of that means a dam*n thing so stop bringing it up! THEY ALL DO IT! Can you get that through your pea brains? THEY ALL DO IT!

the difference is that for the very first time it's ever happened, Bush fired 8 US Attorneys for the specific reason that they would not go after democrats that had committed no crimes and would not stop going after republicans who had. Got it? Is that stated plainly enough for you? If not get off the porch of your cabin or house trailer and go on down to the general Store, find someone with an IQ above 2 digits (not Bush, his is 91) and ask them to explain it to you.
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by bigdadpatrio March 19, 2007 3:30 AM PDT
mcdazz, have you been living under a rock? Or, is it that you are incapable of thinking back that far (8 to 10 years) and simply don't remember the events? Man, you extreme leftists are a joke...
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by randalds March 19, 2007 3:34 AM PDT
Posted by BIGDADPATRIO at 03:27 AM : Mar 19, 2007

And you sir are a lying moron who probably still thinks Rush was framed.

And by the way. Bush IS a dumbas*s. Bush IS a liar. And Bush IS a crook. The good news is that you're probably none of those things. The bad news is that you are, however, a moron who believes a dumbas*s lying crook.
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by bigdadpatrio March 19, 2007 3:35 AM PDT
I love ( sarcasm) talking with people who are so full of hate and love to use the F word (because their little minds can't talk without the venim and foul language). Again, I repeat, you can't stand the facts, and, if you honestly don't remember seeing/hearing about the FACTS I stated, then you HAVE been living under a rock...
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by randalds March 19, 2007 3:37 AM PDT
A perfect example is that, while Hillary Clinton and her law firm was found to have over 900 private files on prominent Republicans, she, nor any of her firm spent one day in jail, nor were even charged with a crime.

Posted by BIGDADPATRIO at 12:40 AM : Mar 19, 2007

This is what's know as a lie. It's a lie made up from whole cloth or a rumor someone told this idiot down at the feed store. It has as much credibility as his momma telling him that she and his daddy are not "really" cousins.
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by March 19, 2007 3:38 AM PDT
BIGDADPATRIO wrote:

"mcdazz, have you been living under a rock? Or, is it that you are incapable of thinking back that far (8 to 10 years) and simply don't remember the events? Man, you extreme leftists are a joke..."

Well, the problem with what you have stated, BIGDADPATRIO, is that you are wrong.

If you weren't so full of your right wing propaganda *****, then you'd actually be able to post up some facts instead of one tenth truth and nine tenths lies and propaganda.

But then, why let the truth stand in the way of right wing lies.

Oh, and you can't post a link to your claims can you.

That's because you know that what you have stated is WRONG.

lol - you are a tool.
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