"Inconvenient" U.S. Attorneys Fired?

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

(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."

[iraterepublc]

With all the coverage and commentaries about the firing of these US Justices we can all recognize just how political these firing were, but isn't this a smoke screen for the real need for a full investigation of the Bush administration's Iraqi Invasion justifications???
The Democrats have failing to move on the major priority, the responsibility we gave them when we voted them in during the 2006 election, - WE WANT A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S IRAQI INVASION JUSTIFICATIONS!

[iraterepublc]

With all the coverage and commentaries about the firing of these US Justices we can all recognize just how political these firing were, but isn't this a smoke screen for the real need for a full investigation of the Bush administration's Iraqi Invasion justifications???
The Democrats have failing to move on the major priority responsibility we gave them when we voted them in during the 2006 election - WE WON'T A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S IRAQI INVASION JUSTIFICATIONS!

[randalds]

I realize we can't spell-check our posts here, but capitalization and punctuation are critical for understanding your written message. You may have the most valid message on the board, but if your writing is a mess, most of us won't finish.

If you care enough to post, care enough to edit first.
Posted by changeit4 at 11:15 AM : Mar 19, 2007

Actually if you download the Google Toolbar it has a spell checker you can use in this dialog box. I remember to use it most of the time. Toe once in a while i still speel tings rong.

[rf35]

Did the administration actually think this would go unnoticed and unreported or are they, as some have suggested, using this as a distraction while they quietly pull off some even more disturbing scheme? Or could it simply be that Bush & Co. figure there is nothing anyone can do about it so why be sneaky?

"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."

Yep...executive privilege. Keep the good ol' boys out of the fire.

[abbe7]

Scott4261,

You couldn't be more right ...
But I would insist on the "patriot" act issue.
This is just an example of what this thing can be used for. Bush apologists present it as something benign. I would rather compare it to the enabling act which gave power to Hitler. And what is 911 if not a new Reichtag fire ?

[abbe7]

Scott4261,

You couldn't be more right ...
But I would insist on the "patriot" act issue.
This is just an example of what this thing can be used for. Bush apologists present it as something benign. I would rather compare it to the enabling act which gave power to Hitler. And what is 911 if not a new Reichtag fire ?

[last121868]

BIGDADPATRIO:
No venom or hate here, I'm just still waiting on your link...........

[changeit4]

Can I make a suggestion?

I realize we can't spell-check our posts here, but capitalization and punctuation are critical for understanding your written message. You may have the most valid message on the board, but if your writing is a mess, most of us won't finish.

If you care enough to post, care enough to edit first.

[huskerarmy]

antoniof123 - I really feel that the Bushies don't care what Bush does - he tells them what they want to hear and they aren't bright enough to want to know any different -

So you're saying that if the Bush administration said ridiculous things like, "Iraq was responsible for 9-11, Iraq was producing WMD's, Mission accomplished, the insurgency is in it's last throws, This administration had nothing to do with outing Valerie Plame, Harriet Miers was most qualified for the Supreme court, Excellent job Brownie, Firing of U.S. Attorneys was not political, etc." they would believe it? Let's get real. They can't be that stupid...

[huskerarmy]

"By the way, I am almost 60 and have been around long enough to remember when political discussions were not so full of venim and hate and unfounded accusations derived from the hate. I do miss those times."
Bigdadpatrio, I'm around your same age and I remember when the "political discussion" resorted to violence in the streets, the Kent State massacre and dogs attacking civil rights workers in the "solid" (Republican) south. I imagine in fact that today political discussion, held exclusively among those who are faithful to orthodoxy, remain quite civil.

[nyckate]

antoniof123 - I really feel that the Bushies don't care what Bush does - he tells them what they want to hear and they aren't bright enough to want to know any different - they like having someone take all power away from them - it let's them feel at ease for accepting none of their responsibility as an American - they're really much more like helpless angry children than any of us ever wanted to believe.

[nyckate]

Inconvenient?? Try illegal - if Bush fired these prosecutors because or as they were investing his cronies and political allies than that IS illegal. It is illegal for ANYONE including President of US to impede a federal criminal investigation.

[forthepeaple]

why dont you all in the media that say we are here to help americans find out the truth about the whitehouse and bush,rumsfeld,and vp *** cheney, why wont you just say the truth to us stupid americans out here in america. because thats what the whitehouse kiss *** press secrutary thinks all i see comming out of his mouth is trash,lies on top of lies. i really hope he sleeps good knowing that he to is responsable for all the murders of our troops..so getting back to what i was saying, how about haveing a big round table section and let me ask all congress and the press secretary god i hate him. some simple questions that all america wants to know....and yes they will not know what i would ask. and all this would be on tv radio,newspapers,showing all america what they think and while i am here why haven;t any news media put this story in the faces of all ameica and americans than why hasn't the media been all over this with all of washington..go to .. www.scoop.co.nz and look under search for pentagon whistle-blower on iraq/iran.. after reading the 9 pages tell me why we americans shouln't have been told about this sooner,, why why why. IN WASHINGTON WILL NOT LIKE WHAT WE AMERICANS THINK AND WILL DO,THATS WHY AMERICANS ARE GOING TO VOTE IN A NEW GOVERNMENT CALLED AMERICANS FOR AMERICA AND OUR COLORS ARE RED WHITE AND BLUE. SO VOTE FOR HIM DAVID A BELANGER FOR PRESIDENT AND CHANGE WILL BE DONE.SEND A NOTE AT [e-mail]

[scott4261]

OK, numbskulls, ONE MORE TIME!..... 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.

[antoniof123]

Where do some of you get your information from. My god what is wrong with you people. Do you not relize the danger of having the DOJ falling under the influence of one group this is not an issue between Dems and Reps. It is an issure of freedom and justice. If that fails then we truly have become nazi Germany and all hope is lost. For those of you who defend this action you need to go back to school I believe it was 4th grade. this tells me that you did not complete 3rd grade and my step son who was born in another country knows more then you fools. Freedom is not free and it goes beyound party lines.

BIGDADPATRIO wrote:

"By the way, I am almost 60 and have been around long enough to remember when political discussions were not so full of venim and hate and unfounded accusations derived from the hate. I do miss those times."

I wouldn't say there's a lot of venom and hate - I'd put it down to "this is the internet where everyone is an expert and wants to push across their opinion, no matter how forcefully".

At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Of course, it should also be pointed out that everyone is entitled to a certain amount of respect, and I would just like to take this opportunity to apologise for the name calling.

BIGDADPATRIO wrote:

"I actually appreciate your question as I can only say that it was on every major news network at the time. If my memory serves me correctly, it might have had something to do with the Whitewater investigation.....honestly, I am not 100% sure. The only thing that I'm 100% sure about is that those were the allegations that were made at the time, with as much "proof" offered as the "proof" that "Bush is a liar, Bush is a Nazi, Bush is Hitler", etc. etc. etc..."

Well, I thank you for your truthful response.

As I said earlier, your claim was at least partially based in truth, however, it wasn't actually accurate and was a bit of an exaggeration (to say the least).

My recollection is that they weren't actually collecting files, however, one of Hillary's employees was reported to have looked at the FBI files of approximately 400 republicans.

There was an investigation, Hillary was interviewed, found to have nothing to do with it, it made the papers and that was pretty much it.

While it wasn't illegal, it was certainly an invasion of privacy of those individuals and in my opinion, wrong.

Whether or not Hillary was involved, I have no idea, but it doesn't seem likely.

And I can say that with all honesty, because, quite frankly, I hate the Clintons - only marginally less than I hate GW Bush and the rest of the Bush family.

[bigdadpatrio]

By the way, I am almost 60 and have been around long enough to remember when political discussions were not so full of venim and hate and unfounded accusations derived from the hate. I do miss those times.

[bigdadpatrio]

I actually appreciate your question as I can only say that it was on every major news network at the time. If my memory serves me correctly, it might have had something to do with the Whitewater investigation.....honestly, I am not 100% sure. The only thing that I'm 100% sure about is that those were the allegations that were made at the time, with as much "proof" offered as the "proof" that "Bush is a liar, Bush is a Nazi, Bush is Hitler", etc. etc. etc. I really wish that I knew how to surf the net better so I could have given you the "proof" that was offered at the time that you seek. I can tell you that I don't listen to Rush or Fox so I KNOW the information was nOT from them!

BIGDADPATRIO wrote:

"OOOOH, OOOOH, am I allowed to say "Goodnight" to you, too? I hope so......"Good night" and I hope you wake up with less hate tomorrow!"

How old are you?

Oh, and where is your proof?

You can't find any, can you. :-)

So, seeing as you can't prove your claims, at least tell me where you heard them from.

Rush? Fox? Or some other rednecked/right wing/republican propagandist show?