LEAHY: "Again, This WH Puts Itself Above The Law" & 'Evidence Points To Rove' [View All]

[kpete]

SEN. LEAHY OPENING: Three months ago when AG Goznales last appeared before thsi committee, I said that the DOJ was experiencing a crisis of leadership perhaps unrivaled in its history. That crisis continues. The AG has lost confidence of the American public — the DOJ must be restoreed to be worthy of tis name. It should not be reduced to being a political arm of the WH — it was never intended to be that. With the department shrouded in scandal, the DAG has announced his resignation, others have asked that their names be withdrawn rather than face a confirmation hearing. The DOJ’s chief of staff, WH liaison and others have resigned. I joke that the last one out should turn out the lights. This WH values loyalty over judgment, secrecy over openness and ideology over competence. Political considerations factored into the firing of at least nine USAttys. The list was compiled by high ranks within the WH — whether federal prosecutors were doing enough to file partisan voter fraud cases in strategic locations. The question remaining is who made the decision to fire these prosecutors. We know from testimony that the President was not involved. The evidence we have been able to collect points to Karl Rove and political operatives in the WH — the stonewalling continues to our desire to get to the truth. What is the WH so desperate to hide? This WH has ordered former officials not to appear, including Harriet Miers — the WH is asserting its claims of privilege — further than have ever been asserted in our nation’s history — and that neither Congress nor the courts can review it. Again, this WH puts itself above the law.

http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/07/24/alberto-gonzales-testimony-part-i-2/#comments