Judiciary Will Hold Hearing on Flanigan’s Ties to Abramoff

[RSchewe]

Roll Call via The Stakeholder:

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Oct. 18 to explore the ties between Timothy Flanigan, President Bush’s pick for the No. 2 spot at the Justice Department, and former GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was indicted recently on federal mail and wire fraud charges. Abramoff is also under federal investigation over his business dealings with American Indian tribes.

At a Sept. 29 hearing of the Judiciary Committee, Flanigan, now a top executive for manufacturing conglomerate Tyco International Ltd., declined to answer questions from Senate Democrats over Abramoff’s work on behalf of Tyco, citing attorney-client privilege,

Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Patrick Leahy (Vt.), also raised questions about Flanigan’s role in crafting the Bush administration’s interrogation policies for detainees while serving as in the White House counsel’s office, as well as Flanigan’s lack of prosecutorial experience, although the Abramoff-Tyco relationship was their most serious concern. Leahy and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) pressed Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) for a second hearing on Flanigan, and Specter, who expressed some reservations about Flanigan himself, has agreed to that request.

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