Feds probe whether Reserve duty cost U.S. attorney's job

[maddezmom]

Source: CNN

Feds probe whether Reserve duty cost U.S. attorney's job
POSTED: 1:49 a.m. EDT, April 5, 2007

Story Highlights• Ex-U.S. attorney says watchdog agency probing whether his firing violated law
• Lawyer for Justice official who pleaded Fifth lashes out at lawmakers
• Judiciary Committee member: Consider offering official immunity for testimony
• Eight U.S. attorneys were fired in controversial round of dismissals

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal watchdog agency is investigating whether one of the U.S. attorneys fired in a Justice Department shakeup was punished for missing work to serve in the Navy Reserve, the ex-prosecutor said Wednesday.

David Iglesias, who was the U.S. attorney for New Mexico until February, told CNN that an official in the Office of Special Counsel approached him shortly before his testimony to Congress about the firings in early March.

Among other duties, the office is charged with protecting the job rights of National Guard and Reserve members, some of whom are called away from employers for long periods of time.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/04/fired.attorneys/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[truthisfreedom]

1. Sounds like a distraction to me.

Carol Lam. NEVER FORGET.

[tanyev]

2. That Bush gang sure knows how to support the troops.

:sarcasm:

[struggle4progress]

3. Ex-prosecutor talks to special counsel (AP)

/5/2007, 8:14 p.m. EDT
By JENNIFER TALHELM
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — ~snip~

The special counsel's staff also is examining possible violations of laws designed to protect whistleblowers and prohibit political activity by government employees, Iglesias said in an interview this week.

Iglesias said he has authorized an investigation, but there are no formal charges pending. The process is in its very early stages, he said, adding: "It's too early to tell whether will result in a legal claim." ~snip~

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/politics/index.ssf?/base/politics-12/1175818741117700.xml&storylist=washington

[cascagraphic]

4. kick