Whitehouse bill to stop interference at DOJ wins approval

[Klukie]

Source: The Providence Journal

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, September 21, 2007


A bill authored by Rhode Island’s freshman U.S. senator to safeguard against political interference at the U.S. Department of Justice was approved by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a former U.S. Attorney, drafted the bill in response to the controversial leadership of U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. The attorney general abruptly announced his resignation last month, effective last Monday, after heavy scrutiny into his role at the Justice Department on several issues including the dismissal of nine U.S. Attorneys last winter.

The bill deals with the rules governing the communication between the White House and the Justice Department. Under the Clinton administration, seven people at the White House and Justice Department were permitted to initiate discussions of ongoing cases or investigations. That included the president, vice president and the attorney general.

Read more: http://www.projo.com/news/content/whitehouse_bill_09-21-07_HM775AQ.33965de.html

[Warpy]

1. Whitehouse, not White House

Thanks, poor vision had me going for a minute.

My most fervent hope about the attorney dismissal scandal is that it will rid my state of both Domenici (R-fossil) and Wilson (R-COW), both listed on the CREW list of most corrupt Congressmen.

It will be pleasant to see the next GOP president hamstrung when it comes to stacking Justice with corrupt cronies.

[rox63]

2. What makes you believe that the next president will be GOP?

Just curious. :shrug:

[Warpy]

3. What made you read "the next GOP president" THAT WAY?

The GOP will undoubtedly have another presidency. My fervent hope is that it won't happen until I am dead of extreme old age.

[niceypoo]

5. Dyslexia runs rampant today!

[woodsprite]

4. I misread it too, and almost had a heart attack at my desk. n/t

[FloridaJudy]

9. As did I. I thought I'd woken up in an alternate Universe. n/t

[spotbird]

6. This isn't law yet

don't' count your chickens. This scandal happened with the tacit support of congress, they won't be quick to change anything. Then there is a veto.

[cascadiance]

7. or even a "signing statement"...

if we have the votes to overturn a veto. IMPEACHMENT IS THE ONLY ANSWER!

[Pawel K]

8. Wilson especially

We were so close last year with Madrid, I just can't see Wilson surviving next year after all this.