Obama Promotes Prosecutor Mistreated By Bush DOJ For Wife's Dem Ties

[kpete]

Source: Talking Points Memo

A career prosecutor whose promotion to Main Justice was quashed by Monica Goodling during the Bush years has been nominated to be a U.S. Attorney, in President Obama's latest reversal of a politicized decision of the Bush Justice Department.

William Hochul, who has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York for nearly 20 years, was nominated to be a U.S. Attorney last week after a recommendation from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Hochul was poised to be appointed to a top counterterrorism detail in 2006 when Goodling, the DOJ's White House liaison, intervened because Hochul's wife was active in Democratic politics.

An internal DOJ investigation of Goodling reported in 2008 that "notwithstanding the candidate's outstanding qualifications," she "refused to allow the candidate to be detailed to solely on the basis of his wife's political party affiliation."

Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/obama_taps_dojer_william_hochul_who_was_passed_ove.php?ref=fpb

[derby378]

1. That's good - now prosecute Goodling, already

:mad:

[cascadiance]

2. And fire the prosecutor of Don Siegelman, and free Siegelman and support his appeal.

NOW! Should have happened months ago when the Justice Department freed Ted Stevens, who arguably was guilty of crimes in his case.

[lsewpershad]

3. Totally agree

Can't understand this administration's position on Seigelman.

[avaistheone1]

6. Definitely. That needs to be a top priority.

[midnight]

7. yes.

[WinterParkDonkey]

13. What's going on with the Siegelman case???

Sorry, but there has been a lot going on in my personal life during the last year....do you know the latest..this poor guy was literally pushed out of office.

[No Elephants]

4. Didn't she get immunity?

[derby378]

9. I'm afraid you're right...

Looks like that limited immunity she was given turned into full-fledged immunity. Damn.

[bluestateguy]

5. Gee

The gratitude toward President Obama on this thread is overwhelming.

:sarcasm:

[cascadiance]

8. Yes, he also rehired Dan Bogden as U.S. Attorney in Nevada too...

And I'm sure there will be some here that will characterize this as "correcting" the wrongs of the firings of Bush.

From some inside info I have from that office Dan Bogden was a big Bush/Cheney/Ashcroft guy. He was probably just fired from the sounds of it to create a spot for Kyle Sampson, who at the time wanted one of these spots, even though this ultimately didn't happen. Sounds like some of the folks there had wanted Obama to appoint a Democrat this time around instead of Bogden.

I'm guessing along with others that this appointment was to "help" Harry Reid in next election and perhaps to deflect legal scrutiny of Ensign, etc. too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Good. Now free Siegelman.

[LiberalLovinLug]

11. Glory be - our messiah has arrived!

Who cares about outing CIA operatives, or illegal spying, or torture, or lying a nation into war causing unnecessary death and misery to millions......Hochul is re-nominated to a position he should have had all along!!!

Yeah!

well as long as the GOP doesn't raise too much of a stink on FAUX News.:scared:

[clear eye]

12. Right after he let the Dawn Johnsen nomination swing in the wind.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7336224

Coincidence?

[Cha]

14. Good for the White House!