The U.S. Attorney, the G.O.P. Congressman and the Timely Job Offer (Yang and Lewis)

[maddezmom]

The U.S. Attorney, the G.O.P. Congressman and the Timely Job Offer
By ADAM COHEN
Published: May 4, 2007

There is yet another United States attorney whose abrupt departure from office is raising questions: Debra Wong Yang of Los Angeles. Ms. Yang was not fired, as eight other prosecutors were, but she resigned under circumstances that raise serious questions, starting with whether she was pushed out to disrupt her investigation of one of the most powerful Republicans in Congress.

If the United States attorney scandal has made one thing clear, it is that the riskiest job in the Bush administration is being a prosecutor investigating a Republican member of Congress. Carol Lam, the United States attorney in San Diego, was fired after she put Randy Cunningham, known as Duke, in prison. Paul Charlton, in Arizona, was dismissed while he was investigating Rick Renzi. Dan Bogden, in Nevada, was fired while he was reportedly investigating Jim Gibbons, a congressman who was elected governor last year.

Ms. Yang was investigating Jerry Lewis, who was chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Ms. Lam and most of the other purged prosecutors were fired on Dec. 7. Ms. Yang, in a fortuitously timed exit, resigned in mid-October.

Ms. Yang says she left for personal reasons, but there is growing evidence that the White House was intent on removing her. Kyle Sampson, the Justice Department staff member in charge of the firings, told investigators last month in still-secret testimony that Harriet Miers, the White House counsel at the time, had asked him more than once about Ms. Yang. He testified, according to Congressional sources, that as late as mid-September, Ms. Miers wanted to know whether Ms. Yang could be made to resign. Mr. Sampson reportedly recalled that Ms. Miers was focused on just two United States attorneys: Ms. Yang and Bud Cummins, the Arkansas prosecutor who was later fired to make room for Tim Griffin, a Republican political operative and Karl Rove protégé.

more:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/04/opinion/04fri4.html?ex=1335931200&en=9697872f8b81f953&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

[maddezmom]

1. Did former White House Counsel force US Attorney to resign? RAW STORY

Did former White House Counsel force US Attorney to resign? RAW STORY
Published: Friday May 4, 2007


Closed-door testimony reveals former White House Counsel Harriet Miers discussed firing a US Attorney who was investigating Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., last fall and may have forced her resignation, reports a New York Times editorial observer column.

US Attorney Debra Yang resigned in October to take a $1.5 million job offer from Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher LLP, a well-connected Republican firm that is defending Lewis in the investigation. Yang insisted the timing was coincidental and she accepted the job after months of looking for a more lucrative private sector post because she is a single mother, according to The Hill.

Yang resigned just before the Justice Department fired eight US Attorneys, several of whom were leading investigations of high-profile Republicans. Congress is investigating whether the attorneys were fired for strictly political reasons, and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has been plagued by calls for his resignation over the scandal.

more:http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Did_WH_Counsel_force_US_Attorney_0504.html

[musiclawyer]

2. This is very important--that it's in the NY Times

This would have been considered conspiracy theory material six months ago. Totally a mainsteam issue now.