Bush signed into a law a measure preventing the Justice Department........

[rodeodance]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070614/fired-prosecutors/
Probe Looks at Gonzales' Talk With Aide



LARA JAKES JORDAN | June 14, 2007 08:12 PM EST | AP

WASHINGTON — A Justice Department investigation into the firings of U.S. attorneys is looking at whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales inappropriately discussed the ousters in a meeting his former White House liaison called "uncomfortable."

The two Justice officials leading the probe confirmed, in a letter released Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee, that they were examining the March meeting between Gonzales and former aide Monica M. Goodling.

"This is to confirm that the scope of our investigation does include this matter," Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine and Office of Professional Responsibility counsel H. Marshall Jarrett wrote in the short letter, dated Wednesday.

The inquiry's expanded focus was revealed as President Bush signed into a law a measure preventing the Justice Department from installing U.S. attorneys without Senate or judicial review. The law fixes a tweak to the USA Patriot Act that the Justice Department made last year, which touched off the firestorm over the prosecutors.

[rodeodance]

1. Gonzales bypasses Senate, appoints interim U.S. attorney.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/14/gonzales-bypasses-senate-appoints-interim-us-attorney
Gonzales bypasses Senate, appoints interim U.S. attorney.

This morning, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) “revealed that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales once again used an interim appointment authority at the heart of the US Attorneys controversy that Congress banned in a bill sent to the President for signature on June 4.” In a statement to Raw Story, Leahy’s spokeswoman explained what happened:

“It just so happens the committee got notice yesterday, that on June 16, George Cardona’s 210 days as Acting U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California will have run out and the Attorney General will appoint him as an interim U.S. Attorney at that time. (i.e. still using the end-run authority because Bush has slow-walked signing the bill).”

Cardona replaced former U.S. attorney Debra Wong Yang, who at one point had been named for firing by Harriet Miers before resigning to join a corporate law firm. June 14, 2007 3:40 pm | Comment (53)

[ebayfool]

4. I hope Leahy & crew is taking a real close look at Cardona ...

"Cardona replaced former U.S. attorney Debra Wong Yang, who at one point had been named for firing by Harriet Miers before resigning to join a corporate law firm."

Well, Cardona must be a guy that's performing a VERY valuable service for them - a valuable service that is worth risking serious blowback by making such a flagrant move. It would be interesting to know what he's doing for them to make it worthwhile for the 'risk'. Making yet another interim appointment, while it's authority is under the microscope, has to have some tangible reward for the wh.

What could he be doing, what case is he coordinating w/them on, who is he helping or targeting - to be of such a benefit for Gonzo & *ush?

[loudsue]

5. The service he is providing is to STOP further investigation of those

who are in trouble relating to the Duke Cunningham scandal, because it reaches right back to the white house.

In my opinion, this PROVES that the justice dept, and Gonzo, in particular, are "politicizing" the justice department, by preventing investigations that are politically unpleasant for the republicans.

:kick:

[Hubert Flottz]

2. GoneZo is above the law.

Like his outlaw bosses.

[Robbien]

3. they are calling putting DoJ under complete control of the AG a tweak?

No oversight of DoJ USA appointments is called a tweak by the AP?



The AP is blind and stupid.