Hide and Seek With the Justice Department = "on Michael Mukasey’s debut"

[L. Coyote]

Hide and Seek With the Justice Department
Scott Horton - Feb 2, 2008 - http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002301


Judgments are in on Michael Mukasey’s debut before the Senate Judiciary Committee as attorney general—from the senators, their staffers, the media and the public. Mukasey did not get a passing grade, though he outperformed his two predecessors. He arrived in Washington with a promise of a new more open and correct relationship with Congress, and a restoration of ethical standards and morale at the Department. He has made some important adjustments which should not be dismissed—for instance, removing a number of figures from the Civil Rights Division who had been caught red-handed in political skullduggery, restoring the traditional barriers that impeded White House manipulation of the criminal justice process, and giving a couple of important speeches on policy points that redefined the Department’s mission somewhat, moving it slowly back towards its old moorings.

“Fredo” Gonzales was an enormous embarrassment to the institution and the nation. Two attorney generals were convicted of felonies, and Fredo has not been indicted yet, so he may avoid the judgment of being the worst attorney general in U.S. history. But he will in any event feature as a lead contender for that honor. Gonzales appeared before Congress repeatedly, always looking uncomfortable, rarely able to articulate candid or even coherent responses. Gonzales is a living demonstration of the Bush hackocracy, a person installed solely because of his political predictability and fidelity, and far below the minimum competence levels that the post of attorney general commands.

Bad as Mukasey’s own performance was, he looked very good when compared with Gonzales. But Mukasey’s shortcomings were of an entirely different nature. He is plainly not a person whose abilities are ......

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"Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice " = http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=3069
Senate Judiciary Committee - Full Committee - January 30, 2008

View a webcast of this hearing = http://judiciary.senate.gov/webcast/judiciary01302008-1000.ram

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Statement of The Honorable Patrick Leahy
http://judiciary.senate.gov/member_statement.cfm?id=3069&wit_id=2629

[L. Coyote]

1. Full Committee HOUSE Oversight Hearing of the DoJ = Thur Feb 7 10am

http://judiciary.house.gov/oversight.aspx?ID=407
Thursday 02/07/2008 - 10:00 AM
2141 Rayburn House Office Building
Full Committee Oversight Hearing of the Department of Justice
By Direction of the Chairman

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For Immediate Release - 1/31/2008
Conyers Wants Answers at February Hearing, Not Hedging
For Immediate Release Contact: Jonathan Godfrey
Jan 31, 2008 - Melanie Roussell

(Washington, DC) - Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. sent Attorney General Michael Mukasey five important areas of questions he should answer in advance of his February 7th testimony before the committee. Specifically, Conyers sought answers to questions about the politicization of the Department of Justice, waterboarding, the destruction of CIA tapes, and vote suppression. Conyers also included suggestions submitted by progressive bloggers, which he requested earlier this week. Click on the link below to view the letter.


Conyers Letter to Mukasey = PDF http://judiciary.house.gov/Media/PDFS/Conyers080131.pdf

[L. Coyote]

2. visibility kick

[ThomWV]

3. C-Span III will carry it live, on line

I suppose it will either be replayed later tomorrow evening or this weekend but you will be able to retrieve it and watch it from the C-Span site within a short time of it ending.