DOJ Fires Official Who Refused To Testify In Congress

[babylonsister]

DOJ Official Fired in Wake of ABC News Investigation
Official Had Refused to Testify at Congressional Hearing Last Week
By ANNA SCHECTER and MURRAY WAAS
June 25, 2008


A Department of Justice official was fired yesterday after refusing to testify at a Congressional hearing regarding whether or not her office awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in grants based on political favoritism and personal connections.

Michele DeKonty, Chief of Staff for the DOJ's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Administrator, cited the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, and declined to appear at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing last week.

DeKonty's departure also comes on the heels of a Justice Department probe into alleged irregular contracting practices within its own ranks according to a federal law enforcement official close to the investigation.

Questions about the agency's awarding of grants were raised earlier this month by ABC News on Nightline. (Go to link to watch report)

OJJDP staff members were notified of DeKonty's departure this morning in an email from the office's administrator, J. Robert Flores, who is also under investigation by the DOJ's Inspector General. That investigation probes Flores' hiring of a Honduran Colonel as a contractor on faith-based issues and his alleged golfing during conferences on taxpayer-funded business trips, according to a staff member who was contacted by the OIG.

more...

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5245645&page=1

[Ian David]

1. The entire Bush Administration may have to take a vow of silence. n/t

[Robbien]

2. Other GOPers weren't fired for refusing to answer questions

concerning their illegal acts.

This one must not be as good a loyal Bushie as the rest of the DoJ's pool of loyal Bushies.

[Zodiak]

3. Is that the young red-headed woman?

She looked like the "D"-girl from the Sopranos.

Probably the lowest on the totem pole and hung out to dry as a patsy.

[WhiteTara]

4. I'm thinking CYA for Flores

you know, "we fired the bad apple"

[Triana]

5. She's a sacrificial lamb at the altar of Repig hypocrisy and CYA

They're going after HER but not Miers and Rove, Tricky Dick II and Rummy - and bu$hit and the rest of that criminal, lawless, murdering, torturous regime?

Pfft!

bu$hit!

[Stinky The Clown]

6. That's two DoJ Bushies now who have taken the fifth.

DoJ officials taking the Fifth. Absolutely Disgusting.

Why aren't we impeaching? Don't tell me this isn't Bush's fault. He LET IT HAPPEN ..... ON HIS WATCH.

[crickets]

8. You got it.

Employees of the DOJ taking the fifth. It's BAD...but we knew that.

Why aren't we impeaching?

Because apparently almost EVERYBODY other than Kucinich and Barney the White House dog is dirty beyond belief.

[librechik]

7. uhoh--so now it's going to be REALLY to get her to talk

since her own bosses can no longer investigate her at DOJ (no longer an employee, so don't have jurisdiction) we now have to wait for some kind of court case to find out her info. This is going to take a long long time. (cleaning up the dirty politics at the DOJ)

They've done this before to put an end to investigations. They never miss a trick. (not saying she shouldn't have been fired, it's just frustrating to see these people endlessly get away with shit)

[SalmonChantedEvening]

9. Dear Expendable Underling:

Your blind loyalty is truly appreciated, but it's time to cut our losses, and you are one of them.

Regards
BFEE