Conyers Seeks Confirmation That Justice Dept. Is Limiting White House Interference
Conyers Seeks Confirmation That Justice Dept. Is Limiting White House Interference
In 1993, then-Attorney General Janet Reno instituted a policy that limited the number of people at the DoJ and the White House who could communicate with each other about pending investigations and cases. Only three people at the Justice Department and four people in the White House — the President, the Vice President, the White House Counsel, and the Deputy White House Counsel — were given such authority. The arrangement was intended to restrict political interference in the administration of justice.
The Bush administration, however, significantly expanded the number of potential contacts after taking office:
In 2002, Attorney General Ashcroft authorized at least 42 people at the Department to have initial communications with more than 400 people at the White House regarding pending Department investigations and cases. In 2006, Attorney General Gonzales changed the policy yet again to authorize almost 900 people in the White House to have such communications with at least 42 Department officials.
After raising concerns about the expansion during former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ congressional testimony in the U.S. attorneys scandal, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced a bill to limit communications between the White House and the Justice Department, which the Senate Judiciary Committee approved last week.
In an editorial titled “Depoliticizing Justice,” the Washington Post reported last week that the Department is “changing the policy” on its own volition. News of the change came as a surprise to members of the House Judiciary Committee, who wrote a letter to Acting Attorney General Peter Keisler today, asking him to “confirm and explain the policy change”:
While we welcome the news that the Department intends to change this internal policy, we were surprised to learn of it through a newspaper editorial rather than through notice to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. [...]
We ask that you confirm and explain the policy change regarding contacts between Department and White House employees, including providing copies of documents reflecting the change and notice of precisely when the change will take effect and how it will be communicated to Department and White House personnel.
Read the full letter here.
Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey has reportedly “assured” Senate Democrats “that he would limit contacts between the Justice Department and the White House to halt any political meddling with ongoing investigations.”
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why is he surprised?
October 5th, 2007 at 6:24 pmWe cannot take anymore ‘assurances’ from anybody even remotely connected to the White House. I wouldn’t even trust the gardener.
Please Dems in Congress, stop getting pushed around.
October 5th, 2007 at 6:24 pmI am sure they will get right one it, after they turn in all those emails, and the documentation about the AG firings.
October 5th, 2007 at 6:29 pmBut, But, Clinton didn’t do it!
October 5th, 2007 at 6:32 pmConyers Seeks Confirmation That Justice Dept. Is Limiting White House Interference
And people in hell want ice water.
And just like them the Scaredy-crats wont be getting a damned thing from the POTUS or his Repuppetcan flock.
What was Nov ‘06 for?
RIP
October 5th, 2007 at 6:33 pmSGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
Memo to Congress: Don’t cave into the White House blackmail.
The White House manipulation is like a growth under the armpits that won’t go away.
October 5th, 2007 at 6:38 pmWhite House to Conyers “we won’t influence the DOJ” as fingers are crossed behind back.
October 5th, 2007 at 6:41 pmAbsolute Power Corrupts Absolutely. Prima facie evidence. What baffles me is how impotent Conyers has become after his “downing street memo” and “impeachable offenses hearings” last year! Wow! This guy is a shadow of his former self.
October 5th, 2007 at 6:42 pmI think the election of ‘06 was the final dupe of the people. It will be the beginning of the end of our two party system; the beginning of the end of people having a voice in their democracy. The democrats put the last nail in the coffin. Like #5 said: RIP Democracy!
October 5th, 2007 at 6:43 pmI’m beginning to believe that these democrats in Congress are simply Repukes Light. That goes for most of the candidates as well.
October 5th, 2007 at 6:44 pm#9 We have a two party system ?
October 5th, 2007 at 6:49 pmThey have limited their contact to 899 instead of 900. That’s progress!
October 5th, 2007 at 6:51 pmConyers is a great American. Dedicated to bringing BUSH and the republican system down. And his good constituents keep electing him. He is for The People, his and all others. I can’t inagine all the pressure of being his age and keeping up the fight. We just need to respect his accomplishments as a black man in white society doing for ALL. Great Guy!
October 5th, 2007 at 6:59 pmA Constitutional Crisis … nice “book” Mr. Conyers. But what do they have on you sir? Did they blackmail you, too. You could up the ante for DEMOCRACY’S sake and press for impeachment day in and day out. But you do not. Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy? And you wonder why your bunch is at 11%!
October 5th, 2007 at 7:03 pm“We ask that you confirm and explain the policy change …”
here, john, try this:
“We DEMAND that you confirm and explain the policy change… ”
.
QUIT BEING SO DAMNED NICE. THOSE DAYS ARE GONE!
October 5th, 2007 at 7:09 pm.
Mukasey said he would limit contacts…..are you kidding me, John?? You KNOW they don’t give a rip about the law or anything you are doing. They’ll do as they damn well please and trample all over you like a little bug.
They did it already when they cut out your tongue while you were proceeding with the “Downing Street Memo” and other impeachment proceedings….blackmail?? It’s got to be.
Conyers has become a broken old man overnight. This is a sad waste of the taxpayers money and the time of Congress. Conyers is OVER!
October 5th, 2007 at 7:10 pmConyers is OVER!
Comment by Veritas — October 5, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
The PollLoser sucking Democrats are over too!!! Screw Hillarious and rest of the clowns in the Senate!!!
Go Kucinich!!!
October 5th, 2007 at 7:14 pmJohn Conyers is, in my opinion, a decent, honest man and I would vote for him however many times it takes. But, I wonder what can such a person do to challenge an administration that, although claiming to be Chistian, is actually beyond Heaven and Hell? However, do we blame Conyers, or, the actual culprits?
October 5th, 2007 at 8:25 pmI’ve been saying for quite some time now. The Democrats are not who we thought they were. At the end of the day, they all work for the same bosses, have intersecting bloodlines, are a part of American Royalty.
October 5th, 2007 at 9:00 pmWow – Reno (that is Clinton Administration) limited communications between the WH and DOJ.
So when it comes to increased WH interference in DOJ, it actually precludes blaming it on Clinton ?
October 5th, 2007 at 9:32 pmYou have to be kidding me: “Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey has reportedly “assured†Senate Democrats “that he would limit contacts between the Justice Department and the White House to halt any political meddling with ongoing investigations.â€
Folks worms don’t grow rigid spines and that’s what the dems are.Spineless except for Sen.Feingold.Let’s wait for their next excuse it’s not good for the country BS.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:47 pmIt shows you what a mensch Prez.lincoln was.
Veritas makes a good point about Conyers becoming a shadow of his former self.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:50 pmHe was full of energy when the Dems were not in charge — now that they are, he seems to be subdued. He must have been told by the leaders to keep a lower profile.
I am quickly losing any confidence I had that the Democrats would begin pulling out of this Bush Bull Shit – philosophically, the Dems are much more near to my own thinking than any Repugnican, but after six months, I don’t see any of the courage they had in 2006; I see complacency, acquiescence and stalling until the next presidential election, regardless of the damage that continues to be done to the nation, the defilement of the Constitution and the increasing number of dead soldiers.
But it was Bill Clintons fault…just like everything else…like the black plague and Pearl Harbor and the Spanish inquisition…………oh yeah…and the last Ice Age as well
October 6th, 2007 at 12:11 amTruth and this fascist regime have never even shaken hands.
October 6th, 2007 at 4:03 amthink the election of ‘06 was the final dupe of the people. It will be the beginning of the end of our two party system; the beginning of the end of people having a voice in their democracy. The democrats put the last nail in the coffin. Like #5 said: RIP Democracy!
Comment by Veritas — October 5, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
As always, Veritas you’re telling the truth. But how long will this truth last? Neither you nor I know, really. It depends on what we do from now on.
October 6th, 2007 at 5:00 amI think the election of ‘06 was the final dupe of the people. It will be the beginning of the end of our two party system; the beginning of the end of people having a voice in their democracy. The democrats put the last nail in the coffin. Like #5 said: RIP Democracy!
Comment by Veritas — October 5, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
Veritas, I enjoy your comments but I think you’re letting yourself be overwhelmed by the Republicans. Unless Democrats have the WH and a veto proof vote in the Senate, W will keep on getting his way. Sad, as it is., it’s the truth.
October 6th, 2007 at 6:45 amThe honorable Chair of the full House Judiciary of the 110th US Congress would need to get on the ball and get _something_ done instead of merely basking in the glow of attention from all and sundry knowing what _power_ he wields.
October 6th, 2007 at 11:26 amWhat difference does it make what Conyers thinks? He talked tough about wanting to impeach the Chimp until he became committe chair and now he’s like the rest of our wimpy party and peeing down his leg in fear of Bush, the Repignicans and the Fox Opinion Network. Conyers can talk tough all he wants but he wont be believed until he puts some muscle behind his rhetoric. My guess that will happen in 2048 or later.
October 6th, 2007 at 1:41 pm