Mukasey Won’t Say Whether Gonzales Politicized The Justice Department
Mukasey Won’t Say Whether Gonzales Politicized The Justice Department
As ThinkProgress noted today, Attorney General Mike Mukasey hedged when asked whether he would hold accountable Justice Department figures who politicized the DOJ’s internship and Honors program.
Under questioning from Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), Mukasey again hedged on whether he found the Department to be politicized when he was sworn in. “I have one simple question, did you find it politicized when you arrived?” Biden asked. Mukasey bumbled back and forth, repeatedly contradicting himself:
MUKASEY: The IG found it [politicized]. … What I found were enormously dedicated people who were very committed to my succeeding.
BIDEN: That’s not my question. Did you find that some of those enormously dedicated people engaged in politicizing the administration of Justice?
MUKASEY: No. No. Otherwise I would not characterize them as enormously dedicated.
BIDEN: Well, that’s amazing. So you disagree with the IG report?
MUKASEY: I do not disagree with the IG report.
“Did you think the criticism was justified,” Biden asked again. “Yes,” responded Mukasey. Watch it:
The IG report concluded that DOJ employees “inappropriately used political and ideological considerations” in the selection process. The blatant politicization of the Justice Department is something that administration officials have admitted under sworn testimony. Even Senate conservatives said that Gonzales “made up reasons to fire” prosecutors. Mukasey maintains that considering politics in hires for career slots is “unacceptable.”
“You sound like a State Department guy. You’d make a heck of a diplomat,” said Biden after Mukasey’s dodges. “You really are an enigma to me. … I find it very difficult to understand you.”
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All you Senators & former colleagues of Mike Mukasey who stood up & recommended him in glowing terms during the AG nomination process- what do you think of your boy now?
Just wondering, Mary Jo White et al…
July 9th, 2008 at 3:03 pmMukasey was hired to do a job and he is doing it. Bush told him to provide cover until the next election and he is a good trooper. If you thought that an AG’s job was to respect and defend the rule of law, you must be one of them simple Democrats.
You want rule of law and honor? Elct your own damn President.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:03 pmEthicsless & shameless. Thanks again to Feinstein & Schumer.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:04 pm“Mukasey again hedged on whether he found the Department to be politicized when he was sworn in.”
___________________________________________________________
And then Mukasey hedged on whether he found rain to be wet…
July 9th, 2008 at 3:04 pmSchumer and Feinstein should take the blame for MuKasey. The man is Bush’s stooge.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pmMuKasey should be given a simple ultimatium, identify and fire those hired illegally under federal law and civil service regulations. Hire new attorneys selcted by a board of career civil service attorney. Otherwise, we will impeach you for failing to uphold the law.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:09 pmWords & music to watch today’s double header by (4th Amendment gutting & SJC Mukasey hearing) Wish there was a youtube of it:
THE TORN FLAG
At midnight in a flaming angry town
I saw my country’s flag lying torn upon the ground.
I ran in and dodged among the crowd,
And scooped it up, and scampered out to safety.
And then I took this striped old piece of cloth
And tried my best to wash the garbage off.
But I found it had been used for wrapping lies.
It smelled and stank and attracted all the flies.
While I was feverishly at my task,
I heard a husky voice that seemed to ask:
“Do you think you could change me just a bit?
Betsy Ross did her best, but she made a few mistakes.
My blue is good, the color of the sky.
The stars are good for ideals, oh, so high.
Seven stripes of red are strong to meet all danger;
But those white stripes: they, they need some changing.
I need also some stripes of deep, rich brown,
And some of tan and black, then all around
A border of God’s gracious green would look good there.
Maybe you should slant the stripes, then I’d not be so square.”
I woke and said, “What a ridiculous story.
Don’t let anybody say I suggested tampering with Old Glory.”
But tonight it’s near midnight, and in another flaming town
Once again I hear my country’s flag lies torn upon the ground.
By Pete Seeger (1969)
July 9th, 2008 at 3:12 pmAnd this is the accountability administration.
I am really turned off to the idea that the politicos just have to say the right thing and then can do whatever they want afterward. But this seems to be the new modus introducted by the Bushies. See Supreme Court nominees before congress, see military leaders before congress, ……
July 9th, 2008 at 3:14 pmMukasey, will say, with authority, that the sun came up this morning. Or, maybe if it’s cloudy, that he can’t remember asking Gonzo about the sun.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:21 pm“You sound like a State Department guy. You’d make a heck of a diplomat,” said Biden after Mukasey’s dodges. “You really are an enigma to me. … I find it very difficult to understand you.”
What is so freakin’ difficult to understand? Mukasey is just like everyone else in Bush’s administration, political stooges completely lacking in integrity, loyal only to the “cause” without an iota of concern for the Constitution much less the people they’ve sworn to serve.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
July 9th, 2008 at 3:25 pmTranslation:
BIDEN: That’s not my question. Did you find that some of those enormously dedicated people engaged in politicizing the administration of Justice?
MUKASEY: Well if you don’t know, I’m certainly not going to tell you.
BIDEN: Well, that’s amazing, so you disagree with the IG report?
MUKASEY: That’s for me to know and you to find out.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:26 pmApparently everyone in DC has a reluctance to look backwards into the problems and lawlessness of our government during the past 7 years. Why should the Unitary Executive’s minions behave any differently? All talk, no action.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:26 pmI’m with “Doc Rock”@#3. MuKasey should be impeached. Maybe a contempt of congress will start that process.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:28 pmGod help me, I LOATHE these people!!
Mucous, you’re a mealy-mouthed, lying leg-humper and you need to be fired. And jailed.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:31 pmEVERYONE in our government, with the exception of Russ Feingold, Dennis Kucinich, Ted Kennedy, maybe Ron Paul, and very few others need to be REMOVED, TRIED FOR CRIMES AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION, and THROWN IN JAIL. EVERY. LAST. ONE.
EVERY
LAST
ONE
Sorry for the all caps but I’m so furious right now over the FISA vote that I can’t see straight, and listening to Mukasey’s simpering bs has taken it to full-blown blindness.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:35 pmEVERY LAST ONE INDEED.
EVERY.
LAST.
ONE.
The rule of law – no, not us. And some think the terrorist hate us for our freedoms. What a joke.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:56 pmAll I can say is heckva job Chuck (Schumer) and Diane (Feinstein). You both wanted and confirm this Frankenstein monster Mukasey as the AG. And now Mukasey is showing you what he is worth: which is squat. And it should have been clue from this hearing that Mukasey will not go after the ex-DOJ officials that were involved in the politicizing of hiring. And of course, justice will not be done nor clean up in the DOJ under this person. Just plain fact is that Mukasey is working for the CBA (Cover Bush A$$) bucks and he is put there for a reason and that is to bob and weave, tiptoe, give hype, dodge, and stall in all current and future investigations until the next Administration. So, I’m not holding my breath for Muksasey of abiding by the DOJ guidelines and the oath that he took as AG. Department of Justice will stay as Department of Injustice.
July 9th, 2008 at 5:30 pmChuck (I Love Israel) Schumer bought us this Fascist Bastard.
It is time for Chuck The Schmuck to GO!!! He is a BIG A$$ PART OF THE PROBLEM!!!
July 9th, 2008 at 6:25 pm