Mukasey Appoints Special Prosecutor To Investigate U.S. Attorney Firings; Will McCain Follow Through?
Mukasey Appoints Special Prosecutor To Investigate U.S. Attorney Firings; Will McCain Follow Through?
After an 18-month investigation, the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility released a report today on the Bush administration’s controversial removal of nine U.S. attorneys in 2006. Though the report finds that three of the attorneys were fired for political reasons, “former attorney general Alberto R. Gonzales will not be referred to a federal grand jury for his role” in the firings.
Instead, the report recommends that Attorney General Michael Mukasey appoint a special prosecutor to “determine whether the evidence demonstrates that any criminal offense was committed” in any of the firings. In a statement today, Mukasey named Nora Dannehy, the acting U.S. attorney of Connecticut, as the special prosecutor:
The Report leaves some important questions unanswered and recommends that I appoint an attorney to assess the facts uncovered, to conduct further investigation as needed, and ultimately to determine whether any prosecutable offense was committed with regard to the removal of a U.S. Attorney or the testimony of any witness related to the U.S. Attorney removals. [...]
Therefore, I have asked Nora Dannehy to exercise the authority of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia for purposes of this matter. In that capacity, Ms. Dannehy will report to me through the Deputy Attorney General.
According to the Washington Post, Mukasey’s decision to appoint a special prosecutor ensures “that the politically charged issue will extend into the next administration.”
While Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has said in the past that he would support investigations into potential crimes by the Bush administration, McCain has hinted that he isn’t interested in reviewing Bush’s corruption. McCain’s top strategist, Steve Schmidt, has also previously dismissed the seriousness of the U.S. attorney scandal, calling it “a combination of nonsense and politics.”
Potential crimes described in IG report include lying to investigators, obstruction of justice and wire fraud. Will McCain pledge to continue the investigation?
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Delay, delay, delay… Can’t a grand jury compel testimony? Isn’t that a method to explore those unanswered questions?
September 29th, 2008 at 12:01 pmMukasey appointing a “Special Prosecutor” would have as much validity as having Larry Craig appoint a “Special Inspector for Homosexual Act Reductions in Bathroom Stalls”.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:03 pmWith all of the ties between McCain’s campaign and former Bush operatives with something to hide you can be certain that McCain pulls the plug immediately if elected using the Gerald Ford “I can’t govern with all this uncertainty” excuse. Remember class, BJs deserve thorough investigation and even impeachment. Violating federal laws and even the U.S. Constitution? Not so much.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:05 pmOf course, whether or not McCain would continue the investigation if elected is a rather moot point, since chances are slim that will happen. But I hope that journalists and debate moderators DO ask him the question, because the American people deserve to hear the answer.
(and I’d like to hear the answer from both candidates, please)
September 29th, 2008 at 12:08 pmAnother reason it is so important to keep McCain from the White House. He will let the myriad crimes of the Bush administration fade into the muck of history.
John McCain – NOPE
I’d like to know more about Nora Dannehy.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:13 pmMcGonnaDieSoon Says – My friends we all need special friends in justice department, like Mukasey,, he a special friend to Bush and Cheney, special friend to republicans, why he can stall an investigation like nothing you have every seen, it’s like he just cuts the gas line, and bam, stalls it quick, now that most liberal Senator ever Obama, he would appoint someone who would do that darn liberal stuff, like search for Trust and Justice, well to hell with that, this is Washington DC and we don’t need that at all, after all I am a maverick and a POW, how’s that grab you Maverick and POW in one sentence, how about didn’t have a house or a table either, drill off shore, deregulate, war with Iran, a hundred years in Iraq, gotta use all my talking points quick here, my time is running out…..how come my left eye is all fuzzy?
Yeah, Maverick, POW, Palin, none of this is working anymore gramps, you’re going down the tubes…unless, Rove and the Vote Steal Mafia has some big tricks up their sleaves.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:13 pmBecause the American public is easily distracted and gets bored quickly, I believe the right wing is trying to drag things out to bore people into ignoring all the right wing criminals and will try to distract from it by blaming Obama for the mess they created. The right wing screwed up the timing of the economic collapse. It was supposed to happen on President Obama’s watch. Watch the finger pointing from the right wing. Those bastards will do their best to blame others while still trying to push more gouging by war profiteers and the rich (most of which got rich by being war profiteers – read War is a Racket by Smedley Butler).
September 29th, 2008 at 12:18 pmAnd then soon we’ll hear that nothing substantial was found. All is normal. Go back to sleep.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:18 pmIs this an attempt to throw the public off the scent of the real criminals?
September 29th, 2008 at 12:24 pmWe have all heard this song and dance. Impeach these goddamn crooks already.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:25 pmWhy don’t these clowns quote and praise Nixon like they do Reagan. They are all so much more similar to the former.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:29 pm“a combination of nonsense and politics.”
I’d say that sums up McStain, his running mate, and his campaign.
PEACE
September 29th, 2008 at 12:38 pmIt’s called: The Fox Minding the Henhouse
September 29th, 2008 at 12:39 pmThis 8 year hangover is crushing my head…
September 29th, 2008 at 12:41 pmand as I listen to one of Earth’s angels, Enya, with her new song on BBC radio, “Trains and Winter Rains” I am instantly healed and transported to a place of hope.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:45 pmSteve Schmidt, has also previously dismissed the seriousness of the McIIIrd campaign, calling it “a combination of nonsense and politics.”
September 29th, 2008 at 12:46 pm“Mukasey Appoints Special Prosecutor To Investigate U.S. Attorney Firings; Will McCain Follow Through?”
No. Of course not.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:56 pmReading the report’s section on the firing of Carol Lam, I find it surprising, perhaps incredible, that the report makes no mention of charges that she was fired to forestall investigation of Congressman Jerry Lewis, while it does mention Duke Cunningham. Seems to be some white wash there! See the report here.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:19 pmYou ask, “Will McCain pledge to continue the investigation?” I ask, “Will Obama?”
September 29th, 2008 at 1:21 pmThe only good news here is that Deputy A.G. Mark Filip will supervise the process. Although an admitted Republican, Filip will make sure that things are fair.
The contrast from Ashcroft to Gonzales to Mukaskey is amazing. How did Bush appoint those first two dimwits and then suddenly come to his senses with Mukaskey?
The frustrating thing about this is that it shows that Bush CAN at times make a smart appointment, but in the past, simply chose not to. When in doubt, choose the hack over the pro was the way the Bush team ran.
It is too bad Bush lacked the insight to appoint Mukaskey earlier, since for the first time in 7 years, we finally have an AG that does not make the position a laughing stock.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pmAm I the only one who thinks the biggest crime of all has been forgotten? The WH had a congressional staff member sneak the new appointment power into the conference committee version. And even Spector says he didn’t know it was in the bill when it passed. Seems like major fraud against Congress and the American people to me.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pmOne Question Lingers: What did the 93 US Attys who WEREN’T fired have to do to keep their jobs?
The answers will certainly become apparent the closer to Nov. 3, and shortly thereafter…
September 29th, 2008 at 1:49 pmThe only good news here is that Deputy A.G. Mark Filip will supervise the process. Although an admitted Republican, Filip will make sure that things are fair.
How do you know that?
Really. Seriously?
He’s a Puke, inne? I mean, if he were really a ‘patriot,’ he couldn’t be a Puke…
September 29th, 2008 at 1:52 pmtokin,
September 29th, 2008 at 1:54 pmGreat question.
To flesh it out a bit more — USA Fitzpatrick in Illinois has bipartisan support for rooting out corruption (he sent the former GOP gov. to jail and has also done some work in Chicago).
Overall, most everyone here is pleased with the choice and feels that Illinois is better because if it.
Despite that, he still was almost one of the USAs that were canned.
Bush/Gonzales had their priorities, and cleaning up real corruption was far from the top of the list.
Tokin,
Good Republicans are rare, but they do exist.
Mark Filip was a judge in the Northern District of Illinois before he left to join the B-Team.
On the bench, he was always fair, reasonable, and smart.
Why is a member of the GOP? You got me. Maybe his parents are to blame. Or maybe it is like a frat — you join when you are young and you are stuck being a member.
But that one piece of questionable judgment does not outweigh the fact that he really was a fine judge.
I absolutely would rather see an Obama appointment but since we are stuck with Bush for a few more months, Filip is about as good as is possible for that administration.
September 29th, 2008 at 2:02 pm