Leahy writes to AG nominee Mukasey with ‘concerns.’

Yesterday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) wrote a letter to Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey, indicating that his nomination could hinge on his “willingness to answer questions the White House won’t about a litany of issues.” From his letter:

Regrettably, the White House has chosen not to clear the decks of past concerns and not to produce the information and material it should have and could have about the ongoing scandals that have shaken the Department of Justice and led to the exodus of its former leadership. Those matters now encumber your nomination and, if confirmed, your tenure.

Leahy also asks Mukasey to answer a series of questions to demonstrate his independence from the White House, such as whether he would “ensure that federal prosecutors will not be fired at the behest of the White House or for any political reasons.”