Senators to Press Bush Admin on U.S. Attorney FiringsSenate Democrats aren’t dropping the issue of whether the administration is pushing out federal prosecutors in order to replace them with handpicked successors.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is slated to lead a hearing before the Judiciary Committee on Feb. 7 on the topic of “Preserving Prosecutorial Independence: Is the Department of Justice Politicizing the Hiring and Firing of U.S. Attorneys?” No witnesses have been announced.
Meanwhile, Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) bill to fix the loophole allowing administration appointees to U.S. attorney spots to serve indefinitely could see some action. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the ranking member on the Judiciary Committee panel, expressed “qualified support” for the measure and asked to work with Feinstein on it, according to his spokeswoman, Courtney Boone.
Last year, Specter was responsible for changing the law to allow indefinite U.S. Attorney appointments by the Attorney General, a power Democrats believe the White House is abusing. Asked if Specter was changing his position on the matter, Boone declined to characterize his stance. “It’s just how legislation moves forward,” she said.
The Judiciary Committee could vote on the bill as early as next week, sources say.