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Email: DoJ Official Questions "How in the Heck" Prosecutors Pursued Controversial Case
Alberto Gonzales may be on his way out, but plenty of questions remain. One in particular concerns the prosecution of Wisconsin state bureaucrat Georgia Thompson, whose conviction on corruption charges was abruptly overturned when the court of appeals reviewed the case, finding the evidence against Thompson "beyond thin."
The case, because of its tenuous ties to the Democratic governor, became an election year hobby horse for Republicans. It's since become better known as a worrying indication of politicization of prosecutorial decisions, leading to Congressional scrutiny of Milwaukee's U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic and the decision to pursue the case.
Well, the House Judiciary Committee today released the first correspondence it's obtained in its investigation of the Thompson case. And as Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) characterizes it, the brief email exchange "demonstrates that even Justice Department insiders thought the Thompson case was seriously flawed."
In the exchange, Craig Donsanto, the Election Crimes Branch Director and a well-respected veteran of the Department, responds to an email from Raymond Hulser, Deputy Chief of the Department's Public Integrity Section, who forwarded to Donsanto the appeals court's opinion overturning Thompson's conviction.
Donsanto's reaction was simple: "Bad facts make bad law. How in the heck did this case get brought?"
That, of course, is precisely the question that Democrats are trying to answer. "This only underscores the need for further investigation into the Administration's alleged role in politicizing prosecutions," says Conyers.
Josh
Zachary
check with the Schloz.
September 5, 2007 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Quoted below is what Larry Craig got caught secretly saying BEFORE he announced his intent to resign at the end of the month. It makes clear that he has no such intent at all, and that he is a pathological liar. Not surprising from a man who gets caught touching and playing footsie with a stranger in the next stall trying to solicit sex, and then tries to explain it away by saying he was just picking toilet paper up off a public bathroom floor and sitting with a "wide stance" to keep his pants from falling down. And we know the prior allegations about the Craig. It's a joke what a liar he is, just like the other Fox Republican officials and politicians.
http://rawstory.com//news/2007/Craig_leaves_accidental_voice_mail_reconsidering_0905.html
September 6, 2007 4:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great reporting. Thanks.
The GOP talking points are (1)"It's the President's perogative to choose whomever he wants for US Attorney" (2)"We've given them thousands of pages of documents and all they do is ask for more" (3)"They've had a zillion investigations and turned up nothing" (4)et cetera
The John Conyers quote has a brilliant string of words to counteract all of those statements -- this is about "the Adminstration's alleged role in 'politizing prosecutions.'"
We need to get those two words on our lips in every single one of our debates with Loyal Bushies:
"Well, it appears that George W. Bush's justice department, instead of establishing justice, has been politicizing prosecutions... and that's unconstitutional."
September 6, 2007 5:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hope when the political hacks get fired...John Roberts and Samuel Alito are thrown in the mix. If we want a good justice system these far right idealogues have got to go. They always come down on the side of corporations. It's OUR country.
September 6, 2007 6:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Is Biskupic any kin to the legal beat reporter Joan Biskupic, currently at USA Today, formerly WaPo, and frequent guest on PBS Washington Week? They look enough alike to be twins, and her undergrad degree is from Marquette.
September 6, 2007 7:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Heck of a job" versus "How in the heck?"
The two bookends of the bush presidency!
September 6, 2007 9:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
based on a google search, Jeany, it looks like they are man and wife. Interesting angle here.
September 6, 2007 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
The "Heck"-ling Administration?
September 6, 2007 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Takes me back to the old Soviet show trials. Yeah, that's a stretch at the moment, but that's where the politicization of the DOJ can lead us.
Arthur Koestler
September 6, 2007 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Joan and Steven are brother and sister, not husband and wife.
September 6, 2007 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
From google:
Joan Biskupic
Born: c. 1956
Gender: Female
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Journalist
Nationality: United States
Executive summary: USA Today Supreme Court reporter
Father: Vince Biskupic
Mother: Mary Jane Biskupic
Brother: Vincent Biskupic
Husband: Steven M. Biskupic
Sister: (2 sisters)
Husband: (1 daughter)
I read that as "husband... Steven"
Please help me out if I'm wrong here.
September 6, 2007 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
agentzero, how do you know that? It appears Joan's husband is named Steven.
http://www.nndb.com/people/499/000131106/
September 6, 2007 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Apparently it is no longer enough to list your spouse's name. You must also say "orientation: straight."
As opposed to marriage to someone of the opposite sex with "orientation: well.... what would it be?"
And does CNN require this of everyone?
There's a story here folks!
September 6, 2007 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Mafalda Hopkirk
From that bio, it appears her maiden name was Biskupic, and her husband's name is also Biskupic. Unless he took her name, she must have married a man with the same unusual surname as herself. A cousin?
September 6, 2007 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
From Wikipedia entry on Steven M. Biskupic:
"...Biskupic, one of nine children, is the brother of Vince Biskupic, the Republican candidate for Attorney General of Wisconsin in 2002, who lost to Peg Lautenschlager. Before that, Vince was the D.A. of Outagamie County, Wisconsin.[3][4] Their sister Joan is a federal legal affairs reporter with Washington Week on PBS[1] and USA Today.[2]"
September 6, 2007 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
jimBOB
Not surprising that there is inbreeding among the Wisconsin Republicans.
September 6, 2007 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wikipedia says that Steven M. Biskupic is her brother.
"... [Steven M.] Biskupic, one of nine children, is the brother of Vince Biskupic, the Republican candidate for Attorney General of Wisconsin in 2002, who lost to Peg Lautenschlager. Before that, Vince was the D.A. of Outagamie County, Wisconsin.[3][4] Their sister Joan is a federal legal affairs reporter with Washington Week on PBS[1] and USA Today.[2]..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_M._Biskupic
If I've posted this twice, sorry. It didn't sem to show up the first time.
September 6, 2007 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry. Question should be, does USA Today ask all their reporters to indicate their sexual orientation?
Seems strange, don't you think?
September 6, 2007 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Whatever the connection between Joan and Steven, how good a job did she do in covering the firing scandals and the Georgia Thompson case he instituted?
September 6, 2007 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Joan was very active calling her friends - other national reporters - trying to get them not to write or tone down their coverage about her brother and his botched Georgia Thompson case. Lots of questions about how ethical it is for a reporter to go to bat for a family member in a case like this.
September 6, 2007 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
"The case, because of its tenuous ties to the Democratic governor, became an election year hobby horse for Republicans."
The only reason these "hobby horses" reach outside of the usual GOP party mailings is the talk radio monopoly.
If Georgia Thompson could get transcripts of the local talk radio blowhards she could probably sue 95% of the talk radio stations in the state.
On local or national level the biggest threat to American democracy and the main reason we have this bush catastrophe, is the GOP talk radio monopoly and the uncontested and synchronized repetition it allows.
September 6, 2007 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Bad facts make bad law. How in the heck did this case get brought?"
Siegelman, too...
The drought continues in Alabama, http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/12_week.gif
it started the week Siegelman was sentenced...
I'm just saying...
September 6, 2007 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Not surprising that there is inbreeding among the Wisconsin Republicans."
...creating many little mishapen Rovians for the future of the GOP!
Well, at least we don't have to worry about Idaho...
September 6, 2007 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I summarized the Georgia Thompson - Steve Biskupic case a few months ago, all bullets with links:
Georgia Thompson - DOJ Victim
September 6, 2007 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. You do have to worry about Wisconsin.
See the background of the interim AG replacing Gonzales, the interim AG who crafted much of what is held (correctly) against Gonzales.
And yes, Joan is Steve's sister, as we well know in Wisconsin . . . where brother Vince also has a colorful past. You could google it -- but no, "google" was not the source of your erroneous info, agentzero. Googling was the method. Your bad source appears to have been something called NNDB, which doesn't explain its bad sources (or source of funding).
TPM, thanks for staying on this travesty of justice, and please keep doing so. It's getting no attention from the major media in Milwaukee, which means USA Biskupic may get away with more.
September 6, 2007 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Apologies to agentzero; you were correcting others who were wrong; I scrolled too quickly. . . .
September 6, 2007 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
All is forgiven, Cream City.
September 6, 2007 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Remember that Biskupic was on the List for removal and then suddenly he was not. Something happened. Did he refuse to bring the bogus voter fraud cases demanded by Karl Rove and cave after being told he was going to get canned? Regardless, Biskupic made the choice to bring the crappy case for purely political reasons (to please Rove, save his career and participate in the conspiracy to swing the 08 elections to the republicans.) Biskupic's actions were anti-american, ethically bankrupt and morally disgusting and he is typical of todays republican party. Absolutely no concern for ruining another Americans life for absolutely no other reason than to save himself and make points with his political master. Biskupic is the antithesis of what a good US Attorney should be. This insidious campaign to undermine the democratic electoral process must be investigated and prosecuted and every one of the remaining 83 or so US Attorneys must be held to the highest standard. Because of people like Biskupic, all remaining US Attorneys are suspect. The rule of law in our country has been severely diminished. Alberto Gonzales is a terrible human being and anyone who went along with him is equally guilty and should be prosecuted and jailed. My anger and disgust at these people for what they have done is crushing my spirit. When will this carnage end? I don't recognize this country anymore...
September 10, 2007 11:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
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December 22, 2007 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink