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Senate Dems Ask AG Mukasey to "Assess Damage" to DOJ

On the heels of the Senate Judiciary Committee's questioning on Wednesday of Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine, and the two recently released OIG reports, seven Democratic members of the committee have requested that Attorney General Michael Mukasey review the damage done to the DOJ by the illegal hiring practices.

Signed by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), and Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), the letter requests an assessment on the "long-term damage" done to the Department:

We are concerned that the people hired into important career positions throughout the Department using the unlawful, politicized process described in the reports remain in place. This raises the troubling possibility that those positions are held by unqualified, partisan individuals. With this possibility extant, we believe it is inadequate for the Department simply to commit to discontinue the bad practices. There may be continuing consequences of the widespread illegal hiring process. We urge you to ensure that the people put in place via this illegal process meet the Department's high standard of qualifications, and do not undermine the Department's independence and ability to enforce the law without fear or favor.

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The irony of this is that the protections that Dems put in place for American Workers may actually be turned against the original intent and make it next to impossible to remove a under-qualified Immigration Judge or Lawyer.
I'm sure it will be worked out but what damage will have been done by then ? Our gov. has probably thousands of Neocons burrowed in just like those sleeper cells we used to hear so much about during the Cold War. Anyone who doesn't yet believe the partisan warfare of the last 15 yrs is as dangerous to democracy as the cold war was, either is deaf, dumb or blind. Until prosecutions start I won't believe anyone is serious.
Why are there no teeth in laws or criminal penalties for what Goodling and the others did ? Once again , no one will be held accountable. When do the Neocons stop being a privileged sect and have to face consequences ? ( oops better let the country heal it's pastisan divides, dont you know so we can all eat smores and sing campfire songs. "Now is not the time to point fingers", sound familiar ? Enough is enough. Investigate, indict, convict and imprison.)

OK, I'm holding my breath now.

Still holding...

Turning blue here...

Now THAT'S what I call a strongly worded letter! Can we give 'em some props peepol! Ye-ugh!

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What makes anyone think that Mikey will bother answering? His confirmation is just another great example of our Democratic leadership at work.

I really do think this sort of pillow fighting has some utility in that it puts into the public record in rather stark terms that these folks recognize that there is continuing malfeasance occurring as a result of said crimes to which this letter obtains. It starts the ball rolling. That said, put someone in the clink already or get back on the porch, little dawg.

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Impeachment hearings on AG Mukasey would actually get this job done quicker, cheaper and with far more accuracy.

I hate governmental waste.

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