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Ex-DOJ Vet: Under Bush "We Might Have Gotten Away From" Tradition of Independence
It's not just David Iglesias who thinks the Bush administration has inappropriately politicized the Department of Justice.
Paul Hancock, a former top official with the DOJ's civil-rights division, told TPMmuckraker that during his tenure, the department responded in an independent and non-partisan manner to outside pressure to bring politically sensitive cases. But "I think we might have gotten away from that in this administration," he said.
Hancock, who left the department in 1997, stressed that, in his view, it's too soon to know whether the FBI's investigation into ACORN is politically driven, and said that such investigations are not unusual. But they usually would not be aggressively carried out so close to an election, for fear of their existence being made public, and thereby affecting the election.
It remains unclear how far along the ACORN investigation is.
Josh
Zachary
I think, when Obama takes office, he should just fire all the U.S. Attorneys and replace them with new ones.
October 17, 2008 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
in actuality, it is customary for such appointees to submit their resignations when a new president takes office. Of course, it's entirely up to the president to accept them or not. It is NOT customary, however, for the president--or the president's "men" to bully such appointees into using their office--to use the Department of Justice--to make political hay. Everyone in government knows that this is a gross impropriety. Which is why they try to keep it dark, and then lie about what their motives were when it comes to light. Mind, they have no actual shame about it (people like Bush's boys parted with shame a long, long time ago--which is why they got the jobs they did in the first place) but they know enough about what is considered proper to know they need to/have to lie about it if the subject comes up.
October 17, 2008 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know why I'm responding to a comment from a week ago, since you'll probably never see it, but I thought I'd let you know...
...I was being snarky.
October 24, 2008 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know why I'm responding to a comment from a week ago, since you'll probably never see it, but I thought I'd let you know...
...I was being snarky.
October 24, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
and y'know, something tells me that Obama's just not the guy to do that kind of thing. He'll make adjustments for sure--but a broadbrushed...hm...on the other hand, maybe that's the kind of housecleaning that's going to be needed to remedy the "handiwork" of people--of dim, servile morons--like Monica Gooding.
October 17, 2008 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Speaking of Monica, a thorough housecleaning of the Justice department will require canning all the people for which she was involved in their hiring.
October 17, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Most correct Allsburg. A clean sweep. In fact, I hope the already-existing "transition team" Obama has in place (what a good manager That One is...) will have a long list of replacements ready and waiting.
Assuming we get through the election without Bush/McCain/Palin fomenting right-wing riots, thereby allowing Bush the Lesser to fully activate the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division answering to NorthCom in the United States, specially trained to "help with civil unrest and crowd control" -- assuming we make it to and through election day...
...I have a crazy suggestion for someone Obama should name as his Attorney General: David Iglesias.
Sure, he was an up-and-coming Repulican, but I would lay extremely heavy odds that if we want a cleaned-out DoJ that dishes justice equally, that guy would get it done.
Just a thought.
October 17, 2008 11:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
oh sweet justice...
October 18, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
sorry, I left something out:
"...of dim, servile "christian" morons--like Monica Gooding,."
October 17, 2008 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
please sign this letter to CNN and pass on
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2749/t/3071/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=487
October 18, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
It appears that Mukasey is just another version of Gonzales.
October 19, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink