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Prosecutor On US Attorneys Case Seems To Be Going All Out
A report in the Washington Post suggests that Nora Dannehy, the prosecutor assigned by Attorney General Michael Mukasey to look into the U.S. attorney firings, is taking an aggressive approach to the job.
The Post says Dannehy "has been meeting with defense lawyers, dispatching subpoenas and seeking information about the events, according to legal sources familiar with the case."
It adds: "A grand jury in the District has issued subpoenas, the sources said."
And there's another interesting nugget:
D. Kyle Sampson, who served as the chief of staff to Gonzales until his March 2007 resignation, recently took a leave from his job as a partner at the law firm Hunton & Williams while the investigation proceeds. A spokeswoman for the law firm said he is on leave "pending admission to the D.C. bar."
DOJ's Inspector General report, released in late September, found that Sampson's testimony was "not credible" and "unpersuasive."
Dannehy was appointed September 29 to determine whether crimes had been committed in the affair. She was given 60 days to submit a preliminary report on her findings. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TPMmuckraker about the report's status.
Josh
Zachary
I recall the Dems in congress thumping their chests boosting how they were going to get Rove and the assholes responsible for the attorney scandal. As usual they did nothing because they are weak spineless cowards. They are afraid of Rove.
December 3, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is about politicization of the US Attorneys, not retribution. Dannehy, you go, girl!.
December 3, 2008 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
President Obama should refuse her resignation, if she is amiable to staying as a US attorney.
December 3, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's see Eric Holder get a top level investigation going on this when he comes in. Way past time to bring those who threw their subpoenas in the trash in for testimony. Not doing so sets an ugly precedent.
While our new AG's at it, how about placing a couple of the fired USAs in BO's brand spanking new Dept. of Justice? I'm thinking Iglesias, McKay, Charlton, Bogden, Lam, or Cummins. They stood up before the House & Senate & exposed the dept.'s politicization. Plus, hey, bipartisanship props for bringing some of them on board.
December 3, 2008 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
And I want that fat fuck Rove frog-marched from here to Botany Bay.
December 3, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
D. Kyle Sampson, who served as the chief of staff to Gonzales until his March 2007 resignation, recently took a leave from his job as a partner at the law firm Hunton & Williams while the investigation proceeds. A spokeswoman for the law firm said he is on leave "pending admission to the D.C. bar."
_____
And in which D.C. bar will he be making -- once sufficiently inebriated -- those admissions?
And what will the substance of those admissions be?
The WaPo ain't askin' . . .
December 3, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Aggressive is good - this type of thing should never happen again. The Gonzales hearings were an embarrassment...
-- Cris
My site: Obama Wallpaper Archive
December 3, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder how big a blanket pardon Bush Administration will attempt?
Ultimately this comes to the core of the Republican Party platform---to politicize the entire government.
Fineman made an interesting statement last night on Countdown---to the effect Bush had little confidence in the concept of government insinuating back to what Bush said just after the Supreme Court decision handing him the Presidency on December 18, 2000:
AP"If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier," Bush said, pausing and then joking, "just so long as I'm the
dictator."
This politicization of the justice department goes to the heart of a dictatorship philosophy...justice can never be blind or objective for in a dictator's mind it must serve the dictator.
December 3, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
From the Hartford Courant:
"Alberto Gonzalez is in trouble," said Connecticut defense attorney Hugh Keefe, who traded blows with Dannehy while representing Rowland co-chief of staff Peter N. Ellef Sr. in the corruption prosecution that led to the imprisonment of both Ellef and Rowland.
"She is analytical and she is thorough, and if she suspects wrongdoing she will not let it go."
December 3, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fingers crossed. Hoping this lady looks under every rock, dots every 'i' and crosses every 't.'
TPM got the ball rolling. And I have no doubt TPM will watch that ball like a hawk!
December 3, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sampson isn't listed in the Hunton & Williams lawyer bios; he's not on their web site at all. A bit odd, that. And the explanation for his "leave" is even odder. Having clerked for a Fourth Circuit judge, Sampson probably is a member of the Virginia bar, and in any event it's not at all unusual to have lawyers, or even partners, in a firm who aren't members of the bar of the state in which they work.
December 3, 2008 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are correct. Its a bullshit excuse. Admission to the DC bar is done on motion if you are admitted elsewhere, and the only work one is prevented from doing while waiting for admission is appearing in court. This law firm obviously doesn't want their reputation tarnished by this unprincipled party hack.
December 3, 2008 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Supoenas for Goodling, Sampson, Gonzales, Myers, Rove et al one can only hope. Maybe there is a Santa Claus.
December 3, 2008 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
His name might be AG Eric Holder, if upstanding lawyers/law personnel wish hard enough. Or sound off enough.
I wish, I wish, I wish......what was Tinkerbell's surname again?
December 3, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
So lets start taking our Constitution back one subpoena at a time ...
"Come Watson the game is afoot .."
December 3, 2008 9:08 PM | Reply | Permalink