« previous | MUCK HOME | next »
Leahy On Report: Schlozman Lied To Me
Pat Leahy, the chair of the Senate Judiciary committee, just put out the following statement on the DOJ report into politicized hiring:
Today's report confirms some of our worst fears about the Bush administration's political corruption of the Justice Department. Not only did senior Republican appointees violate the law in hiring based on politics in the Civil Rights Division, they also lied about it when called to explain themselves to Congress.I am particularly disturbed about the findings that a senior Justice Department appointee, Bradley Schlozmann, made false statements under oath when appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Lying to Congress undermines the very core of our constitutional principles and blunts the American people's right to open and transparent government. Not only did he lie to me and the Committee, but he then refused to cooperate with Justice Department's internal oversight offices' investigation into illegal hiring practices in the Department's Civil Rights Division. The clear determination that he broke the law corrodes our trust in our system of justice and in the nation's top law enforcement agency. His actions in fact undermine the very mission of the Department's Civil Rights Division, which is charged with enforcing federal law prohibiting discrimination.
A strong and independent Civil Rights Division has long been crucial to the enforcement of our precious civil rights laws, and experienced and committed career attorneys have always been the heart and soul of that Division. Contrary to those traditions, however, this report details troubling revelations of political appointees who marginalize and force out career lawyers because of ideology, and, corrupt the hiring process for career positions. It should come as no surprise that the result, and of course the intent, of this political makeover of the Civil Rights Division has been a dismal civil rights enforcement record.
This report is just one of the final chapters in the regrettable legacy of the Bush administration at Main Justice, and it reinforces the need for new leadership. Now more than ever, it is necessary to confirm a new team to lead the Justice Department, starting with Attorney General designee Eric Holder.
Josh
Zachary
This of course all goes back to the "permanent majority" objective of the architect who provided the operational plan of the Bush Agenda. Unlike the common idea that the Bush Agenda was a "preemptive war philosophy" the Bush Agenda goes back to GW's grandfather's Herbert Walker and Prescott Bush.
This RTA is nothing but eliminating the "quaint and naive" antiquated idea of democracy. In the trenches when gathering voter registrations there is all sorts of subtle and overt strategies to suppress and disenfranchise citizens from voting because the math is quite simple: there are only so many who will vote against their economic situation---meaning voting against the corporate plutocracy.
I think Obama is standing in front of a tidal wave of horrific and ongoing revelations holding back systemic lawlessness in our government. It will short-change his moral authority if he stands in the way of prosecution.
January 13, 2009 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Democrats are like a toothless old dog, they still bark, but there's no real danger from them. Out in the real world, illegal actions have consequences. For example, in Tulia Texas, $150 worth of cocaine sold to a narc can get you 60, yes SIXTY, years in prison.
But these, er, people, break the law, commit War Crimes, out CIA agents, lie to Congress, and corrode the Justice Department, and all old Leahy can do is write a stern letter.
Pathetic. Toothless old dog, don't need to worry 'bout him.
January 13, 2009 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think your vitriol against Leahy is unjustified - do you really think he has the power to buck the Democratic Leadership's Party Line? Does he have authority of the Bush Department of Justice [sic] to force them to bring prosecutions?
January 13, 2009 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
I do think it is justified. Has anyone been held in Contempt of Congress? Isn't Leahy the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee? For 8 years, we and they have been lied to, and nothing has happened as a result. You have to hold those with the responsibility, well, responsible.
Of course, I am not happy with Reid either. He seems to be bringing a tennis racket to a knife fight.
January 13, 2009 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
What I'm saying is Contempt of Congress would need to be voted on by the entire Senate, therefore it's under the jurisdiction of the Senate Majority leadership. It can't be single-handedly enforced by one Senator. It's obviously the policy of the Leadership not to hold anyone accountable, so how is Leahy going to be able to single-handedly reverse that? Especially since they are the ones who determine whether he keeps the committee chair. He's doing all he can within the bounds set for him by Reid's bloc.
January 13, 2009 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I understand. So that makes Leahy a toothless old dog that is chained up. Even less to worry about if you are the criminal.
January 13, 2009 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
bill,
Leahy can always issue a "Strognly worded statement"
January 13, 2009 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. So now the decision Leahy has to make is whether he is doing any good at all. If people can lie to him with no repercussions, and he is the Chairman of the Judiciary committee, then he ought to just quit.
Sholtz -- lies directly to Leahy's face
Leahy -- "I don't like that"
Sholtz -- "go F yourself"
Leahy -- "ok."
January 13, 2009 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
He may be muzzled, but the "toothless" part is your own commentary, not borne out by any facts or evidence, nor justified by logic.
It's undeniable that Leahy shook down the Bush DoJ even if the lack of public beheadings doesn't satisfy the peasantry.
January 13, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, show me anyone who paid a penalty, a fine? Or was prosecuted? Did any time? Got probation? Any convictions at all? Any indictments?
No? I thought not. Those are "teeth", real consequences. As I said, in the real world, people do time for stuff like that. For example, a local person defrauded the bank in a real estate scam for $25 million, he got 55 months in federal PRISON.
Scholt didn't even get a TICKET!!! That is the definition of toothless.
January 13, 2009 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Was Schlozman under oath when he gave that testimony? If he was, that's perjury. There's no need for the Senate to vote. Why not ask Holder if he believes that lying under oath during Senate testimony is a prosecutable offense?
January 13, 2009 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lying to Congress is illegal whether or not it is under oath.
January 13, 2009 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink