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Dems to Intro New U.S. Attorney Bill
No more absentee landlords!
It's hard work for Democrats undoing the damage of the Patriot Act Reauthorization bill passed last year, a huge bill that contained a number of provisions that affected U.S. attorneys.
Last month, the Congress passed* a bill reversing one of those provisions -- one that made it possible for the attorney general to indefinitely appoint U.S. attorneys without Senate confirmation.
Now Four Democrats are trying to undo another of those little-noticed provisions -- one that made it possible for certain U.S. attorneys to pull double duty in the Justice Department leadership. The provision was shepherded through by William Mercer, the principal associate deputy attorney general, who's also the U.S. Attorney for Montana. When the chief judge in his district, hopping mad that Mercer is gone almost all the time, charged that Mercer was violating the residency requirement for U.S. attorneys, Mercer had the law changed. And he's kept both jobs for two years.
But Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Max Baucus (D-MT), and Jon Tester (D-MT) will introduce legislation on Monday to change the law back to what it was. “U.S. Attorneys cannot do their jobs adequately from Washington, D.C.," Feinstein said. "The position requires a huge commitment.”
The punchline to all this, remember, is that Justice Department officials have claimed that U.S. Attorney for New Mexico David Iglesias was fired because he was an "absentee landlord," spending 30 days a year away from the office -- on Navy reserve duty.
*Update: A TPM reader points out to me that although both houses have passed a version of this bill, they have not yet been reconciled in conference. So the Congress hasn't yet passed a final version.
Comments (23)
bordersmuggler wrote on May 11, 2007 3:51 PM:It should be noted that this is a clear rebuke to the ranking member of the SJC (code word: snake).
JamesRobert wrote on May 11, 2007 4:14 PM:It just never stops. What rock did all these people crawl out from under? Where was this bumper crop of sneaks, liars and cheaters bred and raised? Are these the kids born of the hippie generation? Is this what Peace, Love and Groovy got us??
Mike Valentine wrote on May 11, 2007 4:22 PM:Do you think Sen. Spector is upset?
If you want to not break the law change it to allow you to do what you want. Easy button government Bush style.
Tas wrote on May 11, 2007 4:47 PM:These are Reagan Republicans. 'Nuff said?
BLH wrote on May 11, 2007 4:58 PM:Funny--watching Gonzo Gets a Grilling yesterday, I noticed that he repeated a few times that the "real work" of the US Atty's office is done by the staff in the office and by the Asst. USAs. I don't know how many times he tried to convince the questioners of this, I gave up counting. He made it sound like the USAs themselves were more like hood ornaments than engines.
Which begs quite a few questions, considering all the trouble they went to to get rid of nine (or more) of them.
Code Word: Lock. As in "Lock up Gonzales and throw away the key."
Joe wrote on May 11, 2007 5:03 PM:The provision of the so-called "patriot" act (more appropriately termed "rat" act-it's terminology being just like something George Orwell-or Hitler- would come up with) )that the atty. general can appoint U.S. attorneys without senate approval is "very curious", isn't it? (make that "extremely curious"). Like an expert on govt. bills pointed out in Michael Moore's 911 movie, there was no way in hell that the big fat stack of words comprising the patriot act could have been drawn up in the short time frame between 911 and the act coming out. Draw your own conclusions -you WILL be right. On a different subject, if you want to know why many very important things aren't discussed or don't come to light in this country, do a google search on: Media Monopoly-Ben Bagdikian. TPM Muckraker is no doubt a part of this monoploy as well, though seeming not to be.
Michael Jones wrote on May 11, 2007 5:07 PM:Is Mercer the USA who would have investigated Conrad Burns? Burns received more money than anyone from Jack Abrahmof. The USAs that refused to do the White House's bidding were fired. Did the ones that played ball get,say,two jobs and the law changed to protect them. i think that the USAs who stayed are going to become the real scandal.
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on May 11, 2007 6:36 PM:Any idea what "wdcsun16.usdoj.gov" links to? Someone asked me how to tell if this is the "good DOJ" or the "bad DOJ"?
The IP address is "149.101.1.116".
powkat wrote on May 11, 2007 6:38 PM:James Robert - these are the children of the people who sneered at we hippies and peaceniks, called us cowards (yet kept their student deferments) and have spent their entire adult lives knowing not only were they were wrong about Vietnam, they missed all the fun in the '60's. That's why they go to hookers, and cheat for every little scrap of money and/or power and still hate the left (because the left was right about Vietnam and Nixon and now Dubya.)
Basically, they hate themselves.
Sharon A wrote on May 11, 2007 7:08 PM:right, powkat, the unpopular nerds no one liked. I'm not sure -- did Bush, Cheney, Norquist, Rove ever get diplomas in anything? Or were they drop-outs? Wait, I think Bush's dad bought his diploma. He certainly didn't earn it. One has to show up for class and participate as more than just the class clown as Dubya was known for doing.
bjobotts wrote on May 11, 2007 8:29 PM:Bush knows he can do whatever he wants and will not be held accountable. He got the go ahead from Pelosi who said don't worry, impeachment is off the table. Like saying to a little kid, whatever you do you won't get into trouble for it. Goes a long way toward how the child will act. Gonzales has a get out of jail free card from Bush and knows we can't (or won't) touch him. Plan A is drag everything out to the end of term doing as much damage to the Dems as possible, get as much money as possible, control the DoJ by politicizing it, and so it goes to Interior, State, and Defense. If anything comes up just stall, impede, or "gum it to death". If it puts the GOP in a hole for 50yrs. big deal 'cause that's how long it will take the Democrats to undo what we've done. Just like Bush, Rice, and Cheney, Gonzales is untouchable and he knows it, just like he knows the Dems will be left to clean up the mess which will tie their hands for years to come. Untouchable and unstoppable because Pelosi took accountability off the table. That's why Gonzales is smiling.
The Oracle wrote on May 11, 2007 8:57 PM:Voters have to have a residence in the precinct in which they vote.
Congresspeople and Senators have to have a residence in the district or state that they hope to represent or do represent.
This is what makes what the corrupt Bush cronies did regarding U.S. Attorneys so abominable, in which they got some corrupt Republicans in Congress to pass a law saying that U.S. Attorneys no longer have to have a residence in the district to which they've been appointed by the most corrupt president and vice-president in American history.
Fascism? This definitely sounds like something only someone with a fascist mindset would impose on U.S. citizens.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 11, 2007 9:48 PM:Impeachment off the table by Pelosi means no conflict of interest cuz she is third in line.
Impeachment off the table means we will be able to keep beating the Republican corruption drum until 2009.
Impeachment off the table means we have the time to root out all elements of fascist plutocracy which this Administration has worked so hard to inflict on America.
As frustrating as it seems in this instantaneous fulfillment universe, sometimes worthwhile long-term goals requires foregoing short-term emotional release.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 11, 2007 9:54 PM:Repeal the PATRIOTS Acts and the Military Commissions Act.
Tim wrote on May 11, 2007 11:12 PM:I would like to know how the attorney issues were "slipped into" the Patroit Act. This is a very important issue as all this unfolds.
Helen Rainier wrote on May 13, 2007 9:37 AM:It seems that noone really knows how intrusive the Patriot Acts truly are. Wouldn't it be easier to just rescind the entire thing and rework a new "bill" that would more adequately address problems while returning our Constitutionally-guaranteed protections against unreasonable and possibly illegal government intrusions?
regular lurker wrote on May 13, 2007 10:26 AM:For Mrs P,
149.101.1.116 = [ wdcsun16.usdoj.gov ]
(Asked whois.arin.net:43 about +149.101.1.116)
OrgName: US Dept of Justice
Nathanael Nerode wrote on May 13, 2007 4:06 PM:OrgID: UDJ
Address: P.O. Box 59110
City: Potomac
StateProv: MD
PostalCode: 20859
Country: US
NetRange: 149.101.0.0 - 149.101.255.255
CIDR: 149.101.0.0/16
NetName: USDOJ
NetHandle: NET-149-101-0-0-1
Parent: NET-149-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Assignment
NameServer: JUSTICE2.USDOJ.GOV
NameServer: NS22.USDOJ.GOV
Comment:
RegDate: 1994-12-02
Updated: 2002-06-05
RTechHandle: ZU85-ARIN
RTechName: U.S. Department of Justice
RTechPhone: 1-202-305-2862
RTechEmail: EMWS@usdoj.gov
OrgTechHandle: EXJ-ARIN
OrgTechName: JMD-STS EMWS X
OrgTechPhone: 1-202-305-2862
OrgTechEmail: EMWS@usdoj.gov
ARIN WHOIS database last updated 2007-05-12 19: 10
Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.
Impeachment off the table means that Bush can simply declare, with a "signing statement", that he will ignore all the laws passed by Congress and refuse to enforce them.
So even if Congress passes this and overrides a veto, Bush can still appoint absentee US Attorneys by issuing an unconstitutional "signing statement", and who can stop him?
That's the problem.
Anonymous wrote on May 13, 2007 4:08 PM:And what about the part where the US attorneys are confirmed by congress, don't forget that one important element.
It's required oversight, the ugly part where the GOP opt to be totally negligent. A states US Attorney cannot merely serve at the pleasure of President, he/she must indeed serve at the pleasure of US citizens too. Otherwise makes Bush nothing but a dictator, since it seems clear Bush wanted the GOP to able to volate any law they see fit too, while proscuting Dems just for being Dems.
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on May 13, 2007 7:05 PM:regular lurker@May 13, 2007 10:26 AM
Thanks. Try Robtex's Swiss Army Knife Internet Tool for a bit more info on DOJ (link below).
I found out by searching Ask.com that wdcsun16.usdoj.gov is a DOJ address that regularly visits other websites of interest to the DOJ. Snooping? I don't know.
A list of other wdcsun DOJ web addresses can be found on the 10/31/06 visitor weblog of the Indiana Pro Bono Commission:
tinyurl.com/yv7jjf
I wonder if TPM or TPM MR gets visits from the DOJ.
Hi, guys!
Heil Mary wrote on May 13, 2007 7:46 PM:Check out the Wayne Madsen Report! The Madam's girls serviced the staff of MD's defeated GOP governor Erlich and Maryland DA DiBiagio was sacked in 2004 to cover this up. This also involves the bizarre murder of his Assistant US Attorney Jonathan Luna in December 2003 who probably knew too much. DiBiagio was fired and Luna was murdered to help the GOP win in 2004! Look how the Foley scandal upset the 2006 election. Maryland State Police Superintendent Ed Norris used his Executive Protective Unit that protects the Governor and other state VIPs to transport prostitutes. Gov. Erlich was also tied into the Abramoff scandal. Judge Kessler has sealed Palfrey's names to protect White House and GOP perps!
Bill wrote on May 31, 2007 11:41 AM:MSN I NIIPET
bmgdi wtfkbdljc wrote on September 5, 2007 1:51 PM:MSN
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