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Leahy: Our Focus is on Getting Information
Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the man who will preside over Michael Mukasey's confirmation hearing, signals hard that Mukasey's not going anywhere until the committee gets the information it's been seeking on the U.S. attorney firings and the administration's warrantless wiretapping program. A statement just out:
“The Judiciary Committee will approach consideration of the nomination of an Attorney General in a serious and deliberate fashion. The Administration took months determining that a change in leadership was needed at the Department of Justice and then the President spent several weeks before making a nomination. Our focus now will be on securing the relevant information we need so we can proceed to schedule fair and thorough hearings. Cooperation from the White House will be essential in determining that schedule.“The next Attorney General needs to be someone who can begin the process of restoring the Department of Justice to its proper mission. I am hopeful that once we obtain the information we need and we have had the opportunity to consider the nomination, we will be able to make progress in this regard.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), by contrast, sounds upbeat in his statement.
Here's what he has to say:
“I’m glad President Bush listened to Congress and put aside his plan to replace Alberto Gonzales with another partisan Administration insider. Judge Mukasey has strong professional credentials and a reputation for independence. A man who spent 18 years on the federal bench surely understands the importance of checks and balances and knows how to say no to the President when he oversteps the Constitution.“But there should be no rush to judgment. The Senate Judiciary Committee must carefully examine Judge Mukasey’s views on the complex legal challenges facing the nation. I look forward to meeting Judge Mukasey, and I will work with Chairman Leahy to ensure a full airing of the issues presented by his nomination.”
Comments (32)
LTO wrote on September 17, 2007 11:44 AM:Excellent point. Oversight cannot bridle an incoming agreement to hide the salami.
JEP wrote on September 17, 2007 11:49 AM:Play the hand you're dealt, Patrick, and I think it will come up a royal flush.
If they want their Atty General, they need to give us some Truth in return.
In this age of newfound "truthiness' we can all look forward to these squeexe plays producing information heretofore hidden from public scrutiny.
This time, we don't have to take "NO" OR "I Don't Know" for an answer.
The worm has turned!
wagonjak wrote on September 17, 2007 12:01 PM:I've been waiting for Harry Reid to step up to the plate and FINALLY start doing his job. All I've seen from him so far are strong words and NO ACTION!
He's a terrible spokesperson for the Democrats. The way he rambles and mutters through his statements, he always sounds like the senile old Uncle who's just about to fall asleep after a big dinner.
I get so frustrated with all of the Democratic leaders I could scream. Feinstein, Pelosi, Reid, Emmanuel, Schumer....all of them talk the talk and then don't walk the walk.
Juble wrote on September 17, 2007 12:32 PM:I sencerly hope Sen.Leahy sticks to his statements ,no AG until the doc are handed over.
bohdi wrote on September 17, 2007 12:37 PM:We can do our part,call & ask Leahy to stick to his guns.this is our Democracy we must participate.
leahy is all bluff. Watch what happens. At the first sign of dispute he will bend over and attempt to grab his ankles. Reid is simply an imposter. Maybe a highschool class secretary but there is no leadership in him whatsoever and never has been.
The real and coming tragedy is that both these spineless anemones are on board for the coming air bombardment of Iran.
A new system of government is desparately needed immediately. Corporate control is so vice-like and certain that only a new Constitutional Convention could provide even a glimmer of hope. This will never be allowed because it would challenge the military-industrial-congressional complex and AIPAC the two strongest movers in Washington. My money is on them. They will squeeze out more and more water from this dry stone until global warming finally forces their hand.
moondancer wrote on September 17, 2007 12:48 PM:Actually this kind of political fight is in Leahys wheelhouse. The noise machine will have a hard time sound biting this, and wingnuts wont care, since it has no racism involved. I expect Leahy to make the chimp very uncomfortable.
RJP wrote on September 17, 2007 12:49 PM:If Mukasey is meant as a stick in Leahys eye, I wouldnt bite. On the fascistometer he's pertty much the same as Clement.
CAN WE ALL SAY OUT LOUD (CORPORATE WHORES)
Anonymous wrote on September 17, 2007 12:58 PM:There is absolutely no reason to make
injusticeforall wrote on September 17, 2007 1:03 PM:a deal of the papers.
Yeah. And these aren't the droids you're looking for.
Dem02020 wrote on September 17, 2007 1:10 PM:This is a matter in which Mr. Leahy needs to use his head:
If he tries and makes "wiretapping", and any documents that pertain thereto, an issue before his Committee considers the AG nominee...
...then he unnecessarily draws National Security, and intelligence gathering, into the matter.
It is not necessary to do that.
It only hobbles and handicaps his efforts to make for the best AG that the American People need, for the final 15 months of the Bush administration.
Leave that difficult matter of National Security out of this.
The U.S. Attorney firings do not involve National Security, so just focus on that please.
Mr. Leahy is only undermining his own efforts, by straying from what is without a doubt a matter of transparency, and openess in government: The firings of the U.S. Attorneys...
By straying into the non-transparent and ultimately National Security matter, of intelligence gathering.
Robert McLaughlin wrote on September 17, 2007 1:56 PM:Is there anything in these documents about a warrantless housebreaking and bedroom/bathroom spycam incident that occured in Idaho? Followed by an on-air "feature" and "expose" at CNN Headline News? So who broke into my f!$@# house here - the cops or CNN???
Robert McLaughlin wrote on September 17, 2007 2:01 PM:No warrant, no probable cause, and no contraband. Just some harmless insults/flaming on an internet group. Hacking, offline stalking, housebreaking, bugging, tapping, and covert bedroom and bathroom spycam surveillance! And then CNN "published" the results of this "investigation". On-air TORTURE. J'accuse!
Stephen Pitt wrote on September 17, 2007 2:09 PM:.
Transparency is precisely what the Bush dictatorship wants to avoid.
The prosecution of Alberto Gonzales should proceed to completion before a new fascist enabler is installed.
http://www.light-to-dark.com/gonzos_leahy.html
One hemorrhage at a time, please. Senator Leahy: Please follow up on your committment to the people.
The national security excuse used by every dictatorship modern man has seen is no excuse, but a fraud. Trust the Bush junta at your own peril and the peril of the U.S. Constitution.
brantl wrote on September 17, 2007 2:13 PM:.
"Dem 02020" Yeah, right. Nice mis-direction. Like Bush isn't going to put up some ankle-grabber. His 'moderate' choice is just a lot of lipstick on a pig. I hope Leahy holds his nomination hostage to getting the papers that Bush owes the Congress. Then we'll find out whether the White House had DOJ help in wallpapering over multiple felonies, made at the White House's bequest/command.
erw wrote on September 17, 2007 2:34 PM:Just once. Just once. I wish a Democrat in Congress would follow through on a press release.
This new nominee may have the blessing of Senator Schumer, and George W. Bush, but he should go through the same vetting that any other nominee would get.
He may be a great jurist, but he has no management experience. The DOJ has several thousand employees.
We have just got rid of one of the "I was out of the loop," "I don't recall." "I can't remember." Directors that tried, and failed, to oversee this department.
We do not need another.
We are talking about the rule of law in the United States of America, and the department that administers those rules.
I don't think on the job training is applicable in this case.
Because he contributes to prominent Republican candidates does not necessarily qualify him for the job as Attorney General, and people's lawyer, of all the people of this country.
Opus wrote on September 17, 2007 2:59 PM:Kind of sounds like good cop/bad cop. Neither of them should trust George or any of his cronies.
Bringthemhome wrote on September 17, 2007 3:06 PM:Leahy & Co. also need to find out why former Gov. Siegelman (D-AL) is serving a 78-month sentence after Gonzales/Rove railroaded him to make sure he couldn't run for office again.
This is Soviet style "justice" and we've got to get to the bottom of what happened here.
keysdan wrote on September 17, 2007 3:30 PM:Senator Leahy's comments were just what we need to hear. Not only the reiteration of his statement regarding pursuing the Gonzales scandal, but also, not exclaiming the brilliance and confirmability of any nominee before the hearings. Who needs Senator Chuck Schumer, a voting member of the Judiciary Committe, stating how terrific the Judge is prior to the hearing. Sounds more like the role you would expect from Orrin Hatch--cheerleader for all things right wing. Just because the guy is a New Yorker, as good as that may be, he still needs to be questioned in keeping with advise and consent responsibilities.
RobertPaul wrote on September 17, 2007 4:00 PM:Let us not forget the outstanding supeanas!
rowdy wrote on September 17, 2007 4:10 PM:congressional and senatorial posturing is about to become a moot issue. when bush bombs iran,literally speaking, all hell will break loose. there will be no 2008 elections,because king george will declare martial law. his KKKristian army[along with blackwater] will see that his rule of dictatorship will be the 1000 year reich.
Richard H. Davis wrote on September 17, 2007 5:57 PM:Did anyone else notice that Bush appointed a new Acting Attorney General this morning - someone whose nomination for a Federal judgeship is being help up by the Democrats because he is viewed as a partisian. So Bush gets his partisian Attorney General until Mukasey is approved.
SacrAmerican wrote on September 17, 2007 5:57 PM:You can bet whomever the President nominates will be someone who will not go after the Bush/ Cheney Mafia.
We need an Attorney General who will adequately investigate the connection between the Pentagon's Project Able Danger, the President's friendship with the Saudi Royal family and the bin Ladens, Unocal oil, Cheneys secret meeting with the Taliban and Enron, the Trans-Afghanistan pipeline and the 9/11 obvious demolition of the World Trade Center buildings.
Kate Henry wrote on September 17, 2007 5:58 PM:God, we really do need to get rid of Harry Reid. We also need to get rid of Nancy Pelosi. We need leaders who have the courage to stand up to Bully Boy Bush and neither of them can do it.
Good on you Leahy, stand your ground and don't give an inch!
Samsara wrote on September 17, 2007 6:54 PM:Pelosi is OK. Reid is an embarrassment.
Joseph David Chase II wrote on September 18, 2007 12:25 AM:The new? replacemnet is an advisor to the murderous fascist giuliani.
Steve Petrisky wrote on September 18, 2007 1:43 AM:He couldn't possibly be honest AND working with cross dresser rudy.
giuliani caused the death of a lot of people when he was in on the LIE that the air was safe at the WTC so the'd ILLEGALLY REMOVE & DESTROY THE EVIDENCE FASTER.
ADD TO THAT THE FACT THAT SEPT.11th WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY NEEDED giuliani FOR THE COVER-UP OF 9/11/01 AND HE WAS ABOUT TO LOSE HIS "AUTHORITY" AS MAYOR.
Wow, the rage over Uncle Harry and Auntie Nancy is stunning. And poor old cipher Pat Leahy was a target of anthrax in 2001 when he held up the Bush judicial nominee agenda. As a previous poster wisely points out, he'll reach for his ankles and squeal for whatever Bush wants to give him.
I firmly believe the Democratic Party is being run as a Karl Rove black op (his every fourth word is Hillary, his every fifth word is Rodham). Skull 'n Bones Kerry vs. Skull 'n Bones Bush in 2004 with October Surprises by Zarqawi and bin Laden benefiting Bush (and the MSM tipped off that Ohio was the killing field.)
The field of candidates on both sides for '08 screams NONE OF THE ABOVE.
Leahy should focus on one thing and one thing only: who was behind the anthrax that was sent to him? Illegal wiretapping and the firing of US Attorneys vanish in insignificance compared to that issue.
Mark F wrote on September 18, 2007 6:45 AM:This is EXACTLY why Bush appointed Peter Keisler as interim AG. The Democrats have been outmaneuvered. Bush will give them nothing.
Mark F wrote on September 18, 2007 6:55 AM:"I firmly believe the Democratic Party is being run as a Karl Rove black op"
Steve Petrisky: you need to smoke WAY less pot.
Coonce wrote on September 18, 2007 10:48 AM:You must stand up NOW for the rest of us Americans. You are all we have to get these people that have committed crimes against our nation.
phil james wrote on September 18, 2007 2:19 PM:Richard H. Davis wrote: Did anyone else notice that Bush appointed a new Acting Attorney General this morning - someone whose nomination for a Federal judgeship is being help up by the Democrats because he is viewed as a partisian. So Bush gets his partisian Attorney General until Mukasey is approved.
Yes, it was noticed and that appointment rather than Mukasey's appears to be what Bush wanted to, and has, accomplished with this feint with Mukasey. Now he can stonewall Leahy on the information he is demanding, look reasonable by nominating someone Schumer likes, and continue the right-wing political operations, including pursuing bogus voter fraud cases at the DOJ to undermine the 2008 election. Nicely done Karl. (Bush of course could never have some up with this scheme himself) And we thought you were spending more time with your family.
theWalrus wrote on September 18, 2007 3:22 PM:DATELINE:
November 9, 2008
Senator Leahy issued a statement today:
"My recent discussions with Mr. Fielding were encouraging regarding the documents I have been requesting. I am hopeful the President Fred Thompson will work with us and that we can resolve these matters quickly and that I can issue more meaningless statements in the future."
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