« previous | MUCK HOME | next »
The Daily Muck
Sen. Olympia Snow (R-ME) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) have not called for the resignation of Alberto Gonzales, but they both offered harsh criticism of the Attorney General after discovering that their state’s US Attorney spent time on the now-infamous firing list. (Portland Press Herald)
Gonzales’ performance over the past few months has reinforced the image put forth by his critics that the Attorney General is a “yes-man” to President Bush. (Associated Press)
US Attorneys across the country learned last week that many of them had been considered for replacement. Since then, several have been quick to point out their positive job reviews, while few recall hearing anything negative about their performance. (McClatchy Newspapers)
Meanwhile, Gonzales faced criticism from within the Justice Department. In a meeting with most of the current US Attorneys, more than a dozen prosecutors expressed concern about the scandal’s impact on the national system of justice. (Washington Post)
Wanted: a new Deputy Attorney General. (Legal Times)
Weeks before former US Attorney David Iglesias (NM) appeared on the Justice Department firing list, he sat down for lunch with a prominent Republican lawyer from New Mexico. According to Iglesias, the topic of the hour was voter fraud prosecutions, the lack of which Iglesias thinks led to his firing. (LA Times)
John McKay is not mincing words: he claims that the Justice Department is covering up the real reason for his firing.
The National Intelligence Council published two white papers as early as 2003 that predicted that a US occupation of Iraq could produce internal violence and an increase in terrorism and Islamic extremism. The reports, which are scheduled to be declassified this week, were available to the White House during the period of pre-war assessment. (Washington Post)
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) and Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) are set to take last week’s fight over earmarks to the House floor. Rogers intends to seek a House vote (sub. req.) on whether to reprimand Murtha for allegedly threatening to deny Rogers the opportunity to place earmarks in future appropriations bills. (Roll Call)
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) has found a way to explain the FBI’s repeated interest in his wife’s business dealings with Jack Abramoff: Democratic staffers at the Department of Justice. (Sacramento Bee)
The Senate is considering its first bill since the chamber adopted new rules on earmarking. For all the posturing on reform, the Democrats have let 446 earmarks into the bill, up from 272 that were in last year’s draft under Republican leadership. (LA Times)
Comments (14)
asdf wrote on May 21, 2007 10:41 AM:They weren’t crazy about the Supreme Court nominees either. This is the same blustery rhetoric that we here whenever they are about to do the wrong thing. If the parade stays on schedule, Joe Lieberman will soon voice his concern at any moment.
Sound and fury, signifying nothing.
It’s impeachment or stop should stop insulting the public. This is ridiculous.
every wrote on May 21, 2007 10:47 AM:"Democratic staffers at the Department of Justice"...Hasn't it been determined already that Goodling purge them all from Justice?
TomInMaine wrote on May 21, 2007 11:31 AM:Being from Maine, I guess it is to much to ask of our Senators to show some backbone and political courage and finally stop supporting this administration and its band of thugs.
Enough is enough!
TomInMaine wrote on May 21, 2007 11:32 AM:Being from Maine, I guess it is to much to ask of our Senators to show some backbone and political courage and finally stop supporting this administration and its band of thugs.
Enough is enough!
JasonInMaine wrote on May 21, 2007 11:37 AM:If Collins can't tell when it's time to take out the trash, well, I'm getting very excited about seeing her crushed in her re-election bid.
foobar wrote on May 21, 2007 11:58 AM:Interesting note in the article about John McKay. The last sentence of this paragraph stands out:
"[McKay] said the Justice Department didn’t want to get involved in the governor’s race because it was a state election the state should police. But McKay said he insisted on looking into it. He said he used the rationale the president was on the ballot as well."
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/67379.html
SamSara wrote on May 21, 2007 12:54 PM:Concerning the no-confidence resolution, there will not even be a vote. Mitch McConell will never let this thing get to the Senate floor. It takes 60 votes for cloture before they can even vote on it. Remember how he cut off the Iraq War Resolution debate until he forced Majority Leader Reid to compromise on format of the debate. What possible reason would McConell have for allowing this onto the Senate Floor? Do you think any of these Republicans has the guts to cross the Minority Leader? This whole thing is a media play and a joke.
Posted by: SamSara
Date: May 17, 2007 03:58 PM
And Big Mitch come through again.
A. Californian wrote on May 21, 2007 3:27 PM:http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/20/mcconnell-resolution/
Maybe a little memory refreshment will help more Senators to vote 'no-confidence'.
Here's a link to more evidence that Gonzalez was less-than-wholly-truthful during his confirmation hearing. The subject? Bush's DUI:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6857224/site/newsweek/
It appears that there has never been a time in his legal career when Gonzalez's #1 job was something other than carrying water/providing cover/breaking the law for GWB.
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on May 21, 2007 5:10 PM:Hilarious! Doolittle is now employing the Crazy Curt Weldon line of defense. It is all the fault of those crafty Democrats who evaded detection by Monica Goodling by laying low, just waiting for their opportunity to sic the FBI on defenseless GOP congressmen.
Sacramento Bee
By David Whitney (who knows the Doolittle story inside and out)
5/18/07
"Doolittle blames Democrats for leaks"
WASHINGTON - Rep. John Doolittle on Friday added a new bullet to his 14-point "talking points" memo on the April 13 FBI search of his Oakton, Va., home.
In a telephone press conference with California reporters, the Roseville Republican said he still thinks the raid - and more importantly, the government's leak of information about it - was all about rehabilitating the reputation of embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
But it wasn't Republicans trying to do the rehabilitating, Doolittle said. It was embedded Democratic staffers in the Justice Department who were responsible because of the party's "Republican culture of corruption" campaign.
whizkid wrote on May 21, 2007 10:34 PM:Snow and Collins are being coy.
molly wrote on May 22, 2007 8:57 AM:They are ready to cut the administration's throat right now. Not just for themselves, but for Maine and the US. They simply await momentum.
I live in Maine...wrote to Snowe about the illegal wiretapping. She wrote back and stated there was a board which will overlook the wiretapping. This was some time ago. Wonder how that worked out.Wonder who was on the board.
molly wrote on May 22, 2007 8:59 AM:I'm sure our AG in Maine was scrutinized because she is a good attorney and our elections so far appear to be fair.
Alex wrote on September 29, 2007 4:42 AM:Hi, nice page.!
look on my pages:
associate international news profit
ok.. bitte
Petr wrote on September 30, 2007 5:09 AM:Hi, nice page.!
look on my pages:
conservation dedicated organization profit
ok.. bitte