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The Gonzales 7: Part III (The Denial)

by rba rcs1
Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 05:03:05 PM EST

Marisa Taylor/McClatchy:  Official denies prosecutors were ousted for political reasons.

" WASHINGTON - The No. 2 Justice Department official acknowledged Tuesday that at least seven U.S. attorneys were asked to resign, but he denied that the administration ousted them for political reasons. . . Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty told the Senate Judiciary Committee that six U.S. attorneys were asked to step down in December because of "performance-related" issues."

[edit]

" Last month, McClatchy Newspapers analyzed many of those interim appointments and found that Gonzales had been appointing conservative loyalists from the Bush administration's inner circle to fill the vacancies. . . The new U.S. attorneys all have impressive legal credentials, but most of them have few ties to the communities they've been appointed to serve, and some have little experience as prosecutors."
::  ::  ::
Cho/ePluribus Media:   The Gonzales Seven: The Replacement U.S. Attorneys.  Recap of news to date, background, and request for information.

Image: Talking Sycophant © Thomas Edwards @ The Fraser Gallery.


commentary :: :: :: buzz-it!
Display:
The Gonzales 7: Part III (The Denial) | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
Hatchet man................. (5.00 / 2) (#1)
http://www.answers.com/topic/hatchet-man

hatchet man n. Slang. A man hired to commit murder. One assigned to carry out a ruthless task or a vicious or unscrupulous order. (my emphasis added)

Gotta say, I sure wouldn't want this label on my back..... "look to your soul" Alberto!

by avahome on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 08:32:50 AM EST

More coverage on the Senate Hearing today. (5.00 / 2) (#2)
New York Times: A U.S. Attorney Was Removed Without Cause, Official Says
"We never have and never will seek to remove a United States attorney to interfere with an ongoing investigation or prosecution or in retaliation for a prosecution," Mr. McNulty said.

AP (as reported in the Times) Justice Lawyer Explains Attorney Firings

A top Justice Department official acknowledged Tuesday that more than a half-dozen U.S. attorneys were fired in the last year, in some cases without cause, but denied Democrats' allegations that they were dismissed and replaced for political reasons.


by Cho on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:44:28 AM EST
"in some cases without cause" (5.00 / 1) (#4)
What getting fired without cause is like:

"Heh, heh, heh... okay, blindfold me... spin me around three times, and point me toward the map of the U.S. Attorneys... hand me a couple of darts, now... <<whhoosh, plunk>> <<whoosh, plink>> <<fwwhoot, thunk>>

Do they realize how inane that "in some cases without cause" sounds? Fired on someone's whim, for no reason, just because the boss felt like firing someone today?

We should be just as outraged for these firings as the political firings, because whatever cumulative effort put forth by the "fired without cause" U.S. Attorneys, paid for by our tax dollars, was thrown in the toilet for no reason.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
by wanderindiana on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 11:20:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The AP version (5.00 / 1) (#6)
doesn't jive with what I heard McNulty say on the firings.  I could swear he said that the last 6 (those who were notified in December) were let go for performance reasons.  Cummins was the exception, without cause and had been contacted in June also.  

I am not certain of how it relates to Federal appointed positions but the "at-will-employment" doctrine allows employers to fire people without cause legally every day.  There are some exceptions and state statutes can change the requirements but firing "without cause" happens quite frequently.  See the Wikipedia page on "at-will-employment" for a better explanation.  

by standingup on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 05:44:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

and this editorial (5.00 / 2) (#3)
sent to us by one of ePluribus Media's coaches from the Columbia School of Journalism Sulzberger Fellowship program.

Editorial on Playing Politics with U.S.Attorneys

by Cho on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:57:06 AM EST

OMG - this is too good! (none / 0) (#5)
Mr. Schumer says he may subpoena the dismissed federal attorneys' performance evaluations if he doesn't get a better explanation.

Gottcha!!!!!!! Your it!


by avahome on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 11:28:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The Gonzales 7: Part III (The Denial) | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)

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