ePluribus Media Community || Gonzales U.S. Attorneys, the new fall guy: William Moschella

Gonzales U.S. Attorneys, the new fall guy: William Moschella

by Cho

Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 11:34:05 PM EST

McClatchy Washington Bureau's latest: Seems as if our man William Moschella, principal associate deputy attorney general, was the worker bee brainstorm behind the Patriot Act Reauthorization changes last year that slide into place the legislation needed to "appoint" U.S. Attorneys to interim or acting positions -- allowing them to stay "indefinitely."

The plan was, for all intents and purposes as revealed by the email exchanges, a way to build up the resumes of otherwise not-ready for prime time Bush loyalists.

commentary :: :: :: buzz-it!

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department said Wednesday that revisions in the USA Patriot Act that gave the administration unprecedented powers to replace ousted U.S. attorneys were designed by a mid-level department lawyer without the knowledge of his superiors or anyone at the White House.

The provision allows the attorney general to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for the remainder of President Bush's term without Senate confirmation.
Over the last several days, the administration has been forced to explain a strategy that removed eight U.S. attorneys who had fallen out of favor with the administration and replaced them with loyalists. Critics contend the effort was inspired by election year politics and was designed as retaliation against the more independent prosecutors.
Wednesday's explanation of the Patriot Act changes, along with the release of new e-mail correspondence, was meant to stave off mounting accusations by Democrats as their investigation into the administration's firing of the prosecutors widens. Democrats say they now are suspicious that the changes were part of an attempt to grab executive powers and play politics with prosecutorial appointments. They also accused the Justice Department of misleading Congress about the intent of the new law.

More from Marisa Taylor and Margaret Talev at McClatchy Justice Dept. distances White House from firings of U.S. attorneys. Get these women a pulitzer nomination, please.

Gonzales U.S. Attorneys, the new fall guy: William Moschella | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)

So I thought Griffin decided to only (5.00 / 1) (#1)

stay for interim period and not until end of GW's term...... WTF?

Tim Griffin, who was appointed as an interim to fill the U.S. attorney's job in Little Rock, Ark., was a former aide to Bush's political advisor Karl Rove. Even though he said he would not seek Senate confirmation, Griffin said Wednesday he plans to remain in office as long as the administration wanted him to.

by avahome on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 11:51:30 PM EST

: He's gonna ride it out. (5.00 / 1) (#2)

The emails clearly indicate he was the "test tube baby" ... so guess he has to endure the bad PR along with the rest of them.

by roxy317 on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 02:02:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

So, Moschella just decided one (5.00 / 1) (#3)

day to slip something into the Patriot Act ... ummm, yeah. And then, since it was in there, they decided to take it for a test drive.

Moschella and department officials also could not explain why the then-assistant attorney general for legislative affairs was in a position to pursue such a change without input from others within the department or permission from superiors.

So all of these mid-level guys will resign, taking the heat, and then they can appoint others to take their place and continue building resumes?

by roxy317 on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 02:10:30 AM EST

: Conspiracy going back some time (5.00 / 1) (#4)

Damn, I have not had enough sleep, feel groggy and snarky...I know that I read in the last 24 hours that Moschella just happened to work on this with another one of these "Hatch babies" in the cabal starting in 2003 or earlier.
Now where did I see that...? Oh yeah, at TPM.
And lookee there, Moschella is working with a DOJ guy from CALIFORNIA. Can't imagine why.

by RayneToday on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 07:39:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

But wait, there's more (5.00 / 1) (#5)

Justin Scheck/Recorder: Was S.F. Judge the Catalyst for Firing of U.S. Attorney?

...it wasn't Patel's lobbying that got Ryan fired -- nor was it his negative performance reviews.
Instead, it seems to have been Patel's attempt to get copies of those reviews that convinced department leadership to -- as Ryan's spokesman put it at the time -- "come to a mutually agreeable decision" with the U.S. Attorney that he was fired.

by rba on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 08:10:21 AM EST

The Judiciary Panel doesn't seem to be (5.00 / 1) (#6)

buying this...any more the me! This is a pretty good read......take a minute...here's an excerpt:
yahoo

Panel OKs subpoenas in attorney probe
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday cleared the way for subpoenas compelling five Justice Department officials and six of the U.S. attorneys they fired to tell the story of the purge that has prompted demands for the ouster of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
The voice vote to authorize the panel to issue subpoenas amounts to insurance against the possibility that Gonzales could retract his permission to let the aides testify voluntarily, or impose strict conditions.

by avahome on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 12:00:53 PM EST

Gonzales U.S. Attorneys, the new fall guy: William Moschella | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)

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