Like the Energizer Bunny, The US Attorneys Scandal Just Keeps On Going
Weekend revelations about the mass firing of eight US attorneys implicate the White House and provide fuel for critics who believe the December pink-slip-fest reflects the worst of partisan politics. All those fired were Republicans. Just not Republican enough, it seems.
On Sunday, White House spokesperson Dana Perino told McClatchy Newspapers that White House and Republican Party adviser Karl Rove "relayed complaints [about US Attorney David Iglesias (NM)] from Republican officials and others to the Justice Department... and [he] may have mentioned the grumblings ... to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales."
On Saturday, McClatchy reported that New Mexico Republican Party chair Allen Weh complained about Iglesias to Rove in 2005.
This not the first link between Rove and the Department of Justice mass firing of eight US attorneys in December 2006.
The issue first came to light in January press about events in Arkansas, where the new US Attorney appointee seemed unqualified: his experience was almost exclusively as a political operative, much of that for Rove.
Back Story
US Attorneys are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They normally serve terms concurrent with the President. In the past, in the case of a vacancy, the district court recommends and the Senate confirms within 120 days.
However, after the Arkansas case shined a light on dismissals, researchers discovered that The Patriot Act Reauthorization Bill of 2005, PL 109-177, changed the process for filling vacancies.
Under the revised Patriot Act language, in the case of a vacancy the Attorney General is empowered to appoint an "interim" US Attorney for an indefinite period -- no Senate confirmation required. The language was inserted in the bill during conference committee at the request of the White House; it was not part of any original Patriot Act reauthorization proposal. Read about how this happened.
- AttorneyGate Timeline
- Patriot Act Changed The Rules on US Attorney Appointments
- How Congress Changed The Rules On US Attorney Appointments
- Text of SB 214 - Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007 (Reported in Senate)
- The Strong-Arm Ideology & Philosophy of Alberto Gonzales, US Liberals
- Dump Alberto Gonzales, and Let the Healing Commence, US Liberals
- Why Gonzales Must Resign, Civil Liberties