Sampson on U.S. Attorney Firings: Says Gonzales Made False Statements

by S-Q @ 10:50 AM MDT

Editor & Publisher

By E&P Staff

Published: March 29, 2007 11:30 AM ET updated

NEW YORK- We will keep an eye all day on the testimony, and grilling, of former Justice Department official Kyle Sampson at a U.S. Senate hearing today.

He offered his written testimony this morning (it was leaked last night) and then the questiong began by Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Arlen Specter, and others.

Specter asked about Attorney General Gonzales' "candor" in saying earlier this month that he was not a part of any discussions on the firings. He asked about the November 27, 2006 meeting "where there were discussions" and Gonzales allegedly attended. Was Gonzales' statement about taking part in no discussions accurate?

"I don't think it's accurate," Sampson said. "He recently clarified it. But he was present at the November 27 meeting."

"So he was involved in discussions in contrast to his statement" this month? Specter asked.

"Yes." Sampson replied.

What Bush Is Hiding

by S-Q @ 2:00 PM MDT

Salon

In the U.S. attorney scandal, Alberto Gonzales gave orders, but he also took them -- from Karl Rove, who plotted to turn the federal criminal justice system into the Republican Holy Office of the Inquisition.

By Sidney Blumenthal

March 22, 2007 | Leave aside the unintentional irony of President Bush asserting executive privilege to shield his aides from testifying before the Congress in the summary firings of eight U.S. attorneys because the precedent would prevent him from receiving "good advice." Leave aside also his denunciation of the Congress for the impertinence of requesting such testimony as "partisan" and "demanding show trials," despite calls from Republicans for the dismissal of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Ignore as well Bush's adamant defense of Gonzales.

The man Bush has nicknamed "Fredo," the weak and betraying brother of the Corleone family, is, unlike Fredo, a blind loyalist, and will not be dispatched with a shot to the back of the head in a rowboat on the lake while reciting his Ave Maria. (Is Bush aware that Colin Powell refers to him as "Sonny," after the hothead oldest son?) But saving "Fredo" doesn't explain why Bush is willing to risk a constitutional crisis. Why is Bush going to the mattresses against the Congress? What doesn't he want known?

In the U.S. attorneys scandal, Gonzales was an active though second-level perpetrator. While he gave orders, he also took orders. Just as his chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, has resigned as a fall guy, so Gonzales would be yet another fall guy if he were to resign. He was assigned responsibility for the purge of U.S. attorneys but did not conceive it. The plot to transform the U.S. attorneys and ipso facto the federal criminal justice system into the Republican Holy Office of the Inquisition had its origin in Karl Rove's fertile mind.

Justice Department Documents Released

By S-Q @ 6:20 PM MDT

Think Progress

New e-mails released this evening by the Justice Department reveal the depth of White House involvement in the discussions to fire eight U.S. attorneys last year. The thousands of pages of e-mails suggest the White House was involved in the plan from the beginning.

The e-mails detail conversations about attorneys targeted for dismissal. There are no e-mails from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who reportedly does not use e-mail, though the Justice Department says messages show some indication that Gonzales’ former chief of staff, D. Kyle Sampson, kept the attorney general apprised.

The House Judiciary Committee website is likely to have some of the emails in PDF form available tonight.
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Update 3/20: 3000 pages of documents were dumped last night!
Note: Gonzales is scheduled to appear at a House hearing on Thursday.
IMHO: He'll more than likely be gone before that!

Senate panel clears way for subpoenas in probe of U.S. attorney firings

By S-Q @ 9:00 am MDT

© 2007 Stephen Pitt

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.

The committee also postponed for a week a vote on whether to authorize subpoenas of top aides to President Bush who were involved in the eight firings, including political adviser Karl Rove, former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and deputy White House Counsel William K. Kelley.

The committee approved subpoena power over key Justice Department officials involved in the firings: Michael Elston, Kyle Sampson, Monica Goodling, Bill Mercer and Mike Battle.

More

Another Scapegoat

By Meanderer @ 8:56 am HST

The House of Cards continues to dissemble. Here's the link to the resignation of Gonzales aide who "forgot to discuss with Harriet Miers"....

Our old friend is back, even after she's gone. So I guess that means they can get two scapegoats for the price of one. Do they think that if they find enough saps to fire the press will move on to the next scandal before the AG - also named AG - has to resign under fire?

Here's the link.
Top Gonzales Aide Resigns

PS: The print copy of Time mag with evil empire man on the cover does have a very nice little sidebar about our PJF, with picture. He's in Chicago with upcoming trials. We're with ya!

What a Tangled Web They Weave!

by Global Evildoer Fighter @ 1:00 pm EDT

When they practice to Deceive! (It's not easy being a waterboy for El Diablo!)

US Attorney Removal Halted Abramoff Investigation

I can't believe how inter-related all these Bush administration scandals are becoming. First we got Rove and Gonzales involved in it, and now good old Jack Abramoff rears his corruption-ridden head too.

C&L Exclusive

And..

Six Degrees Of Separation: Alberto Gonzales Involved in Plame Cover-Up

As Senators start to pile on our lamentable Attorney General for presiding over Karl Rove's politicization of the US Attorneys Office — an offense known as 'obstruction of justice' — I would like to direct your attention to a similar but somehow forgotten scandal.

C&L Exclusive

And..

Gonzales Accepts Resignation of Top Aide

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Alberto Gonzales abruptly canceled travel plans Tuesday amid growing calls for his ouster over the firings of eight federal prosecutors during a White House-directed housecleaning of U.S. attorneys.

Gonzales also accepted the resignation of his top aide, Kyle Sampson, who authorities said failed to brief other senior Justice Department officials of his discussions about the firings with then-White House counsel Harriet Miers. Miers resigned in January.

Huffpo