Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Keep digging into GOP's purge

By A TIMES EDITORIAL
Published March 10, 2007

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., called the eight recently ousted U.S. attorneys "pawns in a political chess game." The hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee have confirmed his assessment. U.S. attorneys serve at the president's pleasure, but what happened to these high-level professionals was nothing short of a political purge.

A number of these fired U.S. attorneys testified that they were let go after their offices probed Republican officials for corruption or had refused to indict Democrats when the evidence was insufficient. It appears they were too independent for a White House that is used to having political hacks in jobs that call for experienced public servants.

David Iglesias, who lost his job as U.S. attorney in Albuquerque, gave detailed testimony of being called by Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson, two New Mexico Republicans, about ongoing corruption investigations that involved Democrats in the state. The lawmakers were anxious to know whether any action would occur before the 2006 election. After one of those calls, Iglesias said he felt "sick" and "leaned on." Not long thereafter he was removed from his post.

According to John McKay, former U.S. attorney in Seattle, the chief of staff for Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., called him about launching an investigation into the highly contested and close 2004 governor's race. A Democrat was victorious after two recounts. McKay says that when he was summoned to the White House for a potential judicial appointment, the fact that he didn't pursue a probe came up.

H.E. Cummins, a former U.S. attorney in Arkansas, said he received a phone call from the chief staffer of Paul McNulty, the deputy attorney general, suggesting that prosecutors who talked to the press about their predicament could face retribution.

Carol Lam was removed as U.S. attorney in San Diego after she headed the investigation into Rep. Randy Cunningham, a Republican who pleaded guilty to taking $2-million in bribes from defense contractors and is now serving an eight-year sentence. Other Republican lawmakers were under investigation when she got the boot.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told members of Congress that he "would never, ever make a change in a United States attorney position for political reasons" and has suggested that the ousters were for performance issues. But Justice Department performance evaluations of these professionals have ranged from good to glowing. Gonzales' claims are just not credible.

This administration has a record of taking essential government jobs like the head of FEMA and turning them over to partisan hacks. The nation's chief federal law enforcers are supposed to be politically neutral. Cummins of Arkansas was replaced by J. Timothy Griffin, a former deputy to White House aide Karl Rove.

Under pressure from Senate Republicans and Democrats, Gonzales agreed to make high-level officials in the Justice Department available to discuss the tainted personnel decisions. He also committed the administration to supporting the return of the old rules where appointments of U.S. attorneys had to be confirmed by the Senate in short order or a federal judge would make the selection. Congress should waste no time in passing this legislation.

In the meantime, Congress should keep digging. The Senate Ethics Committee has already opened an inquiry into Domenici's actions. And the House should do the same with Wilson and Hastings.

Something smells.

[Last modified March 9, 2007, 22:23:31]