WaPo: Eyebrows Are Raised in Mich. Over Reasons for Prosecutor's Firing

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/24/AR2007032401122.html?nav=rss_politics

Eyebrows Are Raised in Mich. Over Reasons for Prosecutor's Firing

By Peter Slevin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 25, 2007; Page A04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- In the aftermath of the surprise firing of U.S. Attorney Margaret M. Chiara, questions outnumber answers. Was she dismissed for political reasons? For poor performance? To make way for someone else? Western Michigan's legal community does not know what to think.

The Justice Department initially announced that the reasons were "performance-related," an explanation at odds with the current consensus in Grand Rapids. The chief federal judge firmly disputed it, as did Chiara, who said she was told her resignation was needed to clear the way for a political favorite.

Some defense lawyers speculate that Chiara, who once trained to be a nun, fell out of favor with the Bush administration over her personal opposition to the death penalty. The administration has pursued capital punishment in several states, including Michigan, that have no state death penalty or rarely use it.

Amid the competing theories, most everyone seems to agree that Chiara's forced resignation after five years, in the middle of a presidential term, is puzzling and that the administration's handling of the firing and its aftermath did a disservice to the 63-year-old career lawyer.

"I see no evidence of any poor performance at all," said Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell, a Reagan appointee, adding that his fellow judges concur. "She hired very competent people. She's a person of high integrity. She has this strong moral sense about her, of rectitude."

more...

[aquart]

1. Genuine morality has no place in BushCo.

[tanyev]

3. And high integrity is a serious liability.

[Bitwit1234]

2. I'd like to know why Rachel Paulson

got nominated in Minnesota and why the former attorney had to resign. Minnesota was one of the target states that rove targeted to try to steal for the 2008 elections. Since Pawlenty is a crook also it wouldn't do any good to write him.

[Spiffarino]

4. "She has this strong moral sense about her, of rectitude."

Mystery solved.

[wryter2000]

5. Is he really THAT in love with killing people?

He'd get rid of her over the death penalty and cause himself problems? What a sick bastard.

[Faygo Kid]

6. Like the rest of the firings, it was all about 2008, and enabling voting fraud

Karl Rove needs U.S. attorneys in place in 2008 who will look the other way while voters are disenfranchised and the GOP engages in widespread voter fraud in key states. Chiara is not one of the people likely to play ball. For more, look to Frank Rich's column in the NY Times today.

[TankLV]

9. Ding Ding Ding! We have a WINNER!

Planned.

Wide Spread.

Cheating.

For 2008.

Period.

Why is it so hard for the media whores to connect all the dots?

Why is it so hard for our Democratic Leadership to connect all the dots? I think their moving closer, but they just cannot fathom that the repuke party IS that corrupt and devious...

[SpiralHawk]

7. Opposed the Death penalty !!! Off with her head.

ALL Republicon cronies are sworn to IGNORE the Ten Commandments,
and all the other stuff that Jesus Christ preached.

republicons LOVE the death penalty.

republicons love to ignore the Ten Commandments
and to KILL those they have JUDGED.

Can the execution of New Gingrich -- and other republicon fornicators and adulterers -- be far behind?

[SpiralHawk]

8. Why do republicons HATE Jesus and the Ten Commandments?

Why do republicons hate God and his Commandments?

[TankLV]

10. I believe it has NOTHING to do with what you're suggesting - has EVERYTHING to do with their PLANNED

STEALING of the 2008 election cycle.

This has been their modus operandi since they STOLE the elections in 2000.

They know they can't win fair and square.

They know they could likely face CAPITAL PUNISHMENT over all their CRIMES CRIMNES AGAINST HUMANTIY.

[SpiralHawk]

11. What you are suggesting would be slightly less immoral and illegal...

as a motivation for the republicons' sonsistently anti-American and anti-Christian behavior.

Dare we hope that republicon cronies could ever rise to even that level
of heinous corruption?

Miracles do happen.

[benld74]

12. Someone posted Rove stated at an RNC meeting,,,and I can't find the post

That there were 11 states that were toss ups in 2008, and guess what folks, the AG's have been replaced in 8 of those states!!!
SMOKING GUN-FIRED GUN!!!

[vanboggie]

13. Here's the link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=491130

The replaced US Attorneys are in NINE of the pivotal 2008 election states that Rove identified.

I'm in West Michigan and have written Conyers, the House Judiciary Committee, Leahy as well as Levin and Stabenow about this. I suggest anyone concerned about another stolen election should contact friendly Congress Critters as well. I didn't bother with my own House Rep Ehlers since he's a worthless Repuke hack.

I'm convinced that Traitor Rove is already setting up for the 2008 steal. West Michigan makes the most sense since the heavy-hitting Repukes reside on this side of the state and can provide the best cover. Bastards.

[MsUnderstood]

14. everything else in the article faded. . .

and all I could think was "OMG they fired a nun!"

Okay I know she ISNT a nun but she was in training to be a nun before changing to law.

It makes a good TALKING POINT if we want to play the games the Repubs play.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

15. Oh-oh - western Mich is about as Repub. as you can get. Not good to make them mad.

although they are turning just a bit more blue due to the bad economic situation there.

[Supersedeas]

16. Like Repigs thing what a judge thinks about the prosecution of the law actually matters

[Booster]

17. Do you sometimes get the feeling that none of the States sent

their brightest to Washington to represent us? All you hear coming out of Wash is "we're going to get to the bottom of this", yet it seems like they are starting at the bottom and working their way up. I also get the feeling people in Wash are only using their computers to play games when they are supposed to be working; a little research on their part would help them immensely, but we seem to know most stuff long before they do. The system is just plain broke and they don't want to fix it; none of them.