Proof That Bush's Removal of the Abramoff Prosecutor was a Political Deal

[kpete]

Martin Garbus

Bio

01.31.2006
Proof That Bush's Removal of the Abramoff Prosecutor was a Political Deal to Scuttle the Investigation

It came about this way. The Democrats wanted Magistrate Federal Judge Susan Wingenton to be a federal judge. The Bush Administration said no.

We also know that in 2002 Bush got rid of a prosecutor. U.S. Attorney Black, who was about to indict Abramoff in Guam. That indictment also related to Abramoff's purchasing of influence. It's the modus operandi of this administration. Bush got rid of him, put in his own man, and the Abramoff prosecution ended.

This year the Bush Administration agreed to give the Democrats who they wanted in exchange for the Democrats agreeing to remove the Abramoff prosecutor. Wingenton got her appointment; the Democrats agreed to the removal of Noel Hillman, and he accepted a judgeship.

The approval of the two Democratic Senators from New Jersey was necessary for Hillman's appointment. Corzine gave that quiet approval just before he became governor. Frank Lautenberg on his website issued a press release, today announcing both the Wingenton and Hillman appointments, under the title "President Nominates Federal Judges for New Jersey."

Both Corzine and Lautenberg knew they were removing Hillman.

Why?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-garbus/proof-that-bushs-removal_b_14818.html

[shockingelk]

1. reccomend

:kick:

intrigue ...

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. K & R. Yes, WHY did Corzine and Lautenberg do this? What does the

Bushies have on them? Or was there some kind of favor or threat involved?

[0007]

3. What does Corzine & Lautenberg have to say about this incident?

I'm gonna wait for an answer, if I can stand the smell.

[Mnemosyne]

4. .

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. While I'm sure it was political -

"The approval of the two Democratic Senators from New Jersey was necessary for Hillman's appointment." That is the sentence that I am not understanding. Since when did Bush or his co-horts need any Democrat's approval for anything?

Removing Hillman just re-inforces the clear need for a special counsel.

[onenote]

7. long standing tradition

The appointment of district court judges, by long standing tradition, require the sign off of the state's senators. It isn't a hard and fast rule, but nominations (particularly district court nominations) typically cannot get out of the Judiciary Committee without it. Hillman apparently was on a list of names that Corzine and Lautenberg put together some time ago.

onenote

[onenote]

6. what does this prove? Hillman's appointment was announced last June

It wasn't any secret. And its traditional for the Senators from a state to be consulted with respect to the appointment of district court judges in their state. And the replacement for Hillman is another career prosecutor. And Garbus' conspiracy theory about Susan Wigenton (for which he cites nothing) would be more convincing if he actually knew her name (Wigenton, not Wingenton)

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/161/region/Sens_White_House_set_to_nominaP.shtml

[JDPriestly]

8. Regardless, you don't remove a prosecutor from a

politically sensitive corruption case if you care at all about avoiding the appearance of being yourself corrupt. Bush doesn't care whether he appears corrupt. He has total contempt for the American people.