Serious question, who are "the feds" who are investigating

[erinlough]

Abramoff? Are they a body that is independant of the Cabal? I can understand the Fitz investigation because there is an identified person who is doing the investigation. I am probably being overly sceptical, but I wonder if there is a department that is outside the Bush cabal's control.

Also are there any names of people who are in charge of the investigation or is it congress?

[madeline_con]

1. I can't find exactly WHO it is,

just the story about Dorgan returning some $ he received indirectly from Abramoff dealings.

EDIT I hate typos!

[erinlough]

2. I googled," feds, Abramoff " and it always seems

like whoever the are is refered to as, "the feds". I don't even know which department of the federal government it is.

[fooj]

3. I understand Alice Fisher was appointed by Shrub.

Just this past September...

[TomInTib]

4. Recess appointment. Has never prosecuted a SINGLE case.

Cherthoff drag-along.

Argued for DOD after Abu Ghraib (I think) and Gitmo detainees.

Leahey wanted to grill her on confirmation so The Testy Kid made her a recess appointment.

[fooj]

5. Lovely.

:banghead:

[dusty64]

6. That is NOT

good at all. How they get away with all this shit is beyond amazing.

[hang a left]

7. Check out this thread....and get out your psych meds

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=41598

Thanks to Firedoglake for the research on this.

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com /

-------------

Alice S. Fisher
From SourceWatch

Alice S. Fisher was appointed (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/2005083... ) by President George W. Bush in a recess appointment August 31, 2005, as Assistant Attorney General to head the Criminal Division in the Department of Justice.

Fisher was nominated March 29, 2005, and her nomination was sent to the Senate April 4, 2005. Her nomination was stalled over interrogation tactics at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, naval facility.

Fisher "had a substantive law firm career, and she worked for two years in the Criminal Division overseeing the Department’s prosecutions in the high-profile areas of counterterrorism and corporate fraud. She also been a long-time protégé of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff," Vermont Senator Patrick J. Leahy said (http://www.senate.gov/comm/judiciary/general/member_sta... ) in his May 12, 2005, statement. "I am somewhat concerned, however, that Ms. Fisher is nominated for one of the most visible prosecutorial positions in the country without ever having prosecuted a case, and she brings to the position minimal trial experience in any context," he said.

Leahy also expressed concerns about Fisher's "views on checks of controversial provisions of the Patriot Act and her opposition to the Act’s sunset provision; her participation in meetings in which the FBI expressed its disagreement with harsh interrogation methods practiced by the military toward detainees held at Guantanamo, and her ideas about appropriate safeguards for the treatment of enemy combatants." Leahy was also concerned about "reports that she has had ties to Congressman Tom DeLay’s defense team" and "also to know what steps she to take to avoid a conflict of interest in the Department’s investigation of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and possibly Mr. DeLay."

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Alice_S._Fis...

[erinlough]

8. Shit, I'm so sick of this.

They wriggle out of everything on their stomachs like the slimey creatures they are.

[hedda_foil]

9. Reports she had ties to DeLay's defense team?????

Leahy was also concerned about "reports that she has had ties to Congressman Tom DeLay’s defense team" and "also to know what steps she to take to avoid a conflict of interest in the Department’s investigation of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and possibly Mr. DeLay."

[Imalittleteapot]

10. Malloy just covered the Alice Fisher angle.

Based on your post and Malloy's ranting, I am convinced that Fisher was appointed to "handle the problem" or be so inexperienced that the defendant's attorneys will annihilate her.

:cry: :tinfoilhat:

[erinlough]

11. A new name I found on the Prosecutor of Abramoff

Larry LaVecchio, An Assistant DOJ Prosecutor. He is handling the first charge of wire-fraud. Here is part of the Yahoo Article: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1135159510365

"Lawyers for Abramoff -- Abbe Lowell in Washington and Neal Sonnett in Miami -- declined to discuss the possible plea deal.

Sonnett expressed dismay that news of the plea talks was leaked. "It could only have come from two parties and it didn't come from me," he said.

Larry LaVecchio, the Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting the Miami wire fraud case, did not return calls for comment."

This is another interesting piece on some other cases he has been involved in: http://www.washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040430-103639-7614r.htm

If this is the prosecutor handling the case it may not be so bad.

[kentuck]

12. I found this on another link...

"The FBI, the Justice Department’s public integrity section and the Interior Department inspector general are investigating Abramoff’s lobbying practices..."