DOJ gets back to Feinstein (On how many Attorney's he approved to be fired)

[The Straight Story]

Dear Mr. Chairman:
u.s. Department of Justice
Office of Legislative Affairs
Washington, D. C. 20530
August 10, 2007

This responds to the question posed to the Attorney General by Senator Feinstein at the
Committee's hearing on July 24,2007, regarding the removal of United States Attorneys other
than the nine who were asked to resign in 2006.

Over the past several months, the Department has provided extensive information in
connection with the Committee's comprehensive oversight investigation into the process that led
to the requested resignations of those nine individuals. We believe that information responsive
to Senator Feinstein's question was provided to the Committee in the course of the staff's
confidential, transcribed interviews of Department officials. We will confer with Committee
staff to assure that the information is readily identified for your convenience.

We hope that this infonttation is helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact this office if
you would like additional assistance regarding this or any other matter.

http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Files.View&FileStore_id=7da5f6da-ed95-46f1-ae25-8860db2578cf

Statement of Senator Feinstein on Attorney General’s Failure to Respond to Question about the Firing U.S. Attorneys


Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has received a letter from the Department of Justice in response to her questioning of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales during a July 24, 2007, Judiciary Committee oversight hearing.

At that hearing, Senator Feinstein asked Attorney General Gonzales about the total number of U.S. attorneys that he approved to be fired:

FEINSTEIN: We’re now up to nine that we know about. How many --
this is important -- how many U.S. attorneys did you approve to be
summarily fired?

GONZALES: Senator, there may have been others. I would be happy
to get back to you with that kind of information about who has left.
But I don't know the answer to your question. But I can certainly
find out.

The Attorney General’s response was contained in an August 10, 2007, letter from Brian A. Benczkowski, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. A copy of that letter is attached to the press release.

The following are Senator Feinstein’s remarks on the Department of Justice’s letter:

“For months, I have been trying to ascertain the number of U.S. Attorneys who were targeted for firing.

We know that on December 7, 2006, calls were made to at least seven U.S. Attorneys who were asked to resign by a date certain in January 2007. We’ve also had two others brought to our attention.

I asked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in a public hearing how many U.S. Attorneys he had approve to be fired.

And he responded: ‘Senator, there may have been others. I would be happy to get back to you with that kind of information about who has left. But I don't know the answer to your question. But I can certainly find out.’

The attached letter is that answer. It is wholly unsatisfactory.

The Judiciary Committee, in its oversight role, has the right to know.”

http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=NewsRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=66491996-c54a-3853-0908-165df3828339

[bleever]

1. Links to DOJ letter on DiFi's website aren't working for me.

(Of course, there have been times when I wasn't sure DiFi herself was working for me.)

[The Straight Story]

2. It worked for me earlier, weird

Oh well, I did cut and paste it :)

[bleever]

3. Her site says there is a pdf file of Gonzo's letter,

but what pops up is a cfm file.

But I've been sick so it's probably me.

[WidowsSon]

4. Feinstein is bullshit

She can yell about AG all she wants, but when she authorizes a bill that eliminates the need for warrants and gives Alberto Gonzales the power to spy and invade the private lives of Americans without judicial or congressional oversight, she deserves to be removed from office.

Diane Feinstein has betrayed California and the United States of America.

[donkeyotay]

5. Rope a dope. Catch-22. What are you gonna do about it?

The more you read about the texas mob, the more they look like a crime family. The democrats have taken anything effective off the table, and continue to play footsie under it instead.

[donkeyotay]

6. Did you fire Graves & replace with Schlozman to obstruct an investigation

into Medicare fraud? Did you, Fredo? Is it true, Mr. Fredo, that the firm you worked for - before the unelected fraud appointed you as his personal obstructor of justice - the same firm that represented Novation? Was there any conflict of interest?