Ousted Prosecutor to NPR: "Red Flags Went Up"

[cal04]

U.S. Attorney David Iglesias for New Mexico was interviewed by NPR this afternoon and provided more detail about his accusations that two lawmakers called him in mid-October to pressure him about his office's investigation of a state Democrat. I've provided a transcript of an excerpt below. You can listen to the entire interview here.

The first call was in mid-October. The caller was asking –- this was not a staff member, an actual member of Congress -- the person was asking about “I want to know if there are any sealed indictments.” And I said, “Sealed indictments? We only do that for juvenile cases or national security cases. It’s fairly unusual.” Instantly red flags went up. I didn’t want to talk about it. Federal prosecutors can’t talk about indictments in general until they’re made public. So I was evasive, I shucked and jived like Walter Payton used to for the Chicago Bears, and the call was ended rather abruptly....

Approximately a week and a half later I got a second call from another member of Congress wanting to know about when the corruption matters were going to filed. Again, red lights went on. It was a very unpleasant phone call, because I know that members of Congress should not be making phone calls about pending matters, pending investigations, indictment dates, things of that nature.

NPR's Melissa Block asked why Iglesias refused to go ahead and name the lawmakers.

Because frankly, I’m afraid of retaliation. I live in a very small state with a very small legal community. And I’m frankly afraid if I go public right now, that there could be retaliation in terms of me being blacklisted, blackballed… you pick your adjective.


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http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002660.php

[brentspeak]

1. This is unbelievable, outrageous.

I'm looking forward to the hearings.

[Rex]

2. I hope someone in law enforcement was listening to the show!

I nearly drove off the road listening! What more did the guy have to say? "Then Senator X called me and said he would personally break both my legs if I didn't speed up charges on his opponent!" :eyes:

[youngdem]

4. Um, he was law enforcement, and they replaced him

I don't think the new US attorney is gonna go after himself, nor do I think Alberto is gonna do a thing since he was behind this in the first place.

The whole system breaks down when the crazies are in charge of the asylum.

[Rex]

5. I meant someone who gives a shit and can do something about it.

Or are we all doomed?

[youngdem]

10. If the top law enforcer is in on it, what are the chances he's gonna prosecute his own scheme?

Hate to sound cynical, but the only chance of anything happening with this is if the Democratic Congress acts to overturn the portion of the patriot act renewal that addresses this caveat that Bushco is exploiting by getting rid of all of these prosecutors. And even then, he can veto it and we can't override, and that is if the bill even were to pass, which is no certainty in today's Congress.

If the Attorney General, the President, the Congress and the local US Atty are not gonna do anything, who's left? Perhaps the state Atty General? Maybe he/she could act.

[Rex]

11. True

How did it come to this? The top law officer loves the idea of torturing! What is a few firings to the Repukes?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

9. "Charges on his opponent"

So are we dealing with a State Democrat who decided to run for federal office? Who might match that profile and who might be his Republican opponents from New Mexico? It might be possible to narrow down the likely Republican suspects here.

[tanyev]

3. Names, I want names.

Are these callers still in Congress? Hmmmm?

[NastyRiffraff]

6. According to McClatchy, the names are:

Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson of New Mexico

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16813951.htm

[cal04]

8. he mentions them in the article

When Block noted that New Mexico doesn't have a very big delegation, and that every member of the delegation with the exception of Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM) have denied making the calls (Domenici and Wilson said "no comment" to NPR), Iglesias responded, "Right."

[bleever]

12. The pawns lead the charge

and are long gone when the game is eventually decided.

Pete! Heather! Your leaders are behind you!

Way behind you.

Bend your knees as you fall, to cushion the impact.

[Roland99]

7. "with Justice and Liberty for all (if you're white, rich, and Republican)"

[In Truth We Trust]

13. I'd like the identities of these "congressmen" to be widely known.