Attorney firings: forget the spin

[LuckyTheDog]

The real issue here, which keeps getting lost, is that the firings of the U.S. attorneys is tied to an abuse of the Patriot Act.

The Patriot Act allows the attorney general to fill "vacancies" without Senate approval -- in order to "protect national security." But, apparently, nobody thought that the administration would CREATE such vacancies for political reasons and then appoint folks whose main qualifications are loyalty to the president and partisan zeal.

In short: They used the Patriot Act to appoint people who, apparently, would not have passed muster with the Senate. And that is outrageous.

NO OTHER PRESIDENT has ever "done the same thing" because no other president has ever had the power provided by the Patriot Act.

[WillyT]

1. And... We Need Arlen Spector To Come Clean On Why He Was Forced To...

accept Michael O'Neill onto his staff at WH urging, and who apparently slipped that provision into the Patriot Act without Spector's, or anyone else's, knowledge.

Hey Arlen, what kind of blackmail do they have you held under???

:shrug:

[Justice Is Comin]

2. I'd bet dollars to donuts it is tied to

deliberate conspiracy to influence an election too. No question about it in New Mexico.

[etherealtruth]

3. no question

[Mabus]

10. Elections, enemy combatants, stifling investigations, pursuit of investigations against Dems,

enforcement/judicial interpretation of certain statutes on issues like abortion, gay marriage, etc. (presumably to appease the base), eminent domain, free speech and other constitutional rights, the list goes on. They were stacking the courts to ensure they had the people in place to do subvert the judicial system to their wants/needs/ambitions.

[Buzz Clik]

4. Yeah, well, bullshit comes in all kinds of flavors

The Patriot Act allows the attorney general to fill "vacancies" without Senate approval -- in order to "protect national security." But, apparently, nobody thought that the administration would CREATE such vacancies for political reasons and then appoint folks whose main qualifications are loyalty to the president and partisan zeal.

The Dems provided only faint resistance to the second round of the Patriot Act. They questioned Gonzo directly about that provision and took that lying bastard's word that he would never ever ("cross my fingers and hope to die") take advantage of the opportunity.

Our elected leadership on both sides of the aisle need to voluntarily resign due to gross negligence. But, they'll run again, and we'll re-elect them because we are as insincere as they are about protecting our rights.

[LuckyTheDog]

5. Whoa

"Our elected leadership on both sides of the aisle need to voluntarily resign due to gross negligence. But, they'll run again, and we'll re-elect them because we are as insincere as they are about protecting our rights."

That's cynical. Probably correct. But dark, very dark.

[Buzz Clik]

6. I seriously would like an explanation for our revered leaders.

My senior senator is Lugar, who is neither an avid Bush butt-kisser nor a drooling moron. Yet, he was behind the Act all the way.

And can we trust any of the gd Senators and Representatives to keep us out of Iran? I'm very, very skeptical.

[WinkyDink]

7. "Vacancies" should have been defined as to cause: death; illness. I suppose one COULD resign,

so some affidavit as to not being ASKED to resign would be needed.

[Igel]

9. No, too messy.

Just have it so that any appointment is interim with no fixed deadline, but that appointees' names must be submitted for approval within 30 days of the next time the Senate is in session.

In the case of national disaster, there's a US attorney appointed; presumably if there's some problem so the Senate can't meet for 8 months, there's still a US attorney appointed.

[grasswire]

8. a direct attack on the RULE OF LAW

And UNAMERICAN.

Democrats need to start using that word. UNAMERICAN. An attack on The Constitution! UNAMERICAN.

[Starfury]

11. The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service on US Attorney replacement:

I posted this last week, but it bears repeating:

Summary:

United States attorneys, who prosecute violations of federal law and defend the federal government in civil suits, are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and, once confirmed, serve four-year terms. The President may terminate the appointment of a U.S. attorney at any time. Recent controversy over the termination of seven U.S. attorneys, and the method by which the interim appointments were made to replace them, has focused attention on reasons for departure of U.S. attorneys. This report provides data on U.S. attorneys who did not complete their full fouryear term after confirmation by the Senate and whose terms did not carry over a change in presidential administration. The data collected employ records of presidential appointment and Senate confirmation of U.S. attorneys, and rely on secondary sources to provide information on reasons U.S. attorneys left office before completion of their four-year terms. At least 54 U.S. attorneys appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate left office before completion of a four-year term between 1981 and 2006 (not counting those whose tenure was interrupted by a change in presidential administration). Of those 54, 17 left to become Article III federal judges, one left to become a federal magistrate judge, six left to serve in other positions in the executive branch, four sought elective office, two left to serve in state government, one died, and 15 left to enter or return to private practice. Of the remaining eight U.S. attorneys who left before completing a four-year term without a change in presidential administration, two were apparently dismissed by the President, and three apparently resigned after news reports indicated they had engaged in questionable personal actions. No information was available on the three remaining U.S. attorneys who resigned. Interim U.S. attorneys are appointed by the Attorney General and serve until the President nominates, and the Senate confirms, a successor. Legislation has been introduced in the 110th Congress (H.R. 580; S. 214) to revert the system of appointment of interim U.S. attorneys to the system in place from 1986 to 2006. Under that system, the appointment of an interim U.S. attorney by the Attorney General expired after 120 days. After that appointment expired, district courts could appoint interim U.S. attorneys who could serve until the President nominated, and the Senate confirmed, a permanent replacement. This report will be updated as events warrant.

Full CRS report at:
http://www.opencrs.com/document/RL33889/

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. I can't wait for Kyle Sampson to testify next week

Let the popcorn flow like a river.

[indepat]

13. The USA Patriot Act is all about spying on Americans not loyal to the neocon agenda and nothing

about protecting Amurikkka from terraists imo.