The Gutting Of The Justice Department

[ProSense]

The Gutting Of The Justice Department

CBS News.com Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen Says U.S. Attorney Firings Reveal Deeper Departmental Flaws

April 9, 2007

<...>

Why does this matter to you? Here’s just one example. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week ordered the immediate release from federal prison of a state employee named Georgia Thompson. She had been sent there last fall by a Bush-appointed federal prosecutor (and a jury of her peers) after she was convicted of fraud in connection with a public travel contract she allegedly steered to a firm that had contributed to the political campaign of Wisconsin's Democratic Governor Jim Doyle. The indictment, trial and conviction were big political news in the state during the run-up to the election — the Republicans made much hay of it during their campaign.

Problem is, there was no evidence to support the case. So little evidence, in fact, that the 7th Circuit, not exactly known for a bleeding-heart makeup, set Thompson free on the day of oral argument because of the complete lack of proof supporting the conviction. It's not just the weakness of the Thompson case and the fact that it got as far as it did (during an election season, no less) that is potentially devastating to the rule of law. It is the appearance of prejudice and bias on the part of the U.S. Attorney's office in Wisconsin (and in other places recently) that has the potential for serious long-term ramifications. This is no less true because the federal prosecutor involved in the Thompson case, a fellow named Stephen Biskupic, is not one of the new breed of Justice Department hacks.

The White House and Justice Department, under the reign of attorneys general Ashcroft and Gonzales, have encouraged over the past half decade an atmosphere that sullies the coin of the realm under our rule of law — the perceived legitimacy and authority and objectivity and neutrality and professional competence of the men and women who are tasked with enforcing our laws uniformly, fairly and without fear or favor. Without that legitimacy, the legal system devolves down into Third World status, perceived by those within and without it as subject to manipulation for political purposes.

When you populate an office with ideologues and partisans and underachieving talent, you get an ideological and partisan office with underachieving results. And if there is any department in our federal system that can least afford to be ideological and partisan and underachieving, it is the Justice Department. This sorry state is true today, regardless of how and when the scandal over the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys is resolved. Of all the dismaying legal legacies left by this administration, this one surely ranks near the top.

link

(emphasis added)

An ambitious attempt to create the Department of Pat Robertson's Justice and a theocracy

[MessiahRp]

1. I wrote my blog entry this morning on the same topic

http://www.americanpolitik.com

That would have been a nice article to reference.

Rp

[Supersedeas]

4. thanks for the link M

[LibertyorDeath]

2. Thanks this is one of the most important issues facing America

I'm looking forward to April 17th

Gonzales is one of the most corrupt individuals
in the bush crime family imo....

[babylonsister]

5. I can see Gonzo trying to snake out of appearing; subpoenas were

served today and the DoJ claims, due to issues of privacy, they can't be 'accommodated'. :eyes: Privacy? Why do we even have a DoJ?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3208604

[LibertyorDeath]

9. They are destroying America bit by bit

[hootinholler]

3. kicking it. n/t

[babylonsister]

6. And the admin is trying to run the clock out:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/013552.php

It simply doesn't matter what the real substantive basis for any objection is, this is an old, old litigation tactic that is helpful in any number of broader strategies. And the strategy that the Administration is playing is Delay and Stonewall Until the Clock Runs Out. Dan Bartlett has a clock on his desk that counts down the months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds (or so I read in the Washington Post). I suggest that many other officials keep a similar clock, at least in the back of their mind. If this goes to court, Gonzalez stays in the position until it is resolved.

But wait: each litigation shield has an opposing sword. The Senate will and should swear him in next week, take his testimony, and note that they are reserving the right to call him back on these issues if and when they get those documents. An old litigator's play. Keeps the pressure on.

The document delay may limit the damage Gonzalez faces next week, but it is probably not enough. They pulled their shield out too late. I am sure they've served only to irritate the Senate with this latest stunt.

Months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds. Tick tock, tick tock.

I think time is about up for the Attorney General.

[tabasco]

7. Just like the Pentagon.

All the generals with an ounce of moral courage have been retired.

Only the yes-men have been promoted to the highest positions.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. CBS is actually reporting something substantial?

Pigs flying out of asses... holy sh*t.