Think Progress: Yet another attorney pushed out

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Yet another attorney pushed out?Suspicions are growing over the case of former U.S. Attorney Debra Yang, “who was leading an investigation into lucrative ties between Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and a lobbying firm” when she left her position last fall. Yang says the move was voluntary, but Adam Cohen writes in the NYT today, “there is growing evidence that the White House was intent on removing her.”

Kyle Sampson…told investigators last month in still-secret testimony that Harriet Miers…had asked him more than once about Ms. Yang. He testified, according to Congressional sources, that as late as mid-September, Ms. Miers wanted to know whether Ms. Yang could be made to resign. Mr. Sampson reportedly recalled that Ms. Miers was focused on just two United States attorneys: Ms. Yang and Bud Cummins, the Arkansas prosecutor who was later fired to make room for Tim Griffin, a Republican political operative and Karl Rove protégé.

Paul Kiel notes, “Now, Yang left to become a partner at the white shoe firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher — the firm that, it just so happens, is the one defending Lewis. It should be said that Yang has recused herself from the case. But the timing of her departure, or the offer (a $1.5 million signing bonus), can only bring suspicion. Gibson, Dunn, Cohen notes, has ’strong Republican ties.’” 11:50 am | Comment (21)

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Posted by Nico at 11:50 am

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/04/yet-another-attorney-pushed-out/

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1. Today's Must Read

Adam Cohen
The New York Times op-ed

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/

There is yet another United States attorney whose abrupt departure from office is raising questions: Debra Wong Yang of Los Angeles. Ms. Yang was not fired, as eight other prosecutors were, but she resigned under circumstances that raise serious questions, starting with whether she was pushed out to disrupt her investigation of one of the most powerful Republicans in Congress....

Ms. Yang was investigating Jerry Lewis, who was chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Ms. Lam and most of the other purged prosecutors were fired on Dec. 7. Ms. Yang, in a fortuitously timed exit, resigned in mid-October.

Ms. Yang says she left for personal reasons, but there is growing evidence that the White House was intent on removing her. Kyle Sampson, the Justice Department staff member in charge of the firings, told investigators last month in still-secret testimony that Harriet Miers, the White House counsel at the time, had asked him more than once about Ms. Yang. He testified, according to Congressional sources, that as late as mid-September, Ms. Miers wanted to know whether Ms. Yang could be made to resign. Mr. Sampson reportedly recalled that Ms. Miers was focused on just two United States attorneys: Ms. Yang and Bud Cummins, the Arkansas prosecutor who was later fired to make room for Tim Griffin, a Republican political operative and Karl Rove protégé.

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Now, Yang left to become a partner at the white shoe firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher -- the firm that, it just so happens, is the one defending Lewis. It should be said that Yang has recused herself from the case. But the timing of her departure, or the offer a $1.5 million signing bonus, can only bring suspicion. Gibson, Dunn, Cohen notes, has "strong Republican ties."