More On the Saturday Night Massacre
Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) has admitted that he called one of the US Attorneys recently fired by the Justice Department about a case, but denies he pressured the prosecutor to bring a corruption case involving a Democrat to trial before the November elections. He also admits to calling the Justice Department several times to complain about the prosecutor, according to an article in today's NY Times.
Senator Pete V. Domenici, Republican of New Mexico, said Sunday that he had urged the Justice Department to dismiss the state’s top federal prosecutor, who in December was one of eight United States attorneys ousted from their jobs.
In addition, Mr. Domenici said in a statement that last year he called the prosecutor, David C. Iglesias, to ask about the status of a federal inquiry in New Mexico. The case centered on accusations of kickbacks in a courthouse construction project in which a former Democratic state official was said to be involved.
...A Justice Department spokesman said on Sunday that records at the agency showed that the senator complained about Mr. Iglesias in calls to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales in September 2005 and again in January and April 2006. The senator made a brief call to Paul J. McNulty, the deputy attorney general, in October 2006 when the deliberations over Mr. Iglesias’s dismiss[al] began.
While there is no law against a senator complaining about a US Attorney to that attorney's bosses, there is a Senate Ethics rule against trying to influence a US prosecutor in a case. Mr. Iglesias, the US Attorney fired by Justice, has a different story:
Mr. Iglesias, who is among five of the ousted prosecutors scheduled to testify in Congress on Tuesday, has said he interpreted the call from Mr. Domenici, and another from an unidentified federal lawmaker, as an effort to pressure him into bringing indictments before the November elections in an effort to embarrass Democrats.
He said that his unwillingness to be pressured into moving more quickly led to his removal. [Emphasis added]
Mr. Iglesias will be testifying in a Senate Committee hearing on the issue this week, along with several other fired US Attorneys. So far, only Sen. Domenici has come forward and admitted complaining about the work of the US Attorney. Attorney General Gonzales may be subpoenaed, as have several other Justice Department officials.
It should be quite a week.
Senator Pete V. Domenici, Republican of New Mexico, said Sunday that he had urged the Justice Department to dismiss the state’s top federal prosecutor, who in December was one of eight United States attorneys ousted from their jobs.
In addition, Mr. Domenici said in a statement that last year he called the prosecutor, David C. Iglesias, to ask about the status of a federal inquiry in New Mexico. The case centered on accusations of kickbacks in a courthouse construction project in which a former Democratic state official was said to be involved.
...A Justice Department spokesman said on Sunday that records at the agency showed that the senator complained about Mr. Iglesias in calls to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales in September 2005 and again in January and April 2006. The senator made a brief call to Paul J. McNulty, the deputy attorney general, in October 2006 when the deliberations over Mr. Iglesias’s dismiss[al] began.
While there is no law against a senator complaining about a US Attorney to that attorney's bosses, there is a Senate Ethics rule against trying to influence a US prosecutor in a case. Mr. Iglesias, the US Attorney fired by Justice, has a different story:
Mr. Iglesias, who is among five of the ousted prosecutors scheduled to testify in Congress on Tuesday, has said he interpreted the call from Mr. Domenici, and another from an unidentified federal lawmaker, as an effort to pressure him into bringing indictments before the November elections in an effort to embarrass Democrats.
He said that his unwillingness to be pressured into moving more quickly led to his removal. [Emphasis added]
Mr. Iglesias will be testifying in a Senate Committee hearing on the issue this week, along with several other fired US Attorneys. So far, only Sen. Domenici has come forward and admitted complaining about the work of the US Attorney. Attorney General Gonzales may be subpoenaed, as have several other Justice Department officials.
It should be quite a week.
Labels: Justice Department
posted by Diane at 3:35 AM
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