Your daily drivetime update on the US Attorney Purge...
UPDATE SUMMARY:
- USA Mary Beth Buchanan just got sniffed by seesdifferent.
- USA Matthew Mead has resigned.
- I've clarified my poll question down below.
I'll keep this video up for the rest of this week, and then we'll move on.
NEWS ON INDIVIDUAL ATTORNEYS
1. Fired Southern California USA Carol Lam: FROM TODAY, a high-ranking member in the Federalist Society knew about Lam's firing well in advance of many in the DoJ, and even recommended a pro-torture military lawyer to replace her. Ok, so if he knew so much about Lam's firing, then perhaps he might want to answer a subpoena and offer any information he has on WHY Lam was fired, hmmm?
2. Fired New Mexico USA David Iglesias: FROM TODAY, Iglesias weighs in on The Schloz' testimony, and doesn't really believe him.
3. Former Central California USA Debra Wong Yang: From May 10, Gonzales speculates in testimony that Yang would have made more money if the DoJ fired her, and maybe that's why former White House Counsel Harriet Miers wanted her gone. Ummm, yeah...do you ever get the feeling that Gonzales has just stopped trying?
4. Fired Western Washington USA John McKay: From May 10, Gonzales admits in testimony that he's not sure why McKay was fired, based on the admission that the time when McKay was added to the list preceded the time when McKay started having "problems" with Main Justice. Also, note towards the end of the video (about 40 sec left) that Gonzales slips a little- he starts to say "when I made the decis...when I accepted the recommendations." It's a little thing, and it's by no means evidence, but this little slipup tells us that Gonzales, in his own mind, did have some role in deciding on the firings. But we already knew that, didn't we?
5. Fired Arizona USA Paul Charlton: From May 23, Lady Monica mentioned that she had a role in putting Charlton, but I didn't catch/understand what her explanation of her role was. No link, I'm hoping to get more info on this once I review the transcript.
6. Fired Nevada USA Daniel Bogden: From May 23, Lady Monica describes the 11/27/06 meeting that decided Bogden's fate. Paul McNulty raised an objection to his firing, Sampson said 'we can do better,' and Alberto Gonzales said 'ok.' And that, apparently, was that.
7. Fired Eastern Arkansas USA Bud Cummins: From May 31, Murray Waas learns a little more about Cummins, Graves, Schlozman, and Mark "Thunder Thor" Hearne here. Muckraker also chimes in here.
8. Reassigned Guam USA Frederick Black: From April 18, James Risser looks into this in an extensive diary. Set aside some time if you want to read this.
9. Fired Western Missouri USA Todd Graves: From June 6, from testimony yesterday, Graves was pretty pissed about Lady Monica's casual smear of him during her testimony. He gets a chance to explain and rebut what she talked about. Keep in mind the demeanor, aura, and words from The Schloz' testimony, and note the contrast with Mr. Graves's testimony there.
10. Former Interim Western Missouri USA Bradley Schlozman: FROM TODAY, umm, yeah, are you surprised that The Schloz is probably being dishonest when he points the finger at someone else for his bad deeds? Yeah, me neither.
11. Former Minnesota USA Thomas Heffelfinger: FROM TODAY, according to Joseph Rich (DoJ's former head of Voting Rights division), The Schloz' treatment of a voter discrimination issue raised by Heff was unusual (h/t eartha). Money quote:
"I was given instructions that I read to be, 'Don't push it,"' Rich said.
Also, Eric Black at the Minneapolis Star Tribune goes more indepth about The Schloz, Rich, and why Heff was vulnerable (h/t eartha again). Hint: he's not satisfied and wants to dig some more.
12. Minnesota USA Rachel Paulose: From May 24, from Lady Monica's testimony, Princess' conservative credentials helped her get the job (h/t eartha). Also, let's not forget that Princess and The Lady were friends while Princess worked at Main Justice (no link, just vague recollection)- did that affect Princess' chances? Probably. All of this really chaps my ass, and is probably one of the main reasons why the AUSAs under her demoted themselves.
13. Fired Western Michigan USA Margaret Chiara: From May 14, this NYT article has Chiara as a source for and a witness of Lady Monica's hyperpartisanship.
14. Eastern Wisconsin USA Steven Biskupic: From May 18, well, I think this settles the debate about whether Biskupic is a 'straight shooter' that acted in good faith (h/t Gareth G). Biskupic appears to have used his office as a political weapon to try and tar a Democratic governor in the runup to the midterm elections. Although Muckraker made a note of this article, Josh Marshall has not commented on this, after previously stating that he was withholding judgment on Biskupic. Josh is wrong. The amount of pressure and rough treatment given to Ms. Thompson was appalling, and it was all in the effort to get Governor Doyle, a Democrat. Enough. Biskupic is one of those USAs who did play ball with the Administration, and that's why he's still got a job.
15. District of Columbia USA Jeffrey Taylor: From May 8, this article here mostly focuses on Jay Apperson's history, but keep in mind that it was Taylor who ultimately hired him. In a vacuum, this odd hire (and its odd process) might mean nothing. But we're not in a vacuum. Taylor was a close aide to Gonzales before getting this USA job, he interacted with Main Justice frequently WRT hiring Apperson, and any hire he makes that is outside the normal screening process (as was the case with Apperson) deserves close scrutiny.
16. Western Pennsylvania USA Mary Beth Buchanan: FROM TODAY, UPDATE seesdifferent looks at Buchanan, and finds a little bit of "voter fraud" with her, which might explain how she got on the list (h/t theghostofkarlafayetucker).
17. Alaska USA Nelson Cohen: From April 23, the DoJ picked this guy to be the Alaska USA over the recommendations of both Republican home state Senators Stevens and Murkowski (h/t TPM). What was so special about Cohen that the home state Republicans had to be overruled? The article hints that Cohen had a desire to return to Alaska, but that's not how these things are supposed to work. Home state Senators are supposed to have significant, if not complete, influence on who gets nominated to be a US Attorney. It looks like the DoJ in DC rode roughshod over the Senators' recommendations- why?
18. Central Pennsylvania USA Thomas Marino: From May 31, umm, okay...good luck? Marino is considering a run for Congress against Dem freshman Chris Carney. Personal opinion: if Marino ends up being more antiwar than Chris Carney, then let the Repubs have this one.
19. Northern Texas USA Richard Roper: From April 17, hat tip to James Risser for tipping me off to this story in his diary. Quite simply, what the hell's been going on in this office? They open an investigation into Novation LLC, and two of the Assistant US Attorney's (AUSAs) working the case suddenly die. Two months later, three other AUSA's in the Dallas office resigned, two to go into private practice, and one to retire. You'll note in James Risser's diary that he discusses the Western Missouri US Attorney's office, because there is a lawsuit against Novation by a company in that area (I think?), Medical Supply Chain. But I separate that out, because that's a whole other ball of wax. If strange things happen after a US Attorney's office opens an investigation into Republican targets, however, then I get interested. And with the Dallas USA office opening a (according to the NYT link) "broad investigation" into Novation/Tenet and other health care and pharma giants, I'm interested to see where that investigation headed, and if/why it was suppressed.
20. New Jersey USA Chris Christie: From May 17, God, Christie was on The Purge List back in November 2006. A Bush Pioneer was going to be fired? So, what did he do to get on The List, and what happened to take him off The List? FWIW, Christie sounded pissed. What a mess.
21. Middle North Carolina USA Anna Mills Wagoner: From May 17, WaPo confirms again that Wagoner was on The Purge List, and she stayed on The List until Lady Monica deemed her gun prosecutions to be good enough to stay. Whatever. Also, some local support for Wagoner.
22. Connecticut USA Kevin O'Connor: From April 10, does this mean Mr. O'Connor is a "loyal Bushie?" And why must we insist on absentee US Attorneys?
23. New Hampshire USA Tom Colantuono:
24. Former Western North Carolina USA Robert J. Conrad, Jr.:
25. Western Kentucky USA David Huber: From May 18, Huber was on The Purge List back in February 2005. Huber doesn't know why.
26. Southern Mississippi USA Dunn Lampton: From May 18, Lampton was on The Purge List at some point in time. Note how McClatchy implies the same thing I've implied: that his high-profile prosecution of a Democratic donor may have saved his job. To be fair, Lampton "doesn't have a clue" as to why he was considered for the ax. In that same article, also note how home state Senators Lott and Cochran leave Lampton twisting in the wind, expressing no real support for him. Huh.
27. Northern Florida USA Gregory Miller: From June 6, big time props to seesdifferent for connecting the dots in this diary. It turns out that right before the 2004 election (that included a vote to raise the state's minimum wage), several parties brought a "voter fraud" lawsuit against ACORN in Florida (which turned out to be bullshit, but we knew that already). Conspicuously absent from this group investigating and prosecuting this voter fraud was Miller's USA office. Soon thereafter he went on The List. Then in January 2006, Miller pursues a "voter fraud" case. And magically, he ends up not getting fired. Wow, another one, thank you seesdifferent for your work here.
28. Former Interim Colorado USA William J. Leone: From May 17, Leone was on The Purge List at some point in time. Also, let's note that Leone was not given the permanent job, and was passed over for a Federalist Society member and former employee of Abramoff's former law firm, Greenberg Traurig. Huh.
29. Maine USA Paula Silsby: From May 17, Silsby was on The Purge List as early as February 2005, and stayed on The List for a long time. Why was she on The List, and how did she get off The List?
30. Former Southern Alabama USA David York: From May 17, York was on The Purge List back in February 2005. Why was he on The List, and how did he get off The List? Remember that York was replaced by Deborah Rhodes, who was one of the DoJ staffers that played a role in The Purge, if memory serves me. Just throwing it out there.
31. Southern West Virginia USA Karl "Kasey" Warner: From May 17, Warner was on The Purge List early in 2005, and was then fired in August 2005. So I guess Warner wasn't bulls--tting- he really was part of the Purge.
32. Middle Georgia USA Maxwell Wood: From May 18, Wood was on The Purge List at some point in time, and according to the McClatchy piece, his name was added just weeks after reports of "voter fraud" in the district were discussed in Washington, DC. Wood essentially has no comment.
33. Western Virginia USA John L. Brownlee: From May 18, Brownlee was on The Purge List sometime in 2006, and according to McClatchy, for the same reason that Wood was added- "voter fraud."
34. Northern Oklahoma USA David O'Meilia: From May 18, O'Meilia was on The Purge List back in February 2005. I have no idea why.
35. Delaware USA Colm Connolly: From May 18, Connolly was on The Purge List in November 2006. Who called this one? Was it James Risser that told us to look at Connolly? Whoever called this, take a bow.
36. Wyoming USA Matthew Mead: FROM TODAY, UPDATE Mead has resigned (h/t dc 20005). He won't really comment as to why, but the article speculates that he might want to take a run at recently-deceased Senator Thomas's open seat. We'll see.
37. Kansas USA Eric Melgren: From May 18, Melgren was on The Purge List back in January 2006.
38. Former Middle Tennessee USA James K. Vines: From May 18, Vines was on The Purge List back in January 2006.
39. Former Nebraska USA Michael G. Heavican: From May 18, Heavican was on The Purge List back in January 2006.
40. Middle Alabama USA Leura Canary: From June 4, I'm leaving Adam Zagorin's TIME piece up here just so everyone who missed the news on Don Siegelman can get caught up. For today, we have a little more information about why Karl Rove and William Canary (Leura's husband) are BFFs.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Dear DoJ Inspector General: We think Alberto might have tampered with a witness, and then lied about it. What do you think? Toodles, Senate Judiciary (h/t a gnostic). Text of the letter at the link.
WHITE HOUSE AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTIVITIES
- DoJ dumps on us again. Muckraker's got another thread going here.
- Meet Fred Malek, who may have been Karl Rove's historical predecessor and mentor for how to politicize the DoJ (h/t Deep Harm).
- Voter registration for the poor and minorities has been lackluster in the Bush DoJ. Yeah, and coupled with the piles of voter registration cards found in a dumpster in Atlanta (h/t Halcyon), we're supposed to be shocked by this?
REFERENCE SECTION
PERSPECTIVE
- Mrs Panstreppon found a former member of American Center for Voting Rights, or NAMBLA. Wow, can we get her a prize or something? I was amazed at how quickly and completely the
ACVR NAMBLA just absolutely disappeared and shut its doors when the USA scandal broke, so it's nice to hear more about those people. As a bonus, another familiar name pops up in this diary, that of White House Associate Counsel Chris Oprison (but I'm sure that's just a coincidence). FYI, she goes into a lot of detail that doesn't necessarily pertain to the USA Purge, but I highlight work done to track down people who were involved with the ACVR NAMBLA.
- From me, Halcyon provided what I consider to be the best explanation for the Republicans' obsession with
"voter fraud" suppressing the minority vote. You can see the full comment here, but I think this passage sums it up neatly:
My answer: winning is everything. Permanent Republican majority is all. By any means. At any price.
Ok, I agree, but I guess what disturbs me is that, yet again, we can't trust Republicans to act in good faith on what they perceive to be to the benefit of the United States. Essentially, that explanation states that we (Dems, Kossacks, etc.) no longer believe in the Loyal Opposition.
Again, I think Halcyon's right, but with that in hand the question should be posed to us: what now? Coupled with many other factors (fundamentally broken media, inept/corrupt political leadership in both parties, tragic economic inequity, etc.), the loss of Loyal Opposition means we do not have a fully functioning or legitimate democracy...right? So, if we don't have a democracy, what now?
Or am I doing too much meta here?
UPDATE: Clarifying the question, I suppose I should have posed it more as a hypothetical. More precisely:
Suppose we lived in a sham democracy, where the press is simply a propaganda arm, law enforcement is politicized, government leaders across the spectrum are weak and corrupt, and the political opposition did not operate in good faith. What would you do?
I guess I don't really consider this to be hypothetical anymore, so perhaps that added to the confusion here.