Bush Removed Abramoff Prosecutor

Dear sweet Meta-Jesus, our cup runneth over.

Boston.com

WASHINGTON -- A US grand jury in Guam opened an investigation of controversial lobbyist Jack Abramoff more than two years ago, but President Bush removed the supervising federal prosecutor, and the probe ended soon after.

So, what we have here is Bush directly impeding the investigation and prosecution of a since convicted felon.  The best part?  This happened in '02.

In 2002, Abramoff was retained by the Superior Court in what was an unusual arrangement for a public agency. The Los Angeles Times reported in May that Abramoff was paid with a series of $9,000 checks funneled through a Laguna Beach, Calif., lawyer to disguise the lobbyist's role working for the Guam court. No separate contract was authorized for Abramoff's work.

...The transactions were the target of a grand jury subpoena issued Nov. 18, 2002, according to the subpoena. It demanded that Anthony Sanchez, administrative director of the Guam Superior Court, turn over all records involving the lobbying contract, including bills and payments.

A day later, the chief prosecutor, US Attorney Frederick A. Black, who had launched the investigation, was demoted. A White House news release announced that Bush was replacing Black.

Unbelievable.  Thank God for the Democratic Congress.  I think the tip of the iceberg is slowly revealing itself to be a mammoth glacier.

His [Black's] replacement, Leonardo Rapadas, was confirmed in May 2003 without any debate. Rapadas had been recommended for the job by the Guam Republican Party. Fred Radewagen, a lobbyist who had been under contract to the Gutierrez administration, said he carried that recommendation to top Bush aide Karl Rove in early 2003.

After taking office, Rapadas recused himself from the public corruption case involving Gutierrez. The new US attorney was a cousin of ''one of the main targets," according to a confidential memo to Justice Department officials.

Cronyism.  Rove.  The pattern us here on this side of the aisle know too well is finally seeing daylight.  

Resignations are forthcoming, bet on it.  I think the "I" word can't be too far off.

•  Tip Jar

  The day of reckoning is approaching, and a sweet day it will be.

  by filmgeek83 on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:01:03 AM PDT

  •  Good time to resurrect an old story

    I fixed your tags.  Please read the tagging guidelines and use first names.

    by bawbie on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:02:41 AM PDT

    •  Will do in the future.

      Sorry.

      by filmgeek83 on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:03:27 AM PDT

•  Do we have a tag yet for this?

  Purge?

  Prosecutor Purge?

  Republicans are dishonest assholes subverting Justice? (too subtle?)

  by Scientician on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:04:00 AM PDT

  •  "Prosecutor Purge" added n/t

    by bustacap on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:20:56 AM PDT

•  Sounds like obstuction of justice

  all around. But who will pardon Scooter? If I were him I'd plea bargain right now.

  by global citizen on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:10:55 AM PDT

•  How well established is Bush's role in this

  removal?

  by lysias on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:17:58 AM PDT

•  Another piece of the puzzle...

  And an important one because it shows a pattern.  And it also shows that Dubya can't just throw Abu Gonzo in front of the bus - he wasn't AG in 2002.  I wonder what Ashcroft would have to say about this...

  Recommended.

  by RichM on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:25:34 AM PDT

•  Here is more about Abramoff and Guam

  Mindy Fothergill of KUAM News has done a lot of good reporting on the subject.

  KUAM has placed a PDF of 367 pages of documents related to the case online.

  I've written about the firing of Fred Black back in July and a problematic DoJ IG report on the scandal.

  by dengre on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:43:56 AM PDT

  •  You've done excellent

    DD, dengre.  I hope it comes to fruition soon.

    by wozzle on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:47:58 AM PDT

•  When the Guamanian disgustorama

  finally hits the radar screen (forced slavery/prostitution, massive corruption at the highest levels of both Guam's governing body and Interior, graft on a level that would make a Chicagoan flinch) this story will have wings.  The sad part is that our legislators only have so much time - how does one prioritize the scandal sheet?

  by wozzle on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 07:46:56 AM PDT

  •  Scandal fatigue?

    Not just for our legislators... our media, and even our bloggers. How much TPM can I read in one day?

    by redlami on Tue Mar 13, 2007 at 08:07:51 AM PDT