Specter Reacts to Justice Department Report on U.S. Attorney Firings
U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the Department of Justice’s Inspector General report on the investigation into the removal of nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006. The report, which was written in coordination with DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility, focuses on both the facts behind the terminations, as well as the explanations provided to Congress and the public.
(Media-Newswire.com) - U.S. Senator Arlen Specter ( R-PA ), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the Department of Justice’s Inspector General report on the investigation into the removal of nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006. The report, which was written in coordination with DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility, focuses on both the facts behind the terminations, as well as the explanations provided to Congress and the public. The investigation has been ongoing since it was first announced on March 26, 2007.
“I believe that Attorney General Mukasey has done the right thing here in appointing the special counsel. There were substantial problems in what former Attorney General Gonzales did and I think that it is very important that the matter be reviewed. While it was agreed upon that U.S. Attorneys may be replaced without any reason, they can’t be replaced for a bad reason. There was a question as to whether the U.S. Attorneys in San Diego and the State of Washington were replaced because of their prosecution of Republicans, and the report of the Inspector General and the Office of Professional Responsibility has found that did not happen. The report does find that there was contact by people with respect to the U.S. Attorney from New Mexico on not perusing an investigation on voter fraud.
“But wherever the facts lead, it warrants further inquiry. Attorney General Mukasey and the Bush Administration have taken the steps to get to the bottom of it with this special prosecutor.
“I think it’s important that we not politicize it any more than it has already been politicized. I disagree with the distinguished Chairman on one thing, and that is the warning to President Bush. There is no indication that President Bush intends to pardon anybody. There is a solemn statement by President Bush’s Attorney General Mukasey that an independent counsel, a special counsel, a very distinguished, active U.S. Attorney from Connecticut will undertake the investigation. Let’s find out all the facts and if there is wrongdoing, let’s expose it and let’s act on it accordingly, but I wouldn’t anticipate any activity by the President.”
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