Former Justice Department Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson testified before the Senate committee investigating the firing of eight U.S. federal prosecutors by the Justice Department today. In his testimony he stated that; "The distinction between 'political' and 'performance-related' reasons for removing a United States attorney is, in my view, largely artificial," Sampson went on to say; "A U.S. attorney who is unsuccessful from a political perspective ... is unsuccessful."
Sen. Arlen Specter, chastised Sampson saying; "It is generally acknowledged that the Department of Justice is in a state of disrepair, perhaps even dysfunction, because of what has happened. The remaining U.S. attorneys are skittish, not knowing when the other shoe may drop."
And as if to add insult to injury the Justice Department on Wednesday admitted misleading the Senate about the dismissals and Carl Rove’s involvement in the decision to replace Arkansas U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins with Tim Griffin.
I can’t believe any one is surprised by any of this. First we were told that the firings of eight federal prosecutors may have been improper. Then the Justice Department responds that they were fired for “poor 
performance” and that there was no White House involvement. Before the words are out of their mouth evidence to the contrary comes to light. Busted, they circle the wagons and begin the old back stroke. Now the story changes. We didn’t mean “poor performance.” We meant poor “political” performance. Yeah, yeah… that’s it…. That’s the ticket. You can actually see them making it up as they go.
If Gonzales, or Rove, or who ever actually decided to fire these people (maybe it was the “decider” himself) really believed it was ok to fire them for political reasons, why lie and say it was poor performance? I’ll tell you why, because they DON’T! And neither does anyone else. That’s why it is so unbelievable for them to try and pull it off now.
It’s obvious that this administration believes that U.S. attorneys should play the role of partisan hired guns for the president. This coupled with the way Gonzales and who ever is pulling his strings has handled this whole issue is just another example of the rampant incompetence that has left it’s mark on everything this White House touches. Honestly, is there anything they haven’t screwed up since January 2001?
What we are seeing is a president and an administration absolute in its arrogance and commitment to carrying out its divine mission to transform the United States into the center of the neo-con vision of world dominance and unfettered commerce. A world where western style democracy is spread through out the world. Even by force if need be. A world economy dominated by private corporations free to exploit natural and human resources internationally without concern for national sovereignty or accountability.
Thank God the political pendulum has begun its swing in the other direction. I’m looking around and am very satisfied to see the people of this nation are seeing through the misleading propaganda of this administration. The election of 2006 was only the beginning of the fall of the Republican Party. And I predict 2008 will be a trouncing.
But a year and nine months is too long to wait for the end of this presidency. As this train wreck of an administration grinds on, we’re losing a lot more than having our Justice Department undermined by partisan redirection, or our reputation abroad, we’re losing our people. Three a day on average. And that’s a price I don’t know how we can keep paying without perhaps losing our souls.
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Devin Barber, Politics Correspondent
Devin’s column, “Left Of The Right” published every Tuesday and Thursday to Gather Essentials: Politics is a Blue Collar Democrats take on current political news.
Devin was raised by proud Roosevelt Democrats. Being the son of parents counted among the throng of Americans displaced by the Great Depression has given Devin a deep rooted passion for causes dealing with the poor and the working class.
You can find all of Devin’s columns at http://gather.com/leftoftheright
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Comments: 34
I do not buy Sampson's argument that there is no difference between performance and politics where U.S. Attorneys are concerned. Of course there is a difference. And we need to go back to the protocol that you leave the prosecutors alone and let them do their jobs after you assemble the team. Otherwise you get this absurd situation where they are all looking over their shoulders as they try to do a very difficult job, figuring if they send the wrong name to the grand jury somebody will make a phone call and they will be fired.
Tell me how is that different from what is supposedly the rule of law in Putin's Russia?
....and you don't bitch about everything? hmmm
Since I don't see you complaining about that, I can't see that you have much of a leg to stand on with regard to ragging on Democrats.
Just what part of "except in the event that their firings are found to be purely potitically motivated, and that they obstruct justice" do the simple-minded idiot bush worshippers not understand?
"No laws were broken."
Lying under oath to congress and obstruction of justice are violations of federal laws. I thought you wingnuts already knew that?
Loosen up the chin strap on the tinfoil hat, big guy. It's cutting off circulation to your bean.
**If Gonzo was aware of the witch hunt, then he should be fired for lying about it to anyone in sight... and continuing to lie about it to anyone with a news camera.
Either way the guy should be fired. I'd be happy if he wiped that Bushco smirk off his face (do the repubs teach a workshop in how to smirk?).
Why are all the so-called conservatives up in arms over this business? Why are they all trying so hard to make this appear as if it's no big deal? Why are you conservatives still so hot for Clinton's blood? He's old news, Bushco has been in office for over 6 years now. How can you continue to deny what's happening right in front of you?
If you're a true conservative this entire mess should be making you scream in frustration! How can you defend such behavior? It goes against everything you so-called "conservatives" supposedly stand for.... like "less government," or a "smaller government," non-partisanship," "patriotism," "fiscal conservative thinking"
What these criminals are doing to our government is way worse than anyone having a blow job in his office and then lying about it. Really, get over Clinton already - he's old news - and take off your repub rose-colored glasses and see what's really going on around you!
Yes, I have to concede your point that Sampson is not one to fall on his sword. I was wrong about that.
it was refreshing to hear him say that Gonzales' statements were "inaccurate".
More to come , I hope.
The TRUTH will set them free!!!!
Where's Deep Throat when we need him?
Don H. must be absent today
Digital? I can answer your question about Clinton, at least partially. Even before Clinton took office the ultra-right attack dogs were making up stories about him and spending millions to try to manufacture scandals that later turned out to be tempests in teapots. Their unreasoning hatred of the man continued throughout his administration. However, that being said, the only charge they ever managed to make stick was lying about a blowjob, and he was acquitted of even that. Now he's very well admired and back out there in the public. They didn't "get" him so they extended their vitrol to his wife, and even his daughter. I'm sure nobody has forgotten the nasty personal attack that Rush Limbaugh made on a 13 year old girl.
They are still after Clinton's blood because despite spending literally tens of millions of dollars, they failed to actually bring him down the way they wanted.
In the end, however, what I don't know is why. Then again I don't understand why they think Reagan was a great president either, so perhaps there are some political things that are beyond comprehension. Like why they continue to defend Mr. Bush even when he's clearly wrong.
Much of the criminal Bush misadministration was part of the criminal Nixon misadministration, and later, the criminal Raygun and Poppy Bush misadministrations. It's time every one of these stinking louses was locked away forever, to keep the rotten bastards from ever returning to serve in public or in private industry, ever again.
Devin Barber- neo-lib, says' Dems don't want to put the nation through the distraction of impeachment, but they may have no choice. hah,hah,hah,you folks are a laugh riot, DB, is fine with helping terrorist win a war with the nation!!. He so cares about. Please keep it up neo- libs, you people are -HILLARIOUS.
Try looking up the prefix 'neo' before using it in a sentence. And insinuating that I'm "fine with helping terrorist win a war with the nation!!" (I'm assuming you mean "our" nation) is like attacking Iraq when we were attacked by Al Qaeda. MMMM is there a similarity there? Watch out micky, your ingnorance is showing.
The United States Department of Justice is the law enforcement branch of the federal government and it's mandate is to uphold and enforce the rule of law, not the shifting political whims of out of control administrations hell bent on advancing their parties political ideology with no regard for the tradition of presidents representing "ALL" Americans, not just their party loyal.
This is not a monarchy. The executive is not (and it's not supposed to be) the most powerful.
"If Bush did so much wrong, why then, hasnt impeachment proceedings began." I have a theory. The "tempest in a teapot" referred to above reminded the nation that impeachment is a serious business, meant to be used for serious "high crimes and misdemeanors". We were waiting to see how high this pile of shit really was, and how much of the stink Bush was responsible for.
I also want to see more investigation into the two congressmen(woman) from New Mexico that tried to get information about sealed indictments.
There's nothing in the constitution specifically prohibiting murder either, but I'm pretty sure it's still illegal.