NYT: WHITE HOUSE SAID TO PROMPT FIRING OF PROSECUTORS
White House Said to Prompt Firing of Prosecutors
By DAVID JOHNSTON and ERIC LIPTON
Published: March 13, 2007
WASHINGTON, March 12 — The White House was deeply involved in the decision late last year to dismiss federal prosecutors, including some who had been criticized by Republican lawmakers, administration officials said Monday.
Last October, President Bush spoke with Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to pass along concerns by Republicans that some prosecutors were not aggressively addressing voter fraud, the White House said Monday. Senator Pete V. Domenici, Republican of New Mexico, was among the politicians who complained directly to the president, according to an administration official.
The president did not call for the removal of any specific United States Attorneys, said Dana Perino, a White House spokeswoman. She said she had “no indication” that the president was aware that a process was already under way to identify prosecutors who would be fired. But a few weeks later, the Justice Department forced out seven prosecutors.
White House officials consulted with the Justice Department in preparing the list of United States attorneys who would be removed, Ms Perino disclosed.
The idea of dismissing federal prosecutors originated in the White House more than a year earlier, White House and Justice officials said Monday....
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Look at where this email went:
On Dec. 4, 2006, three days before the dismissals, Mr. Sampson sent an e-mail message to the White House with a copy to Ms. Miers outlining plans to carry out the firings
“We would like to execute this on Thursday, Dec. 7,” Mr. Sampson wrote. Because some United States attorneys were still in Washington attending a conference, he planned to postpone telling them they were being fired. He wrote, “We want to wait until they are back home and dispersed to reduce chatter.”
Mr. Sampson predicted that dismissals might stir debate. “Prepare to Withstand Political Upheaval,” he wrote in describing what to expect as a result of the firings. “U.S Attorneys desiring to save their jobs aided by their allies in the political arena as well as the Justice Department community, likely will make efforts to preserve themselves in office. You should expect these efforts to be strenuous.”
By DAVID JOHNSTON and ERIC LIPTON
Published: March 13, 2007
WASHINGTON, March 12 — The White House was deeply involved in the decision late last year to dismiss federal prosecutors, including some who had been criticized by Republican lawmakers, administration officials said Monday.
Last October, President Bush spoke with Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to pass along concerns by Republicans that some prosecutors were not aggressively addressing voter fraud, the White House said Monday. Senator Pete V. Domenici, Republican of New Mexico, was among the politicians who complained directly to the president, according to an administration official.
The president did not call for the removal of any specific United States Attorneys, said Dana Perino, a White House spokeswoman. She said she had “no indication” that the president was aware that a process was already under way to identify prosecutors who would be fired. But a few weeks later, the Justice Department forced out seven prosecutors.
White House officials consulted with the Justice Department in preparing the list of United States attorneys who would be removed, Ms Perino disclosed.
The idea of dismissing federal prosecutors originated in the White House more than a year earlier, White House and Justice officials said Monday....
LinkHere
Look at where this email went:
On Dec. 4, 2006, three days before the dismissals, Mr. Sampson sent an e-mail message to the White House with a copy to Ms. Miers outlining plans to carry out the firings
“We would like to execute this on Thursday, Dec. 7,” Mr. Sampson wrote. Because some United States attorneys were still in Washington attending a conference, he planned to postpone telling them they were being fired. He wrote, “We want to wait until they are back home and dispersed to reduce chatter.”
Mr. Sampson predicted that dismissals might stir debate. “Prepare to Withstand Political Upheaval,” he wrote in describing what to expect as a result of the firings. “U.S Attorneys desiring to save their jobs aided by their allies in the political arena as well as the Justice Department community, likely will make efforts to preserve themselves in office. You should expect these efforts to be strenuous.”
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