Justice Nominee Vows Fair CIA Probe

[Whoa_Nelly]

Justice Nominee Vows Fair CIA Probe

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press Writer

October 29, 2003, 5:48 PM EST


WASHINGTON -- President Bush's nominee for the No. 2 post at the Justice Department promised Wednesday the investigation into the leak of an undercover CIA officer's name would be handled with integrity.

James Comey, currently U.S. attorney in New York, said that if confirmed as deputy attorney general he would examine with an open mind such questions as whether Attorney General John Ashcroft should recuse himself or appoint a special counsel to oversee the case.

"I don't care about politics. I don't care about expediency. I care about doing the right thing," Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I would never be involved in something I believed to be fundamentally wrong."

<snip>
Comey, 42, appears likely to sail through Senate confirmation, Democrats and Republicans said. Despite his persistent questioning, Schumer also praised Comey as "a prosecutor's prosecutor" who is widely admired in legal circles.

more...
http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-cia-leak-comey,0,2253921.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Comments, anyone? I no nothing about Comey.

[Beetwasher]

1. Hmmm...

I never heard of this guy, but Schumer says this too:

'"I don't know if they could come up with a better man for the job," Schumer said.'

I honestly don't know what to think. Then again Kean is surprising me in the 9/11 investigation by threatening to subpoena the WH. Is it possible we can get an honest apointee on this?

I think we need to work a little DU magic on this guy and see what can be dug up...

[w4rma]

2. But will the probe be aggressive? (n/t)

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Found this article with links re: Comey

Saturday :: October 04, 2003

James Comey Named Deputy Attorney General

As expected, President Bush has named James Comey, (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/20031003-7.html) U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, as the new Deputy Attorney General of the U.S. This is the number two position, under Ashcroft. Comey replaces Larry Thompson, who resigned a few months ago.

Kynn Bartlett over at Shock and Awe (http://shock-awe.info/archive/000928.php) has a quote-filled post about Comey and asks our opinion.

Comey appears to be a dream appointment for Ashcroft. His tenacity in terrorism and financial fraud cases is well-known. Two things we haven't liked about his positions:In the case against attorney Lynn Stewart, Comey vowed to keep fighting even after the Judge threw out the terrorism charges against her.

Second, we don't like this quote from a brief he submitted in the Jose Padilla case:

. Comey, U.S. attorney for the Southern District... declared in a brief, "A court of the United States has no jurisdiction ... to enjoin the president in the performance of his official duties." (Source: The Legal Intelligencer August 29, 2003, available on Lexis.com.)

more...
http://www.talkleft.com/archives/004516.html

Am having doubts that Comey is going to be "fair and balanced" re: Wilson/Plame case.

[yellowcanine]

4. Deputy is going to tell boss what he can do?

What can he do if Asscraft tells him to go fu** himself? Did anyone ask him if he thought a special counsel should be appointed based on the facts as he knows them now and if not, why not? And what would have to happen to change his mind? Surely he has an opinion that would tell us volumes about how "open" his mind really is.

[NMLobo]

5. Exactly

Yeah right, this guy is going to tell his boss, "uh sir I think you need to recuse yourself and, uh... we'll appoint a special prosecutor.

Suuurre, that's gonna happen. :eyes:

[newyawker99]

6. Hi NMLobo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: