U.S. attorney's firing may be connected to CIA corruption probe

[swag]

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/16931334.htm?source=rss&channel=krwashington_nation

WASHINGTON - Fired San Diego U.S. attorney Carol Lam notified the Justice Department that she intended to execute search warrants on a high-ranking CIA official as part of a corruption probe the day before a Justice Department official sent an e-mail that said Lam needed to be fired, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Sunday.

Feinstein, D-Calif., said the timing of the e-mail suggested that Lam's dismissal may have been connected to the corruption probe.

Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse denied in an e-mail that there was any link.

"We have stated numerous times that no U.S. attorney was removed to retaliate against or inappropriately interfere with any public corruption investigation or prosecution," he wrote. "This remains the case and there is no evidence that indicates otherwise."

But the revelation is sure to heighten demands in Congress for a full investigation into whether something other than job performance was behind the Justice Department's dismissals late last year of eight U.S. attorneys, including Lam.

. . . more

[eleny]

1. Drip drip drip

K&R

[Viva_La_Revolution]

22. ...

:)

[happydreams]

52. Where'd you get that drip smilie? I want one.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

53. right-click on it, and 'save picture as'

and it's yours. :)

[CrazyOrangeCat]

2. We're going to get to the bottom of this yet . . .

:popcorn:

K&R

[truthisfreedom]

3. I was wondering when this one was going to hit the news.

Now we're going to start the week with it. I think a "hooray" is in order.

Ahem.

HOORAY!

Thank you. 8^)

[jazzjunkysue]

4. K&R& a big Hooray! Happy Monday!

Fun and games at the CIA.

Pass the popcorn.

I LIKE politics!

:kick:

[Peace Patriot]

5. Hm-m-m. Juicy. You get the feeling that there are bodies buried all over

the place. All we have to do is follow our noses.

[IChing]

6. Duh, who didn't see this?

Oh, that' right the MSM

This has been discussed on the net for well over a year.
Good, just another article of impeachment to add
to the volumes and chapters of this administration

[gristy]

7. OMG - I had called Feinstein's office last week to talk about Lam.

I told the lady who answered that Feinstein needed to look closely at why LAM was fired, and that the firing of 8 of them, and certainly the meme that they had thought about firing all 93, was a smokescreen. Lam is the key. I'm sure Feinstein was already thinking along these lines (and I may have even seen some press to that effect), but I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see this.

[halobeam]

8. Serious threads here about Lam being the target

I would suggest you do a search on it, you'll be greatly satisfied... If I had the link I'd give it to you, but I'm half falling asleep right now.

Keep digging, it's gets REALLY intense. $700million in fake defense contracting companies was a HUGE investigation Lam was getting into.

[Ilsa]

17. Yep, "follow the money." nt

[fooj]

23. Here's the link...

WHY CAROL LAM WAS THE "REAL PROBLEM": CORRUPT GOP FUNDED PHONY DEFENSE COMPANIES! $700 MIL!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=408673

[Megahurtz]

48. I Can't Believe What I'm Reading!

No...wait............I can!

Easily the most corrupt Administration...EVER!!!

[halobeam]

56. thanks,

I was draggin and couldn't look up another thing last night!

[Marie26]

36. LAm was also investigating the Walter Reed contractor.

Cebereus, hedge fund that bought Rep. Lewis & subsequently got the privitized contract to service Walter Reed. She'd just asked Congress for documents. I think this issue also played a role in the decision to force her resignation.

[halobeam]

57. Everyone it seems, like Cerberus and IAP is involved in SAIC

it's something huge to wrap your head around, isn't it?

[Marie26]

62. It really is

You don't have to look very long until you see the same exact names popping up over & over again. They'll also tend to buy & merge w/each other & share the same board of directors & CEOS. I'm starting to think they're all basically front companies for the real players here.

[diane in sf]

45. I walked the thread about the $700M to DiFi's office in SF

last week printed and on disk. They have probably been bombarded by people from here who are aware of why Lam was fired.
I'm excited to see results so soon!

[halobeam]

55. I read it all!! That was rockin'!!!

Thanks for doing that! Activism at it's finest! Way to go.

[leveymg]

47. Involves GOP-linked defense contractors (MZM) and a huge hedge fund (Cerberus)

that's been pumping foreign money into US election campaigns. See, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/10/21556/5045

[halobeam]

54. yep and the Cerberus is of course linked to SAIC...

this came out I believe in the IAP research thread by bobthedrummer.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

9. Good on you, for pushing! n/t

[EVDebs]

10. "...may have been connected..." Now there's someone w/o a flair for the OBVIOUS ! nt

[toska]

11. Obstruction of Justice

Even if a US Attorney serves at the pleasure of the president (and only a president can fire them), you can't fire them to stop an investigation. That's obstruction of justice and there is already Supreme Court precedent covering it.

Bush had to sign the order firing them, not the Attorney General. So if Carol Lam was fired because she was pursuing top CIA officials, then yet another law has been broken by this administration.

[swag]

12. The toppermost of the poppermost

[gristy]

13. ding ding ding ding

DING!!!!!!!

Obstruction of Justice

[Octafish]

14. Obstruction of Justice in a case involving Congress, CIA and the Executive...

... maybe this is why our Democratic leadership has been keeping the powder dry.
Indict. Impeach. Try. Convict. Imprison.
These crooks and warmongers.
Traitors got it even worse.

PS: A most hearty welcome to DU, toska.

[gristy]

15. Can you tell me the case?

I shall cite it in my next call to Senator Feinstein.

[jelly]

18. Music to my ears - got a cite for the SCOTUS case(s)?

Thanks!

[caligirl]

16. perhaps we should repost the Foggo file-

Here>http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000524.php

hookergate>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12634250/

By Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit
Updated: 4:38 p.m. MT May 4, 2006


Lisa Myers
Senior investigative correspondent

WASHINGTON - The infamous Watergate Hotel is again at the center of political intrigue.

"We have received subpoenas for documents," says Watergate Hotel Assistant General Manager Josh Graham. "We have complied, but I cannot confirm names of individuals or companies that were part of those subpoenas."

FBI agents are investigating what happened in the hotel's posh suites, which defense contractor Brent Wilkes turned into party suites for politicians and CIA officers. There was poker and cigars, and the FBI wants to know if there were prostitutes, too.>>>>>

>>>The FBI has questioned Shirlington Limousine about whether it arranged prostitutes for Cunningham or any other member of Congress. The company denies any involvement with prostitutes.>>>

Who bought the Madam's list?

[swag]

20. Josh Marshall needs to take some victory laps

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/013023.php

[Straight Shooter]

19. "... every tree that we've barked up so far has had a cat in it."

Looks to me like we've got a whole damn herd of snarling cats in the Lam-firing tree.

Reference: "We've only had subpoena power for the last six weeks and every tree that we've barked up so far has had a cat in it," said a senior Democrat who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly.

http://mediamatters.org/altercation/ Quote of the Day

[SlowDownFast]

21. Wasn't Portor Goss's resignation right about then?

CNN: Goss: CIA resignation 'one of those mysteries'
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/06/goss.resignation/

edit:
Just answered my own question by reading the OP's full McClatchy article above- excerpt:

On May 11, 2006, Kyle Sampson, then Gonzales' chief of staff, sent an e-mail to deputy White House counsel William Kelley, asking Kelley to call to discuss "the real problem we have right now with Carol Lam that leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires."

This shit is gettin' serious and deep...

[loudsue]

25. Ooopsie! Darned if it isn't so! Porter Goss leaves his fingerprints!

It's about time these dots were connected!

:popcorn: ain it juicy?

:kick::kick::kick:

[SlowDownFast]

26. another kick for morning folk...n/t

[LiberalFighter]

38. Why would there be a need to have someone ready to nominate on the expiration date??

Maybe because the US Attorney continues until there is a body to fill the position?

[Mister Ed]

24. Morning K&R

[sabra]

27. E-Mail to Gonzales on CIA Prosecution Preceded Firing of U.S. Attorney

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070319/19gonzales.htm

E-Mail to Gonzales on CIA Prosecution Preceded Firing of U.S. Attorney

On May 11, 2006, Kyle Sampson, then chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, sent a confidential E-mail to the White House counsel's office regarding the "removal and replacement" of U.S. attorneys whose four-year terms had expired, including the U.S. attorney in San Diego, Carol Lam: "The real problem we have right now with Carol Lam," Sampson wrote, "that leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires."

So what was the "real problem" that Sampson thought the administration had with Lam?

U.S. News has learned that on May 10, one day before Sampson's E-mail to the White House counsel's office, the U.S. attorney's office in San Diego alerted the Justice Department that the FBI would execute search warrants in two days for the No. 3 official at the CIA, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, in connection with the spiraling corruption probe into former Republican Rep. Randall "Duke" Cunningham of California.

...

The Justice Department is expected to release more than 400 pages of E-mails and other documents today relating to the U.S. attorney firings. The urgent report of May 10 and Sampson's E-mail of May 11 will become crucial pieces of evidence in trying to determine whether the Bush administration acted improperly and fired Lam and other U.S. attorneys to squelch politically sensitive public corruption cases.

...

Some have speculated that Lam was fired because her investigation had targeted so powerful a congressman as Lewis. Other sources have said that Wilkes, through his high-powered Republican friends and his CIA ties through Foggo, was exerting enormous pressure on the White House to get rid of Lam and somehow end the probe.

[Greeby]

28. Busted!

:popcorn:

[formercia]

29. Double busted.

let the show begin.

[DU9598]

30. Very damning evidence

This is clear cut evidence of obstruction of justice within the White House and Department of "Justice".

[pacalo]

31. "Other sources"...

Sounds like those in the DOJ who have had enough are singing like birds.

[BigDDem]

32. Let me guess...

"Mistakes have been made."

[ShortnFiery]

33. I fear that The Unitary Executive is digging in it's heels ...

Unless Gonzo gets caught in bed with a live boy or a dead woman, I fear that Dear Leader will protect him to the end.

Remember that POPPY has more control (more connections) over DOD than DOJ. That includes both with his contacts and with Junior's persuasion.

IMO Gonzo is going to stay unless/until he's successfully impeached.

May our illustrious Democratic Representatives have *the guts* to start impeachment proceedings after they're shined on by The Unitary Executive.

[DemReadingDU]

34. Well, if Gonzo stays, the story won't go away

;)

[jazzjunkysue]

35. Keep Gone-zolez! Keep Gone-zolez! N/t.

[goclark]

40. Gone-zolez ~ ROTFL nt

[harun]

37. Politically it is much better for him to stay (24/7 Whipping Boy) n/t

[antonialee839]

43. I wonder, will Gozo stay?

I think Bush will personally drive the bus that Gonzo gets thrown under, if it means taking the heat off of that POS Rove. Look at Libby,
he knows what it's like to take the entire blame for something Rove also had a hand in. I'm looking forward to the fireworks and wondering if once Libby sees this, will his aspens finally turn? I bet Libby's wife is keeping an eye on this. She was talking about getting some "mother fuckers" after the trial, I wonder who she could have been talking about? I wonder if she nags him day and night not to take the fall. I'm holding out for Little Fitzmas myself.

[donkeyotay]

39. Anyone know about these 2 articles? I can't find them now. IIRC,

Back in January before the talk about the firings took off, there was an article mentioning that three House committees had been subpoenaed by Lam's grand jury, along with the CIA. None of them were happy about it. Shortly thereafter, there was an article saying that the House had reached an agreement with Lam and they were going to "allow" her to turn over her files to them. They'd investigate themselves. Is this accurate as to where it stands now?

(The committees were Appropriations, Armed Services and Intelligence.)

[mzmolly]

41. Isn't it amazing what a slight majority can do? Boy if there were ever a case for

voting in the mid-terms, this is IT!

[Supersedeas]

63. But the GOP/Media Establishment will tuck this away and divert attention elsewhere

[Flarney]

42. Looks like this went all the way to the White House... (Think Progress)

Was Carol Lam Targeting The White House Prior To Her Firing?

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/19/carol-lam-white-house/

[leveymg]

50. Sure did - Bush signed the Lam dismissal order at request of Abu and Miers.

There's a "smoking gun" e-mail from Abu's Chief of Staff to someone in Miers Office at the White House counsel. There's also evidence that Rove was part of the decision to dismiss the USAs.

[Megahurtz]

44. Oops.......

....caught with your pants down!!!

:rofl:

[swag]

46. Megahurtz.

Great user name.

You wouldn't happen to be a jammer with the Break Neck Betties roller derby team, would you?

[Megahurtz]

51. Lol!

No, but that sounds like fun!:D

[Morgana LaFey]

49. Uh oh

And we thought Jerry Lewis was the problem (tho that could've been part of it too).

[paparush]

58. Now that is some SERIOUS Obstruction of Justice shit!!

Say "what" again motherf#cker!!

[heatstreak]

59. kick

[NastyRiffraff]

60. Wow! I'm late to the party, but...

PASS THE POPCORN! :popcorn:

[dethl]

61. It never rains...

but pours.