Nelson seeks inquiry of prosecutor's exit (Paul Perez)

[maddezmom]

Source: Sun-Sentinel

Nelson seeks inquiry of prosecutor's exit


U.S. attorney denies connection to 8 dismissals

By Mark K. Matthews And Pedro Ruz Gutierrez
Washington bureau
Posted March 27 2007


WASHINGTON – A U.S. attorney in Florida is set to step down Friday, and Sen. Bill Nelson wants Congress to examine whether his departure is tied to prosecutor firings at the Justice Department.

Paul Perez, attorney for the Middle District of Florida, has previously denied any connection to the controversial dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys. He could not be reached for comment.

But Nelson said Monday that he is concerned Perez's exit is not coincidental and promised to raise the issue with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is probing the flap.

"It is another thing that will be looked at in the overall investigation," Nelson said. The Florida Democrat is one of several lawmakers who have called for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.




Read more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fattorneys27mar27,0,4576454.story?track=rss

[Supersedeas]

1. another?

[Robbien]

2. This is probably not one of the purges

or that is the word on the WSJ's law blog discussion threads.

The Florida Just Us system is so corrupt, the word in the discussion threads is that this guy is just getting out before anyone starts looking too close at Florida.

[seafan]

3. This FL US Attorney resignation has gotten virtually no attention.

And it happened within hours of AG Gonzales' press briefing 2 weeks ago. This prosecutor oversaw the Middle District of Florida, which, interestingly, includes Sarasota, where the mystery of the 18,000 lost touch screen undervotes is still being disputed in the courts.

There's just too much here to gloss over and leave unexamined. Glad to see Senator Bill Nelson is addressing it.

.....

One concern, Nelson said, is an August letter signed by Perez and 16 other U.S. attorneys that criticizes the Justice Department for dragging its feet on a data-sharing system for law-enforcement agencies.
The letter notes "growing skepticism" among local leaders about the Justice Department's commitment to the multi-agency partnership "because they see little progress on an issue all consider to be the highest priority."

The attorneys called on department leaders to prioritize the system, known as the Law Enforcement Information Exchange, or LinX. In Florida, it is one of several projects that allow law-enforcement agencies to share data through a records-management system.
Sent to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, the attorneys' five-page letter was made public as part of the ongoing inquiry into the eight firings. Also included was a rebuke from McNulty to the attorneys.

"It reads like a letter from Capitol Hill, not one from friends on the same team. This is particularly distressing because it is shared with folks outside the Department," wrote McNulty in an e-mail dated Sept. 5.

Justice officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

Three attorneys who signed the letter were later fired: John McKay of Washington state, David Iglesias of New Mexico and Carol Lam of California.

.....

There was yet another resignation in Florida last Tuesday of a US Attorney. ..from March 18, 2007


Florida US Attorney Paul Perez resigned Tuesday, March 13. His district includes Sarasota ..from March 23, 2007