Sampson: Gonzales was involved in firings

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC/AP

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales wrongly stated he was not involved in discussions about the firings of federal prosecutors, his former chief of staff told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday.

"I don't think the attorney general's statement that he was not involved in any discussions of U.S. attorney removals was accurate," testified Kyle Sampson, who quit this month as Gonzales' top aide. "I remember discussing with him this process of asking certain U.S. attorneys to resign."

Sampson said Gonzales attended a crucial meeting on the firings Nov. 27, 10 days before they were carried out.

Eight federal prosecutors were fired last year because they did not sufficiently support President Bush's priorities, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' former chief of staff said Thursday, defending a standard that Democrats called "highly improper."



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17852146/

[sabra]

1. ...

[maddezmom]

2. great headline

And Kyle isn't doing much to help his own case or Gonzo's

[maddezmom]

3. Cardin is kicking his butt now over "the List"

that no longer exists

[maddezmom]

4. Whitehouse now drilling him about the list/file

that he ran for 2 yrs and Sampson didn't keep a file on it?

[maddezmom]

5. Have you ever tried a case? Yes one case

a gun case. Have you ever tried a civil case? Yes, participating in a few as 2nd chair.

Should we be concerned about the experience level about the people making decisions about USAs?

[maddezmom]

6. has Monica Goodling ever tried a case?

The decision makers in the case were the President and the Attorney General.

[grasswire]

8. and Monica apparently worked for McNulty

She was the deputy US attorney in the Eastern District of VA, where McNulty was US attorney. That means she knows where the bodies are buried in the Rocket Docket, too.

[maddezmom]

11. very interesting

thanks for the info :hi:

[maddezmom]

7. Ex-aide: Gonzales, Miers OKed firings

Ex-aide: Gonzales, Miers OKed firings By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
2 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and President Bush's former counsel approved the firings of eight federal prosecutors, Gonzales' one-time chief of staff told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday.

"I and others made staff recommendations but they were approved and signed off on by the principles," Kyle Sampson said, referring to Gonzales and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070329/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/fired_prosecutors;_ylt=AtzknEpBAygiVwc_U1cI6MiyFz4D

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

10. Its going to get sticky this afternoon.....

Simply put, OK we know now that the AG was lying through his teeth when he said he didn't have any discussions or involvement in the firings. One bold faced lie uncovered.

Questions should now turn again to the list....What information was provided to the Miers and AG Gonzales from which to base their decisions. INTENT is everything. Two years/deeply involved....yet no files.

At least we know now that the information behind one firing came from Rove's office.

"Those assertions are contradicted by e-mails from Sampson to a White House aide, saying that getting Griffin appointed "was important to Harriet, Karl, etc." Former White House Counsel Harriet Miers was among the first people to suggest Griffin as a replacement for Cummins.

We know now who made the final decision - Miers and AG Gonzalez
We know now who made the recommendations - Sampson and Goodling (Pleading the 5th "self incrimination"
So who pushed for the recommendations and what was their intent - Certainly it wasn't the inexperienced Sampson and Goodling....who and why?

[Eugene]

13. Sing, Kyle, Sing!

From the article:

Asked whether Gonzales' statement was false, Sampson replied,
"I don't think it's accurate if the statement implies that I intended
to mislead the Congress."

Gonzales is toast, Miers is implicated, and Karl Rove is in the mix too.

:popcorn:

[TNOE]

9. I am SO GLAD that Bush is a Christian

and that he has restored "honor & integrity" back in the White House!

[hippiechick]

12. "wrongly stated" ? C'mon people, call it what it is: A LIE.

:mad:

[goforit]

14. I guess pathological lying takes you only so far....Gonzo!!!

[maddezmom]

15. kick