Senior Federal Prosecutors and F.B.I. Officials Fault Ashcroft

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http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/16/politics/16LEAK.html


October 16, 2003
Senior Federal Prosecutors and F.B.I. Officials Fault Ashcroft Over Leak Inquiry
By DAVID JOHNSTON and ERIC LICHTBLAU

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 — Several senior criminal prosecutors at the Justice Department and top F.B.I. officials have privately criticized Attorney General John Ashcroft for failing to recuse himself or appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the leak of a C.I.A. operative's identity.

The criticism reflects the first sign of dissension in the department and the F.B.I. as the inquiry nears a critical phase. The attorney general must decide whether to convene a grand jury, which could compel White House officials to testify.

The criminal justice officials, who spoke on the condition that they not be identified, represent a cross section of experienced criminal prosecutors and include political supporters of Mr. Ashcroft at the department's headquarters here and at United States attorneys' offices around the country.

The officials said they feared Mr. Ashcroft could be damaged by continuing accusations that as an attorney general with a long career in Republican partisan politics, he could not credibly lead a criminal investigation that centered on the aides to a Republican president.

[Wickerman]

1. I don't care if "he could be damaged"

But they are damn right that he can't credibly lead an investigation against his boss. As much as the papers are trying to kill this off, it ain't going away!

The officials said they feared Mr. Ashcroft could be damaged by continuing accusations that as an attorney general with a long career in Republican partisan politics, he could not credibly lead a criminal investigation that centered on the aides to a Republican president.