The White House and Justice Department: Key dates

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The White House and Justice Department: Key dates
McClatchy News Service
Key dates in the relationship between the White House and the Department of Justice:

2001

Beginning Jan. 20, 2001 -- In keeping with tradition, the new Bush administration appoints John Ashcroft as attorney general and begins nominating U.S attorneys to replace the Clinton administration's top prosecutors.

Sept. 11 -- Terrorists use airplanes to attack the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, killing almost 3,000 people.

Oct. 26 -- President Bush signs into law the USA Patriot Act, passed by Congress to give law enforcement agencies new surveillance and investigative power to go after terrorists.

2002

April -- An administration memo expands the number of White House and Justice Department staff who can discuss pending criminal or civil cases with one another.

November -- The administration announces a nominee to replace Fred Black, longtime acting U.S. attorney for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Weeks earlier, Black proposed investigating GOP donor and lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who represented anti-labor interests in the Pacific territories. Abramoff was later convicted on unrelated bribery charges on the mainland. An inspector general's report later concluded that the administration was planning to replace Black regardless of Abramoff.

more:http://www.miamiherald.com/509/story/143862.html