TPM: Another prosecutor forced out in 2005 for investigating a Republican?

[Pirate Smile]

Another prosecutor forced out in 2005 for investigating a Republican?

The former federal prosecutor in Maryland said Monday that he was forced out in early 2005 because of political pressure stemming from public corruption investigations involving associates of the state’s governor, a Republican.
“There was direct pressure not to pursue these investigations,” said the former prosecutor, Thomas M. DiBiagio. “The practical impact was to intimidate my office and shut down the investigations.

Mr. DiBiagio, a controversial figure who clashed with a number of Maryland politicians, had never publicly discussed the reasons behind his departure. But he agreed to an interview with The New York Times because he said he was concerned about what he saw as similarities with the recent firings of eight United States attorneys."

Shocked?

-- Josh Marshall

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/012825.php

NYT:

Former Prosecutor Says Departure Was Pressured

By ERIC LICHTBLAU
Published: March 6, 2007

WASHINGTON, March 5 — The former federal prosecutor in Maryland said Monday that he was forced out in early 2005 because of political pressure stemming from public corruption investigations involving associates of the state’s governor, a Republican.

“There was direct pressure not to pursue these investigations,” said the former prosecutor, Thomas M. DiBiagio. “The practical impact was to intimidate my office and shut down the investigations.”

Mr. DiBiagio, a controversial figure who clashed with a number of Maryland politicians, had never publicly discussed the reasons behind his departure. But he agreed to an interview with The New York Times because he said he was concerned about what he saw as similarities with the recent firings of eight United States attorneys.

-snip-
His office had been looking into whether associates of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. had improperly funneled money from gambling interests to promote legalized slot machines in Maryland. Mr. DiBiagio said that several prominent Maryland Republicans had pressed him to back away from the inquiries and that one conversation had so troubled him that he reported it to an F.B.I. official as a threat.
But he said that the Justice Department had offered little support and that that made it “impossible for me to stay.”


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/washington/06prosecutor.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all

edit to add - Posted in GD where I probably should have posted it in the first place (I'm used to posting in GD: P or LBN usually). GD thread - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=347509&mesg_id=347509

[ShortnFiery]

1. Congress! Is this an impeachable offense?

:eyes:

[MO_Dem]

2. Are the floodgates beginning to open?

NT

[Ninja Jordan]

3. Indeed