Okay, here's the question: How is the Attorney General removed from his post?

[Missy Vixen]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I have been discussing this off and on since we read kpete's latest, brilliant post of this morning. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x330092

What is the method in which an Attorney General is removed from office, besides firing by the President? Is there any redress of private citizens against an officeholder who's clearly shown he's not interested in carrying out the duties he agreed to when being sworn in?

Here's a freaky one: How about a Bar complaint? Must the Attorney General of the United States belong to the Bar Association?

Seriously: Who can we go to for help?

Julie

[annabanana]

1. I think he would be subject to impeachment.. . .

In fact, I think he should be the first to go.

[MGKrebs]

2. Hopefully in chains and leg irons.

[BlooInBloo]

3. President fire him/her or impeachment conviction. Or other (death, incarceration, etc.)

[aquart]

5. Tar? Feathers?

Walter Reed?

[smoogatz]

4. How was he attached to it in the first place?

Velcro? Sheet metal screws? Sixteen-penny nails? If the latter, a good crowbar would be the best choice, I think.

[Cerridwen]

11. I was thinking "cut the ropes"

But I like your answer better. And it's so nice to see mine isn't the only twisted brain around.

:P :D

[dkofos]

6. Fired by the pResident (not Likely)

Impeached by congress (maybe if we BITCH LOUD ENOUGH)

How about it Nancy, you said you wouldn't impeach the pResident who admitted breaking the law.

How about his enabler??

[napi21]

7. See these clips from John Dean's postings at Find Law.

The Constitution's Impeachment Clause applies to all "civil officers of the United States" - not to mention the president, vice president and federal judges. It is not clear who, precisely, is among those considered "civil officers," but the group certainly includes a president's cabinet and sub-cabinet, as well as the senior department officials and the White House staff (those who are issued commissions by the president and serve the President and Vice President).

snip

Lowering the aim of an impeachment effort to focus on those who have aided and abetted, or directly engaged in, the commission of high crimes and misdemeanors, would have all the positives, and none of the negatives, of going after Bush and Cheney. It would not be an effort to overturn the 2004 election, but rather to rid the government of those who have participated, along with Bush and Cheney, in abuses and misuses of power; indeed, many among them have actually encouraged Bush and Cheney to undertake the offensive activities.

Many of these men (and a few women) are young enough that it is very likely that they will return to other posts in future Republican Administrations, and based on their experience in the Bush/Cheney Administration, they can be expected to make the offensive conduct of this presidency the baseline for the next president they serve. Impeachment, however, would prevent that from happening.

It will be recalled that Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution states: "Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States." (Emphasis added.) After any civil officer has been impeached, under the rules of the Senate, it requires only a simple majority vote to add the disqualification from holding future office.

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20061215.html

I trust Dean's opinions. He's already been though all this!!!

[seafan]

9. Yes, John Dean says Gonzales can be impeached.

More pertinent discussion in this thread.

[The Wizard]

8. try

The Gambinos, Genovese, the Russian Mafia. Or the old fashioned way, the peasants grab torches and pitch forks and storm the Justice Department

[Divernan]

10. No lawyers have to belong to any state or national bar association.

Bar associations have nothing to do with being admitted to practise law. They are voluntary associations at the county, state and federal level.

Lawyers must graduate from an accredited law school and pass a bar examination in order to be licensed. Once they are licensed, they must be sponsored for admission by a current member of the respective Court in order to be admitted to practise in various courts. There are separate admissions to state and federal courts. In states, you get admitted by each state individually. I'm admitted to the courts of Pennsylvania, but not to any other states' courts. There are separate admissions to every federal district court, to the various U.S. Appellate Circuit Courts , and to the U.S. Supreme Court. I'm admitted to the Western District of Pennsylvania Federal Court (that's a trial court) and to the Third Circuit of the U.S. Federal Court (that's an appellate court). I've never had occasion to have a case go to the Supreme Court and do not anticipate doing so, so never applied for admission to that Court. A lot of lawyers do get admission to the U.S. Supreme Court who will never have occasion to argue a case there - they do it for the prestige of having a handsomely framed Certificate of Admission to hang on their office's Wall of Respect. My county bar association used to organize an annual trip to D.C. for all the local lawyers who wanted to pony up the fees to get admitted to the USSC.

I would hope that members of all the hundreds of bar associations in this country could take time from pursuing their hourly billings to formally criticize the current AG for his demonstrated contempt for the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the rule of law.