Seattle -- Yet another US Attorney resigns in mystery

[Missy Vixen]

Hi everyone,

I know this has been under discussion on DU. Our US Attorney's last day will be tomorrow; Attorney General Gonzales needs to appoint someone by Monday to take his office or face having prosecutions disrupted.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003541001_webseattleu25.html


>U.S. Attorney McKay to become professor at Seattle University
By David Bowermaster

Seattle Times staff reporter

John McKay, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington, is going back to school.

McKay will become a visiting professor at the Seattle University Law School after he steps down Friday. McKay's decision was announced today in a news release issued by his office.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez still has not named an interim or permanent successor for McKay. A replacement must be in place by Monday to avoid disruptions to government prosecutions in the region.

A spokesman for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. could not be reached for comment.<

So, who's next? I've read over the past few days that the rumors are also flying in Chicago...

Julie

[CoffeeCat]

1. I've read very little about this...

Are people saying that these US attorneys are being forced (blackmailed, strong armed, threatened) into leaving
by this administration--with the intent of replacing them with Bush-minded thugs?

[MadMaddie]

2. And all with a resounding "Yes".

This is dangerous territory that Gonzalez is involved in.

Gonzalez should be brought up on treason. He is the greatest threat to the Constitution today.

There was a purge in CA that happened within the last two weekes.

[Missy Vixen]

3. Yes.

There have been several articles on the subject posted on DU over the last couple of weeks. I believe they began when the US Attorney in San Diego was asked to step down, and after some research on the part of Josh Marshall's blog Talking Points Memo (here's just one article, for instance -- http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2007_01_21.php#012097 ), the subject is getting traction in the blogosphere and in MSM.

Evidently, seven US Attorneys have been either asked to resign or outright fired under suspicious circumstances, and are being replaced by friends of *.

Julie

[Tatiana]

5. Yes. And for once, DiFi is standing up for what's right.

From her floor speech:

"Mr. President, I have introduced an amendment on this bill which has to do with the appointment of U.S. Attorneys. This is also the subject of the Judiciary Committee's jurisdiction, and since the Attorney General himself will be before that committee on Thursday, and I will be asking him some questions, I speak today in morning business on what I know so much about this situation.

Recently, it came to my attention that the Department of Justice has asked several U.S. Attorneys from around the country to resign their positions -- some by the end of this month -- prior to the end of their terms not based on any allegation of misconduct. In other words, they are forced resignations.

I have also heard that the Attorney General plans to appoint interim replacements and potentially avoid Senate confirmation by leaving an interim U.S. Attorney in place for the remainder of the Bush administration.

How does this happen? The Department sought and essentially was given new authority under a little known provision in the PATRIOT Act Reauthorization to appoint interim appointments who are not subject to Senate confirmation and who could remain in place for the remainder of the Bush administration.

To date, I know of at least seven U.S. Attorneys forced to resign without cause, without any allegations of misconduct. These include two from my home State, San Diego and San Francisco, as well as U.S. Attorneys from New Mexico, Nevada, Arkansas, Texas, Washington and Arizona

<snip>

I am particularly concerned because of the inference in all of this that is drawn to manipulation in the lineup of cases to be prosecuted by a U.S. Attorney. In the San Diego case, at the very least, we have people from the FBI indicating that Carol Lam has not only been a straight shooter but a very good prosecutor. Therefore, it is surprising to me to see that she would be, in effect, forced out, without cause. This would go for any other U.S. Attorney among the seven who are on that list.

We have something we need to look into, that we need to exercise our oversight on, and I believe very strongly we should change the law back to where a Federal judge makes this appointment on an interim basis subject to regular order, whereby the President nominates and the Senate confirms a replacement."

http://feinstein.senate.gov/07releases/r-us-atty0116.htm

[SoCalDem]

8. Would this be the "LIBRUL" 9th court district they all wail about?

I must admit , I have read little about it, but I will study up :)_

[Tatiana]

10. There's an interesting comparison.

Four out of the seven states where these judges are being forced out fall under the jurisdiction of the 9th district (Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington).

[SoCalDem]

11. Smells like PURGE to me. n/t

[CoffeeCat]

12. It sure sounds like they're getting their...

...ducks in a row. But for what?

And I don't understand the silence and the compliance of these US attorneys. We're talking
about highly intelligent people.

How does BushCo get these people to just slink away?

I would say that this is very frightening. They're attempting to control government from
every angle. What in the hell are they doing?

I'm seeing visions of the movie "V For Vendetta" in our future.

[Mojambo]

4. This whole thing is starting to make me damn nervous. n/t

[Missy Vixen]

6. There was a blind item in the Chicago Sun-Times

last week stating that a "top, top, top US Attorney" was interviewing with law firms in Chicago after quietly being relieved of duties by Gonzales.

IMHO, but there's only one that fits that definition at this time. I'm hoping the columnist that printed it is full of it. It would be a huge blow not just for Chicago, but for all of us. It's hard to find people willing to dedicate their professional careers to being public servants, and even harder to find those so dedicated to excellence.

Julie

[windbreeze]

13. I thought that particular attorney could not be ousted??

from the way I understood when he was put in the position he's currently in(if I have the right guy)..

Wash,Calif..are blue states...are they attempting to control the courts in blue states especially? what the hell IS up with this...???why aren't these attorneys screaming to high heaven about what's going on????could they have been threatened??? we better start getting scared...hell no, forget scared, just plain paranoid will work....and I suggest SOONER rather than later...
windbreeze

[Missy Vixen]

14. Okay, here's the deal

>from the way I understood when he was put in the position he's currently in(if I have the right guy)..<

The * administration managed to cram through legislation that allows them to fire or ask for the resignations of US Attorneys before the end of the presidential term. US Attorneys have to be appointed by Congress, but they can be removed for basically no reason, at least right now. They USED to only be able to be removed for cause -- i.e, gross mismanagement or something. This is why there's now been a suit filed to stop these random removals, and legislation being prepared to ensure that no other US Attorneys can be fired or removed without Congressional approval.

US Attorneys, by the way, would preside over any disciplinary action against the executive branch. Is the picture becoming clearer now? I thought so.

The guy in question could only be fired as Special Counsel by the President. He answers to nobody, if I recall correctly. Thank God James Comey had the paperwork drawn the way it is, or that would have been over a long time ago. There has been speculation over the last couple of weeks that one of the reasons for the mass purge is a warning to the-guy-we-might-think-it-is -- cool it with the prosecutions of the friends of *, or you're next.

The blind item in the Chicago paper was written in the "Sneed" column. I don't know how much credence to give it. Seriously, if he was fired, this would create a shitstorm of legendary proportions. I can't imagine that he would agree to be quiet about the situation, either, and one of the things in the blind item was the mention that this was done "quietly".

IMHO, YMMV, let's hope the blind item is wrong.
Julie

[windbreeze]

16. OK

on the same page as you, and yes, I remembered that there were special circumstances put into place when he was chosen special prosecutor...Thank god the Senate has to approve the new appointees, but are any of the ones being removed, saying anything?...I trust nothing these guys do...and believe anything/everything is possible...each one of them has a role to play...and they are taking their turns...

Glad to hear there's been a law suit filed...I can pretty much let my imagination figure out what the purpose is in all this, it's actually pretty easy to understand...trying to protect their own butts...wonder what all they've done to need this type of protection??? what don't we know???...I certainly hope the blind item is wrong....I can't imagine he would go quietly...I would think we are bordering on a revolution...too many people want this court case, and this investigation to continue...too many things are connected, and too many of the same people are involved...they must be getting scared....
windbreeze...

[orleans]

7. no shit. what the hell is bushco up to? n/t

[133724]

9. tell that @#$%^$% Bush

to keep his hands off of my city.....

[Missy Vixen]

15. Well, look who's appointing the successor to Seattle's US Attorney

How conveeeeeeenient...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003542038_mckay26m.html

>Reichert to submit candidates to succeed U.S. Attorney McKay

By David Bowermaster
Seattle Times staff reporter

Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Auburn, is working with local lawyers and law-enforcement officials to identify candidates to succeed John McKay as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington.

McKay is stepping down today after five years as the region's top law-enforcement official. He announced Thursday he will join the faculty of Seattle University Law School.

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is expected to name an interim replacement for McKay today, to avoid disruptions to prosecutions. But it could take weeks to choose a permanent successor.

U.S. attorneys are White House appointees subject to Senate confirmation.<

Gosh, I'll bet Dave Reichert will go out of his way to be "bipartisan," considering that he's voted with the Bush administration over 90% of the time...

Julie