SPECTER's ex-AID is UTAH US-Attorney

[radfringe]

just heard on Thom Hartman...per Tumley(sp) blog on Time mag

You recall the aid that Spector had forced on him, and inserted that little clause about USA's being appointed without congressional oversight?

Apparently, he's been appointed US Attorney for Utah...

I can't do a link to the story, old old computer which blows up into blue screen of death when I go to certain sites

[John Q. Citizen]

1. That's interesting. Sounds like a payoff for services rendered. n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Goooooood point!

[librechik]

2. Quid Pro Quo

now we know why Specter wants to squish the investigation

[Supersedeas]

10. I thought Orin Hatch put the kibbash on that appointment

[Solly Mack]

3. (Link)

http://hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.View&PressRelease_id=1623

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=printer_friendly&forum=102&topic_id=2765232


2765383, Brett Tolman helped slip the legislation into the Patriot Act
Posted by Lasher on Tue Mar-13-07 04:37 AM

Brett Tolman ended up as US attorney in Utah, the same job that Sampson was trying to get. Tolman was involved in slipping the legislation into the Patriot Act.


On Feb. 6, when the Senate held hearings on the issue of prosecutorial independence, former judiciary committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., proudly claimed to have been as clueless as the rest of us. Denying New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer's claim that he or his staff had "slipped the new provision into the Patriot Act in the dead of night," Specter asserted, "The first I found out about the change in the Patriot Act occurred a few weeks ago when Sen. Feinstein approached me on the floor."

Specter added that he only looked into how the provision was altered after Feinstein told him about it. As he explained, "I then contacted my very able chief counsel, Michael O'Neill, to find out exactly what had happened. And Mr. O'Neill advised me that the requested change had come from the Department of Justice, that it had been handled by Brett Tolman, who is now the U.S. attorney for Utah, and that the change had been requested by the Department of Justice because there had been difficulty with the replacement of a U.S. attorney in South Dakota."

http://www.slate.com/id/2161260 /


Sampson was Speedy's Chief of Staff in the DoJ. Tolman had spent the previous three years working for the Senate Judiciary Committee staff. Apparently it was these two who conspired with Specter's chief counsel, Michael O'Neill, to slip the provision in. The White House wanted to reward their boy Sampson with the Utah US attorney job but the Senate (Hatch & Specter) managed to give that prize to their key conspirator.

So many cronies, yet so few lucrative positions with which to reward them.

[lyonn]

11. Those are links that are worth having handy for reference, Thanks

[Donnachaidh]

4. what's the site -- I'll go look for the link

:bounce:

[Junkdrawer]

6. Hmmm...I wonder how this plan was Hatched????

:think:

[PA Democrat]

7. Specter said earlier this week that he intends to run for reelection in 2010.

Well, all I can say is that I have a long memory and will remind people of his dirty dealings. I hope we can get a strong candidate to run against him. I'm sick of him talking tough, and then just rolling over for whatever the Bushies want.

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. That rat bastard. I swear they're ALL corrupt! He should be removed from the Senate!

every damn repuke that walks the earth, is corrupt. I HATE THEM ALL. YES! I mean HATE!

[radfringe]

9. connection? see:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=475347&mesg_id=475347