Democratic National Committee:
There's a lot of good stuff being written about the controversy around the firing of U.S. attorneys. Here's a sample...
- The New York Times has an excellent editorial about "fumbling attempts to explain the purge of United States attorneys," concluding:
The United States attorney purge appears to have been prompted by an array of improper political motives. Carol Lam, the San Diego attorney, seems to have been fired to stop her from continuing an investigation that put Republican officials and campaign contributors at risk. These charges, like the accusation that Mr. McKay and other United States attorneys were insufficiently aggressive about voter fraud, are a way of saying, without actually saying, that they would not use their offices to help Republicans win elections. It does not justify their firing; it makes their firing a graver offense.
- Talking Points Memo, which has done some incredible journalism on the controversy, released a detailed timeline that puts it all in perspective. The most interesting?
May 11, 2006
- The LA Times reports that the investigation of Cunningham has expanded to include Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA), House Appropriations Committee Chairman.
- Sampson emails Mier's deputy William Kelly, writing that they need to discuss: "The real problem we have right now with Carol Lam that leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires." Sampson also mentions a need to discuss "Tim Griffin for E.D. Ark."
- The LA Times reports that the investigation of Cunningham has expanded to include Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA), House Appropriations Committee Chairman.
- Andrew Sullivan makes the point that the White House might be stuck with Gonzales, no matter how badly they might want him out, simply because all the Bush people have baggage:
If Gonzales is cashiered, as now seems likely, who will replace him? McNulty is just as implicated. A figure above the fray? Bush can't risk it. Miers? A no-go. The replacement will tell us a great deal about how scared the Bush people are of real, independent scrutiny. Which may leave them with the option of ... going back to where they started and keeping Gonzales, whatever the fallout.
- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Government (CREW) asks an interesting question: "Did White House staffers violate Presidential Records Act by using outside e-mail addresses to conduct business?"
- And Craig Crawford reminds us "that at least three of Bush’s longest-serving and closest confidants are at the center of this dispute."
