Andrew Zajac
House Judiciary Committee Republicans complained loudly today that they weren't consulted about the majority Democrats' decision to set up a web site to collect intel about reported politicization of the Justice Department.
The Democrats' response?
First they said 'we'll look into it.' Later this afternoon, Judiciary Committee chair John Conyers, D-Michigan, issued a more substantive reply.
First, the GOP case as made in a press release:
Judiciary Dems: Send us your innuendo, your heresy, your conjecture. We'll investigate.
NOTE: The Democrat Majority on the Judiciary Committee today created a website to solicit rumors, gossip, and stories from former and current Department of Justice employees about political influence at the Department – looking for information only after 2001. The minority party was not consulted or notified, and this website may violate the House Rule that says that all Members should have access to Committee records.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | JUNE 21st, 2007
Democrats Fishing the Net for Oxygen to Keep a Pointless Investigation Afloat
WASHINGTON DC – The Democrat Majority on the Judiciary Committee today created a website to solicit rumors, gossip, and stories from former and current Department of Justice employees about political influence at the Department.
The minority party was not notified, and this website may violate the House Rule that says that all Members should have access to Committee records.
To make matters worse, the Majority website makes clear that only allegations, rumors, or gossip about politicization of the Department of Justice after 2001 would be investigated, and then, only by majority staff.
Upon learning of this, Congressman Chris Cannon (R-Utah) released the following statement: “Political influence neither began nor will it end with the Bush Administration. The creation of a secret website to collect gossip and rumors only accessible by the majority party, and only about the Bush Administration, is blatant partisanship. If tens of thousand of pages of documents, dozens of interviews, and witness testimony under oath has not uncovered corruption or interference in ongoing investigations, then it is time for the committee to move on.”
Cannon continued, “Taxpayers are ponying up $250,000 for a DC lawyer to investigate this matter. Again, we ask, what are taxpayers getting? Does the lack of progress in this investigation indicate that the Democrats are trying to get their money’s worth by having a $250,000 lawyer spend his day reading gossip emails?”
Chris Cannon is the ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, overseeing the investigation into the US Attorney firings.
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And Conyers' rebuttal:
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) released the following statement in response to charges made in a press release issued by Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law:
"When there is an ongoing internal nonpartisan Justice Department investigation, the former Republican Deputy Attorney General James Comey testifies to the Committee that these allegations are serious, and Republican Senators call for the Attorney General to step down over his conduct in these matters, I am disappointed some of my colleagues want to bury their heads in the sand and claim this is pointless.
"In an ongoing effort to create a sideshow and a distraction from these serious matters, some have raised allegations about a webpage that was designed to give Department whistleblowers a mechanism to securely communicate with the Committee. The webpage was launched prematurely, but the content of it represented a good faith interpretation of House rules. Within three hours of learning about a different interpretation of the Rules and to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, the website was edited - removing one word - and is now, under any interpretation, in full compliance with the rules. I am saddened that the serious allegations that decisions about prosecutors and prosecution have been tainted by politics are apparently of no interest to some of my colleagues and, they instead want to talk about websites and lawyers.
"I am also astounded that one of my dear friends on the Republican side who I was counting on to expand upon the emerging bipartisanship on the Committee is now carelessly launching ad hominem attacks against all Committee Democrats, including me."
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Comments
Shorter Repukes:
Wah! Wah! Wah! The mean old Dems are making us cry. Wah! Wah!
Me: Get used to it.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | June 21, 2007 7:15 PM
The GOPs have a lot to fear. There have to be a many DOJ employees that watched in dismay as prosecutions were started or stopped for political reasons. I am certain that a lot of dung will be revealed to drop on the head of Gonzales.
Posted by: c. perry | June 21, 2007 7:29 PM
The creation of a secret website to collect gossip and rumors only accessible by the majority party, and only about the Bush Administration, is blatant partisanship.
AND THIS IS BLATANT HYPOCRISY! HOLD ON... I THINK THEY'RE LISTENING.....
Posted by: Mrs. Jesus | June 21, 2007 8:43 PM
Oh yeah,
Chris Cannon, that beacon of truth. This is the guy who repeats unfounded Fox News rumours as if it were fact:
(From the Deseret Morning News, Utah's most conservative news rag)
Rep. Chris Cannon is backtracking from comments he made on a local radio show that Trolley Square gunman Sulejman Talovic yelled "Allah akbar" as he aimed at his victims.
The Republican 3rd District congressman amended his statement late Wednesday after Salt Lake City police insisted the 18-year-old gunman made no such remarks during the shooting rampage that left six people, including Talovic, dead and wounded four others.
Cannon was on KSL News- Radio's "Doug Wright Show" Wednesday morning talking about terrorism and the troop surge in Iraq. On the call-in show, he indicated that peace in the Middle East could mean being able to move away here in the United States from "a kid shouting 'Allah akbar' as he shoots people in Trolley Square," to people thinking more about religion, God and "judgment."
Such changes would lead to a worldwide society that could then have the same opportunities found in the United States, according to Cannon.
After being told that police investigators had not uncovered any evidence to support Cannon's claims, the congressman's spokesman said he now "fully accepts that."
A spokesman for Cannon told the Deseret Morning News the congressman was referring to something he heard on the Fox News Channel, where a host claimed "some witnesses" reported hearing Talovic say "Allah akbar" near the end of the shootout.
However, Salt Lake City police insisted Wednesday no evidence has been uncovered so far that points to Talovic's religion being a motive in the killing spree.
"He didn't yell anything of a religious nature or anything that would indicate a religious jihadist," Salt Lake City police detective Jeff Bedard said.
That-a-boy Chris, show those sheeple in Utah how well informed you are.
Do you confer with Glen Beck about whether there's any merit to the DOJ allegations?
Posted by: dt | June 22, 2007 12:43 AM
The Republican controlled Senate allowed this. Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, the Patriot Act, ... THIS is the Bush Administration.
Posted by: Mrs. Jesus | June 22, 2007 2:57 AM
President Abraham Lincoln:
Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.
Posted by: Mrs. Jesus | June 22, 2007 3:09 AM
Cannon continued, “Taxpayers are ponying up $250,000 for a DC lawyer to investigate this matter. Again, we ask, what are taxpayers getting? Does the lack of progress in this investigation indicate that the Democrats are trying to get their money’s worth by having a $250,000 lawyer spend his day reading gossip emails?”
Isn't $250k a drop in the bucket for republicans? I wonder if Mr. Cannon took such issue on behalf of the American taxpayer for spending $50M+ over Whitewater?
Posted by: greenie | June 22, 2007 2:06 PM