by Mark Silva and updated
With all the controversy surrounding the Bush administration's firings of several U.S. attorneys, the question for the Obama administration became: What now?
And with all the muck that the hard-charging Chicago-based U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has stirred not only in Chicago, but also in Washington, the question became: How now?
The Obama White House has effectively, and somewhat quietly, answered that question -- for now: With Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explaining that the Justice Department has allowed all the chief federal prosecutors who have not already left in the changing of the presidential guard to remain at their posts, at least temporarily.
Of the 93 U.S. attorneys who served under the previous administration, Gibbs said aboard Air Force One en route to Phoenix with President Barack Obama, 51 remain.
The White House also says that, at the start of the administration, all 93 were allowed to serve temporarily. Thirty resigned before Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20, and 12 more have left since then. And the 51 still serving are technically there on a temporary basis -- Obama hasn't decided that all will remain.
Yet, during his campaign, Obama made it clear that Fitzgerald had his support. The corruption-buster also has the support of Illinois' senior Sen. Dick Durbin. Durbin (D-Ill.) had said in November that he would recommend another term for the Chicago-based prosecutor. And Durbin's office had recently made it known that Fitzgerald would be sticking around, as our colleagues at the Ticket noted.
"I will support what he wants to do," Durbin said in November. "I think he has done an extraordinary job."
That was precisely 19 days before Fitzgerald -- who had busted "Scooter Libby," chief of staff for then-Vice President Dick Cheney, for obstruction of justice in the investigation of the exposure of a CIA agent's identity after the agent's husband accused the Bush White House of fudging intelligence in the runup to the war in Iraq -- brought down the former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, in an alleged "pay to play'' scheme in which the governor attempted to sell the vacant Senate seat of the newly elected President Obama. Fitzgerald said the Democratic governor's office had gone on "a crime spree." Blagojevich, impeached, insists he's innocent.
(Photo of U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald arriving at the press conference where he announced charges against then-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris in Chicago on Dec. 9 by Chuck Berman/Chicago Tribune)
Comments
Who was the guy who fired them all? Ah yes, Bill " be truthful to the American people" Clinton (remember Whitewater). Then George "politicize" Bush. If it wouldn't be for Eric "terrorist pardon" Holder and friend of Blago, this would be change I could believe in. Wonder if its just a too politically hot issue to make any changes now because this sure deviates from the Chicago way? Anyway, credit where credit is due, a good decision Prez. Obama! Take a breath, biily r and Flo., I really did post this.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 18, 2009 10:03 AM
Bubba Porter??
Figures.
Get a brain Moran
Posted by: horatius | February 18, 2009 10:36 AM
Not really sure this is a wise idea. They should be examined on a case by case basis, and any who have brought politicized cases in the past - or are incompetent - need to get the axe.
I mean, Mary Beth Buchanan in the western district of PA?? Obama wants her to stick around??
Posted by: Vulture Breath | February 18, 2009 10:40 AM
Good move- rational, pragmatic...now if only Obama could show this sort of leadership/judgement and stand up to the Pelosi/Reid cartel in congress and get some real fiscal leadership and monetary policy going..
Posted by: heartburn | February 18, 2009 10:48 AM
Who was the guy who fired them all? Ah yes, Bill " be truthful to the American people" Clinton (remember Whitewater). Then George "politicize" Bush. If it wouldn't be for Eric "terrorist pardon" Holder and friend of Blago, this would be change I could believe in. Wonder if its just a too politically hot issue to make any changes now because this sure deviates from the Chicago way? Anyway, credit where credit is due, a good decision Prez. Obama! Take a breath, biily r and Flo., I really did post this.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 18, 2009 10:03 AM
EXCELLANIT COMENT BUBBA-
Love the HOT ISSUE part.
Posted by: Inky | February 18, 2009 11:01 AM
Bubba Porter,
Stop listening to Faux News and Rush. Learn the facts. EVERY president of a new party cans all the USAs and replaces them. The Bush issue is they were doing it mid term as punishment for not bringing political prosecutions. That's why people will go to jail.
Posted by: Get a clue Bubba Porter | February 18, 2009 11:12 AM
If I understand it correctly, almost EVERY president replaces the US Attorneys. I'm pretty sure that includes Reagan, and HW Bush replacing most of Reagan's appointments.
The association with Clinton comes up because Republicans screamed scandal (as usual) where none existed. For more of this see: Pelosi's mouse, $5B to ACORN, the stimulus bill is against religion, etc.
Posted by: Mark-NC | February 18, 2009 11:33 AM
It's Howdy-Doody time. Hey, Fitz, when does the second episode happen, where you, break down former Governor Blagovich's home door and arrest his wife, Pat, for high crimes and misdemeanors !! You're a discredit to the name !! Next, I'm sure, you'll be announcing your candidacy for the governorship, of some state !! What a hack !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOMER, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, America | February 18, 2009 11:36 AM
THIS is change we can believe in.
Posted by: Steve Morgan | February 18, 2009 11:41 AM
I thought Barack might tap him for AG or Deputy AG or chief of the Criminal Division.
On reflection, however, maybe Barack feels Fitz is most useful in Chicago, keeping the local politicians at bay, in line, taking care what they say on the phone and where they really cut their deals.
A very useful function.
Posted by: ornery | February 18, 2009 1:38 PM
In a perfect world, anyone hired into the Justice department between Jan 20, 2001 and Jan 19th, 2009 would be handed their walking papers. In reality, no screening process is perfect, and many people are truly motivated to public service, or a continuing career, and join "The Party", whether it was the Baathists of Iraq, the National Socialists of Germany or the modern-day Federalist Society.
But they'll spend a long time with the cloud of that association hanging over their CV for the rest of their lives. As it should be.
PS: It is illegal to tell someone to commit a crime, even if you are the president. To tell a US Attorney to indict someone solely to prevent their success or their party's success in an election is a crime. Refusal to commit this crime when so ordered was why those US Attorneys were fired, not as part of the usual 'changing of the guard' housecleaning that Reagan, Poppy, Clinton, and Junior all did at the beginning of their first terms. There are almost NO examples of US Attorneys being fired mid-term without criminal charges against them. Almost all changes are due to promotion or to the attorney stepping down to take another, better position, made available due to their tenure as US Attorney.
Gonzales committed felonies here, Rove, Schlozman, and Goodling were co-conspirators, and they may (MAY!) have kept Junior in the dark.
Posted by: Cal Damage | February 18, 2009 1:54 PM
This is a very BAD move. Since Bush FIRED all the Republican US attorneys who did their job properly and weren't following Carl Rove's orders, it is a safe bet to say he only kept those who were. And now Obama wants to keep the US attorneys already corrupted by Rove? You might as well bring Rove back too since he's obviously the one who trained and controls them.
Posted by: Rob Robertson | February 18, 2009 2:02 PM
Fitzgerald is one they should keep. What I don't understand is why they haven't gotten rid of Mary Beth Buchanan - or maybe they're gonna have Fitzgerald investigate her!
Posted by: Spark_man | February 18, 2009 3:08 PM
Reagan also demanded the resignations of all US Attorneys and replaced most of them in under a year. Nixon did a similar thing. Carter and Ford not so much. To some extent the turnover is natural...as the letters of appointment are for four year terms. The Bush II firings were odd precisely because these were his own appointees, and there were clear cases of them going after political targets or refusing to prosecute Democrats at the behest of Republican Congressmen.
Posted by: cinnamonape | February 18, 2009 3:44 PM
Cinnamon makes a very important point.
Bush II firings were odd precisely because these were his own appointees.....
Yes, they had all offended in some way. However, I continue to believe that the one they really wanted to fire was Fitzgerald and the others were to be collateral damage, thrown in to camoflage that it was Fitzgerald they were after.
Because he was closing in on Scooter and Shooter.
And Cheney's chagrin that Scooter wasn't pardoned, has its practical side:
Some pardons are very broad and phrased so as to encompass any criminal liability arising out of a set of facts.
Maybe Shooter is worried that Scooter can still be squeezed to tell what really happened there in the Bat Cave with Shooter & Co.
Posted by: ornery | February 18, 2009 4:56 PM
These are political appointees and usually leave when a new administration is elected. Asking all ot resign is the typical transition act and that any are kept is rare.
Posted by: RuthAliceAnderson | February 18, 2009 5:02 PM
The answer is simple enough.
Give them a simple law test and the ones that will fail, will be the flunkees from Regent U.- Pat Robertson's
"law" university.
Only keep the ones that are real lawyers and then make sure they renounce the Federalist Society.
Then get cracking on the investigation of the bush administration.
ProsecuteGeorgeBush.com
Posted by: Steve23 | February 18, 2009 5:02 PM
RR makes a very good point also, which I'd forgotten:
the negative pregnant.
If you were not on Gonzo/Rover's list to be fired, there seems to be an implication that you were satisfactorily doing their bidding if and when asked.
Maybe the thought is: it will be easier to investigate them when they are still in office, have to come in every day and account for their time.
Years ago the head of a certain federal agency office in Chicago was investigated.
He was temporarily transferred to Washington, and when he got there, he found his assigned office had no telephone!
Wasn't too long after that that he took a medical leave of absence......
Posted by: ornery | February 18, 2009 5:09 PM
This is an outrage. This is wrong. Obama needs to get rid of these quislings with a clean slate. They betrayed Justice and The American People. They are unqualified, traitors whose main legal influence is the Bible. If you want to seem fair then just appoint moderates after cleaning house.
Posted by: harry mellon | February 18, 2009 6:09 PM
chill out, harry mellon; you're referring to the staff in the Justice Dept. not the US Attorneys around the country.
Posted by: mort | February 18, 2009 8:30 PM
Now, when is the Blago indictment coming down??
Posted by: C.Morrisā | February 18, 2009 9:28 PM
If Patrick Fitzgerald supposedly did such a great job, why did he stop with Scooter and not go after the real criminals: Bush, Cheney and Rove?
Posted by: Kim Kaufman | February 18, 2009 11:38 PM
CLEAN HOUSE. BUT, consider rehiring select US Attorneys who were FIRED by Bush & Cheney for not engaging in improper investigations. That is true justice, returning honorable people to their jobs.
Posted by: Christopher London | February 19, 2009 12:51 PM