argh! »
« hats off to t·r·u·t·h·o·u·t…
playground politics…

Posted on Friday 3 August 2007


Documents show Kyl’s opposition to attorney oustings

Documents released Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee show that Sen. Jon Kyl, a Republican, was upset with Bush administration officials who forced Arizona’s top federal prosecutor to resign late last year.

The committee is investigating why the administration pushed out former Arizona U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton and eight others last year. The Justice Department has been slowly but steadily releasing e-mails to the committee, which has made them public.

The latest e-mails refer to Kyl, who was a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was notified by the administration about the plan to force Charlton out. Though one message released in the spring characterized Kyl as "fine" with the plan, he has always maintained that he opposed it. Wednesday’s batch of e-mails supports that.

"I understand that Kyl is significantly disturbed over the Charlton issue," Rebecca Seidel, a deputy assistant attorney general, wrote to several other top Justice Department officials. "We need to ensure that (Attorney General Alberto Gonzales) is adequately prepared to deal with a question over the firings of the (U.S. attorneys). . . . I am hoping that Kyl would not bring it up in an open hearing."

Kyl did publicize his disagreements over the forced resignation. He told The Arizona Republic in March that he backed off because Charlton had decided not to fight for his job, but that he thought the Justice Department had handled the situation in a "ham-fisted" way.
There’s something in this story that’s epidemic in the Bush Administration. Rebecca Seidel, a deputy assistant attorney general, writes "I understand that Kyl is significantly disturbed over the Charlton issue." Immediately, she begins to talk about how to get around his objections. In my post below [divided we fall…], an F.I.S.A. Judge rules againts the Administration. Immediately, they begin to plan how to get F.I.S.A. Judges out of the loop. It’s everywhere. Whenever they run into opposition, they begin to scheme about how to get around it. When Joe Wilson writes a critical oped piece, they immediately began to plan how to undermine his credibility. When the Iraq Study Group says "get out of Iraq," they immediately escalate our involvement. Opposition isn’t something that makes them question what they’re doing. It’s an immediate call to arms – often a time for dirty tricks.

If you read the recent four part series on Dick Cheney in the Washington Post, you’ll recognize this immediate turn to political wheeling and dealing as his modus operandi. It’s at the center of their secrecy and disdain for oversight. They want to do what they want to do when they want to do it. When they’re crossed, they reflexly fight back. Rebecca Seidel is one of the gang. She didn’t say, "Kyl is disturbed. Maybe we ought to take another look at Paul Charlton."

On the playground, such people have a name. They’re called bullies.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.