Abuse of power

June 14, 2007 -- (Washington, DC)- Today, FBI officials briefed House Judiciary Committee staff on a new draft audit report detailing the bureau's use of National Security Letters (NSLs). The briefing served to update and correct prior statements to Congress, since the release of an earlier Inspector General report. The FBI confirmed that they found more abuses in the use of NSLs than the IG's report had originally found. FBI officials say they are launching a new compliance program as a result.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) had the following statement:    » read more »

June 11, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today issued the following statement in support of the Senate resolution expressing no confidence in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales:

“The Attorney General is the attorney for the people of this country, not the attorney for any political party or political agenda.

“In my view, Alberto Gonzales has been the attorney for Karl Rove and the political operatives in the White House.    » read more »

June 11th, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the floor of the Senate regarding S.J. Res. 14, the Resolution of “No Confidence” in Attorney General Gonzales.

A copy of the floor statement is pasted below.    » read more »

June 13th, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor regarding the subpoenas issued to two former White House officials compelling them to provide testimony and related information, for the Judiciary Committee’s ongoing investigation into the firing of U.S attorneys. Three subpoenas were issued: two seeking the documents and testimony of Sara M.    » read more »

June 5, 2007 -- Dick Cheney issued the following statement today:

"Scooter has dedicated much of his life to public service at the State Department, the Department of Defense and the White House. In each of these assignments he has served the nation tirelessly and with great distinction.

I relied on him heavily in my capacity as Secretary of Defense and as Vice President.

I have always considered him to be a man of the highest intellect, judgment and personal integrity-a man fully committed to protecting the vital security interests of the United States and its citizens.    » read more »

June 4, 2007 -- Yet another Bush Administration political appointee testifies before Congress tomorrow about the Justice Department replacing the “most experienced lawyers” in favor of “Republican loyalists who had a much different view of the laws they were sworn to uphold.” As the U.S. attorney scandal continues to widen, new revelations cause further investigation into discriminatory hiring by the Bush Administration.

Justice official is said to have favored GOP loyalists
By Richard B. Schmitt
LA Times    » read more »

20 May 2007 -- The top Republican senator on the committee investigating U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says he believes Gonzales might step down before a no-confidence vote planned this week by opposition Democrats.

In a television interview Sunday, Senator Arlen Specter said he expects a number of Republicans will join the Democrats in a "very substantial" vote against Gonzales, if the measure comes to the Senate floor.

Specter says he thinks Gonzales will resign in preference to having such a mark on his record.    » read more »

May 15, 2007 -- (Washington)- Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), and Reps. Linda Sánchez (D-CA) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) called upon Attorney General Gonzales to provide information to the Judiciary Committee regarding the dismissal of Todd Graves, the ninth U.S. Attorney known to have been fired by the Justice Department in 2006. The Attorney General responded to questions about Graves' dismissal at Thursday's hearing (video), neglecting to acknowledge he was on the firing list, while defending a voter fraud case that Graves refused to endorse.    » read more »

May 9, 2007 -- WASHINGTON (May 8, 2007)—The title of the May 9 House Resources Committee hearing poses a question: "Endangered Species Act Implementation: Science or Politics?"

The unfortunate answer is all too often "politics," according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).    » read more »

Senators Seek Document as Part of Ongoing Investigation Into Firing of Federal Prosecutors

May 2nd, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan group of Judiciary Committee Senators sent the following letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Wednesday seeking a confidential order delegating broad authority over hiring and firing practices to two of his aides. Both aides have since left the Department of Justice.    » read more »

But Political Interference Remains a Serious Problem, Scientist Group Says

WASHINGTON (May 1, 2007)—Today's resignation of an Interior Department official who manipulated the work of federal scientists was welcomed by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), but the organization stressed that the pervasive problem of political interference at federal agencies was not solved by her departure.    » read more »

Senators Seek Document As Part Of Ongoing Investigation Into Firing of Federal Prosecutors And Politicization Within Dept. of Justice

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, May 2) – A bipartisan group of Judiciary Committee Senators sent the following letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Wednesday seeking a confidential order delegating broad authority over hiring and firing practices to two of his aides. Both aides have since left the Department of Justice.    » read more »

Judiciary Committee Leaders Seek Supplemental Information AG Failed To Recall During Oversight Hearing

April 25th, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales seeking more information relating to his knowledge and involvement in the project to dismiss and replace several federal prosecutors around the country. The senators have asked Gonzales to clarify his testimony from the Committee’s hearing held last week.

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April 25, 2007    » read more »

April 25, 2007 -- "This decision offers a milestone opportunity to protect personal privacy and individual civil rights against unnecessary and unwarranted intrusion. The DPUC has rightfully asserted its authority to investigate whether AT&T and Verizon illegally disclosed consumer records to federal authorities.

"Telephone companies cannot run roughshod over basic privacy rights. Without a lawful warrant, phone companies' consumer records cannot be released.    » read more »

WASHINGTON (April 23, 2007)—A recently revised Commerce Department media policy is not strong enough to curb political interference in climate science at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and the Government Accountability Project (GAP). The two groups today sent a letter urging Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez to address specific shortcomings before the policy goes into effect on May 14.    » read more »