March 23 (Bloomberg) -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was briefed on plans for the firings of federal prosecutors 11 days before the dismissals, the U.S. Justice Department disclosed as it began its own investigation into the matter.
Two Justice Department watchdog units will conduct a joint probe to determine why eight U.S. attorneys were removed and if Congress was misled by agency officials' testimony.
``The department needs a thorough and complete investigation into this matter,'' spokesman Brian Roehrkasse told reporters.
Several documents released by the Justice Department tonight, including Gonzales's appointment calendar, show that the attorney general and his deputy, Paul McNulty, participated in an hour-long meeting about the firings on Nov. 27. Another e-mail provided new evidence the White House was involved in the firings.
Seven of the eight prosecutors were let go on Dec. 7. An eighth U.S. attorney, who already had been told about his ouster, was replaced by a former aide to Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's top political adviser.
The Nov. 27 meeting, held in Gonzales's conference room, was attended by top Justice Department officials to discuss ``the plan to inform the U.S. attorneys'' of their ouster, Roehrkasse said.
Gonzales left a different impression about his knowledge of the firings during a March 13 news conference at the Justice Department after announcing the resignation of his chief of staff, Kyle Sampson.
The Nov. 27 meeting, in which the attorney general and at least five top Justice Department officials participated, focused on a five-step plan for carrying out the firings of the prosecutors, Justice Department officials said late Friday. More on the story.
1 comment:
Now that there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Gonzales lied under oath it's over. Bush still supports him with this proof. If Gonzales stays Attorney General look for ever lawyer to use the lie to say it's legal now and it shouldn't be a charge of crime if anyone lies under oath anymore. Now Wells better hop to it and appeal Libby's lies under the new Al Gonzales law. Abramoff, Duke and Ney can do the same. Parents can now tell their kids lying even using God's name is ok. Gonzales has single handily destroy the Justice System of honesty. Question didn't Bush support Rummy and then fired him? Makes you wonder when he says he supports you. At lease he didn't say Al your doing a helluva job then fire him. Now Al will know what it's like to be fired as he did so easily to the DOJ lawyers.
Post a Comment