Abuse of power

October 30, 2007 -- Tomorrow, the Democratic Leadership of the House Judiciary Committee will hold an oversight hearing on the Voting Section of the Department of Justice, an office politicized by the Bush Administration to promote their own divisive brand of politics. Testifying at the hearing will be John Tanner, chief of the Voting Section.    » read more »

October 22, 2007 -- WASHINGTON (Monday, Oct. 22) – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) Monday sent a letter to White House Counsel Fred Fielding again requesting access to documents relevant to the Committee’s upcoming consideration of legislation to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).    » read more »

October 23, 2007 -- (Washington, DC) - Today, former Attorney General Dick Thornburgh testified that he believes the Department of Justice (DoJ) sought to prosecute a Pennsylvania Democrat for political reasons. He testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittees on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security and Commercial and Administrative Law during a hearing titled, "Allegations of Selective Prosecution: The Erosion of Public Confidence in Our Federal Justice System." Supporting documents related to all of the cases discussed at today's hearing are available here.    » read more »

October 12, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today urged General Michael V. Hayden, director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to halt his investigation of the CIA’s Inspector General, which she says creates a clear conflict of interest. In her letter, McCaskill expressed her concern with reports that the CIA Director has launched an internal review of the CIA Inspector General’s (IG) office, led by John L. Helgerson.    » read more »

October 5, 2007 -- "The Republican Senate Majority’s reckless decision to subpoena internal deliberative documents of the Executive Chamber is an attempt to go beyond the scope of its power and play politics with taxpayers' money. This is a dangerous and irresponsible attack on our tripartite system of government.    » read more »

Court Finds Bush Order Impedes Access, Violates Presidential Records Act

Oct. 1, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – A federal district court today struck down part of an executive order issued by President Bush in 2001 to limit public access to the records of past presidents. The ruling by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in American Historical Association v. National Archives and Records Administration (No.    » read more »

September 20, 2007 -- After receiving an insufficient response from the State Department, Chairman Waxman reiterates his request that Secretary Rice make available information pertaining to the Committee’s investigation into corruption in Iraq.

Following an initial review of documents at the State Department, the Committee requests that State provide copies of reports prepared by the Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT) relating to the Iraqi Commission on Public Integrity and that OAT officials be made available for the Committee to interview.

Documents and Links    » read more »

September 18, 2007 -- According to seven current and former officials, State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard has repeatedly interfered with on-going investigations to protect the State Department and the White House from political embarrassment.

Chairman Waxman wrote a letter to Mr. Krongard describing the allegations and asking for his cooperation in the Committee’s investigation. According to the letter:    » read more »

August 30, 2007 -- “I am pleased that Department of Justice Inspector General Glenn Fine will look into my concerns about potentially false, misleading or inappropriate testimony by the Attorney General. I look forward to the Inspector General’s findings on the unprecedented firings of nine United States Attorneys, the improper political hiring of career officials within the Justice Department, the misuse of National Security Letters, and the efforts to bypass the Department’s finding that a warrantless surveillance program was without legal basis.    » read more »

August 30, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, sent the following letter to Secretary Michael Leavitt requesting information on the interactions of political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the Surgeon General, specifically during tenure of Dr. Richard Carmona.

The letter is below.

August 30, 2007

Secretary Michael Leavitt
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Secretary Leavitt:    » read more »

02 September 2007 -- Two leading members of the U.S. Senate are calling on President Bush to name a new Attorney General who will restore a sense of integrity to the beleaguered Justice Department. The current Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned last week, ending a controversial 2.5-year run as the chief U.S. law enforcement officer.

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Senator Patrick Leahy, said he is pleased that the Department of Justice's inspector general is looking into whether outgoing Attorney General Alberto Gonzales gave false testimony to Congress while under oath.    » read more »

August 28, 2007 -- After years of misleading the public and promoting illegal government action, Alberto Gonzales finally resigned his post as attorney general yesterday. One of the many "loyal Bushies" to resign recently under a cloud of scandal, Gonzales had lost the confidence of the American people long ago. Editorials from around the country are echoing the sentiments of the American people, who are glad to see Gonzales go but reluctant to believe the Bush White House will turn over a new leaf and put their poisonous brand of partisan politics behind them.    » read more »

Washington DC | August 27, 2007 -- Barack Obama today released the following statement on the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

"I have long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda, and so I am pleased that he has finally resigned today.

The President needs to nominate an Attorney General who will be the people's lawyer, not the President's lawyer, and in an Obama Administration that person will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution," said Obama.    » read more »

08/27/2007 -- Joe Biden, senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee issued the following statement today after the announcement of Attorney General Gonzales' resignation:

"As I've said before, Attorney General Gonzales has lost the confidence of the vast majority of the American people and the Congress. His resignation is long overdue.    » read more »