Politics and Federal Prosecutors


U.S. Attorneys are being forced out of office, replaced with interim appointees chosen by the attorney general.

A suspicious mind might wonder whether it's a coincidence that Carol Lam lost her job after prosecuting former Rep. Randy Cunningham, and that Kevin Ryan is getting the boot after investigating the backdating of stock options awarded to corporate executives. The Justice Department claims the prosecutors had poor priorities, pushing corruption cases rather than gun cases. Shouldn't federal resources be devoted to complex federal crimes, leaving states to prosecute simple "felon in possession" cases? Not according to the Gonzales Justice Department.

The problem can be attributed in part to "a little-noticed provision in the 2006 reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act that expanded its authority to make indefinite interim appointments."

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2007/1/17/105819/735

Posted: Wed - January 17, 2007 at 02:30 PM          

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