More of Schlozman's handiwork

Showing what a loyal Bushie is supposed to do:

"Bradley J. Schlozman is systematically attempting to purge all Civil Rights appellate attorneys hired under Democratic administrations," the lawyer wrote, saying that he appeared to be "targeting minority women lawyers" in the section and was replacing them with "white, invariably Christian men." The lawyer also alleged that "Schlozman told one recently hired attorney that it was his intention to drive these attorneys out of the Appellate Section so that he could replace them with 'good Americans.'"

The anonymous complaint named three female, minority lawyers whom Schlozman had transferred out of the appellate section (of African-American, Jewish, and Chinese ethnicity, respectively) for no apparent reason. And in a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this week in response to questions from senators, the Justice Department confirmed that all three had been transferred out by Schlozman -- and then transferred back in after Schlozman had left the Division.

What is a Good American? One that wears a little American flag on his lapel? Is not a minority nor a woman? Christian and white? .... saaaaayyyy... just what kind of last name IS Schlozman, anyway?

Oh, by the way.... that stuff he said under oath?

He'd like to change that a bit.... just a minor alteration...

During his sworn Senate testimony last week, former Missouri U.S. Attorney Bradley Schlozman repeatedly asserted that he had been “directed” by Craig Donsanto, the head of the Justice Department’s Election Crimes section, to file controversial voter fraud indictments against a week before the 2006 election.

Ok... not 'directed' but consultation and suggestions.... you know...

Leahy responds:

In a statement released today, Leahy responded to the letter: “It is deeply troubling that after weeks of preparation Mr. Schlozman appears to have misled the Committee and the public about his decision to file an election eve lawsuit in direct conflict with longstanding Justice Department policy.”

“This Justice Department and this Administration already suffer from a severe credibility crisis, and learning that yet another senior official was less than forthcoming during his testimony before Congress does little to restore any of the lost trust or eroding confidence in their leadership,” Leahy said.

Schlozman's finger-pointing backfires

As the lawyers in the Public Integrity Section refuse to take the blame:

Bradley Schlozman, who as U.S. attorney in Kansas City obtained indictments charging workers for an activist group with submitting fake voter-registration forms, defended the timing of the case to the Senate Judiciary Committee this week by saying he acted ``at the direction'' of the department's Public Integrity Section.

The explanation, which Schlozman repeated at least nine times during the June 5 hearing, infuriated public integrity lawyers, who say it implied the section ordered him to prosecute, said two Justice Department officials. Public integrity attorneys handle sensitive cases involving politicians and judges and pride themselves on staying out of political disputes.

A clarification of Schlozman's testimony would stress that he consulted with the section and was given guidance, not direction, said the officials, who asked to remain anonymous because the matter is being deliberated internally. The clarification wouldn't say that Schlozman's Senate testimony was inaccurate, the officials added.

[snip]

Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), a Vermont Democrat, said the timing of the charges was contrary to agency policy outlined in a manual for prosecutors. The rule says that ``most, if not all, investigations of an alleged election crime must await the end of the election to which the allegation relates.''

In response, Schlozman told the panel that he raised the issue with the Public Integrity Section's election crimes chief.

``I did what I did at the direction of the Public Integrity Section,'' Schlozman said.

Dean Boyd, a spokesman for the Justice Department, declined to comment on whether Schlozman would revise his testimony.

Boyd said the department guidelines cited by Leahy don't flatly forbid the filing of voting-related charges just before an election. ``The policy is not absolute and exceptions may exist,'' he said.

Ah! Kinda like 'You didn't specifically tell me not to jump rope by your cliff, so you're the one responsible'?



I'm afraid Bradley Schlozman's picture will be in the dictionary beside the definition for 'breaking out in a sweat when realizing you've been left hanging'.

Accountability

How sweet the sound.

From Talking Points Memo:
Leahy pressing Schlozman on the ACORN indictments he brought in Missouri just days prior to the 2006 elections.