AP News, April 13th, 2007
The Justice Department on Friday released 2,400 documents to congressional panels investigating whether the firings last year of the U.S. attorneys were politically motivated.
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Kyle Sampson, then-chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, wrote an Jan. 9, 2006, e-mail to then-White House Counsel Harriet Miers suggesting replacements for several U.S. attorneys who would be fired nearly a year later:
"PLEASE TREAT THIS AS CONFIDENTIAL. ...
"Margaret M. Chiara. Replacement candidates: Rachel Brand?
"Harry E. 'Bud' Cummins III. Replacement candidates: Tim Griffin?"
On March 29, under questioning from Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sampson said he had no replacements for the fired U.S. attorneys last Dec. 7, when the first wave of them were fired.
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"Domenici says he doesn't move cases." _ Then-Gonzales counsel Monica Goodling, in undated, handwritten notes apparently setting out reasons for the dismissals. In New Mexico, U.S. Attorney David Iglesias was fired in part because of criticism by Republican Sen. Pete Domenici.
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The Bush administration and congressional Republicans conferred closely on how to handle testimony earlier this year from the fired U.S. attorneys and current Justice Department officials:
"Crystal and Dan Flores just called me. They are all geared up and ready to go after the former USA witnesses coming next week." _ Feb. 28 e-mail from Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard Hertling to other Justice Department officials, referring to aides to House Judiciary Committee Republicans preparing for testimony by the fired U.S. attorneys.
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The White House reached out to Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to fight off Democratic charges that Griffin was unqualified:
"WH political reached out to Sen. Sessions and requested that he ask helpful questions to make clear that Tim Griffin is qualified to serve.
"They requested that someone in our (Office of Legislative Affairs) call the senator's staff and make sure that we take advantage of the offer." _ Goodling, in a Jan. 17 e-mail to Hertling. She also included talking points on Griffin "as well as a narrative that can be used by staff and his resume."
