what's going on here (part XVIa)...

can someone explain...

Yet Another Prosecutor Leaves

More fishiness with the U.S. Attorneys Office? U.S. Attorney for San Francisco Kevin V. Ryan is out, according to the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.). His office is handling the investigation into back-dating of stock options, among other high-profile cases.

U.S. Attorney Vacancies Spark Concerns

As the Bush administration enters its last two years, a number of U.S. attorneys are departing, causing concern that some high-profile prosecutions may suffer.

What's the White House Doing to Prosecutors?

During a floor speech on the topic moments ago, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said the White House has told her it was replacing from five to 10 Senate-confirmed U.S. attorneys with its own interim appointees.

Feinstein Speaks out on U.S. Atty Firings

Watch the video here: Sen. Feinstein on U.S. Attorney Appointments

WH Moved Swiftly to Replace US Attorneys

The administration is replacing U.S. Attorneys throughout the country. How'd they get that power?

It was an obscure provision in the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act, and it didn't take them very long to use it. The president signed it into law in March of last year -- by June, they were already moving to replace unwanted prosecutors.

and finally this from Joshua Micah Marshall in his Talking Points Memo

Okay, so we already know that the White House has now taken the unprecedented step of firing at least four and likely seven US Attorneys in the middle of their terms of office -- at least some of whom are in the midst of corruption investigations of Bush administration officials and key Republican lawmakers. We also know that they're taking advantage of a handy provision of the USA Patriot Act that allows the White House to replace these fired USAs with appointees who don't need to be approved by the senate.

Given that these new USAs are being plopped into offices currently investigating Republicans and other administration officials and others into states with 2008 presidential candidates, there's certainly ample opportunity for mischief.

aaye... there's the rub. it's happening in places investigating Republicans, the Bush administration AND in the home states of some potential presidential candidates for 2008.

more Constitutional crises...

can George W pardon himself before he leaves office?

just asking...




Impeach the bastard!


Sources: TPMmuckraker, Wall Street Journal, youtube.com, Talking Points Memo