LAT/AP: Justice Dept. Enters Ct. Nominee Fight (Reid, and Saad's FBI file)

[DeepModem Mom]

Justice Dept. Enters Court Nominee Fight
By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department is edging into the Senate controversy over judicial nominees, writing key lawmakers after Democratic Leader Harry Reid publicly referred to an FBI file on one of President Bush's controversial appointees.

"The letter expressed concern about recent remarks on the floor of the Senate which alluded to an FBI background investigation file provided by the Department of Justice to the Senate Judiciary Committee on a confidential basis in connection with a judicial nomination," a department official said Friday night.

The official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said the letter did not refer specifically to Reid, or to 6th Circuit Court nominee Henry Saad.

At the same time, it was dispatched one day after Reid alluded publicly to a confidential FBI report prepared on Saad, a 6th Circuit Court of Appeals nominee whose confirmation Democrats have sought to block.

"The fact that there are questions about this nominee's suitability to be a federal judge has been discussed in public for over a year," said Reid's spokesman, Jim Manley. "Senator Reid simply referred his colleagues to the source of those questions. That is Senator Reid's right and responsibility....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/ats-ap_top13may14,0,7461092.story

[Lochloosa]

1. My question is

What is in the file and why can't we know...to "advise and consent"

[bearfan454]

2. If bushco can out a covert CIA agent

Them Reid didn't do shit wrong. Period.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Yep -- THEY can seemingly do no wrong. NT

[damntexdem]

3. Now, let's not confuse the Senators with facts ...

at least not before they vote on the candidate who would be hurt by those facts.

[Rose Siding]

4. Did they send letters to everyone who mentioned the file *last* year?

snip>
Levin and Stabenow testified Thursday during the private meeting. They said before the meeting that they would discuss information from Saad's FBI background check that raised doubts about his ability to serve, but they wouldn't elaborate. One topic that was expected to be discussed was an e-mail message Saad sent to a friend last fall that was inadvertently sent to Stabenow. In the message, Saad said Stabenow was 'abusing the system and undermining the constitutional process' by opposing his nomination. He added, "perhaps someday she will pay the price for her misconduct.' The e-mail has been released before, but Democratic staffers released it again Thursday. Hatch said after the meeting that no new charges were levied against Saad. 'The allegations were pro and con, but mostly pro,' Hatch said.

http://www.civilrights.org/issues/nominations/details.cfm?id=23211
via-
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/5/13/112951/271

And did Saad get a letter for his threatening language?