Abramoff case, spying loom over Gonzales

[sabra]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0602020181feb02,1,3826302.story

Abramoff case, spying loom over Gonzales
Ex-colleague's links to lobbyist scrutinized

<snip>

In the latest challenge to Gonzales' White House record, two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday asked Gonzales what he knows about ties between convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Timothy Flanigan, a former White House lawyer, who withdrew his nomination to be deputy attorney general last October.

Gonzales also faces scrutiny over his role in justifying a White House policy to conduct domestic surveillance without search warrants. In addition, critics say Paul McNulty, selected as the new choice to be deputy attorney general, has been slow to consider allegations of abuse of detainees held in the war on terror.

Flanigan pulled out of consideration for the Justice Department's No. 2 position after questions arose about his business relationship with Abramoff and about his role, as Gonzales' White House assistant, in crafting Bush administration policies that seemed to justify use of torture for terrorism suspects.

...

In a letter to Gonzales, Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) asked how much the Justice Department knew about ties between Safavian, Abramoff and Tyco at the time of Flanigan's confirmation hearings.

According to Durbin, Flanigan withdrew his nomination after Durbin declined to meet privately with him to discuss his work with Tyco.

[oldtime dfl_er]

1. Im curious

When is the Abramoff scandal actually going to break open? I know there have been some indictments and some gossip and so on, but I am so ready for this to become the Watergate everyone says it's going to be.

http://www.cafepress.com/scarebaby/1173108

[sabra]

3. as long BushCo won't release the pics/docs re: Abramoff

it will stay in the limelight...

[Bandit]

4. Well they are just now getting to Kenny Boy Lay

but remember how quickly Martha Stewart was tried and convicted and served her time. She is a Democrat the rest are Republicans so I guess we know how justice works in America. Rush is still walking around a free man even though he admitted on the air his drug problems.

[WhiteTara]

6. it's difficult to say since * bought off two

prosecutors, leaving both investigations flailing.

[stop the bleeding]

2. Gonzales - K&R

[Wilms]

5. kick