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Dead Constitution See other Dead Constitution Articles Title: Sampson Grilled by Senators on U.S. Attorney Firings: Says Gonzales Made False Statements Sampson Grilled by Senators on U.S. Attorney Firings: Says Gonzales Made False Statements By E&P Staff Published: March 29, 2007 11:30 AM ET updated NEW YORK E&P will keep an eye all day on the testimony, and grilling, of former Justice Department official Kyle Sampson at a U.S. Senate hearing today. He offered his written testimony this morning (it was leaked last night) and then the questioning began by Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Arlen Specter, and other members of the Judiciary Committee. Specter asked about Attorney General Gonzales' "candor" in saying earlier this month that he was not a part of any discussions on the firings. He asked about the November 27, 2006 meeting "where there were discussions" and Gonzales allegedly attended. Was Gonzales' statement about taking part in no discussions accurate? "I don't think it's accurate," Sampson said. "He recently clarified it. But he was present at the November 27 meeting." "So he was involved in discussions in contrast to his statement" this month? Specter asked. "Yes." Sampson replied. Sen. Charles Schumer then asked about Gonzales also claiming that he saw no documents on this matter. Sampson replied: "I don't think it's entirely accurate." Schumer: "There was repeated discussions?" Sampson : "Yes." Schumer: "As many as, say, five." Sampson: "Yes." Schumer then asked if Gonzales was truthful in saying Sampson's information on the firings was not shared within the department. Sampson: "I shared information with whoever asked....I was very open and collaborative in the process." Schumer: "So the Attorney General's statement is false?" Sampson: "I don't think it is accurate." Sampson was later asked if it was a mistake to let "ultimate political operative" Karl Rove to be so involved in the process because of the signal it sent to the public about political influence in the process. He agreed that it was. Sen. Dianne Feinstein focused on the firing of Carol Lam as U.S. attorney in her state of California. She asked about the move to fire her just after she sent notice on a probe of CIA official "Dusty" Foggo. Sampson said the move was really tied to Lam's lack of aggresiveness on immigration cases. She then asked whether he was aware that several of the other fired attorneys were looking at corruption claims against Republican office holders. Sampson denied awareness in some cases, and admitted others. Asked if he admitted there was a "perception problem" in the firing of U.S. attorneys who were engaged in sensitive political cases. Sampson said he "regretted" how it was handled. But then asked if he regretted the action or just how it was handled, he said, "I did not take adequate account of the perception problem that would result." Sampson claimed he kept no specific file on the process, just scattered lists, kept in a bottom drawer in his desk. This elicited some skepticism, considering the gravity of this termination move. The hearings recessed at 12:30, to resume at 1:45 p.m. The earlier AP dispatch follows. We will add updates at the top. ** Eight federal prosecutors were fired last year because they did not sufficiently support President Bush's priorities, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' former chief of staff maintains, but a powerful Senate chairman called that motivation improper. "It corrodes the public's trust in our system of justice. It's wrong," Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said as he gaveled open a hearing featuring the sworn testimony of Kyle Sampson, who quit the Justice Department over the furor. But Sampson maintained that it's legitimate to judge federal prosecutors in large part on their fidelity to administration policy. He denied Democratic charges that the firings were a purge by intimidation and a warning to the remaining prosecutors to fall into line. Nor, he said, were the prosecutors dismissed to interfere with corruption investigations. "To my knowledge, nothing of the sort occurred here," Sampson said in remarks prepared for delivery Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. E&P Staff (letters@editorandpublisher.com)
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#1. To: aristeides (#0)
Breaking News on MSNBC is now claiming the hearing ended abruptly because of GOP objections. Hmmmm...
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