In the News: Justice Releases Findings on Firings of Federal Prosecutors

The Justice Department reported finding new e-mail messages that hinted at heightened involvement of White House lawyers and political aides in the firing process of nine federal prosecutors. However, according to the DOJ’s investigation on the political firings two years ago, they were unable to get answers to all their questions because key officials, including former presidential aide Karl Rove and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, declined to be interviewed and the White House refused to release documents. The firings occurred when Roberto Gonzales was Attorney General, and initial Congressional hearings into the matter eventually lead to his resignation. Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey recently named a veteran public-corruption prosecutor, Nora R. Dannehy, to continue the investigation, directing her to give him a preliminary report on the status of the case in 60 days.

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