What timing! Bush picks Abramoff prosecutor for federal judgeship

[Mr. Peabody]

I don't know if this has been discussed here.

Bush picks Abramoff prosecutor for federal judgeship
Democrats wonder about the timing of president's move
Philip Shenon, Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times

Friday, January 27, 2006
Printable Version
Email This Article

Washington -- The investigation into Jack Abramoff, the disgraced Republican lobbyist, took a provocative new turn Thursday when the Justice Department said the chief prosecutor in the inquiry would step down next week because he had been nominated to a federal judgeship by President Bush.

The prosecutor, Noel Hillman, is chief of the department's Office of Public Integrity, and the move ends his involvement in an investigation that has reached into the administration as well as into the top ranks of the Republican leadership on Capitol Hill.

Democrats swiftly questioned the move's timing and called for a special prosecutor as Bush faced a barrage of questions about why he would not make public "grip and grin" photographs of himself with Abramoff. The photographs apparently show Bush and Abramoff smiling at White House Hanukkah parties and Republican fundraising receptions.

Bush's view, which he offered at a news conference Thursday morning that was peppered with questions about Abramoff, was that the photographs were so common as to be almost meaningless and that it was part of his job "to shake hands with people and smile." He said he couldn't remember posing for the pictures, or, for that matter, even meeting Abramoff.

The White House, which announced Bush's selection of Hillman in a routine e-mail message Wednesday afternoon that included 15 other nominations to judgeships and federal jobs, dismissed the calls for a special prosecutor.

"It's nothing but pure politics," said Scott McClellan, the White House secretary. "The Justice Department is holding Mr. Abramoff to account, and the career Justice prosecutors are continuing to fully investigate the matter."

Special prosecutors have not been especially welcome at this White House, where Patrick Fitzgerald, the special counsel in the CIA leak case, is more than two years into an investigation that has resulted in the indictment of a top vice presidential aide, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and has left Karl Rove, the president's chief political adviser, in legal limbo.

Hillman's departure from the Justice Department creates a vacancy at the top of the Abramoff investigation only three weeks after Abramoff, once one of the city's most powerful Republican lobbyists and a major fund-raiser for Bush, announced his guilty plea and agreed to testify against others, possibly including members of Congress.

A former senior White House budget official, David Safavian, has been indicted in the case on charges of lying about his contacts with Abramoff, a former lobbying partner. The Justice Department's plea agreement with Abramoff makes clear that prosecutors are investigating several members of Congress and other public officials who accepted gifts from the lobbyist in exchange for official acts.

Colleagues at the Justice Department say Hillman has been involved in day-to-day management of the Abramoff investigation since it began almost two years ago. The inquiry, which initially focused on allegations that Abramoff defrauded Indian tribe casinos out of tens of millions of dollars in lobbying fees, is being described within the department as the most important federal corruption investigation in a generation, given the large number of public officials who may be implicated.

[Yonivore]

So, the guy's career should be stunted because he's involved in an investigation?

Does his replacement have to start from the beginning or do you think this guy has a staff that kept investigative records that can be picked up and continued?

Seems to me that replacing him would be a bad move for someone that stood to be caught up in the investigation. Is his replacement also appointed by the President? And, would it be odd to give him a reward him with a judgeship before you've been exonerated by his investigation?

[Mr. Peabody]

So, the guy's career should be stunted because he's involved in an investigation?

Does his replacement have to start from the beginning or do you think this guy has a staff that kept investigative records that can be picked up and continued?

Seems to me that replacing him would be a bad move for someone that stood to be caught up in the investigation. Is his replacement also appointed by the President? And, would it be odd to give him a reward him with a judgeship before you've been exonerated by his investigation?

C'mon Yoni, even you have to think that the timing of this is a little suspect.

From the article:

Colleagues at the Justice Department say Hillman has been involved in day-to-day management of the Abramoff investigation since it began almost two years ago.

Sounds like Hillman has been an important player in this investigation.

[Yonivore]

C'mon Yoni, even you have to think that the timing of this is a little suspect.

From the article:

Colleagues at the Justice Department say Hillman has been involved in day-to-day management of the Abramoff investigation since it began almost two years ago.

Sounds like Hillman has been an important player in this investigation.

So, what does the President get for moving "his man" up and away from the investigation before he's been exonerated?

The guy's no longer in the position that would help and, unless his replacement is another "lackey" it makes no sense.

It's not like when Clinton, as his first official act as President, fired every U.S. Attorney in the country. Now THAT was su ious!

[Mr. Peabody]

So, what does the President get for moving "his man" up and away from the investigation before he's been exonerated?

He complicates an investigation that is looking into many of his fellow Republicans.

[Yonivore]

He complicates an investigation that is looking into many of his fellow Republicans.

Like I said, why stunt a man's career?

If Bush appoints one of his former law school proteges to finish the investigation, you'll have a point. Or, if he fires his FBI Director the day before police find Laura Bush's lawyer (and alleged luvva) in a park with a bullet hole in his head, you'll get me to thinkin'. But until then, it's a well-deserved promotion of one of his own employees in the Justice Department.

Washington investigations can go on for years. This guy shouldn't suffer because bureaucracies are slow.

[JoeChalupa]

Those bas s!!

[Yonivore]

Those bas s!!

That's a form of Tourette's, Joe.

[Mr. Peabody]

Like I said, why stunt a man's career?

You know, I actually do respect your take on these issues Yoni. I disagree with you in this instance. I think the timing of it all is very suspect, but I do agree that this prosecutor's career should not be stunted merely because he is in the middle of brining down lots of politicians.

[boutons_]

Changing prosecutors in mid-stream is at very best a delaying tactic, at very worst, which is always to be assumed with the Repugs, Noel Hillman was playing ball too hard, being way too aggressive, so dubya/gonzalez kicked him of the Abramoff case and into a judgeship.

An exact parallel was Nixon's, another Repug of course, Saturday Night's Massacre:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Massacre

Expect the replacement prosecutor to be as totally politicized as Ken Starr, meaning, the new prosecutor will be a limp when trying to penetrate Abramoff's complex corruption, and will not go after the numerous Repug congressmen that Abramoff very probably did corrupt deals with.

[JoeChalupa]

If it smells like a fish....

[Yonivore]

Changing prosecutors in mid-stream is at very best a delaying tactic, at very worst, which is always to be assumed with the Repugs, Noel Hillman was playing ball too hard, being way too aggressive, so dubya/gonzalez kicked him of the Abramoff case and into a judgeship.

An exact parallel was Nixon's, another Repug of course, Saturday Night's Massacre:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Massacre

Expect the replacement prosecutor to be as totally politicized as Ken Starr, meaning, the new prosecutor will be a limp when trying to penetrate Abramoff's complex corruption, and will not go after the numerous Repug congressmen that Abramoff very probably did corrupt deals with.

No, Nixon -- Like Clinton in '92 -- FIRED them, he didn't promote them.

You do realize, of course, that Janet Reno picked Kenneth Starr. Right?