Leahy, Specter Seek Cooperation
From DOJ Official, Former Interim US Attorney
In Judiciary Panel's DOJ/US Attorney Probe

Below is a letter sent today by Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), to Bradley Schlozman, former interim U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Missouri, and former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, seeking his cooperation with the Committee’s ongoing investigation into the mass firings and replacements of U.S. Attorneys and politicization within the Department of Justice.  A PDF is also available.

May 7, 2007
 

Mr. Bradley Schlozman
Office of the Counsel to the Director
Executive Office for United States Attorneys
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 2242
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Mr. Schlozman:

The Senate Judiciary Committee is conducting an ongoing investigation into politicization of the hiring, firing, and decision-making of United States Attorneys.  As part of the investigation, the Committee has learned that the concerns of some in the Administration about voter fraud may have played a significant role in the consideration of U.S. Attorneys for possible dismissal. 

According to the testimony of the Attorney General and D. Kyle Sampson, his former Chief of Staff who said he “aggregated” the list of U.S. Attorneys to fire, Karl Rove talked to the Attorney General about concern with voter fraud in districts in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and New Mexico.  One of these districts was that of David Iglesias, former U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, who was subsequently added to the list of U.S. Attorneys to be replaced.  In addition, among the documents produced by the Department of Justice is a 30-page report concerning alleged voting improprieties in Wisconsin in 2004 that contains handwritten notes suggesting a concern with prosecution of voter fraud in numerous districts.

Recent news accounts have suggested that Todd Graves, the former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri and the person you succeeded as an interim United States Attorney, may have been on a list for replacement because of his refusal to endorse a lawsuit against the State of Missouri alleging voter fraud before the 2006 election.  This is a lawsuit you approved while Acting Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and then filed soon after you were interim appointed as Mr. Graves’ successor by Attorney General Gonzales.  Several weeks ago, a federal judge ruled in favor of Missouri in that case, finding “no evidence” of major voter fraud in the state. 

We believe the Committee would benefit from hearing directly from you in order to gain a better understanding of the role voter fraud may have played in the Administration’s decisions to retain or remove certain U.S. Attorneys.  We would like to work out a process for you to make yourself available to the Committee for interviews, depositions, or hearing testimony, on a voluntary basis, and to produce documents in your possession, control, or custody related to our investigation.

Sincerely,

PATRICK LEAHY                                                      ARLEN SPECTER
Chairman                                                                      Ranking Member 

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