Leahy Reaction To Department Of Justice's
IG/OPR Expanding Internal Probe Of U.S. Attorneys
To Include Politicization Of Hiring Practices Within Department

The Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility sent the attached letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee today, notifying the Chairman and Ranking Member that the offices are expanding their investigation related to the firings of several U.S. Attorneys to include improper considerations in DOJ’s hiring of career employees.  The letter is available as a PDF.

Below is a comment from Chairman Leahy on the expansion of the internal investigation.

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.,
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
On DOJ’s OIG/OPR Expanding U.S. Attorney Probe 
To Include Politicization Of Hiring Practices Within DOJ
May 30, 2007

“These are serious revelations that reinforce the need for meaningful congressional oversight of this Justice Department and the Bush Administration.

“It is deeply troubling that the crisis of leadership at the Department allowed the White House and others to wield political influence over key law enforcement decisions and hiring policies.  It is unacceptable that a senior Justice Department official was allowed to screen career employees and some judicial appointments for political loyalty, and it confirms our worst fears about the unprecedented and improper reach of politics into the Department’s professional ranks. 

“I look forward to the results of the Inspector General’s investigation, and as Congress continues its oversight into the politicization of the Justice Department it is abundantly clear that we must do all we can to get to the truth behind this matter and the role the White House played in it.”

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