WASHINGTON (Friday, September 7) – Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., released the following statement in response to information provided to the panel by Bradley Schlozman, former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and former Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.  

In responses to the Committee questions, Schlozman acknowledged raising the political leanings of candidates who were being considered for career positions at the Justice Department.  Schlozman testified before the Committee earlier this summer as part of the panel’s investigation into the mass firing of U.S. Attorneys and the politicization within the Department of Justice.  

Also, on Friday, Senator Leahy forwarded Schlozman’s responses to Department of Justice Inspector General Glenn Fine.  The Inspector General’s office is currently conducting an internal investigation on the hiring and firing practices at the department that have raised questions.   The text of the letter follows. Schlozman’s answers to Chairman Leahy are also available.

Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.,
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
September 7, 2007 

“These belated answers confirm the serious concerns that have been raised about the role Mr. Schlozman and other senior Justice Department officials played in screening career employees for political loyalty.  This injection of politics into the hiring of law enforcement officials was inappropriate and destructive, as was Mr. Schlozman’s decision to file an election eve lawsuit in direct conflict with longstanding Justice Department policy.  

“The resignation of Mr. Schlozman and other senior officials involved in the politicization of our justice system provides an opportunity to begin to repair the damage by reversing their ill-considered policies and practices, restoring the Civil Rights Division to its proper role and regaining the public trust in our Justice Department as our leading law enforcement agency.”  

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Text of Sen. Leahy’s Letter To IG Fine.  A PDF is also available.

September 7, 2007

Honorable Glenn A. Fine
Inspector General
The Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530-0001

Dear Inspector General Fine:

I am writing to provide to you the attached answers to written questions that the Senate Judiciary Committee received yesterday from Bradley Schlozman, former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and former Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.  These answers may be relevant to investigations you are conducting, including the investigation into improper hiring practices referenced in your letter to me of August 30, 2007.  I refer you in particular to Mr. Schlozman’s answer to Question 17 of my written questions.  This and other answers may provide information helpful to your investigations.  I look forward to your reports on the several investigations you are conducting into allegations of serious misconduct within the Department of Justice.

Sincerely,

PATRICK LEAHY                             
Chairman                                             

cc:  Senator Arlen Specter
Enclosures

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