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September 30, 2008

Mukasey Appoints Special Prosecutor for US Attorneys Scandal
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Attorney General Michael Mukasey has appointed a Special Prosecutor to
continue the probe into whether political misconduct led to the firing
of nine US attorneys. The appointment came at the request of a lengthy
Justice Department investigation. Investigators singled out Attorney
General Alberto Gonzales for his conduct in the firings, accusing of him
of “abdicating” his responsibility and questioning his faulty and
evasive public statements. Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy warned
President Bush not to misuse his pardon power to benefit officials
connected to the scandal.

Sen. Patrick Leahy: “The evidence in our investigation in the Judiciary
Committee and the report today shows Karl Rove and others among the
highest ranks of the White House were involved in the firings, and
apparently they focused on the political impact of federal prosecutions.
I don’t think the White House should be allowed to hide from
accountability.”



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