Resignation threats resonate at White House

msnbc ^ | 5/27/06 | dan eggan

[LouAvul]

The Justice Department signaled to the White House this week that the nation's top three law enforcement officials would resign or face firing rather than return documents seized from a Democratic congressman's office in a bribery investigation, according to administration sources familiar with the discussions.

The possibility of resignations by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales; his deputy, Paul J. McNulty; and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III was communicated to the White House by several Justice officials in tense negotiations over the fate of the materials taken from Rep. William J. Jefferson's office, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Justice prosecutors and FBI agents feared that the White House was ready to acquiesce to demands from House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and other lawmakers that the materials be returned to the Louisiana congressman, who is the subject of a criminal probe by the FBI. Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, David S. Addington, was among the leading White House critics of the FBI raid, telling officials at Justice and on Capitol Hill that he believed the search was questionable, several sources familiar with his views said.

[RobbyS]

With Gonzalez on this. Didn't know he had this much spine.

[oceanview]

fire Addington.

[CrawDaddyCA]

I don't believe it, all the people mentioned are career 'public servants'. If they actually did threaten to resign, it was a bluff. They'd never give up their spot on the government teat.

[prairiebreeze]

bump read later

[TexasTransplant]

We should all send in our Resignations to the RNC

Backbone should be Rewarded!


(Have you got the Memo yet Lott?) Yeah, I still hold a grudge.

[TeleStraightShooter]

From what I gather the DOJ were certainly in their constitutional rights to execute a search warrant that had it's stamp of approval from the Judicial Branch.

I suspect nothing will be returned until DOJ is done with it.

[ConorMacNessa]

The Saturday Night Massacre - inverted redux.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

all the people mentioned are career 'public servants'. If they actually did threaten to resign, it was a bluff. They'd never give up their spot on the government teat.

Were he to resign, Gonzales, as a former Attorney General, and a Hispanic, could easily pull down a six figure income as a partner at any number of national law firms without breaking a sweat.

[tobyhill]

A report I read earlier indicated that the threat of resignation had less to do with the White House than members of Congress threatening to pull funding at the DOJ if the documents weren't returned.

[TheZMan]

This is beautiful. I hope they stick to their guns.

[CrawDaddyCA]

Of that I have no doubt, it's not for lack of ability that alot of govt. employees remain at their jobs. I know a few who could easily make it in the private sector. It's the power and prestige that they crave. Power is a very addictive drug.

[rolling_stone]

LOL all AG Gonzalez would have to do is threaten that he would start enforcing our immigration laws against big business (and investigate Bush's housekeeper?) and the President would roll over and beg....no need to resign, just do his job!

[khnyny]

"Of that I have no doubt, it's not for lack of ability that alot of govt. employees remain at their jobs. I know a few who could easily make it in the private sector. It's the power and prestige that they crave. Power is a very addictive drug."

Not all the talented are power hungry, ego-driven control freaks. There is another category too - the talented ones who remain idealistic, focused and actually love their country. I think the percentages vary depending upon where you look in gov.

Unfortunately, the type of person who is usually drawn to and craves elective office is a power hungry, ego-driven, control freak. Catch 22.

[The Mayor]

I'm impressed, good for them.

[coconutt2000]

Congress apparently reserves the right to investigate the Executive Branch, but the Executive Branch apparently doesn't have the right to investigate the Congress./sarc

[FairOpinion]

Congress is above the law, or didn't you know that? (/sarc)

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

This means that Gonzales stood by his people against Bush and the RHINOpublicans. Very telling.

[oceanview]

there is no evidence whose side Bush was on in this one - the 45 day hold was just a cooling off period.

[BigSkyFreeper]

This means that Gonzales stood by his people against Bush and the RHINOpublicans. Very telling.

I don't think Bush was in the same corner as the Congress. Bush called for a 45-day "cooling off" period, while Congress and the investigators worked out their differences. That tells me, Bush was acting merely as a mediator in this dispute, while Hastert was protecting the turf.