Justice E-Mails on Lam Show Frustrations

AP via SFGate ^ | 3/23/7 | ERICA WERNER and ALLISON HOFFMAN

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In the year before her dismissal as San Diego's U.S. attorney, Carol Lam's Justice Department bosses griped about her in snide e-mails and strategized about putting her "on a very short leash."

Yet they gave no explanation when they finally kicked her out in December, Lam testified last month.

The e-mails, among more than 3,000 pages of documents released this week by the House Judiciary Committee, suggest officials grew frustrated by a prosecutor who had her own priorities and views.

In one exchange last July, a Justice Department official wrote that he was sad a top agency official was leaving. That official, Bill Mercer, wrote back suggesting other reasons for sadness.

"That Carol Lam can't meet a deadline," Mercer wrote, "or that you'll need to interact with her in the coming weeks or that she won't just say, 'O.K. You got me. You're right, I've ignored national priorities and obvious local needs. Shoot, my production is more hideous than I realized.'"

Lam took over the San Diego office in 2002 with plans to raise the bar on immigration prosecutions to focus resources on violent criminals and repeat offenders — goals that put her at odds with political objectives inside and outside the Justice Department.

Justice Department officials have cited her record on immigration and gun prosecutions as a reason for letting her go. Democrats including California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a member of the Judiciary Committee, are convinced there's more to it than that.

[Redbob]

"Democrats including California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a member of the Judiciary Committee, are convinced there's more to it than that."

It's a logical step for the Party of the Stupid to become the Champions of the Incompetent.

[Democratshavenobrains]

If any attorney wants to keep their job, all they have to do now is concoct some case against someone in their party. That way, their bosses will be accused of "Cronyism" if said attorney gets fired.

[Enchante]

"That Carol Lam can't meet a deadline," Mercer wrote, "or that you'll need to interact with her in the coming weeks or that she won't just say, 'O.K. You got me. You're right, I've ignored national priorities and obvious local needs. Shoot, my production is more hideous than I realized.'"

Carol, YOU'RE FIRED!!

Any more questions, Schumer, you POS?

[Brilliant]

Sure... I can't imagine why they'd want to fire her over matters that they complained about in more than 3,000 emails. They must have had an ulterior motive that doesn't appear in any of the emails.

[Verginius Rufus]

AP turns Lam into the heroic figure up against "political" objectives of others in the Department of Justice.

[conservative in nyc]

Democrats including California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a member of the Judiciary Committee, are convinced there's more to it than that.

The same Diane Feinstein, whose staffer Renee directly contacted Lam's office to complain about Lam's policy on prosecuting illegal immigration cases? The same Diane Feinstein who wrote a letter to the Attorney General complaining about Lam's lax illegal immigration enforcement?

She must be stuck on stupid.

[conservative in nyc]

. I can't imagine why they'd want to fire her over matters that they complained about in more than 3,000 emails.

There weren't 3000 e-mails about Lam's lackluster performance. The DOJ released 3000 pages of documents on Monday, which contained e-mails and other documents about all of the fired USAs.

The case for forcing out Lam was the most solid of the 7 USAs fired. Any Democrat claim that the administration fired Lam to stop an ongoing political investigation to the contrary are simply incorrect.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Lam took over the San Diego office in 2002 with plans to raise the bar on immigration prosecutions to focus resources on violent criminals and repeat offenders — goals that put her at odds with political objectives inside and outside the Justice Department.

This can't be right. We all know GW wants an open border, come one, come all. Certainly his Justice Department objectives wouldn't include prosecution of illegals and those who aid them. /s