Gonzales to Take 3 White House Lawyers to Justice Dept.

[Tinoire]

Gonzales to Take 3 White House Lawyers to Justice Dept.

By Dana Milbank

Sunday, February 6, 2005; Page A04


For those wondering how much distance new Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales will keep from the White House, here's an early clue: He's taking three White House lawyers with him to be his top aides at the Justice Department.

Gonzales, confirmed Thursday, said during his confirmation hearings: "I will no longer represent only the White House, I will represent the United States of America and its people. I understand the differences between the two roles."

But now comes word that Gonzales plans to name Ted Ullyot to be his chief of staff, D. Kyle Sampson as his deputy chief of staff, and Raul Yanes as counselor, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. All three have been lawyers in the White House counsel's office under Gonzales.

If the names sound familiar, it may be because Ullyot and Yanes were the coordinators of the White House's response to the investigation into the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity. That investigation is being handled by, uh, the Justice Department.

(snip)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A1712-2005Feb5?language=printer

[LizW]

1. Seems that I remember reading recently

that Gonzalez did not interview and hire his own staff when he went to the White House. It was done for him by one of Cheney's henchmen, whose name I can't recall right now.

These people don't leave anything to chance. Their tentacles are everywhere.

[Chipper Chat]

2. I think the names are:

Haldeman, Hunt, Mitchell, and Liddy.

[Tinoire]

4. Chuckle! n/t

[VegasWolf]

9. no, the names are Cheatum, Screwum, and Stealum. n/t

[Bridget Burke]

11. Or Dewey, Cheatum & Howe...

That well-known legal term.

[Tinoire]

5. If you find that again, would you repost it? or link to it?

Unbelievable. We know how they operate but it's still unbelievable.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. I guess they don't trust him.

[JohnLocke]

6. Actions speak louder than words.

Especially in politics.

"Never separate the lives you live from the words you speak"
--Paul Wellstone

[struggle4progress]

7. Gonzo might need all the lawyers he can get. eom

[Supersedeas]

8. the Plame coordinators take their chairs as damage control enters final

stage.

Rove must smile.

[spotbird]

10. kick nt