Former GOP Attorney General Thornburgh charges DOJ political prosecution in Pennsylvania

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Former Prosecutor Raps Administration
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 23, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Republican U.S. attorney general from the first Bush administration told a House panel Tuesday he thinks the Justice Department had political aims in prosecuting a high-profile Democratic coroner from Pennsylvania.

Dick Thornburgh, whose law firm is representing coroner Cyril Wecht in the pending trial and who acknowledged speaking as an advocate for Wecht, said the outspoken Democrat was ''an ideal target for a Republican U.S. attorney trying to curry favor with a (Justice) Department which demonstrated that if you play by its rules, you will advance.''

Politics should never play into a decision to prosecute, Thornburgh said at a House Judiciary hearing examining ''selective prosecution'' by the Justice Department, but ''sadly, that appears to have been so in the case against Dr. Wecht.''...

***

The Wecht prosecution on charges of theft, mail fraud and wire fraud was one of three corruption cases that Democrats spotlighted Tuesday as part of a broad investigation into White House interference with Justice Department activities. After months of questioning whether the Bush administration fired U.S. attorneys who were not ''loyal Bushies,'' Democrats said the cases provide strong evidence that some government lawyers may have done the White House's bidding.

The other cases discussed were the successful prosecution of former Democratic Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman on bribery and other charges and the overturned conviction of Wisconsin state procurement official Georgia Thompson in a contracting case....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Fired-Prosecutors-Congress.html

[cali]

1. Holy shit!

thanks for posting this. It's quite significant coming from Thornburgh even if he is representing Wecht.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Indeed, it is! nt

[truedelphi]

3. Oh he's representing Wecht. That explains it.

Thornburgh had been rather odious in his attack on Dan Rather.

But I guess if someone PAYS him, he can be cajoled into doing what is right.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

4. Further evidence the DOJ is being utilized as a political tool. Aweful.

Damnit!!! Shit like this totally defies our constitution and betrays our nation/people.

This makes me angry as hell!!!

[Venus Dog]

5. There's more behind this case than meets the eye

as Wecht has always been an outspoken critic of the Warren Commission and firmly believes there was a governmental conspiracy behind JFK assassination. The * family is still VERY concerned about Poppy's role in that ever being revealed (remember his bizarre teariness and spewing about JFK assassination at Ford's funeral?) Wecht has been working on the assassination for years.

And just my opinion, but I firmly believe that our government was highjacked and a coup ensued on Nov 23, 1963 and we are still living with the results of that coup. If we push to find the truth to come out about ANYTHING - it should be who killed Kennedy - once that truth is revealed - the rest will fall like a house of cards.

[PCIntern]

6. Right you are. n/t

[formercia]

10. If *Gang is after Wecht, there must be something there.

Why would the make a big deal about just another 'Conspiracy Theorist' if she wasn't on to something?

[Rageneau]

7. Pelosi has insisted that Thornburgh apologize for these remarks.

After all, they reflect badly on the Bush Administration -- whose good name and integrity Nancy Pelosi has sworn to uphold at all costs.

[Blackhatjack]

8. Thanks for posting this! There has been little reported about it this morning.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. I know! It was just on the NYT list of wire service links. nt

[cal04]

11. Siegelman probe widened after D.C. meeting, Jones testifies

Doug Jones, a former federal prosecutor, told a congressional committee today that he saw a "complete reversal" by prosecutors investigating former Gov. Don Siegelman after they met with Washington officials.

Jones said he saw the change in 2004 in the Siegelman case by Montgomery federal prosecutors who had assured him months earlier that they had narrowed their investigation to three areas. In late 2004, Jones said, federal prosecutors in Montgomery had met with Justice Department bosses, and the scope and intensity of the investigation changed.

"It was a wholesale renewed investigation," Jones told members of two House subcommittees holding a joint hearing today on claims of selective prosecution of Democrats.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/10/doug_jones_a_former_federal.html

Siegelman's Lawyer: D.C. Justice Officials Played "Integral" Role in Prosecution
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004536.php

Davis: Phone Records Support GOP Lawyer's Story on Siegelman Case
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004533.php

[Venus Dog]

12. Kick

:think: