Senator eyes another attorney departure

[cal04]

Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Tuesday she wants answers about the departure of the former U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, who resigned last October before the Justice Department's dismissal of eight other U.S. attorneys sparked controversy.

"I have questions about Debra Yang's departure and I can't answer those questions right at this time," Feinstein, D-Calif. and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters in response to a question. "Was she asked to resign, and if so, why? We have to ferret that out."

Debra Wong Yang went to work for a private law firm, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, and has said she left of her own accord.

(snip)
Feinstein noted Tuesday that there are numerous names blacked out in documents the Justice Department has released in recent days in response to the controversy. Feinstein did not specify what her concerns were about Yang, but she has complained repeatedly that six of the eight U.S. attorneys dismissed last year were in the midst of prosecuting public corruption cases, mostly focused on Republicans.

About five months before Yang's departure, her office had opened an investigation into ties between Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., and a lobbyist. Gibson Dunn, the firm that hired her, is also the firm where Lewis' legal team works, but government rules required that she step aside in that case or any other she was involved with while a government prosecutor.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-20-feinstein_N.htm?csp=34

[robinlynne]

1. can you say 1.5 million dollars? she resigned for 1.5 million dollars to join lewis' law firm!

the man she was investigating.

[pscot]

4. Um-would that be congressman Jerry Lewis?

n/t

[robinlynne]

7. yep. she received 1.5 million to leave the justice dept and join the law firm

which is defending jerry lewis in the very corruption case she was lead prosecutor on. I am positive they have it taken care of the legality. All she has to do is deny working on the lewis corruption case....

[TahitiNut]

5. Sounds like obstruction of justice and bribery of a government official to me.

I guess we've left the whole notion of "appearance of impropriety" in the dusty archives of 'pre-9/11' history.

[Horse with no Name]

8. Can you say Quid Pro Quo?

Helluva Chinese wall they need to construct there.

[robinlynne]

2. and asking if she was fired is so barking up the wrong tree.

ASK about the prosecutor from Guam!

[Sydnie]

3. I posted a bit about Lewis this morning

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=455541&mesg_id=455541

CREW was comparing Renzi's investigation to Lewis'.

[caligirl]

6. I called this into her office last night, the guy promised he would get this to her.

I was floored at how no one was looking at debra Wong Yang. she claims she is a single parent and the money was good. Graduatedd from Pitzer college(good college) early '80's. Called Waxman's office in LA to, also did not know this.

Post from yesterday on this practically screaming to get some focus on her.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3170785