Politics: Republican Calls Justice Department

on its bullshit.
Richard Thornburgh, head of the Department of Justice under President Reagan and President Bush (the Not_So_Stupid one), yesterday accused none other than our good friend, U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan, of pursuing a politically motivated indictment of a prominent regional Democrat. From Raw Story comes the following report:

Thornburgh also charged that Buchanan avoided prosecuting Republicans within her jurisdiction.

"The fact that no investigation was undertaken stands out when Democrats in the western district of Pennsylvania have been investigated in such a highly visible manner," Thornburgh said.

Republicans on the House Judiciary Panel, however, took issue with Thornburgh's accusations.

"Your testimony . . . is the most pathetic example of innuendo and hearsay that I have seen," said Rep. Ric Keller (R-FL), during the hearing.

Oh, my. Eating our own, Rep Keller?

Thornburgh added:

"The citizens of the United States must have confidence that the department is conducting itself...without actual political influence or the appearance of political influence," Thornburgh said. "Unfortunately, that may no longer be the case."

Mr. Thornburgh obviously specializes in the fine art of understatement. I'd say, given the shenanigans conducted by the brazen weasel and liar Alberto GoneZales at the DOJ for the past X years, including late-night bedside visits to pressure seriously ill officials, firing those refusing to toe the ideological line, appointing obviously unqualified political hacks, and the like, I very much doubt there is a citizen anywhere in the confines of this vast land who has a scrap of confidence left in the DoJ.

Legislators also discussed the case of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. For the transcript of Thornburgh's testimony, see Raw Story. For a video, see TPM Muckraker.

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