Could Pete Domenici Be The Next Ted Stevens

As Alaska and much of the nation is well aware of, ex-Sen. Ted Stevens is now a convicted felon, thanks to his undisclosed bribes from the oil industry. Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) isn't as well known outside his homestate, but that could soon change if a Federal Grand Jury's probe of him turns out to find what many observers suspect he may be guilty of in association with the politically-motivated firings of several U.S. Attorneys.

From TPM Muckraker:

The federal grand jury is investigating whether Domenici and other political figures attempted to improperly press Iglesias to bring a criminal prosecution against New Mexico Democrats just prior to the 2006 congressional midterm elections, according to legal sources close to the investigation and private attorneys representing officials who prosecutors want to question. Investigators appear to be scrutinizing Iglesias' firing in the context of whether he was fired in retaliation because Domenici and others believed that he would not manipulate the timing of prosecutions to help Republicans.

Previously, Domenici was severely criticized by two internal Justice Department watchdog offices, the Department's Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), for refusing to cooperate with their earlier probe of the firings of the U.S. attorneys. In part because of their frustration that Domenici and his chief of staff, Steve Bell, as well as several senior White House officials, would not cooperate with them, the Inspector General and OPR sought that a criminal prosecutor take over their probe. It is unclear whether Domenici will now cooperate with the criminal probe. Domenici's attorney, Lee Blalack, in an interview, declined to say what Domenici will do when he is contacted by investigators.

Domenici will most likely fight tooth and nail to avoid the clutches of the recently redeemed Justice Department. Pete wanted nothing to do with the initial report and by the way Iglesias' testimony went, it is likely because he doesn't want to confront the consequences of his actions. Everything was about partisan gain and combating Democrats with any and all means possible, even if it was illegal. The rule of law wasn't respected during the Bush years, so Domenici probably felt secure in what he was doing. Unfortunately for him, justice has a funny way of catching up with you, just ask Ted Stevens.

The President's Sinking Senatorial Support

CNN highlights Republican Senators and their defections from President's Iraq position:

Rove Took Care Of The 'Problem'

In an interview with the McClatchy Newspapers, Allen Weh, the party chairman of the New Mexico GOP had asked Karl Rove to dispose of U.S. Attorney David Iglesias because he was not prosecuting Democrats over a possible voter fraud incident. This poses a big problem to the White House and the Justice Department because so far they have claimed no involvement in the purge other than selecting the new attorneys.

From McClatchy:

In an interview Saturday with McClatchy Newspapers, Allen Weh, the party chairman, said he complained in 2005 about then-U.S. Attorney David Iglesias to a White House liaison who worked for Rove and asked that he be removed. Weh said he followed up with Rove personally in late 2006 during a visit to the White House.

"Is anything ever going to happen to that guy?" Weh said he asked Rove at a White House holiday event that month.

"He's gone," Rove said, according to Weh.

"I probably said something close to 'Hallelujah,'" said Weh.

Weh's account calls into question the Justice Department's stance that the recent decision to fire Iglesias and seven U.S. attorneys in other states was a personnel matter - made without White House intervention. Justice Department officials have said the White House's involvement was limited to approving a list of the U.S. attorneys after the Justice Department made the decision to fire them.

Now we have more damning evidence that the White House was personally involved and that Gonzales, having known the full story of the matter, did in fact lie to Congress when he said that the firings were not political. On top of this confession, we also have Rep. Heather Wilson and Sen. Pete Dominici admitting to talking to Iglesias about prosecuting certain political cases last year right before the midterm elections. As the pieces of the puzzles continue to fall in place, it is becoming crystal clear that there was serious foul play involved, from the White House on down to the state party apparatus.

U.S. Attorney Scandal Testimony

From the Senate proceedings on Monday, here are a few good clips of the witnesses answering key questions as to whether it was legitimate that Heather Wilson, Pete Domenici, et al. called the attorneys about their corruption cases regarding Democrats last year. Although the former U.S. Attorneys tried to play it cool since they were appointed by the Bush Adminstration, certain questions from Senators Schumer and Whitehouse helped reveal just how wrong the Republicans' actions were.

The Next Republican Ethics Scandal

This isn't about instant messages with Congressional pages one-third your age, what is happening in D.C. tomorrow pertains to something much more serious. Recently several U.S. Attorneys were fired from their positions by the Bush Adminstration, who justified the decision based on performance levels. However, all of them had performed quite well in recent reports.

Now one of these attorneys is pissed off enough to go to Congress and name names. David Iglesias worked in the New Mexico office and claims that the elected officials from his state pressured him to lay off Republicans under investigation and go after Democrats instead before the elections last November. Those officials (Republicans obviously) were Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson. At first they denied ever talking to him, but with the Congressional testimony expected tomorrow, their lips are beginning to loosen a bit.

From the Washington Post:

Iglesias, one of seven U.S. attorneys fired by the Justice Department on Dec. 7, is expected to tell Congress today that Wilson and Domenici were trying to sway the course of his investigation. Domenici acknowledged Sunday that he called Iglesias about the corruption case but said he did not pressure him. The telephone calls to Iglesias by Domenici and Wilson appear to put them in conflict with congressional ethics rules that bar contacts with federal agency officials during most active investigations.

The furor over Domenici and Wilson has rapidly become the focus of the dispute over the firings of eight U.S. attorneys and a change in law that allows Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to appoint interim prosecutors for an indefinite period of time. The Justice Department has said that seven of the prosecutors were dismissed for failing to follow Bush administration policy on multiple issues, and acknowledged that one was sacked to make way for an ally of White House political adviser Karl Rove.

If the White House is willing to admit to one story of political payoffs, you know the truth is far uglier. Most likely, all eight were let go because they did not respect the most sacred of qualities in the Bush Adminstration, loyalty. Whatever you do, do not trye to hold the government that appointed you responsible for their actions. Whether it is people within the White House or friends like Duke Cunningham, those looking for justice will be extrapolated from their positions.

Be sure to watch out for Iglesias' testimony tomorrow, this thing may go all the way to the top. From Wilson and Domenici to AG Alberto Gonzales and President Bush, the corruption that exists in the Republican machine must be brought out to face the full power of the law, that law that Bush and his cronies have worked so hard to avoid.