Read a Pacific Northwest, liberal perspective on world, national, and local politics. From majestic Redmond, Washington - the Northwest Progressive Institute Official Blog.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Firings scandal reaches to White House

It's starting to look like the scandal over politically motivated firings of US attorneys goes all the way to the White House. From The New York Times via the P-I:
The White House was deeply involved in the decision late last year to dismiss federal prosecutors, including some who had been criticized by Republican lawmakers, according to administration officials.

In October, President Bush called Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to pass along complaints among Republicans that prosecutors were not aggressively addressing voter fraud, the White House said Monday. Bush did not call for the removal of any specific U.S. attorneys, according to a White House spokesman, but the Justice Department forced out seven of them weeks later, including John McKay of Washington state.
The Washington state portion of this is particularly odious. If you boil it down, Republicans weren't content with their usual histrionics over the razor-thin 2004 gubernatorial election. Trying to take the election with outrageous, unproven charges in the media wasn't good enough.

No, they thought they could bully their way into the governor's mansion, and when that failed, both in a court of law and in the court of public opinion, they wanted revenge against an honest Republican who refused to participate in their malevolent effort. Now that action helps further weaken an already disastrous presidency.

Washington state Republicans should have been careful what they wished for. They exacted their revenge upon McKay, but like a child who has broken a toy, they now find that father is home and the consequences are not yet clear. Unlike a child, Republicans never seem to learn from their mistakes.

It's not like Democrats haven't suffered the bitter disappointment of close elections. Before the 2000 recount even happened, Brian Baird lost a stunningly close election (by 887 votes, IIRC,) in 1996. Did he demand that the Clinton White House go after a public official? Did his supporters spend the next two years vaingloriously claiming that ballot design errors in Thurston County were part of a massive plot?

No. Baird filed for office and won the 1998 election. Like you're supposed to do.

The involvement of the White House puts the attempted Orange Putsch of 2004-2005 in a whole new light. Who else was involved? Who are the Republicans that are being mentioned as "demanding McKay's firing?"

A full and thorough Congressional investigation is most definitely in order.

<< Home