Obama gave attorney general ethics waiver to probe Alaska Sen. Stevens case
Originally published Friday, September 4, 2009 at 1:18 p.m.
Updated Friday, September 4, 2009 at 2:55 p.m.
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Stumble It!WASHINGTON - Attorney General Eric Holder has received an ethics waiver to investigate government lawyers who prosecuted former Sen. Ted Stevens, the White House disclosed Friday.
Holder needed a waiver from President Barack Obama's conflict-of-interest rules because his former law firm represents one of the Justice Department attorneys whose conduct in the Alaska Republican's corruption case is under review. Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, who used to work at the same firm, received a similar waiver.
Stevens was convicted last year of failing to disclose gifts that included renovations at his Alaska home. A judge threw out the case earlier this year, saying prosecutors withheld evidence that might have helped Stevens at trial.
Deputy Attorney General David Ogden also received an ethics waiver to take part in the prosecutor inquiry. Ogden's former law firm, for which his wife still works, also represents a lawyer under investigation.
Holder, Breuer and Ogden and his wife have had nothing to do with the law firms' representation of the prosecutors, the waivers say.
Those waivers were among 10 disclosed Friday by the White House. Among the others:
- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden received a limited waiver that lets him take part at the policy or program level in matters involving two companies with which he had relationships, SAIC and GenCorp, if the issues rise to his level. Bolden, a former astronaut, was an SAIC consultant and a GenCorp director. Bolden must stay out of contract decisions involving the companies and out of SAIC- or GenCorp-specific issues in which he was involved when he worked for them. He cannot meet one-on-one with either company.
- Philip Reitinger, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's choice to head the National Cybersecurity Center, can take part in matters directly related to his former employer, Microsoft Corp.
- Naomi Walker, a Labor Department associate deputy secretary, received a limited ethics waiver to communicate with her former employer, the AFL-CIO, where she directed state government affairs. Under the waiver, Walker can participate in general outreach to unions but can't take part in an AFL-CIO-specific matter for two years.
- Ash Carter, under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, can get involved in matters related to Textron Inc., for whom he had been a consultant.
- Margot Rogers, a senior counselor to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, can participate in issues involving her former employer, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, whose activities include education.
- Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams can take part in events involving the National Peace Corps Association, on whose board Williams used to serve.
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On the Net:
Obama administration ethics waivers:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/An-Update-on-Waivers/
Community Discussion
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So, what does this mean? Are they going to re-open the case against the former Senator? That would be interesting, wouldn't it?
no,,,,, it means they are looking that lawyers who, under the corrupt dumbya administrattion may have broken the law in their prosecution of the SCUMBAG stevens.
Boring story & yesterday's news. Much prefer the coverup by Pelosi of Rangel's far greater crime.
At least Bush's Justice prosecuted tax cheats; whereas Obama appointed one to head Treasury and hangs with another one in Harlem. Holder seems fine with this. The difference is stark.
I suspect Obama is "clearing the decks" to let AG Eric Holder proceed with his whitewash of the prosecutors who concealed evidence from the Senator Stevens' Defense Attorneys. I don't like Ted Stevens (and I'm not sorry he lost - only that Begich was the only available alternative) but the Prosecutors had to have known that release of that evidence would have lead the jury to exhonerate...
AG Holder is playing with fire, not here but going after the CIA. He came in suspect after his interceding for Marc Rich and Puerto Rican terrorists for Clinton pardons. Now he proposes, under pressure from the far left (that would include some of you) to turn the USA into a banana republic, where the current regime finds ways to punish their predecessor. A concept heretofore alien to our country. Any sane American should be wary of going down this path. One of our finest characteristics, as a nation, has always been the peaceful transition of government. This will put the kibosh on peaceful transfers in the future.
Bait and switch....Smoke and Mirrors. More distraction from what is realy goin on.
So your point bigDip is that the prior administration doesn't have to follow the laws of the land because they were the prior administration? This is the ultimate in Orwellian logic.
dog
Doug_in_Salcha
agree with you on both Stevens and Begich.
But I don't think it's going to be a whitewash. The whole point of 'clearing the decks' is that it will enable Obama Admin to 'out' political influence by Bush Admin in the selection of DAs, without going after Bush himself, [which is considered a political 'no-no' for a new president] a clear and easy shot, politically as well as in ethics, because:
a] Stevens is a Repub. and Obama won't be accused of doing political favors, but rather praised for not being partisan
b] the prosecutorial misconduct was so blatantly outside what is acceptable in any court of law, that it raised outrage in the legal profession generally, regardless of party affiliation.
c] Stevens' career is shot, anyway. No risk of him regaining his seat.
[Let's just hope we can find someone decent to replace Begich]
Personally, it looked to me like Stevens SERIOUSLY stepped on someone's toes in the 'NeoCon' crowd, [maybe some behind the scenes DC ole boy? not a clue myself] with his threats and blusterings over ANWR and promises made, etc. Definately, he got pretty 'impolitic' enough, on occasion.
Ohh Obama did something I don't understand completely...
He must be trying to get away with something! That Sneak! Trying to wipe everything under the rug, take away milk and cookies and turning us into a Socialist Dictatorship Commune!!!! Where's ma' gunz! Where's tha' ammo? Millesha to Arms!
Actually Isanova, I think it's pretty SOP.
Look at the list, after Holder and the other AGs. Just what it takes to do gov't business when, after all, most of the 'expert' and 'experience' available to hire have industry connections of one sort or another.
People are just curious, trying to figure out what it means for them in their lives; where it came from, where it goes. I think it a good thing that they should notice, and care.
Those prosecutors were all Republicans. That is fishy in itself. They threw the case intentionally. That is a crime! But what else is new in Republican politics. All lairs and crooks! All that matters is Ted Stevens is free to steal some more from the State of Alaska.
TT,
"Those prosecutors..." were NOT all Republican. Some of them were but some of them were from the Clinton Administration (and Bush should have fired them all enmass but didn't). "All liars and crooks", I'm inclined to agree with (yes, even some of the Republicans)...
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