Why is congress wasting so much time investigating the US attorney firings?

Question

The law gives the president to fire them for ANY reason. It's happened in the past without anyone raising a stink over it. Does the Senate really have nothing better to do then investigate LEGAL acts by the president?

I'm sure there were political reasons for the firings, but ultimatly the president has an absolute right to fire them for any reason, and frankly isn't legally required to give a reason.

Answer 1

Because the Plame case fizzled out and they had to find something else to hit the President with. So they pretend that this is wrong when they know full well that every President has done it. Clinton fired 93 attorneys for political reasons and no one questioned his right to do it.

Answer 2

The firings are not unremarkable. They did not explain to the attorneys or the congress why they were fired even to this day. It is a republican talking point to say that this type of activity has occurred in previous administrations. The previous presidents were simply putting in their choice of attorneys at the beginning of their presidency. No president before G.W. Bush removed his own attorneys. They are supposed to be independent of the White House except that they must uphold the law. The Senate wishes to know if there were political considerations made in removing the attorneys. Clearly one was simply replaced by a friend of Karl Rove. Alberto Gonzales couldn't remember why he accepted the recommendation to fire almost all of the 8 attorneys fired. The whole thing stinks. Watch this clip.

Answer 3

It goes to the destructiveness of this administration.
I wish people would do more investigating.
The explanations offered are so simple and without merit.
There is a much larger problem going on here.
I suggest doing some homework on it to come up with a better explanation then one that just comes to mind.
Yes, it requires some work. The horror!

Answer 4

The Dem, controlled house and senate, have lost it, No one give a rat's rear about these deadbeats who where not doing their jobs in the first place being fired. I care about $3.00 a gallon for fuel, having my job next week, and I do worry about the rising cost of health-care and my job losing the ability to provide insurance. I DO NOT WANT socialize heath care, but some changes do need to take place. I would like to see them all thrown out and a entire new government from top down elected.

Answer 5

First, an overview of how things should work.
The US Attorney has a term of 4 years, longer until replacement is confirmed. Replacements must be confirmed by the Senate.

The attorneys were fired to protect other republicans, and to impede investigations of those republican politicians. He was basically trying to prevent the attorneys from getting his buddies (and possibly himself) in trouble.

The second issue is that the attorney general has the right to hire temporary replacements, until a perm one is approved by the senate. The temp's term is 120 days and does not require senate approval.

With the USA Patriot act, they eliminated the 120 day limitation of the temps, allowing them to remain in that position longer than the constitution permits WITHOUT SENATE APPROVAL.

(Disregard for constitutional process all together)

Now, on trying to investigate the situation, the bush administration is refusing to go along and provided the requested documents, to appear for questioning.. he has extended his 'exectutive privleges' to that of his staff preventing a proper investigation.

Answer 6

Cause the Dems need a witch hunt. If they had any substantial reasons to go after the Bush administration, like the War for Oil claims or that Bush knew there were no WMD's in Iraq they would've pounced on Bush their first week in power.

But they don't, so they have to attack him anyway possible and create conflict where none is in order to hide the fact they've accomplished nothing, fulfilled none of their promises, and hope the stink of these investigations cover their own shortcomings.

Answer 7

Because it makes them look like they are accomplishing something with their time. They are actually preaching to the "Media Choir" however, as the publics approval ratings of congress members is less than the presidents. Our elected officials have turned their back on those who put them in high offices.

Answer 8

Because the White House acted like wimps. If the White House press secretary had said "The US Attorneys serve at the pleasure of the President. End of story." there would be argument.

Answer 9

Eh if the president had said "I fired them for political reasons", instead of lying about it and then smearing the reputations of those involved, it would be over.


Are these the same?
Your boss fires you, its part of his plan to cut personnel to make his quarterly look better.

Your boss fires you to make his quarterly look better, claims it was because you were incompetent, then he proceeds to spread rumors about what a bad, incompetent worker you are to all future employers. When confronted, he lies claimming that the firings were purely performance based and that he had nothing to do with your selection. After months of lying about it, he claims he fired you for not being a team player and that his firing you was based purely on a need to improve quarterly reports.



It's always about the lying and cover ups. Secrecy shouldn't be a decorating theme.

Answer 10

How come the Dems didn't act like this when I lost my Gov't job a few years back?