"johac" <jhachmann@remove.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:jhachmann-AE958C.22140714052007@news.giganews.com...

Another one gone. And another one gone.

Another one bites the dust.

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Gonzales deputy resigns from Justice Department

By David Alexander 46 minutes ago

U.S. Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, second-in-command to Attorney
General Alberto Gonzales and caught in the firestorm over the firing of
federal prosecutors, resigned on Monday citing family financial reasons.

In a letter to Gonzales, who faces his own calls to resign for the
scandal over last year's controversial firings, McNulty said he was
stepping down "on a date to be determined in the late summer."

McNulty is the latest senior Justice Department official to resign since
March as the Democratic-controlled Congress investigates a controversial
department decision to fire eight of the country's 93 U.S. attorneys
last year. A ninth federal prosecutors said last week he was pushed out
as well.

McNulty told The Washington Post that the political tumult over the
prosecutor dismissals, including his role in giving inaccurate
information to Congress, did not play a part in his decision to resign
after 18 months on the job.

"It's been a big issue for the past few months, but the timing of this
is really about other things," McNulty told the paper. He also said he
wanted to leave enough time for an orderly transition before his
departure, the newspaper reported.

The administration has insisted the decision to dismiss the prosecutors
was justified, though mishandled. Congressional investigators are
attempting to determine if the firings were politically motivated.

According to documents released by the Justice Department, Gonzales
aides said that the attorney general was upset by McNulty's testimony on
Capitol Hill in February.

McNulty testified that only the federal prosecutor in Arkansas was let
go so the job could be given to a former White House aide, with the
others fired for performance-related issues.

When later information suggested otherwise, Gonzales said both he and
his deputy were misinformed by top aides.

'OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT' - GONZALES

Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), who has been
among those pressing the Senate Judiciary Committee investigation of the
firings, used McNulty's resignation to criticize the administration.

"It seems ironic that Paul McNulty, who at least tried to level with the
committee, goes, while Gonzales, who stonewalled the committee, is still
in charge. This administration owes us a lot better," he said.

McNulty's resignation follows that of former Justice Department aide
Monica Goodling, who abruptly quit last month. Goodling, as counselor to
Gonzales and Justice Department White House liaison, was involved in the
prosecutor firings.

In March, Kyle Sampson resigned as chief of staff to Gonzales after
acknowledging that he did not tell other department officials sooner
about his dealings with the White House over the firings.

Michael Battle, the Justice official who informed prosecutors that they
were being dismissed also quit in March. Justice officials said at the
time that his resignation had long been planned.

In his resignation letter, McNulty wrote, "The financial realities of my
college-age children and two decades of public service lead me to a long
overdue transition in my career."

Gonzales praised McNulty's record of service.

"Paul is an outstanding public servant and a fine attorney who has been
valued here at the department, by me and so many others, as both a
colleague and a friend. He will be missed," the attorney general said,
without mentioning the recent controversy.

At the White House, spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "The president greatly
appreciates all that Paul McNulty has done on behalf of the American
people. He's been a tireless public servant and he has a tremendous
future in front of him."
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http://tinyurl.com/2sklj2
--
John #1782

"We should always be disposed to believe that which appears to us to be
white is really black, if the hierarchy of the church so decides."

- Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Founder of the Jesuit Order.

Another one gone. And another one gone.