7 Really Awesome Reasons to be Happy about Comey's Appt.
There are several posts about James Comey's involvement in prosecuting the Plame affair and forcing Bush to change the domestic wiretapping to comply with Constitutional law, but i've found other reasons for us to be happy and thought i'd share them with my fellow duers.
1.Crime—especially gun crime—for him is a personal crusade.
When he was a child, a man broke into his house in New Jersey and held him, his brother, and three neighbors hostage at gunpoint. The culprit was never caught. As a federal prosecutor in Richmond, Comey started "Project Exile,” which federalized local gun cases and delivered harsh sentences to those convicted of weapons charges. Comey’s prime backer in that project? The then-deputy attorney general, Eric Holder. Comey was so proud of his Richmond work that a gun confiscated in Project Exile hung in his office as general counsel at Lockheed Martin after leaving the Bush administration
2. What he told the NSA about the wiretapping
"It can be very, very hard to be a conscientious attorney working in the intelligence community. Hard because we are likely to hear the words, ‘If we don’t do this, people will die,’” Comey told staffers at the National Security Agency in a speech in the summer of 2005. "'No’ must be spoken into a storm of crisis, with loud voices all around, and with lives hanging in the balance.... It takes an understanding that, in the long run, intelligence under the law is the only sustainable intelligence in this country."
3.He has put banker types in jail. He's not afraid to take on the 1%.
As United States Attorney, Mr. Comey oversaw numerous terrorism cases and supervised prosecutions of executives of WorldCom, Adelphia, and Imclone on fraud and securities-related charges.
4. He's not afraid to take on most anyone, it would seem.
In the Southern District of New York, he served as lead prosecutor in United States v. John Gambino et al., a six-month mafia racketeering and murder trial in 1993 Fitzgerald worked on this case as well.
5. He testified about the US Attorney firings. It wasn't a full middle finger to Bush, but definitely an honorable mention
In May 2007, Comey testified before the House Judiciary Committee on the firings of U.S. Attorneys. He made two main points: except for Kevin Ryan (who had serious management problems), the USAs who were fired were not only competent, but in several cases, some of the best. •If DOJ is, in fact, using partisan tests for Assistant USAs, it would not only be illegal, but would seriously discredit our judicial system. "I don't know how you'd put that genie back in the bottle," Comey said.
http://firedoglake.com/2007/05/03/where-were-at-on-the-usa-attorney-scandal/
6. He fired a US Attorney for a good reason. A really, really good reason.
Given that the primary known problem with DiBigio relates to the politicization of justice, it suggests Comey and Margolis may have sniffed out early plans to selectively prosecute Democrats. Which raises particularly troubling questions, given DiBiagio's attempts to investigate associates of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, and ties between an Ehrlich aide and one of the money-laundering vechicles Jack Abramoff used.
In other words, Comey may have raised the example of the two USAs he fired to send a message about politicization he caught in the ranks of the USAs
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/05/03/330763/-Why-Did-James-Comey-Fire-Thomas-DiBiagio#
7. The best reason ever. E-V-E-R to appoint anyone to anything. (See second to last sentence)
Despite his stellar credentials, Comey’s Senate confirmation won’t necessarily be a breeze. Two years ago, he was on the short list to replace Mueller then—before the unprecedented decision by President Obama and Congress to grant Mueller a two-year term extension—and one of the factors working against him then was his key role in the Valerie Plame leak investigation and the indictment of vice presidential aide Scooter Libby. As one source said at the time, “Dick Cheney would call in every chit he has to torpedo Jim Comey.” The weeks ahead will determine whether the passage of time has muted that concern.
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/capitalcomment/fbi/what-you-should-know-about-jim-comey-obamas-choice-to-lead-the-fbi.php
Bonus reason: He's a neo-con's worst nightmare
His two undergraduate degrees are in Chemistry and Religion. We all know that science is to a neo-con what kryptonite is to Superman. How will the gotp be able to grasp a man who believes in both science and God? Aren't they mutually exclusive? Even Michelle Bachman will have difficulty coming up with a conspiracy for this.
Everyone thinks Comey's appointment reflects President Obama laying down for the Republicans. I think it's a huge b*&ch slap. He was involved in everything bad that happened legally during the Bush admin. I'm sold.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Not the change I voted for! Medea Benjamin for FBI Director!!!!!
"THESE (SNEEEEEER) 'PEOPLE' WILL BELIEVE ANYTHING!!!!!!!!"
the "hospital" episode.
He sounds like a law abiding type.
Which surprises me because of the pass the President has given to wall street.
I would be VERY interested to see his instructions on wall st crimes.
AND the pot issue...
OOps, I should have read the above before I posted
