Lam is asked to step down (SD Attorney who prosecuted Duke Cunningham)

[cascadiance]

Well, well! We wonder why Republicans always walk in lock step with each other and don't question authority (no matter how criminal it seems to be). The answer is like the case here with Carol Lam, appointed by the Bush administration, if you try to do the right thing contrary to the Republican owned system, you will get pushed out! Just when I was beginning to respect some of the legal system down here in San Diego, they went after Carol Lam. Anyone want to BET that this is because someone is getting ready to charge Duncan Hunter, Brent Wilkes, Brian Bilbray (on residency issues), etc. with similar crimes soon, and they want to put someone more in their "back pocket" to prosecute them?

We should do a letter writing campaign asking that this be stopped. We need more people like her that priortize the important cases and not get pushed into the corner like so many other legal issues have been around here in San Diego (aka the attempt to appeal the appointment of Brian Bilbray by the congress before the election was finished).

From:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070112-9999-1n12lam.html

Lam is asked to step down

Job performance said to be behind White House firing
By Kelly Thornton and Onell R. Soto
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS

January 12, 2007

The Bush administration has quietly asked San Diego U.S. Attorney Carol Lam, best known for her high-profile prosecutions of politicians and corporate executives, to resign her post, a law enforcement official said.


Carol Lam

Lam, a Bush appointee who took the helm in 2002, was targeted because of job performance issues – in particular that she failed to make smuggling and gun cases a top priority, said the official, who declined to be identified because Lam has yet to step down.

Lam has had high-profile successes during her tenure, such as the Randy “Duke” Cunningham bribery case – but she alienated herself from bosses at the Justice Department because she is outspoken and independent, said local lawyers familiar with her policies.

When she took over, Lam made it clear that she planned to focus less on low-level smuggling cases in favor of public corruption and white collar crime, which would mean fewer but more significant prosecutions.

Lam declined to comment yesterday.

...

“It's virtually unprecedented to fire a U.S. Attorney absent some misconduct in office,” said criminal defense attorney Michael Attanasio, a former federal prosecutor.

...