Chief prosecutor in Abramoff case quits

[Joyce78]

According to the Dayton Daily News, the Justice Dept said that the chief prosecutor, Noel L. Hillman, in the inquiry is stepping down because he had been nominated to a federal judgeship by Bush. Hillman is chief of the department's Office of Public Integrity and this move ends his involvement in the investigation.

[Tesla]

1. And there goes the case!

[speedoo]

2. Money talks.

And no one knows this better than Rove/Cheney. The Coward just follows their orders.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Holy shit!

What next?

[jsamuel]

4. ...

.......

:banghead:

[thefloyd]

5. Well a little old fashion Payola

Schumer and Salazar called for an Independent Prosecutor. Surely Bush will comply.

[Fridays Child]

6. Does anyone know who's getting the case?

There are good federal prosecutors. Maybe this won't be a disaster.

[Ezlivin]

7. Good career move

Why worry about finishing your job on a corruption case? Who really cares about propriety anyway?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. Duh, I thought Fitzgerald was the chief prosecutor.

[Orangepeel]

11. it is hard to keep all the scandals straight!

Fitz is the prosecutor on the CIA leak case, not the Abramoff case

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. Of course, I read it too fast ! Yes, there are too many scandals

and they are reaching critical mass ! (I hope impeachment)

[sui generis]

9. and this isn't judicial tampering? I think it is.

I have some questions.

1. The nomination to a federal judgeship replaces a position that is currently open, or will be open or has been open how long?

2. Who are the other nominees under consideration. Nobody? Isn't that odd?

Finally, why is it that Bush thinks it's okay to do something to influence or remove a key prosecutor and that whatever it is, threats of violence, extortion, bribery, inducement with a federal judgeship, is not obstruction of justice or judicial tampering, or at the very least, "if no laws have been broken" not utterly unethical and questionable?

god dammit, every day I check in to DU I get closer to having a bloody freaking brain hemmorhage through the left nostril.

The crimes of this administration are so blatant and in-your-face . . .

[cantstandbush]

10. Buying them off, one by one. Are there any decent wealthy people in this

country who have enough money and guts to stand up to these bastards?

[RepublicanElephant]

12. not when they threaten your family. (n/t)

.

[Peace Patriot]

14. Well, maybe it's better if such an easily bribed person is off the case.

Interesting--what kind of judge is he going to make, who feels that being nominated by Bush makes him unable to prosecute Bush-related crimes? So, what happens when the Abramoff case, or some other Bush-related case, lands in his courtroom? Is he going recuse himself because Bush appointed him?