E-mails reveal details about U.S. attorney scandal

I’m going through the e-mail exchanges between White House and Justice Department officials about the decision made last year to fire eight U.S. attorneys. The documents were released today, and I’m looking for interesting tidbits.

The e-mails can be found online by clicking here and here.

For more information on the current status of the scandal, scroll down to read today’s earlier article. Here’s what I found in the e-mails:

• Many have pointed out, as evidence that the current administration wasn’t doing anything unusual in getting rid of the eight last year, that former President Bill Clinton got rid of a number of U.S. attorneys when elected. But in one e-mail that is listed as “confidential,” Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, explains why the current scandal is different.

Sampson is the Justice staffer who resigned Monday as the scandal continued to unfold.

Former Presidents Clinton and Ronald Reagan, his e-mail states, never got rid of attorneys they appointed themselves. They only ousted attorneys appointed by their predecessors. The e-mail discusses the practical barriers to getting rid of attorneys in the middle of a presidential term and ways to overcome those problems.

• In another e-mail to former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, Sampson recommended three prosecutors to be fired – Iglesias’ name is not on the list – but added a carrot at the end.

“If you pushed me, I’d have 3-5 additional names that the White House might want to consider,” Sampson wrote in the April 14, 2006 e-mail.

• In a Nov. 15, 2006 memo included in the e-mail, the Justice Department laid out its plan to fire the attorneys, listing Iglesias as one of seven. Iglesias and Domenici were to be called on the same day to be notified that the administration “has determined to give someone else the opportunity to serve as U.S. attorney.”

The plan included steps to deal with the political fallout, including insisting that “the administration made the determination to seek the resignations (not any specific person at the White House or Department of Justice).”

• In a Dec. 4, 2006 e-mail exchange, staffers discussed the plan to notify the attorneys of their firings on Dec. 7. The day was chosen because, before that, they were all in Washington, D.C. for a conference. Waiting until they returned to their home states would “reduce chatter,” the e-mail states.

In a second e-mail on that day, the plan was finalized. The e-mail states that White House political and counsel offices (headed by Karl Rove and Miers) have signed off, “and acknowledged that we have to be committed to following through once the pressure comes.”

A revised copy of the plan included in that e-mail states that the White House, not Justice Department, was to call Domenici to notify him of Iglesias’ firing.

• On Dec. 7 a staffer wrote that, after being informed of Iglesias’ firing, Domenici’s chief of staff “is happy as a clam” and would get replacement candidate names to the White House immediately.

• In a Jan. 10 e-mail, Gonzales’ chief of staff wrote to Iglesias that he could use the attorney general as a reference.

“Not a problem. Good luck!” he wrote.

Update, 3 p.m.

There’s more. Click here to read Part 3 of the e-mails, and here to read Part 4. Here are some interesting points from them:

• In a Jan. 31, 2006 e-mail, Justice staffers discussed caseloads in New Mexico that Iglesias had to handle. One staffer noted that the Las Cruces office had to handle high numbers of immigration and narcotics cases, which “does squeeze out” the office’s ability to handle other cases. It’s an indication that the department was discussing, as early as January 2006, issues with Iglesias’ performance.

The e-mail makes reference to Iglesias defending himself against a complaint or inquiry from Domenici about the handling of cases.

The e-mail includes a July 2005 report on the status of the District of New Mexico, which was Iglesias’ responsibility, and a meeting with Iglesias. The report states that Iglesias “was well respected by the agencies, judiciary, and the USAO (U.S. attorney office) staff. He provided good leadership to the USAO and was appropriately engaged in the operations of the office.”

That’s important because Justice contends Iglesias was fired, in part, because he was often absent from work.

• E-mails indicate phone calls between Domenici and Justice staffers on Sept. 23, 2005, Jan. 31, 2006 and April 6, 2006.

• In a June 20, 2006 e-mail, a White House staffer wrote that New Mexico GOP heavyweight Mickey Barnett contacted the White House and wanted to meet with someone from the Justice Department to discuss Iglesias. Barnett and GOP Attorney Pat Rogers were to meet with someone the next day, the document states.

• In a Dec. 14, 2006 e-mail, Sampson wrote that the White House “wants this guy” to replace Iglesias, “but Domenici is not so sure.” The “guy” is not named in the redacted document.

“Supposedly, Domenici is going to send over names tomorrow (not even waiting for Iglesias’ body to cool),” the e-mail states.

This reveals that the White House originally wanted someone other than the four candidates Domenici recommended for consideration. It also showed Domenici’s eagerness to get rid of Iglesias.

• Domenici sent his recommendations on Jan. 8. They were Rogers, Jim Bibb, T. Glenn Ellington and Charles Piefer. The e-mail from Domenici Chief of Staff Steve Bell indicates which was the senator’s “overwhelming choice,” but the name has been redacted from the public document.