Legal Commentary

Grand Jury Investigating Testimony Over Hiring Policies in Civil Rights Division

By Jeralyn

The investigation into the firing of U.S. Attorneys by the Bush Administration has branched out and reached a new level. A federal grand jury is investigating whether there was a "political litmus test" for hiring U.S. attorneys in the civil rights division.

“The issue was lying, whether the people caught up in this told the truth or not,” said the lawyer, who insisted on anonymity because grand jury proceedings are secret.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Justice Department lawyers had brought what is known as a grand jury referral focusing on possible perjury by Bradley J. Schlozman, who was acting head of the civil rights division in 2003.

Mr. Schlozman admitted to Congress last year that he had bragged about his success in bringing conservative Republican lawyers into the civil rights division.

Scholzman testified before a Senate subcommittee and it is that testimony that is believed to be the focus of the grand jury. [More...]

Mr. Schlozman originally told a Senate committee last June that while he was acting United States attorney in Kansas City, a Justice Department supervisor “directed” him to bring an indictment in a voter fraud case against a liberal group. Days later, in a letter trying to “clarify” his remarks, he said that the decision to bring the indictment was his and that he took “full responsibility” for it.

Both Alberto Gonzales' lawyer and Kyle Sampson's lawyers say their clients are not the subject of referrals to the grand jury.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 17, 2008 (boomark / email).