"James, I Beg You to Quit Helping Me"

David Weigel | May 10, 2007

Via TPMMuckracker (the new home of award-winning journalist Laura McGann), here's former House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner asking the Attorney General to indict Rep. William Jefferson.

You'll recall that Gonzales is under fire for allegedly hiring and firing U.S. Attorneys based on partisan politics. The safe assumption: Sensenbrenner is trying some awesome political jujitsu in order to get Gonzales out of office.

Comments

Dave W.|5.10.07 @ 12:30PM|#

The money was for an official in Africa. I have a hard time getting excited about Congressmen who bribe foreign officials, just like I have a hard time getting excited about businessmen who bribe foreign officials.

The freezer angle is pretty sexy, tho.

|5.10.07 @ 1:04PM|#

What is so unusual about money in the freezer. When giving or accepting bribes, checks just don't cut it. It's got to be cold hard cash.

|5.10.07 @ 1:06PM|#

Is there a moral difference between asking for an indictment in a public forum and asking for one behind closed doors?

|5.10.07 @ 1:07PM|#

Maybe Sensenbrenner should offer Gonzo a bribe to hurry up and indict Jefferson.

David Ross|5.10.07 @ 2:06PM|#

To sum up Weigel's point: if a Democratic Congressperson commits a felony under a Republican executive, then it is partisan politics for the feds to punish him for it.

Cool!

|5.10.07 @ 2:18PM|#

You need to listen more carefully. He didn't ask that Gonzales to indict Rep. Jefferson, he asked that Gonzales intervene to "resolve this issue" and have his prosecutors wrap this up as soon as possible, "which I hope is soon". At least, in the youtube clip, he never said "indict the conniving bastard!".

Then again, if memory serves, Jefferson is African-American and Sensenbrenner is obviously a middle-aged, jowl-faced white guy, so this video is evidence of a hate-crime, right?

|5.10.07 @ 2:19PM|#

Or:

If your ally is currently under fire and (apparently) on the verge of losing his job because he is accused of using the power of his office against his political opponents, it may be a bad time to ask him to use the power of his office against a political opponent.

|5.10.07 @ 2:37PM|#

NotThatDavid,

Especially when at least one of the fired USAs was fired because he didn't play ball with a US Senator when that Senator called him on the phone to try to illegally influence an investigation.

|5.10.07 @ 3:28PM|#

You need to listen more carefully. He didn't ask that Gonzales to indict Rep. Jefferson, he asked that Gonzales intervene to "resolve this issue" and have his prosecutors wrap this up as soon as possible, "which I hope is soon".

My God! Asking prosecutors not to drag out an investigation, and bring it to closure sooner rather than later. The outrage! The humanity!

|5.10.07 @ 5:46PM|#

Once in awhile, Hit & Run will have an item that makes me think "Is there some point being made here?". This would be one of those moments.

biologist|5.10.07 @ 5:55PM|#

well, let's just ask David Weigel straight out: David, what point are you trying to make?

|5.10.07 @ 6:08PM|#

"David, what point are you trying to make?"

Ditto.

Bryan|5.11.07 @ 9:34AM|#

This post doesn't seem to fit in Weigel's anti-McCain mantra, so I am also at a loss to understand his point.

|5.11.07 @ 9:02PM|#

Nah, Sensenbrenner's just trying to make the partisan shennanigans that have come to define the Justice Department look like garden variety incompetence.

Congressional Republicans are up to the necks in that dirty business.