Posted on 05/10/2007 6:25:35 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Thursday that Debra Yang's departure as U.S. attorney in Los Angeles was unrelated to her office's investigation of Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands.
"From what I know, Ms. Yang's resignation was entirely voluntary. She did a wonderful job," Gonzales told a House Judiciary Committee hearing. He said that Yang had financial reasons for going to the private sector last October.
Yang is not among the eight U.S. attorneys whose firings last year have turned into a controversy for the Justice Department. But Democrats have raised suspicions about Yang's case because she left while her office was investigating a powerful Republican - and then she went to work for the firm representing him, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
Testimony also has emerged that former White House Counsel Harriet Miers discussed the possibility of Yang's resignation with Gonzales' former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson.
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles began about a year ago to investigate the relationship between Lewis, then chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, and a lobbyist who had a number of clients in Lewis' district.
"Are you aware - and this has been reported in the press - that when she was hired by the firm, Ms. Yang was conducting an active investigation into Republican U.S. Rep. Jerry Lewis and his financial dealings with a particular lobbying firm? Were you aware of that?" Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood, asked Gonzales.
"What's important for the American people to understand is, despite her departure, that case will continue, as it should," Gonzales said.
"This is more of a perception for the law firm as opposed to the Department of Justice because, as far as I know, we had nothing to do with placing Ms. Yang in that law firm," Gonzales said. "And as far as I know, nothing about that investigation has been impacted or affected in any way by virtue of her going to work in that firm."
Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles, and Randy Mastro, a Gibson Dunn partner speaking on Yang's behalf, both said Yang began interviewing with the firm in the spring or summer of last year. At that point she recused herself from any matters her office was prosecuting in which the firm was involved, they said.
The Lewis investigation became public May 11, 2006, and Lewis hired Gibson Dunn sometime in the next several weeks. It's not clear at what point during that time period Yang began interviewing with Gibson Dunn.
Mastro said the suggestion of a connection between Yang's departure and the Lewis case was "absurd, totally unfounded." He said that Yang had spent 17 years in the public sector and was a single mother with three children.
"To say she was highly sought after in the private sector would be an understatement," he added.
Gonzales said he thought he might be aware of a conversation between Miers and Sampson about a month before Yang's resignation in which Miers asked whether Yang planned to stay in her post or if a vacancy could be created.
"I don't recall her being on a target list for Harriet Miers," Gonzales said. "I think that Ms. Miers may have known about Ms. Yang's concern about continuing to remain on the job for financial reasons. And therefore, that being a very important office, it would be understandable...."
After Sanchez referred to Lewis as a "target" of investigation by the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles, several Republican lawmakers objected.
"As anybody knows, there's a huge difference between an investigation and a target," complained Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Sacramento.
"Mr. Chairman, so that there's no misunderstanding, the department has not confirmed, is not confirming that Mr. Lewis is a target," said Gonzales.
Sanchez agreed to strike the term from the record.
How about getting the Don Perata investigation wrapped up and a Grand Jury convened to review the little family influence peddling business he has run out her for years in California.
Getting a Dem indicted? In the DPRK?
That must be some good weed going up in those wildfires, my man....
Why are the Democrats in Congress interfering with a Justice Department prosecution?
There has been an ongoing investigation for over 2 years , almost 2 and half now,, we had one local
NoCal Fed attorney bite the dust a few months back, so when the AG says the investigating never stops tho a head may roll, well, he had best be ready to prove it, regardless who the target is.. or he will turn out to be as big a disappointment as Ashcroft’s successor as one could imagine.
cough cough .. :0)
“From what I know, Ms. Yang’s resignation was entirely voluntary.”
LOL.
Alberto Gonzalez is little league compared to John Ashcroft. He was appointed with the “Pedro principle” applied....he’s minority window dressing in the GWB admin.
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