WASHINGTON, April 13 — A Justice Department e-mail released on Friday shows that the former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales proposed replacement candidates for seven United States attorneys nearly a year before those prosecutors were fired,in contrast to testimony last month in which the aide said that no successors were considered before the firings.
Repercussions???? Contempt of Congress? Lying under oath?, Ha! Nothing...
I guess, perjury only applies to us simple folk. From what I understand he was suppose to be back to talk to some staffers of the committee, and I think it was today.
That was until these emails were released, and he canceled his appearance.
Let us have a look at the law on lying to Congress, 18 U.S.C. 1001 t talks about anyone who "falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact." Note the word "trick."
If you are asked one question (did you have this in mind before 12/7) and you answer another question (did you have this in mind on 12/7) in order to trick Congress, you are guilty of violating section 1001.
The U.S. Attorney Manual states, "A statement is false for purposes of this statute even if it is a technically true statement, but it is knowingly put to a false use." In one case cited there, the court found that answering a question about the nature of a fee with a truthful answer about what the records show about that fee could still be a violation of 1001 if the answer was intended to avoid the real question.
I love section 1001. It sent away Scooter Libby and Martha Stewart. It would have taken away Caspar Weinberger if he had not been pardoned by Bush I.
Also see, Lawyer: That's No Contradiction.
What e-mails you say...
Those Missing White House Emails.
Finally, CREW is asking Fitz to re-open the case against Karl Rove
Melanie Sloan, CREW's executive director, said today, "It looks like Karl Rove may well have destroyed evidence that implicated him in the White House's orchestrated efforts to leak Valerie Plame Wilson's covert identity to the press in retaliation against her husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson." Sloan continued, "Special Counsel Fitzgerald should immediately reopen his investigation into whether Rove took part in the leak as well as whether he obstructed justice in the ensuing leak investigation."
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