[ad_1]
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley on Wednesday called on President Biden not to “fire all of President Trump’s U.S. lawyers” amid ongoing investigations, after the Justice Department said this week that federal prosecutors at the time Trump would be forced to resign from their posts by the end of the month, urging him to “take the time and get it right.”
Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote a letter to the president on Wednesday, saying Biden is “obviously within your right to do this, but four years ago similar action by then-attorney general sessions prompted my colleagues Democrats to sound the alarm “.
BIDEN DOJ WANTS THE ACTING ATTORNEY FROM DC TO REMAIN IN THE ROLE OF SPECIAL ATTORNEY TO CONTINUE CAPITOL RIOT PROBE
Grassley pointed out that Senate Democrats are urging Trump not to halt ongoing cases and investigations, saying he is “obstructing the administration of justice.”
“I echo a lot of those concerns,” Grassley wrote. “It is unfortunate that you are taking these steps without any replacements being announced. It is also of concern that your administration has not consulted with home state senators about this decision and that some of these US lawyers may be involved in sensitive investigations. “
Grassley specifically named US Attorney John Lausch in the Northern District of Illinois, who is overseeing ComEd’s public corruption investigation in the state – a “significant corruption case,” Grassley said, which “would potentially involve the Illinois House longtime president Mike Madigan. “
Last year, federal prosecutors said utility company ComEd admitted providing jobs or contracts “to various associates of a high-ranking Illinois state official.” Although Madigan’s name was not mentioned, a federal court file identifies the official as the president of Illinois House.
Prosecutors say the purpose of the alleged scheme was “to influence and reward the official’s efforts to assist ComEd with regard to legislation regarding ComEd and its activities.” In a press release, the United States Attorney’s Office said “Public Official A” influenced lawmakers regarding legislation that impacted ComEd. As of yet, Madigan has not been charged and has not been formally charged with wrongdoing.
The $ 200 million fine for ComEd is part of a deferred prosecution agreement the company signed. The investigation into the alleged scheme continues and Madigan’s office has confirmed that he received subpoenas for documents related to job recommendations, while insisting he did nothing of badness.
Madigan has served in the state legislature since 1971. He first assumed the role of president in 1983, and has held the position since, except for two years when the Democrats lost their majority. He is the oldest speaker of the State Chamber in the country. His daughter Lisa also served as the state attorney general.
“Mr. Madigan, of course, is widely regarded as the Democratic political ‘boss’ of Illinois and an ally of former President Obama,” Grassley wrote. “It is therefore particularly important that this investigation be allowed to proceed in a manner that does not even give the appearance of political interference from Washington.”
Grassley went on to state that Biden is “the president and the president is, as a rule, entitled to an administration.”
BIDEN DOJ ASKS US LAWYERS APPOINTED BY TRUMP TO RESIGN BY THE END OF THE MONTH
“This includes the Department of Justice. But in the interests of the rule of law and the confidence of the American people in impartial law enforcement, I urge you not to simply fire all of the president’s US attorneys. Trump, with the exception of the two most obviously sensitive – Durham and Weiss, “Grassley said.
“Take the time to get it right. See who has important investigations going on – like Lausch – and make sure the American people have confidence in the independence of the Department of Justice,” Grassley said.
A senior Biden administration official told Fox News on Tuesday that 56 U.S. attorneys have until Feb. 28 to resign – with the exception of U.S. attorney David Weiss in Delaware, who oversees the federal investigation into the “Tax cases” by Hunter Biden, and Special Lawyer John Durham, who is investigating the Russia investigation. Durham will resign from his post as US lawyer, but will be able to continue his investigation as special adviser.
“We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition,” Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson said in a statement. “Until the nominees for U.S. prosecutors are confirmed, the acting and interim leaders of the U.S. prosecutors’ offices will ensure that the department continues to fulfill its crucial law enforcement mission of vigorously advocating for the rule of law and to ensure a fair and impartial administration of justice. for all. “
The Justice Department said earlier this year, “nearly all of the presidential candidates in the previous administration tendered their resignations, although US lawyers and US marshals were asked to stay in place temporarily.”
The DOJ said that before the start of the transition process, about one-third of U.S. lawyers’ offices were already headed by interim or interim leaders.
The Justice Department said the president would make an announcement about Senate appointments “as soon as this information is available”.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about Weiss and Durham on Tuesday, and said “these decisions were made in order to keep his promise to maintain independence.”
Fox News also learned that the Department of Justice wanted Acting U.S. District Attorney Michael Sherwin to step down from the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington, but to become the Senior Judge to take on a Special Prosecutor’s position. to continue. oversee the investigation of the Capitol violation.
Sherwin oversaw the prosecution following the January 6 Capitol riot.
Sherwin is committed to “carrying as many loads as possible depending on the ride.”
Overall, federal authorities charged more than 150 people during the siege on Capitol Hill.
Last week, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged Wilkinson to “refrain from interfering” in the Durham inquiry and the federal inquiry into “tax matters by Hunter Biden as the Senate scrambles to confirm Biden’s candidate for the Justice Department.
The Senate is currently processing the appointment of Judge Merrick Garland to the post of Attorney General.
[ad_2]
Source link