We edge a bit closer to the truth on where the list of 8 canned US Attorneys came from. From Newsweek …
Justice officials say the dismissals were for “job-performance reasons,” as well as for failure to pursue Bush administration policy priorities. But where did the list of particular U.S. attorneys to fire come from? Two senior Justice officials, who didn’t want to be named discussing the dismissals, tell NEWSWEEK that Kyle Sampson, Gonzales’s chief of staff, developed the list of eight prosecutors to be fired last Octoberâwith input from the White House. In a recent statement, the White House said it approved the firings, but didn’t sign off on specific names.
“With input from the White House.” I’ll bet.
Here’s a bit on Sampson’s background from a DOJ press release: “Prior to his service with Attorney General Gonzales, Kyle Sampson served in the Department as Counselor to Attorney General John Ashcroft and in the White House as Associate Counsel to the President. He also served as Counsel to Senator Orrin G. Hatch on the Senate Judiciary Committee.”
