Schlozman Testimony

Schlozman almost put Gonzales to shame with his bad memory. "I don't recall, I can't remember" It was driving the Senators crazy, especially Leahy!

But the high pitched voice of this man was almost comical. I tuned in to C-Span to listen to the testimony rather late. I didn't have the video right away so was listening to the audio. I thought a woman was speaking.

Schlozman got himself into trouble a few times as you will see later in this post. Leahy was questioning him at the time.

Here, from TPM Muckraker is a synopsis of what happened:

Bradley Schlozman pointed to Craig Donsanto in his testimony today when he was asked who gave him the go ahead to press criminal voter fraud charges days before the 2006 midterm election, in an apparent violation of agency policy.

Donsanto, though, is the director of the Election Crimes branch of the Justice Department and author of the manual outlining that policy. It seems a bit surprising that he'd be the one to approve skirting that election policy, when he'd literally written the manual.

Schlozman's account also conflicts with an email former U.S. Attorney from New Mexico, David Iglesias sent to a Department of Justice legislative aide in 2004, just before an election. The email, contained in a DOJ document dump in April, shows Donsanto's stance was on bringing charges just before an election:

There will be another meeting of the EFTF (Election Fraud Task Force) on Wed, Oct. 6. Craig Donsanto has not authorized the FBI to open any case.
...

The federal members of the EFTF should be aware of the DoJ policy of not attempting to influence the outcome of an election through investigation or prosecution. I am not aware of any prosecution which will commence before November 2, 2004. I know Donsanto would not authorize such action because he has stated the same.

Note that last line again: " I am not aware of any prosecution which will commence before November 2, 2004. I know Donsanto would not authorize such action because he has stated the same."

Perhaps Donsanto changed his mind on these matters between 2004 and 2006. But on its face Iglesias' account of Donsanto's view of this question seems starkly different from the account Schlozman provided today in his testimony.

Here's the video of his testimony:

Schlozman Delaying testimony for vacation

Josh Marshall over at TPM Muckraker says:

Schlozman Testify Delayed till June By Vacation
By Josh Marshall - May 11, 2007, 9:20 PM

Today Richard A. Hertling informed the Senate Judicary Committee that Bradley Schlozman would not be able to testify before the Committee on May 15th because Schlozman will be on a previously scheduled vacation.


I guess without a subpoena he can do that. Is it a vacation or is it a meeting with lawyers for his defense?

Schlozman Scheduled for Senate Hearing.

Schlozman, the newest golden boy of deceit from the US Attorneys firing debacle, is schduled to appear before the Senate Judicial committee on May 15.

Check out TPM Muckracker for all their reporting on Schlozman and check Talking Points Memo to see the letter from Senator Leahy requesting his presence.

Josh Marshall also has his TPMtv video with more on this story.

Now the question is will Schlozman show up? Will he invoke the 5th amendment as did Monica Goodling? Will he need to be subpoenaed?

Olbermann and Maddow Discuss Schlozman

Here's the video from Countdown with Keith Olbermann via Crooks and Liars:

Where Does the Politicization of Justice End?

Rachel Maddow explains.

McClatchy: Congress considers broadening Justice Department inquiry

Bradley Schlozman, the newest under investigation for trying to politicize the DOJ and the appointments of US Attorneys.

From McClatchy News:

Congressional investigators are beginning to focus on accusations that a top civil rights official at the Justice Department illegally hired lawyers based on their political affiliations, especially for sensitive voting rights jobs.

Two former department lawyers told McClatchy Newspapers that Bradley Schlozman, a senior civil rights official, told them in early 2005, after spotting mention of their Republican affiliations on their job applications, to delete those references and resubmit their resumes. Both attorneys were hired.

One of them, Ty Clevenger, said: "He wanted to make it look like it was apolitical."

Schlozman did not respond to phone calls to his home Sunday.

But he denied the allegations in an earlier phone interview with McClatchy Newspapers and through a department spokesman. In the interview he said he "tried to de-politicize the hiring process" and filled jobs with applicants from "across the political spectrum."

Attention is turning to Schlozman after the announcement last week that the Justice Department opened an internal investigation to determine whether Monica Goodling, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' White House liaison, illegally took party affiliation into account in hiring entry-level prosecutors. The department's inspector general and its Office of Professional Responsibility are conducting that inquiry jointly.

Federal law and Justice Department policies bar the consideration of political affiliation in hiring of personnel for non-political, career jobs.

A congressional aide, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that the House and Senate Judiciary Committees want to look beyond Goodling to see whether other department officials may have skewed recruiting and hiring to favor Republican applicants. Investigators have heard allegations that Schlozman showed a political bias in hiring and hope the department will permit him to be interviewed voluntarily, the aide said.

Oh, there is much more at the link. When will his subpoena be issues?