Ashcroft Questions

by: huntsu

Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 08:04:10 AM EDT

Following on the post below from Juan Hussein Melli where the Justice Department issued new rules for Deferred Prosecution Agreements in order to give the Republican House members the ability to pretend everything's OK now, here's a call for Blue Jersey's people to post some questions they want to see asked of John Ashcroft when he testifies in front of Congress today.

Here are some questions (in no particular order) we'd like to see asked, and we encourage you to post more in the comments:

Have you or your law firm ever performed the duties of a federal monitor under a deferred prosecution agreement prior to being selected by the US Attorney for NJ for the Zimmer agreement?
Did you approach Mr. Christie or did he approach you regarding the role of monitor for the Zimmer agreement?
Do you or your lawfirm have experience with the medical device industry?
Was there any negotiation of the terms or price between your law firm and Zimmer, or was the deal determined before you or your lawfirm got involved.
What role have you personally taken in the monitoring of Zimmer?
Has Chris Christie at any time discussed his possible political future with you?
How did Chris Christie become familiar with your law firms work in this area that would have led him to choose you as monitor?
Did you suggest to Chris Christie the other former US attorneys who became monitors in this case?
When you and President Bush decided to nominate Chris Christie as US attorney were you aware and/or did you discuss his prominence as a political fundraiser?
Was it standard practice during your tenure for US Attorneys to become involved in state politics such as criticizing sitting Governors and legislators for not approving judges that the US attorney favored?
US Attorney Chris Christie has repeatedly refused to answer questions from this committee and congressmen in his state by citing a DOJ policy that doesn't allow him to answer, despite the fact he has talked to numerous reporters about this issue ?are you aware of such a policy and does it specifically state that US Attorneys can talk to the media while ignoring questions from members of congress?

Remember, your questions below!

huntsu :: Ashcroft Questions

Tags: John Ashcroft, Chris Christie, (All Tags)

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Ashcroft Questions | 2 comments

Oh, come on..... (0.00 / 0)

I can't leave you alone for five minutes before all kinds of needless trouble gets stirred up.

These questions have nothing to do with an internal DOJ administrative matter governing its policy on Deferred Prosecution Agreements.

The DOJ recognized the sensitivity on issues of perception and has adjusted its internal policy on Deferred Prosecution Agreements to reflect the public will. That should end that.

If Congressman Pallone wants to further streamline or eliminate these agreements altogether, that would be just fine too.

Your questions are designed to turn an administrative matter into a witchhunt.

by: TerryMalloy-OnTheWaterfront @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 13:21:35 PM UTC

You're 100% right (0.00 / 0)

"These questions have nothing to do with an internal DOJ administrative matter governing its policy on Deferred Prosecution Agreements."

Let me ask you a question. If Prosecutor A has a good record but gives contracts to friends and benefactors for future considerations is that "and internal DOJ administrative matter" or is it a crime.

These questions are geared at finding out WHY Christie used DPs the way he did, not to determine whether the policy of the DoJ is the right one.

We all know and agree that the DoJ policy is incorrect because it makes it too easy for a USA to use the DPs for personal gain. The question before the committee is whether Christie did that or not.

It's a valid question, and one that may be answered no.

But unless it is asked we will never know. We'll just guess.

And as a matter of prosecutorial policy, that's just stupid.

by: huntsu @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 13:30:23 PM UTC

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