by James Oliphant
The Justice Department’s Inspector General, Glenn Fine, says he intends to examine whether departing Atty. Gen Alberto Gonzales gave false or misleading testimony before Congress concerning the U.S. attorney imbroglio and other matters.
Responding to a letter from Sen. Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Senate Judicary Committee, Fine indicated today that his office’s ongoing investigations into the firings of nine U.S. attorneys by the Justice Department, as well as its probes into politically-motivated hiring at the department and the legal rationale offered for the administration’s warrantless surveillance program, would include an examination of Gonzales’ statements to Congress. Some of Gonzales’ testimony this spring was contradicted by later testimony of former DOJ officials.In a statement, Leahy said he was pleased by the development: “The current Attorney General is leaving, but these questions remain. It is appropriate that the Inspector General will examine whether the Attorney General was honest with this and other Congressional committees about these crucial issues.
The Inspector General’s office is independent of the Justice Department. Typically it produces a report summarizing its findings when an investigation has been concluded. It has no authority to punish or discipline a government official.
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