Perhaps the worst damage is to the image of federal prosecutors, whose role in our democracy is too significant to be soiled by political scheming.

Check out this collection of stories from the Kansas City Star coverage just since May. Look at the dates. See if you find yourself understanding just exactly what’s going on. You will! The KC Star reporters have focus, they pay attention, and they obviously communicate with each other and their peers elsewhere.

Why can’t we get the same out of the rest of the corporate media? We’ll buy your papers, check your web sites, and thank you when we see you if the rest of you will just report the news and follow up on stories. When you put out a great story, follow it, we need the information. Is it too much to ask?

Thank to the Kansas City Star for outstanding reporting on one of the critical issues of our time. Also, thanks to their corporate cousins, the McClatchy Newspapers Washington Bureau for their exceptional work. Focused, in depth reporting on the risks we face helps us all.

N.B. Its 5:13 pm in your nation’s capitol, and the Washington Post has nothing on the front page about Missouri US Attorney Bradley Schlozman’s appearance before congress tomorrow.

ENDS

Permission to reprint granted provided there is a link to this article in “Scoop” Independent News and attribution of authorship to Michael Collins.

Attachments:

US Attorney Dismissals in New Mexico and Washington State

New Mexico: US Attorney David Iglesias. Resigned after failing to bring voter fraud charges that might influence an election.
“Scoop” Independent News March 12, 2007

David Iglesias., New Mexico. “Leaned on” by a Senator and his heir for failing to indict Democrats before 2006 elections.

Senator Pete Domenici, (R-NM), recommended David Iglesias as New Mexico’s federal prosecutor. Imagine the volatile senator’s outrage when he reportedly called and asked Iglesias for a favor. Domenici was concerned about the slow pace of expected indictments of Democrats in election related cases according to Iglesias. Should the indictments come just before the 2006 election, they would help Republicans in tight races. The alleged interference took its toll. Iglesias said “I felt sick afterward. I felt leaned on. I felt pressured to get these cases moving.”

A big part of the pressure was from Congresswoman Heather Wilson, (R-NM). She called Iglesias and reportedly pressured him to indict the same Democrats requested by Domenici. Iglesias would have none of it. Wilson later said that she’d called to help Iglesias with his investigation, an assertion that became the object of mockery among commentators. Regarded as Domenici’s political heir for the New Mexico Senate seat, she was one of those Republicans who would benefit form early indictments of high profile Democrats. Wilson needed every bit of leverage available to win re-election. She won by less than 1,000 votes in one of those controversial elections.

There were no pre-election indictments by prosecutor Iglesias.

Washington State: US Attorney John McKay. Resigned after failing to bring election fraud charges that might influence an election.
“Scoop” Independent News March 12, 2007

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