DOJ denies US Attorneys were fired for Indian work

Friday, June 22, 2007  

INDIANZ.COM LISTENING LOUNGE: Opening Statements Panel 1 - Testimony | Q&A Panel 2 - Testimony | Q&A • Hearing Info

A Department of Justice spokesperson denied firing any U.S. Attorneys for their work on Indian issues.

Of the eight federal prosecutors who were dismissed last December, five represented states with significant Indian Country and all were leaders on the Native American Issues Subcommittee at DOJ. Former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger of Minnesota, the chair of the subcommittee, was also targeted for firing.

At a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing yesterday, Heffelfinger said it was "not a coincidence" that so many prosecutors with Indian experience were fired. He said it would be up to Congress to ask Kyle Sampson -- a former aide to U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales -- to explain why certain people were targeted.

Another former Gonzales aide, Monica Goodling, previously told Congress that Hefflefinger was a target because he spent "too much time" on Indian issues.

Get the Story:
Heffelfinger speculates on why he made firing list (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 6/22)
pwlat
Senate hears of tribal law enforcement struggles (The Billings Gazette 6/22)
Domenici's Role Got Downplayed (The Albuquerque Journal 6/22)
Senators vow action to curb violence on Indian land (AP 6/21)
pwpwd

Senate Hearing:
OVERSIGHT HEARING on law enforcement in Indian Country (June 21, 2007)

Related Stories:
Gonzales under investigation for meeting with aide (6/15)
Gonzales not committed to Indian Country (6/13)
No-confidence vote against Gonzales blocked (6/12)
Editorial: DOJ firing squad targets Indian Country (6/8)
Top DOJ aide denies Native voting claims (6/6)
DOJ cut off Indian voting rights probe in Minnesota (5/31)
White Earth chairwoman seeks ouster of Gonzales (5/30)
NCAI concerned about DOJ's commitment to tribes (5/29)
Heffelfinger supports probe into 'broken' DOJ (5/25)
Ex-DOJ aide cites 'concern' about Indian focus (5/24)
Fired U.S. Attorney of New Mexico has Native roots (5/22)
Sen. Tester calls on U.S. Attorney to resign (05/03)
U.S. Attorney in Montana protected by Patriot Act (5/2)
Heffelfinger was a target in U.S. Attorney purge (4/27)
Sen. Coburn tells Gonzales to resign over firings (4/20)
Attorney firings reviewed at Senate hearing (4/20)
Senate panel moves Gonzales testimony to Thursday (4/17)
House committee hits Gonzales with first subpoena (4/11)
Indian Country crime an issue in US Attorney firing (4/2)
Opinion: Fired U.S. Attorney helped Michigan tribes (3/30)
Documents shed light on US Attorney firings (3/20)
E-mails shed new details on US Attorney for Arizona (3/14)
Sen. Domenici hires law firm over US Attorney flap (3/8)
Ousted US Attorneys to testify before House panel (3/2)
Ousted US Attorney cites Republican pressure (3/1)
US Attorney ousted over tribal death penalty cases (2/19)
Hopi woman passed over for interim US Attorney (2/1)
Hopi woman touted as next US Attorney for Arizona (1/29)
Mother Jones: Navajo Nation debates death penalty (1/18)
Bush urged to nominate Hopi woman for U.S. Attorney (01/05)
NCAI wins tribal voter ID lawsuit in Minnesota (11/4)
Hearing set in Minnesota tribal voter ID case (10/29)
Minnesota targeted in Native Vote 2004 campaign (10/14)
County won't allow Indians to use tribal ID to register (10/06)