Update: The report can be found here.
A long-awaited report into the firings of several federal prosecutors is being released today.
In December 2006, the Bush administration fired eight U.S. Attorneys, five of whom were prominent members of the Native American Issues Subcommittee at the Department of Justice. The former chair of the subcommittee was targeted for firing because officials thought he spent "too much time" on Indian issues but he resigned before he could have been ousted.
The Office of the Inspector
General and the Office of Professional
Responsibility at DOJ investigated the firings, which eventually led to the resignation of former U.S. attorney general Alberto
Gonzales. However, the report being released today said he will not face charges at this time, according to news accounts.
Three sitting U.S. Attorneys -- Diane Humetewa of Arizona, Drew Wrigley of North Dakota and Gretchen Shappert of the Western District
of North Carolina, who currently chairs the subcommittee -- have disputed suggestions that the Bush administration places a low priority on Indian Country
Get the Story:No Grand Jury for Gonzales (The Washington Post 9/29)
pwpwd
Investigation Into Firings Will Not Call for Charges (The New York Times 9/29)
pwnyt Related Stories:
No charges for former attorney general Gonzales (9/2)
No charges for illegal hirings at Justice Department (8/13)
HuffPo: Civil rights probe targets DOJ attorneys (8/6)
Column: High school kids ran DOJ, says Heffelfinger (7/31)
Indian Country advocate hindered by top DOJ aides (7/29)
Report: DOJ appointees broke law on hiring (7/28)
Report: DOJ broke law in hiring young attorneys (6/25)
Indian Country prosecutor ousted over gay rumor (4/9)
Gonzales cites commitment to Indian Country (08/15)
DOJ denies US Attorneys were fired for Indian work (6/22)
Gonzales not committed to Indian Country (6/13)
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)
Heffelfinger was a target in U.S. Attorney purge (4/27)
Attorney firings reviewed at Senate hearing (4/20)
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)