by Laurie Kellman and Mark Sherman
The Associated Press
Attorney General Michael Mukasey named a prosecutor Monday to investigate whether Bush administration officials violated federal law when they fired nine federal prosecutors. The scandal stripped the Justice Department of its leadership, damaged its credibility and sparked a historic showdown in court.
The decision to push ahead on a criminal inquiry follows the recommendation of an internal Justice Department investigation that harshly criticized Bush administration officials, members of Congress and their aides for the ousters, which many considered politically motivated.
Senators of both parties who led a congressional investigation of the firing praised Mukasey’s decision and cautioned President George W. Bush against pardoning anyone involved in the scandal before he leaves office in January.
"The American people will see any misuse of the pardon power or any grant of clemency or immunity to those from his administration involved in the U.S. attorney firing scandal as an admission of wrongdoing," said Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, a Democrat.
Nora Dannehy, a career prosecutor from Connecticut, was named by Mukasey to direct the probe into what role the White House played in the firings of the nine prosecutors and whether any crimes were committed during the ensuing congressional investigation.
Bringing in a career prosecutor was the lead recommendation of an internal Justice Department report released Monday, and Mukasey determined it should be someone from outside Washington.
The report unsparingly criticized Bush administration officials, Republican members of Congress and their aides for the ousters.
In it, Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine and Office of Professional Responsibility Director Marshall Jarrett described an almost total lack of involvement by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and his deputy, Paul McNulty, in decisions to force out the nine federal prosecutors.
Monday’s report, the result of a months-long investigation, was the latest to criticize Gonzales’ management of the Justice Department during his 31 months as attorney general. Gonzales quit under fire last September.
In a statement issued by his attorney, Gonzales said: "My family and I are glad to have the investigation of my conduct in this matter behind us and we look forward to moving on to new challenges."
Gonzales’ attorney, George Terwilliger, noted the report found no unlawful conduct. "It seems rather odd," Terwilliger said, "that rather than bring the investigation to a close, the department would escalate the matter to the attention of a prosecutor."
U.S. attorneys are political appointees who serve at the pleasure of the president, but cannot be fired for improper reasons.