Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Justice Department Violated Hiring Laws


This shouldn't surprise anyone who has followed the pitiful job done by our Justice Department in the last few years. According to an investigative report released by the Inspector General of the Justice Department, Glenn Fine, the department consistently violated federal law with their hiring practices between 2002 and 2006.

For that period of time, the department used political beliefs as a criteria for hiring or refusing to hire new employees. It did not matter how good their grades were or how qualified applicants were, if Justice Department officials believed they were liberals, then they were not hired. They hired only those applicants who were conservatives or Bush loyalists.

It all started in 2002, when John Ashcroft (pictured above) changed the procedure for hiring. Before that time, each department head did his own interviewing and hiring and politics was not a consideration. But Ashcroft changed the procedure to have political appointees involved in the hiring process. These political appointees made conservative political beliefs a requirement for hiring. Alberto Gonzales continued the Ashcroft procedures.

Current Attorney General Michael Mukasey says he has changed the hiring procedure. He said, "I have also made clear, and will continue to make clear, that the consideration of political affiliations in the hiring of career department employees is impermissible and unacceptable."

I hope he is telling the truth, but the Bush administration has told so many lies that it's very hard to believe any of his appointees anymore.

17 comments:

  1. Yeah like Lib appointed AG's never used political belief for hireing.

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  2. Where's the proof that they did?

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  3. I have yet to see any evidence that Mukasey is any better than Gonzales was as AG. If anything, he's the lipstick on the pig that is the Bush Justice Department.

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  4. uh..they're politicians..they all lie.

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  5. Welcome Yellowdog Granny! This old hippy absolutely loves your blog!

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  6. That story there ... that's one of the many reason I despise politics.

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  7. I guess you hae forgotten that Clinton fired almost everyone appointed by Bush 1. Why do you think that happened if not to replace them with like minded, aka, loyal people.

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  8. ALL presidents replace the top positions. That's not what this is about and you know it.

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  9. Yes they do. Now wh o do they replace them with? someone in the opposite party?

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  10. Neither Clinton nor ANY president previous to him ever used political affiliation as a determining factor in hiring rank-and-file employees of the Justice Department. That's because it's against the law to do so.
    But Georgie did it! The law and the Constitution have never prevented him from doing whatever he wanted to do.

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  11. -Clinton nor ANY president previous to him ever used political affiliation-

    Suurrre!!

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  12. bless you my child..I like what I see here too..

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  13. Celtictexan, if you have any evidence that Clinton did anything remotely like what Bush and his cronies have done with the Justice Department, feel free to cough it up.

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  14. Celtictexan, if you have any evidence that Clinton did anything remotely like what Bush and his cronies have done with the Justice Department, feel free to cough it up.

    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9405E4D81F3EF93BA25751C1A960958260

    Bush actually has made more Dem selections than Clinton did Republican selections.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_political_appointments_that_crossed_party_lines

    This is common and in fact legal and expected.

    Cut the hype and use fact. And while your at it why don't you admit that these days regardless of political flavor both parties are the same turd wrapped in different color paper. They are all lawyers out for their selves with no regard for what is good for the average American.

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  15. Once again you're sidestepping the issue being discussed. We are not talking about political appointments - all presidents make political appointments. But only Georgie has tried to use politics as a requirement for All hiring in the department, and that is a violation of federal law.

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  16. But only Georgie has tried to use politics as a requirement for All hiring in the department, and that is a violation of federal law.

    Then why aren't the libs prosecuting and raising hell?

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  17. They should, and I hope they do.

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