Blaming Sen. Kit Bond for the ouster of Todd Graves — while good political soap opera — simply does not ring true in the context of the overall U.S. Attorneys scandal.
Graves was replaced by Bradley Schlozman — a Bush loyalist who had already gutted the Civil Rights Division. Far from being a Bond person, Schlozman was the first “permanent interim U.S. Attorney” appointed by then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales under a provision that avoided Senate confirmation — a provision sneaked into Patriot Act II a month earlier.
Schlozman proceeded to file marginal “voter fraud” cases and prosecute innocent high-profile Democrats. It defies logic to conclude that Graves’ firing and Schlozman’s appointment were not part of the Karl Rove plan to abuse the Justice Department for political purposes.
No doubt Bush Justice used the Bond-Graves feud as a convenient excuse for the Graves firing. But the true reason was much more sinister and threatening to this Republic.
Philip F. Cardarella
Kansas City
Editor’s Note: Cardarella and his wife, Katheryn Shields, were acquitted of federal mortgage-fraud charges initiated by Schlozman.
Gary,
I agree. The latter option would also shed a little light on some of Jackson County's problems.
Posted by: Marctnts | October 06, 2008 at 01:08 PM
The jury was faced with two choices in the Cardarella-Shields case: criminal or stupid. They chose the latter.
Posted by: Gary | October 06, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Take a chill pill Phil, Attorney Genersls are poiitical appointments, and political firings. The day der Schlickmeister took office he fired every AG in the country. You guys need to get over yourselves.
Posted by: Rogue | October 06, 2008 at 08:29 AM