An Investigation into the Removal of Nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006

Special Report
September 2008
Office of the Inspector General


Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

  1. Methodology of the Investigation
  2. Organization of this Report

CHAPTER TWO BACKGROUND

  1. U.S. Attorneys
  2. Selection of U.S. Attorneys
  3. Department Evaluation and Interaction with U.S. Attorneys
  4. Backgrounds of Department Officials
    1. Alberto Gonzales
    2. Kyle Sampson
    3. Monica Goodling
    4. Paul McNulty
    5. Michael Elston
    6. David Margolis
    7. William Mercer

CHAPTER THREE FACTUAL OVERVIEW

  1. Development of U.S. Attorney Removal Lists
    1. Genesis of Plan to Remove U.S. Attorneys
    2. Process to Identify U.S. Attorneys for Removal
    3. The First List – March 2, 2005
      1. Input from Comey and Margolis
      2. Reaction to the List from the Office of the White House Counsel
      3. Fall 2005 – Further Consultations about the Removal of U.S. Attorneys
        1. Battle
        2. Mercer
        3. Comey
        4. Buchanan
    4. The Second List – January 2006
      1. Sampson’s January 1, 2006, Draft List
      2. The January 9, 2006, Memorandum from Sampson to the White House
      3. The First Removal: Todd Graves
    5. The Third List – April 14, 2006
      1. Heffelfinger
      2. Ryan
      3. The Plan to Replace Cummins with Griffin
        1. Miers’s Request Regarding Griffin
        2. Battle Tells Cummins to Resign
      4. Sampson Suggests that Patrick Fitzgerald Be Removed
    6. The Fourth List – September 13, 2006
      1. Sampson’s “Consensus” Process in Compiling the List
      2. The Removal Plan Takes Shape
    7. Elston’s List – November 1, 2006
    8. The Fifth List – November 7, 2006
      1. Iglesias is Added to the List
      2. The Removal Plan
      3. Reaction to the November 7 List and Plan
    9. The Sixth List – November 15, 2006
      1. The Revised Plan
      2. Execution of the Plan is Postponed
      3. The November 27, 2006, Meeting in the Attorney General’s Office
        1. Gonzales’s Recollection of the November 27 Meeting
        2. McNulty Asks to Add Ryan to the List
        3. White House Approval of the Removal Plan
    10. The Seventh and Final List – December 4, 2006
      1. The White House Approves the Plan
      2. The Implementation of the Removal Plan
  2. The Aftermath of the Removals
    1. The U.S. Attorneys’ Initial Reactions
    2. Concern that the Department Intended to Bypass Senate Confirmation for Replacement U.S. Attorneys
    3. The Department Begins to Publicly Respond to Concerns About the Removals
      1. Articles About Cummins’s Removal
      2. Senators Express Concern About the Removals
      3. Sampson’s January 2007 Briefing of Senate Judiciary Committee Staff
    4. Elston’s Telephone Calls to Charlton and McKay on January 17, 2007
      1. Telephone Call to McKay
      2. Telephone Call to Charlton
      3. Elston’s Description of the Telephone Calls
    5. Attorney General Gonzales’s January 18, 2007, Testimony Before the Senate Judiciary Committee
    6. Cummins Seeks Advice from Elston
    7. McNulty’s February 6, 2007, Testimony Before the Senate Judiciary Committee
      1. McNulty’s Use of the Term “Performance-Related” to Describe the Removals
      2. Attorney General Gonzales’s Reaction to McNulty’s Testimony
      3. U.S. Attorneys’ Reaction to McNulty’s Testimony
    8. The February 8 Letter from Several Senators
    9. McNulty’s February 14 Closed Briefing for the Senate Judiciary Committee
      1. Preparation for the Briefing
      2. McNulty’s Briefing for the Senate Judiciary Committee
    10. Elston’s Alleged Threat to Cummins
      1. Cummins’s Quote in The Washington Post
      2. Elston’s Telephone Call to Cummins
        1. Cummins’s Account of the Telephone Call
        2. Cummins’s E-mail to Bogden, Charlton, Iglesias, Lam, and McKay about the Telephone Call
        3. Elston’s Account of the Telephone Call
    11. The Department’s Response to the Senators’ Letter
    12. Events in March 2007
      1. March 3 Washington Post Article
      2. House and Senate Hearings
      3. Cummins’s February 20 E-mail Surfaces
      4. Moschella’s Testimony Before the House Judiciary Subcommittee
        1. Preparation Sessions
        2. Discussion in Preparation Sessions About White House Involvement
        3. March 5 Meeting at the White House to Discuss Moschella’s Testimony
        4. Moschella’s Testimony
    13. Attorney General Gonzales’s March 7 Op-Ed Article
    14. Additional Documents Come to Light
    15. Sampson’s Resignation
    16. The Scudder Memorandum
    17. Attorney General Gonzales’s March 13 Press Conference
    18. Attorney General Gonzales Directs an Investigation
    19. Attorney General Gonzales’s Conversation with Goodling
    20. Goodling Resigns from the Department
    21. Subsequent Events

CHAPTER FOUR TODD GRAVES

  1. Introduction
    1. Graves’s Background
      1. The EARS Evaluation of Graves’s Office
      2. Graves’s Status on the Removal lists
    2. Reasons Proffered for Graves’s Removal
  2. Chronology of Events Related to Graves’s Removal
    1. The Misconduct Allegations
      1. Allegations Concerning Graves’s Wife
      2. Anonymous Allegations Regarding Graves
    2. Complaints About Graves
      1. Senator Bond’s Congressional Staff Complain About Graves to White House Staff
      2. The Department Learns About Bond’s Staff’s Complaints
    3. Graves is Told to Resign
    4. Department Comments About Graves’s Resignation
  3. Analysis

CHAPTER FIVE H.E. “BUD” CUMMINS

  1. Introduction
    1. Cummins’s Background
    2. The EARS Evaluations of Cummins’s Office
    3. Cummins’s Status on the Removal Lists
    4. Reasons Proffered for Cummins’s Removal
  2. Chronology of Events Related to Cummins’s Removal
    1. Cummins’s Performance
      1. Sampson’s Statements
      2. Department Managers’ Statements
    2. Cummins’s Removal and Griffin’s Appointment
      1. Griffin’s Background
      2. Griffin Learns Cummins’s Name is on the Removal List
      3. Griffin Expresses Interest in the U.S. Attorney Position
      4. January 2006 Removal List Identifies Griffin as Cummins’s Replacement
      5. Griffin’s Nomination Process
        1. Allegation that the Department Intended to Bypass the Senate Confirmation Process
        2. The Pre-Nomination Process
        3. Indefinite Interim Appointment Proposed for Griffin
        4. Griffin Returns to Arkansas as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney
    3. Attorney General Gonzales Appoints Griffin Interim U.S. Attorney
    4. Public Concerns About Griffin’s Appointment
    5. The Attorney General’s and the Deputy Attorney General’s Testimony
    6. The Department’s Written Response to Congressional Concerns About Griffin’s Appointment
    7. Griffin Withdraws
    8. Taylor’s Comment Concerning Cummins
  3. Analysis
    1. Cummins’s Removal
    2. Misleading Statements about Cummins’s Removal
    3. Interim Appointment of Griffin

CHAPTER SIX DAVID IGLESIAS

  1. Introduction
    1. Iglesias’s Background
    2. The EARS Evaluations of Iglesias’s Office
    3. Iglesias’s Status on the Removal Lists
    4. Reasons Proffered for Iglesias’s Removal
    5. Investigative Limitations
  2. Chronology of Events Related to Iglesias’s Removal
    1. Alleged Concerns about Iglesias’s Management
    2. Voter Fraud and Public Corruption Matters
      1. Initial Complaints of Voter Fraud
      2. Representative Wilson’s Complaint Concerning Voter Fraud
      3. Formation of the Election Fraud Task Force
      4. Continuing Complaints About Voter Fraud
      5. Election Fraud Task Force Review of Complaints
      6. Iglesias’s Meeting with Weh Regarding his Handling of Voter Fraud Complaintsx
      7. Complaints to the White House Regarding Iglesias’s Handling of Voter Fraud Cases
      8. Complaints Concerning Iglesias’s Handling of Public Corruption Cases
        1. The Vigil Case
        2. The “Courthouse Case”
      9. Senator Domenici’s Calls to Attorney General Gonzales Regarding Iglesias
      10. Complaints to the Department Regarding Voter Fraud and Corruption Cases
      11. Complaints to Senator Domenici
      12. Complaints to Karl Rove about Delays in the Courthouse Case
      13. Senator Domenici’s Telephone Call to Deputy Attorney General McNulty
      14. White House Communications with Attorney General Gonzales
      15. Iglesias’s Meeting with Rogers
      16. Representative Wilson’s Telephone Call to Iglesias
      17. Senator Domenici’s Telephone Call to Iglesias
      18. Allegation Concerning Representative Wilson’s Telephone Call to Harriet Miers
  3. Iglesias’s Removal
    1. Iglesias is Added to Sampson’s List
    2. White House Knowledge of the Decision to Remove Iglesias
    3. Iglesias is Told to Resign
  4. Analysis
    1. Iglesias was not Removed Because of Management Issues
    2. Complaints about Iglesias’s Handling of Voter Fraud and Public Corruption Cases
    3. Additional Issues
    4. Unanswered Questions

CHAPTER SEVEN DANIEL BOGDEN

  1. Introduction
    1. Bogden’s Background
    2. The EARS Evaluation of Bogden’s Office
    3. Bogden’s Status on the Removal Lists
    4. Reasons Proffered for Bogden’s Removal
  2. Chronology of Events Related to Bogden’s Removal
    1. Obscenity Prosecution
      1. Obscenity Prosecution Task Force
      2. Task Force Request to Bogden and Complaints About His Response
    2. Bogden’s Alleged Lack of Energy and Leadership
    3. Patriot Act Criticism
    4. McNulty’s Qualms About Removing Bogden
    5. Bogden’s Removal and Gonzales’s Concerns
  3. Analysis

CHAPTER EIGHT PAUL CHARLTON

  1. Introduction
    1. Charlton’s Background
    2. The EARS Evaluation of Charlton’s Office
    3. Charlton’s Status on the Removal Lists
  2. Chronology of Events Related to Charlton’s Removal
    1. Charlton’s Discussions With Senator Kyl
    2. Tape Recording Interrogations
      1. Department Considers Tape Recording Policy
      2. Charlton Implements a Taping Policy in His District
      3. Pilot Project for Charlton’s District
    3. The Death Penalty Case
      1. The Department’s Procedure for Death Penalty Cases
      2. The Death Penalty Decision
      3. Charlton Seeks Reconsideration of the Decision
      4. Charlton Asks to Speak to Attorney General Gonzales About the Decision
      5. Attorney General Gonzales Denies Charlton’s Request to Reconsider
      6. Sampson Places Charlton’s Name on the September 2006 Removal List
    4. Obscenity Prosecutions
      1. The Obscenity Prosecution Task Force Requests Charlton’s Assistance
      2. Task Force Complaints About Charlton
    5. Investigation of Congressman Renzi
    6. Charlton’s Resignation
  3. Analysis
    1. Renzi Prosecution
    2. Obscenity Prosecution
    3. Discussion with Senator Kyl About Resources
    4. Tape Recording Policy
    5. The Death Penalty Case

CHAPTER NINE JOHN MCKAY

  1. Introduction
    1. McKay’s Background
      1. The EARS Evaluations of McKay’s Office
      2. McKay’s Status on the Removal Lists
    2. Reasons Proffered for McKay’s Removal
  2. Chronology of Events Related to McKay’s Removal
    1. The Wales Murder Investigationx
    2. The Northwest LInX Project
    3. The Washington State Gubernatorial Election
      1. McKay’s Office Initiates a Preliminary Inquiry
      2. Telephone Call to McKay from Congressman Hastings’s Chief of Staff
      3. Complaints About McKay’s Handling of Voter Fraud Allegations
      4. Statements of Department Officials
    4. 2006 LInX Issues
      1. Contentious Meeting with McNulty and Mercer
      2. McKay’s Bid for a Judicial Nomination
      3. McKay’s August 30 Letter to McNulty
      4. McNulty’s Response to McKay’s letter
    5. McKay Appears on the September 2006 Removal List
    6. McKay is Told to Resign
    7. Allegation that McKay was Removed Because His District’s Sentencing Statistics Were Out of Line
  3. Analysis
    1. Voter Fraud Complaints
    2. Wales Murder Investigationx
    3. Sentencing Statistics
    4. LInX

CHAPTER TEN CAROL LAM

  1. Introduction
    1. Lam’s Background
    2. The EARS Evaluation of Lam’s Office
    3. Lam’s Status on the Removal Lists
    4. Reasons Proffered for Lam’s Removal
  2. Chronology of Events Related to Lam’s Removal
    1. Firearms Cases
    2. Immigration Cases
    3. Lam’s Removalx
    4. Public Corruption Investigations
  3. Analysis

CHAPTER ELEVEN MARGARET CHIARA

  1. Introduction
    1. Background
    2. The EARS Evaluation of Chiara’s Office/a>
    3. Chiara’s Status on the Removal Lists
    4. Reasons Proffered for Chiara’s Removal
  2. Chronology of Events Related to Chiara’s Removal
    1. Chiara’s Inclusion on the Removal Lists
    2. Factual Chronology Relating to Conflict in Western District of Michigan U.S. Attorney’s Office
      1. U.S. Attorney’s Office
      2. Senior Management Conflicts in Chiara’s Office
        1. Rumors and Allegations Regarding Relationship with AUSA and Favoritism
          1. Chiara’s friend is hired
          2. Rumors about their relationship
        2. Meyer Confronts Chiara About her Relationship with the AUSA
      3. Chiara Requests Assistance from EOUSA
      4. Additional Incidents
      5. The Relationship Rumors Spread
      6. Chiara’s Request for an OPR Investigation
      7. Chiara is Given Advance Notice of Her Removal
      8. Chiara’s Removal
  3. Analysis

CHAPTER TWELVE KEVIN RYAN

  1. Introduction
    1. Background
    2. The EARS Evaluations of Ryan’s Office
    3. Status on the Removal Lists
    4. Reasons Proffered for Ryan’s Removal
  2. Chronology of Events Related to Ryan’s Removal
    1. Concerns About Ryan’s Management
    2. Sampson’s Discussions About Ryan in Early 2005
    3. Fall 2005 EARS Evaluation is Postponed
    4. Events in 2006
      1. Ryan is on Sampson’s January 9, 2006, List of U.S. Attorneys Recommended for Removal
      2. Controversy Concerning the Methodology of the EARS Evaluation
      3. The March 2006 EARS Evaluation
      4. The Special EARS Evaluation
    5. The Removal Lists
  3. Analysis

CHAPTER THIRTEEN CONCLUSIONS

  1. Removal Process
    1. Oversight of the Process
    2. Implementation of the Removal Plan
    3. Reasons for the Removals of Individual U.S. Attorneys
    4. Notification to the U.S. Attorneys
  2. White House Involvement in the Removal Process
  3. The Attorney General’s Interim Appointment Authority
  4. The Conduct of Senior Department Officials
    1. Alberto Gonzales
      1. Gonzales’s Statements at the March 13 Press Conference
      2. Gonzales’s Conversation with Goodling
    2. Paul McNulty
    3. Kyle Sampson
      1. Misleading Statements to the White House
      2. Misleading Statements to Congress
      3. Misleading Department Officials
    4. Monica Goodling
    5. David Margolis
    6. Michael Elston
    7. William Moschella
  5. Conclusion

 


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