AP: Federal prosecutor sues Ashcroft

[Insane3D]

Lawsuit alleges Justice Dept. interfered with terrorism caseThe Associated Press

Updated: 6:34 p.m. ET Feb. 17, 2004

WASHINGTON - A federal prosecutor in a major terrorism case in Detroit has taken the rare step of suing Attorney General John Ashcroft, alleging the Justice Department interfered with the case, compromised a confidential informant and exaggerated results in the war on terrorism.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino of Detroit accused the Justice Department of ?gross mismanagement? of the war on terrorism in a lawsuit filed late Friday in federal court in Washington.

Justice officials said Tuesday they had not seen the suit and had no comment.

The suit is the latest twist in the Bush administration?s first major post-Sept. 11 terrorism prosecution, which is now in danger of unraveling over allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.

Convertino came under internal Justice Department investigation last fall after providing information to a Senate committee about his concerns about the war on terrorism. His testimony came just months after he helped convict some members of an alleged terrorism cell in Detroit.

Link

 

[Nietzscheusw]

<< Convertino is seeking damages under the Privacy Act, alleging he has been subjected to an internal investigation as retaliation for his cooperation with the Senate and that information from the internal probe was wrongly leaked to news media.


The lawsuit includes excerpts of an e-mail from another prosecutor in the case that Convertino says ?identified some of the gross mismanagement which was negatively impacting the ability of the United States to obtain convictions in a major terrorist case.?

The e-mail from the other prosecutor shows he complained at the time that efforts by Justice?s terrorism unit in Washington to ?insinuate themselves into this trial are, nothing more than a self-serving effort to justify the existence? of the unit.

E-mail blasts Justice terrorism unit
?They have rendered no assistance and, are in my judgment, adversely impacting on both trial prep and trial strategy,? the e-mail cited in the lawsuit states.

Convertino also accused Justice officials of intentionally divulging the name of one of his confidential terrorism informants to retaliate against him.

The leak put the informant at grave risk, forced him to flee the United States and ?interfered with the ability of the United States to obtain information from the (informant) about current and future terrorist activities,? the suit alleges.

No comment from Department of Justice
Justice Department spokesman Mark Corallo declined to comment.
Convertino came under internal Justice Department investigation last fall after telling a Senate committee of his concerns.

?Whistleblowers put a lot on the line to protect the public,? Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said Tuesday. ?They deserve strong protections against intimidation, harassment, demotion or even dismissal for doing the right thing.? >>

 

[JackStorm]

*eyes twitch*

If this is true, then it's just another in a long line of things showing that, that bastard Ashcroft and his people need to be removed, asap. Filthy, traitorous, constitution rapist bunch, all of them. These people have no respect for other peoples privacy or the constitution. Hope they lock him up and throw away the key (not that it will ever happen).

[rant]
P.S: Yes, I seriously dislike(borderline hate) that man (Ashcroft) and if he were to talk infront of a car and get himself killed, I wouldn't miss him for one second (I can't belive actuly feel such, for a lack of a better word "hate" towards another human being, must think happy thoughts now, to balance it).
[/rant]

 

[sMiLeYz]

What a surprise, one of Bush's cronies compromises National Security again for politics. This is almost expected.

 

[tnitsuj]

Originally posted by: JackStorm
*eyes twitch*

If this is true, then it's just another in a long line of things showing that, that bastard Ashcroft and his people need to be removed, asap. Filthy, traitorous, constitution rapist bunch, all of them. These people have no respect for other peoples privacy or the constitution. Hope they lock him up and throw away the key (not that it will ever happen).

[rant]
P.S: Yes, I seriously dislike(borderline hate) that man (Ashcroft) and if he were to talk infront of a car and get himself killed, I wouldn't miss him for one second (I can't belive actuly feel such, for a lack of a better word "hate" towards another human being, must think happy thoughts now, to balance it).
[/rant]

Seek help.

 

[JackStorm]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: JackStorm
*eyes twitch*

If this is true, then it's just another in a long line of things showing that, that bastard Ashcroft and his people need to be removed, asap. Filthy, traitorous, constitution rapist bunch, all of them. These people have no respect for other peoples privacy or the constitution. Hope they lock him up and throw away the key (not that it will ever happen).

[rant]
P.S: Yes, I seriously dislike(borderline hate) that man (Ashcroft) and if he were to talk infront of a car and get himself killed, I wouldn't miss him for one second (I can't belive actuly feel such, for a lack of a better word "hate" towards another human being, must think happy thoughts now, to balance it).
[/rant]

Seek help.

Don't worrie about me, I'm harmless. Just because I have sadistic, hatefilled thoughts now and then, doesn't mean I act on them (exept for spewing off some random rants about Ashcroft and his ilk).

Anyway, thanks for recomending I seek help. Not that any of those hacks would in anyway help me solve my issues. Altough, next time, try not to go off topic, this thread is about Ashcroft, not my mental health.