Paul McNulty Resigns

Carol Lam issued a warrant to search the home of Kyle Dustin "Dusty" Foggo on May 9th 2006. He is an ex-CIA official who is linked to the Duck Cunningham scandal. Kyle Sampson quickly issued this DoJ email.

"the real problem we have right now with Carol Lam that leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires."

Sampson sent the email to the White House council on May 11th. The two Justice Department officials Lam informed about the warrant are Alberto Gonzales and Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty. The latter is now resigning for family reasons.

"The financial realities of college-age children and two decades of public service lead me to a long overdue transition in my career," McNulty said in the letter, which did not mention the firings controversy.

McNulty was probably forced oyt for not maintaining the fantasy-based narrative.

On Feb. 6, McNulty told a Senate panel that at least one of the ousted prosecutors was asked to leave without cause — Bud Cummins in Little Rock, Ark., who was told to resign so that Tim Griffin, a former aide to Rove and the Republican National Committee, could take his place.

Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers responds to McNulty's resignation.

“Mr. McNulty’s resignation is a sign that top level administration at the Justice Department may be crumbling under the pressure of ongoing revelations, and what is yet to be disclosed. With this news and as we press on with our investigation, we look forward to his cooperation.”

I smell another immunity deal.

Gonzales Studies For Congressional Hearings

Alberto Gonzales is an embarrassment even by Bush administration standards. He makes Donald Rumsfeld look good.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has virtually wiped his public schedule clean to bone up for his long-awaited April 17 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee—a session widely seen as a crucial test as to whether he will survive the U.S. attorney mess. But even his own closest advisers are nervous about whether he is up to the task. At a recent "prep" for a prospective Sunday talk-show interview, Gonzales's performance was so poor that top aides scrapped any live appearances. During the March 23 session in the A.G.'s conference room, Gonzales was grilled by a team of top aides and advisers—including former Republican National Committee chair Ed Gillespie and former White House lawyer Tim Flanigan—about what he knew about the plan to fire seven U.S. attorneys last fall. But Gonzales kept contradicting himself and "getting his timeline confused," said one participant who asked not to be identified talking about a private meeting. His advisers finally got "exasperated" with him, the source added. "He's not ready," Tasia Scolinos, Gonzales's public-affairs chief, told the A.G.'s top aides after the session was over, said the source. Asked for comment, Scolinos told NEWSWEEK: "This was the first session of this kind that we'd done."

Kevin Drum suggested that if Gonzales told the truth he wouldn't have this problem. Even if Gonzales told the truth he would need his aides to tell him what to do. The Michael Isikoff article reports Gonzales is lost without Kyle Sampson and Paul McNulty telling him what to say. The White House had to bring in David Addington from Cheney's office to hold Gonzales's hand. I have less faith in Gonzales's abilities than Drum. Which his properly isn't much.

This is the man President Bush picked to be his personal consigliere. The blind leading the deaf.

Carol Lam Firing

The Justice Department scandal just gets more disgusting.

WASHINGTON - Fired San Diego U.S. attorney Carol Lam notified the Justice Department that she intended to execute search warrants on a high-ranking CIA official as part of a corruption probe the day before a Justice Department official sent an e-mail that said Lam needed to be fired, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Sunday.

The search warrant was intended for Kyle Dustin "Dusty" Foggo. He was indicted for his involvement in the Randy "Duke" Cunningham bribery scandal.

Kyle Sampson (no surprise) sent the email on dismissing Lam.

"the real problem we have right now with Carol Lam that leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires."

Sampson is refusing to comment on the email. Through his lawyer, no less.

Who did know that Lam was going to search Foggo's residence was Alberto Gonzales and Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty. Cases of that sensitive of a nature demand that the Attorney General know. Lam sent a report at 10:16 a.m. on May 10. The question is did Gonzales tell his right hand man Sampson?

Update: John Conyers has scheduled a vote on subpoenas. That means it is highly likely Karl Rove, Scott Jennings, Harriet Miers and William Kelley will have to testify.