Post by Moses on Feb 9, 2005 17:23:05 GMT -5
February 8, 2005
The Honorable Alberto Gonzales
Attorney General of the United States
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Mr. Attorney General:
As you are likely aware, Deputy Attorney General James Comey appointed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to head the Justice Department's investigation of a Bush Administration official's leak of an undercover CIA operative's name, Valerie Plame. We understand that you have recused yourself from the case because of your role as White House Counsel. We hope that you now will seek the recusal of your three top aides, Chief of Staff Ted Ullyot, Deputy Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson, and Counselor Raul Yanes, for the same reason.
We know you would agree that, considering the sensitivity of the investigation (a high-level Bush Administration official may have illegally leaked the name of a CIA operative), a complete and unbiased investigation is necessary. Investigations of this nature must be handled carefully to ensure the American people can have faith in the administration of justice. We are concerned that your top three aides were involved in how the White House handled the case and now are senior officials at the Department that is directly overseeing it. At a minimum, these officials need to recuse themselves from any briefings, supervision, or other involvement in the matter; in fact, your own recusal would seem superfluous if your aides remained involved.
We would appreciate your immediate reply as to your intentions with respect to these aides and their involvement in the Plame investigation.
Sincerely,
John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member
Henry A. Waxman, Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary
Committee on Government Reform
cc:
The Honorable F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
The Honorable Tom Davis
The Honorable Alberto Gonzales
Attorney General of the United States
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Mr. Attorney General:
As you are likely aware, Deputy Attorney General James Comey appointed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to head the Justice Department's investigation of a Bush Administration official's leak of an undercover CIA operative's name, Valerie Plame. We understand that you have recused yourself from the case because of your role as White House Counsel. We hope that you now will seek the recusal of your three top aides, Chief of Staff Ted Ullyot, Deputy Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson, and Counselor Raul Yanes, for the same reason.
We know you would agree that, considering the sensitivity of the investigation (a high-level Bush Administration official may have illegally leaked the name of a CIA operative), a complete and unbiased investigation is necessary. Investigations of this nature must be handled carefully to ensure the American people can have faith in the administration of justice. We are concerned that your top three aides were involved in how the White House handled the case and now are senior officials at the Department that is directly overseeing it. At a minimum, these officials need to recuse themselves from any briefings, supervision, or other involvement in the matter; in fact, your own recusal would seem superfluous if your aides remained involved.
We would appreciate your immediate reply as to your intentions with respect to these aides and their involvement in the Plame investigation.
Sincerely,
John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member
Henry A. Waxman, Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary
Committee on Government Reform
cc:
The Honorable F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
The Honorable Tom Davis