A new letter to Sen. Schumer re: Mukasey

I am sending the following letter to Sen. Chuck Schumer regarding his support of Michael Mukasey for Attorney-General:

Dear Sen. Schumer,

I am again writing about your questionable support of Michael Mukasey for Attorney-General. The New York Times reported on Saturday that "The Justice Department and the C.I.A.'s inspector general have begun a preliminary inquiry into the destruction of tapes, and Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said the department would not comply with Congressional requests for information now because of 'our interest in avoiding any perception that our law enforcement decisions are subject to political influence.'

I don't think any of us who were suspicious of your support of Mukasey because of his disingenuous testimony during his confirmation hearings thought he would come back to bite you so soon. I don't know what kind of person he was before he entered the Bush/Cheney dimension, but like all others who enter there he is carrying their contaminated water. You said you were supporting him to avoid Bush appointing an interim AG who wouldn't put the department back on its feet. Is denying the constitutional independence of congress what you meant?

It's clear who Mukasey believes he works for (and it's not the American people). The question is now, who do you work for? And what are you going to do to stop Mukaey's stonewalling of Congress. He is after all your responsibility.

Mukasey's explanation of his refusal to cooperate with Congress holds about as much water as did his testimony on water boarding before Congress. We simply can't afford Gonzales redux. Now it's up to you to fight for the Constitutional independence of Congress and its right to investigate the executive branch.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Dan Cohen
(gaelinc@gmail.com)