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Attorney General

Grand Jury Referral Filed in U.S. Attorneys Case, Focuses on Civil Rights Division

Posted Jun 16, 2008, 06:28 am CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss

A grand jury referral focusing on political meddling in the Justice Department's civil rights division has been filed in the probe of U.S. attorney firings.

The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports that the referral focuses on possible perjury by Bradley Schlozman, who left the Justice Department last year. At the time, he faced criticism for bragging about hiring Republicans for career positions when he led the civil rights division. He also was criticized for bringing voter fraud charges against a liberal group shortly before an election when he was serving as interim U.S. attorney in Kansas City, Mo.

A Washington Post story published last year said Schlozman acknowledged in congressional testimony that he had bragged about his hiring but denied politics played a part in actions against career employees.

Six officials told the Washington Post they overheard Schlozman making political remarks about employees and observed him making career decisions apparently based on political motivations.

He also testified before Congress about the voter fraud case and denied that the timing violated DOJ guidelines for politically sensitive investigations, the Wall Street Journal story says.

The Journal story says it is unclear which of Schlozman’s comments are the focus of prosecutors.

The investigation began in 2006 as a probe into the firings of at least eight U.S. attorneys.

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