Bush signs bill to preserve US Attorneys’ ‘independence’

Michael Roston, Raw Story

Late on Thursday, President George W. Bush signed into law the “Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007.” The bill, which was introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), removed a controversial provision at the heart of the current US Attorneys controversy that allowed the Attorney General to appoint US Attorneys on an interim basis for an indefinite period of time. Critics said the measure allowed the Justice Department to do an ‘end-run’ around Senate confirmation of controversial picks for the powerful prosecutor posts.

Earlier in the day, as RAW STORY reported, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, suggested that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had once again used the authority that the President later overturned with his signature to grant an interim appointment to a US Attorney.

(Original Article)