When it comes to Justice Department investigations, the norm is for investigators not to comment publicly on any case, at least while the inquiry is ongoing.
With this in mind, it seems odd, to put it mildly, that Ashcroft’s Justice Department has authorized federal officials to speak to Congress about the investigation into Sandy Berger’s less-than-scandalous photocopies. If Ashcroft wants to help repair his tarnished reputation, he can start by applying the same standards to Dems and Republicans accused of wrongdoing.
Indeed, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the ranking Dem on the House Government Reform Committee, would like an explanation.
[Waxman] said the department position regarding Mr. Berger, a national security adviser to President Bill Clinton accused of mishandling classified documents, was at odds with how inquiries tied to the Bush administration had been handled.
“For example, in the investigation into the leak of the identity of covert C.I.A. agent Valerie Plame, officials have said repeatedly that they cannot comment because the matter is currently under investigation,” Mr. Waxman wrote. He said the policy was “intended to maintain the integrity of the investigation and protect the individuals involved.”
As Waxman also noted, there seems to have been a sudden flip-flop over the standards in this case.
Waxman said the House committee staff was initially told by prosecutors and archives officials that they could not provide details of the case because of the investigation. But he said more senior department officials reversed that position after being asked to intervene by Republican committee aides.
Mr. Waxman said archives officials were scheduled to be questioned by House investigators on Wednesday and had been told they were “in no way constrained” from talking about the details with lawmakers or their aides. Mr. Waxman asked Mr. Ashcroft to explain why the prosecutors were overruled and whether he would “similarly ‘clear'” officials to discuss other cases, like Ms. Plame’s.
Sounds fair, right? If the DoJ is suddenly willing to have federal investigators talk openly about ongoing investigations, then I’m sure congressional Dems have a few questions about some of the GOP scandals that Republicans on the Hill are trying to keep quiet.