Justice Dept. Is Criticized by Ex-Official on Subpoenas --NYT

[Demeter]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/01/washington/01chronicle.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

June 1, 2006
Justice Dept. Is Criticized by Ex-Official on Subpoenas

By ADAM LIPTAK

Subpoenas issued last month to reporters for The San Francisco Chronicle were criticized yesterday by a former chief spokesman for Attorney General John Ashcroft as a "reckless abuse of power."

The former spokesman, Mark Corallo, made similar statements in an affidavit filed in federal court yesterday. He said Mr. Ashcroft's successor, Alberto R. Gonzales, had acted improperly in issuing the subpoenas.

"This is the most reckless abuse of power I have seen in years," Mr. Corallo said in an interview. "They really should be ashamed of themselves."

The subpoenas, part of an effort to identify The Chronicle's sources for its coverage of steroid use in baseball, would not have been authorized by Mr. Ashcroft, Mr. Corallo said. "You just don't ride roughshod over the rights of reporters to gather information from confidential sources," he added.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE--A SHORT BUT INTERESTING CAT FIGHT!
THE FIRST TIME I SAW IT, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT ASHCROFT WAS OBJECTING--BUT I'LL TAKE ANY INTERNAL DISSENSION WE CAN GET!

[maddezmom]

1. hmmm, interesting Corallo is Luskin/Roves' spokesman

[tonkatoy57]

2. Oh My

How far through the looking glass have we fallen when the former spokesman for John Ashcroft...John Fucking Ashcroft, yes that John Ashcroft, is calling this "a reckless abuse of power".

Man oh man, we have really hit bottom haven't we? I remember when I thought John Ashcroft was the bottom, now this.

[gratuitous]

3. Gee Mr. Corallo, you started us down this road

And now you don't like where it took us? Some of us were telling you years ago that this was a wrong turn. For our trouble, we got called traitors and your Justice Department ramped up the domestic surveillance of troublemakers like Fresno peace groups and Florida Quaker meetings.

Welcome to the right side of the fight at last, Mr. Corallo. You'll understand if we ask you to walk point for a while?

[kestrel91316]

4. Hey Corallo: You guys made that bed. Now you can damned well

LIE in it.