Stepping through the looking glass into Bushworld

Alice: If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn't be, and what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?

the strange and magical world of george bush...

a problem is identified...

[U.S. District Chief Judge Donald W. Molloy of Billings] wrote to [Attorney General Alberto Gonzales] on Oct. 20, 2005, that [U.S. attorney William W. Mercer] was violating federal law because he "no longer resides in Montana" and was living with his family in the Washington area.

a response is sent...

Three weeks later, on Nov. 10, Gonzales responded to Molloy that Mercer "is in compliance with the residency requirement" under federal law because he "is domiciled there, returns there on a regular basis, and will live there full-time as soon as his temporary assignment is completed."

a bogus fix is cleverly crafted to apply retroactively...

That same day, Mercer had a GOP Senate staffer insert into a bill a provision that would change the rules so that federal prosecutors could live outside their districts to serve in other jobs, according to documents and interviews.

[...]

Mercer made his request to Brett Tolman [now the U.S. attorney in Utah], who was counsel to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), then chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

[...]

The new provision was retroactive to February 2005, several months before Mercer began working at Justice headquarters.

congress acts...

Congress passed the provision several months later as part of the USA Patriot Act reauthorization bill, retroactively benefiting Mercer and a handful of other senior Justice officials who pull double duty as U.S. attorneys and headquarters officials.

but, apparently, the provision was intended only for "loyal bushies..."

[T]he Justice Department [claims] that it fired New Mexico prosecutor David C. Iglesias in part because he was absent from the job too much.

meanwhile, life goes on as usual...

Mercer currently serves as the acting associate attorney general and has been nominated for appointment to the job permanently. He spends only about three days a month in Montana as U.S. attorney...

and they all lived happily ever after...

go on... read it to your kids... it's a great bedtime story...

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