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FBI raids DOJ

Well this Laser Haas guy is some sort of hero to me, and I'll share one of his recent eMails with ya'll below. Here is a summary of the exciting news on the Bankruptcy Ring front:

  • The FBI raids the office of a senior DOJ lawyer responsible for protecting whistle blowers
  • Then they raid his home!
  • Diane Feinstein takes a stand against public corruption and demands an explanation from Mukasey
  • The head of the DOJ's Criminal Division resigns


  • Dear underpaid, overworked, underappreciated BigLaw pledges:

    You will have realized by now that you will never make partner at your employer. Or should we call your lawfirm a fee pyramid, or a Ponzi scheme, masquerading as a merit based professional corporation?

    Whatever.

    You should have known that there would never be enough room at the top. Perhaps it doesn't matter. Your firm may very well become one of the exemplary dominoes in the unfolding backlash against the corruption of law firm protectionism as undertaken by certain DOJ lawyers on behalf of their former and prospective employers. Like you knew years ago that Bear Stearns was going down?

    That sucking sound ain't NAFTA, it is the sound of intensive "brown nose" wheeling and dealing by your better informed superiors as they "maneuver" for some sort of safe harbor for themselves. Then, some number of front line lawyers such as you will no doubt be chosen to take one for the team. Well ... maybe not one, could be say ... three to five?

    Anyway, if you've ever watched Survivor or The Batchelor you should know by now that talent and integrity don't matter at the end of the show. There will only be so many granted immunity to continue in the game.

    Know what I mean Vern?

    So by all means, if you really do trust those people you have been working for all these years, then just stay quiet and ignorant for as long as you can with a straight face. Once this new wave of anti-corruption cathartic cleansing crashes upon the shores, it may be too late for you to wake up and take care of your family's breadwinner. You can't barter with dirt that has already been disclosed. Once the Feds get their info - the deal window will be closed.

    Crying at the last minute only helps on Dancing With The Stars and American Idol - and believe me none of you lawyers is going to get any sympathy votes from the American public. Not after the example prosecutions of Martha Stewart, Li'l Kim, and Barry Bonds.

    Best wishes for your redemption,

    Haimchinkel Malintz Anaynikal

    ______________________
    ______________________



    From: KennyC < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
    To: Laser Haas < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
    Subject: Fw: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein responding to your message --- The eToys investigation is coming....
    Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 9:27 pm
    We thank Senator Feinstein and her colleagues for stepping up and Standing Tall!

    It is hard for those that are entrusted with esteemed responsibility for so many, to take
    the time out to address the issues that affect a few.

    However, with overwhelming documentation that the Central part of our Dept of Justice functions,
    the key element of Integrity, is seriously in question, then the Truth must be ascertained.

    Below you will see amazing things are happening in the FBI efforts to halt corruption and cronyism within our system of Justice. The Head of the Dept of Justice Criminal Division, Alice Fisher, is resigning. Senator Feinstein sent an Official Letter to Mukasey to ask him to explain the disbanding of the public corruption unit (that speciously occurred after we documented rogue personnel in the Dept of Justice are assisting Organized Criminal activity in Delaware)
    and now the FBI has raided the office and home of the US Special Counsel who apparently paid someone to destroy the case files, where it is alleged that whistle blowers are being punished and cases are ignored.

    We can only say thank you much, it is About time.

    Stand up and fight for your American way of life
    or
    LET IT GO!


    Sincerely
    Laser Haas

    ----- Forwarded Message ----
    From: "redacted"
    To: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
    Sent: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 1:43:36 PM
    Subject: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein responding to your message



    Dear Mr. Haas:



    Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about the decision to eliminate the public corruption section in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. I appreciate hearing from you on this important topic and I welcome the opportunity to respond.



    As you may be aware, in March, I sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, calling for an explanation about the decision to disband and eliminate the Public Corruption Unit in Los Angeles. Like you, I have concerns about the potential impact of the reassignment of the 17Assistant United States Attorneys currently assigned to the public corruption/environmental crimes unit in the Los Angeles office. By eliminating such a critical unit, I am particularly concerned that future cases of public corruption may not be effectively and rigorously pursued. I have enclosed a copy of the letter sent to the Attorney General for your information.



    Please know that I have read your letter with interest and I appreciate you bringing your concerns to my attention. Be assured that I will continue to monitor this situation, given the important principles at stake.



    Again, thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to keep me informed --



    ----------------------------------------------





    WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The FBI has raided the office of U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch in an inquiry of whether he obstructed justice by having his computer files erased.

    FBI officials said computers and documents were seized from Bloch's office during the raid Tuesday morning.

    Investigators say Bloch is suspected of hiring an outside company to scrub his computer amid a federal investigation of alleged misconduct in his office.

    The inquiry has been under way for more than a year and is looking into charges of intimidation and retaliation against whistle-blowers among staff members working in Bloch's agency.

    The Office of Special Counsel is responsible protecting the rights of federal workers and ensuring that government whistle-blowers are not subjected to reprisals.

    Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.







    Whistle-blower groups demanded that Bloch follow suit, and called on the White House to secure his resignation immediately. White House spokesman Tony Fratto declined comment.

    ''The fact is, this office is not functioning, this office does not protect whistle-blowers and this office is not meeting its mission,'' said Debra Katz, an employment lawyer representing the Special Counsel employees who filed the 2005 complaint. ''President Bush needs to just tell this man that he needs to resign. There has been misconduct and he should not be allowed to continue his mission.''








    Head of DOJ's Criminal Division Moving on

    Alice Fisher has given notice of her intent to leave as the head of DOJ's criminal division. The date of departure is set for May 23rd. In addition to her efforts in combatting international organized crime, chairing the Katrina Fraud Task Force, and her role in the Medicare Fraud Task Force, the department notes in a press release that:

    "Ms. Fisher promoted efforts to ensure integrity in the government, including developing and chairing the National Procurement Fraud Task Force. Since its inception, the Task Force has charged, convicted, or brought civil actions in more than 300 cases, including 46 individuals or companies criminally charged in procurement fraud related matters to the global War on Terror. Additionally, the Criminal Division has led high profile public corruption investigations including the Abramoff prosecutions that have resulted in 12 convictions to date and the ongoing investigation into public corruption in state government in Alaska."











    March 26, 2008





    The Honorable Michael Mukasey

    Attorney General of the United States

    United States Department of Justice

    950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

    Washington, DC 20530



    Dear Attorney General Mukasey:



    I write to express my concern about the recent decision to eliminate the public corruption section in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.



    According to press reports, the 17 Assistant United States Attorneys assigned to the public corruption/environmental crimes unit in the Los Angeles office are being reassigned to other sections within the office. Public corruption cases will now apparently be mixed in with other types of cases and handled by a larger pool of prosecutors, rather than by a specialized section. Press articles have also mentioned the low morale and ill will that this decision has generated among prosecutors in the Los Angeles office, as well as the need to train new prosecutors to bring them up to speed on the complexities involved in corruption investigations.



    While I respect the need for U.S. Attorney's to make necessary management decisions, I have serious concerns about the potential impact of this change.



    The decision raises serious questions about the future of public corruption cases, and whether they will be as vigorously pursued in the Central District of California especially given all the turn over and disruption that has occurred. And now, by eliminating the corruption unit, I am concerned that the Los Angeles office is sending a message that these cases will not receive sufficient attention, resources, and leadership.



    Public corruption cases are ranked first on the FBI list of criminal priorities, ahead of fraud and organized crime - the units that will now apparently have the primary responsibility for prosecuting corruption cases in Los Angeles. There appears to be a disconnect between the FBI and the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney's office on this issue. I want to ensure that these cases will be vigilantly pursued by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.



    Please provide me with the Department of Justice's rationale behind eliminating the public corruption unit in Los Angeles, including the specific facts, statistics, and circumstances that drove this decision. What initiated this decision? Who was consulted before making this decision? What was the role of Main Justice and the White House, if any? Did any of the DOJ's prosecutors in the Criminal Division's Public Integrity Section have any input into the decision-making process? How will this decision affect the public corruption cases that have been and are currently being investigated in Los Angeles?



    I would appreciate your immediate attention to this issue, and look forward to your response to my letter.

    Sincerely yours,

    Dianne Feinstein
    United States Senator

    Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the Nation are available at my website http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/. You can also receive electronic e-mail updates by subscribing to my e-mail list at http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ENewsletterSignup.Signup.