Attorney General Alberto Gonzales former Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson. (AP)
Gonzales Aide Testifies Story aired: Thursday, March 29, 2007
The firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year took center stage on Capitol Hill today.
The man who organized the firings, Kyle Sampson, a former justice department chief of staff, voluntarily testified before Congress today.
Sampson said the attorneys were let go because they did not sufficiently support President Bush's priorities. He said there is no distinction between firing a U.S. attorney for performance reasons or for political reasons.
But Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy immediately rejected his claims. The Democrats' ire was fueled by the Justice Department's release last night of more internal e-mails and a letter of apology for misleading senators.
Joining us on the line from Capitol Hill is Gail Chaddock, who covers Congress for The Christian Science Monitor.
Guests:
Gail Chaddock
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