u.s.

DepartmentofJustice

OfficeofLegislativeAffairs

OfficeoftheAssistantAttorneyGeneral

Washington,D.C.20530

July21,2010

HonorableJohnConyers,Jr.ChainnanCommitteeontheJudiciaryU.S.HouseofRepresentativesWashington,D.C.20515DearMr.Chainnan:ThissupplementsourearlierresponsetoyourletterofOctober2,2008,whichrequestedinfonnationabouttheappointmentofAssistantUnitedStatesAttorneyNoraR.DannehyoftheDistrictofConnecticuttodetennineifcriminalchargesarewarrantedbasedoncertainfindingsinthepublicreportoftheOfficeoftheInspectorGeneral(OIG)andtheOfficeofProfessionalResponsibility(OPR)(collectivelyOIG/OPR)entitled"AnInvestigationintotheRemovalofNineU.S.Attorneysin2006"(Report).WearesendingidenticalresponsestotheotherMemberswhojoinedinyourlettertous.Asmorefullyexplainedbelow,Ms.Dannehyhasdetenninedthatnocriminalchargesarewarrantedwithrespecttothismatter.

I.Background

TheOIG/OPRReportnotedthat"[David]Iglesias'sremovalledtoseriousallegations

thathewasdismissedforimproperpartisanpoliticalreasons

namelytoinfluencevoterfraudprosecutionsinacloselydividedstateortoaffectthetimingofapubliccorruptioncaseagainstaprominentDemocratinordertoinfluencetheoutcomeofanelection."Reportat197.However,OIG/OPRconcludedthattheywerenotabletoobtainalltheevidencerelatedtotheseallegations.TheyspecificallynotedtheirinabilitytoreviewrelevantWhiteHousedocumentsandinabilitytointerviewcertainindividualswhomighthaverelevantinfonnationsuchasSenatorPeteV.Domenici,SteveBell,HarrietMiers,KarlRove,andMonicaGoodling.!TheReportconcluded,therefore,thatseriousallegationsofpotentialcriminalconductwithregardtotheremovalofDavidIglesias,includingobstructionofjusticeandtheftofhonestservices/mailorwirefraud,couldnotbefullyinvestigatedorresolved.Reportat199-200.OIGandOPRalsoconcludedthatboththenAttorneyGeneralGonzalesandMr.Sampsonmadevariousmisleadingstatementsandthatfurtherinvestigationwasneededtoconsiderwhetheranycriminalfalsestatementsweremade.Reportat341,347.!AlthoughDepartmentofJusticeemployeeshaveanobligationtocooperatewithOIG/OPRinvestigations,OIG/OPRhadnomeanstocompelinterviewsofindividualsnotemployedbytheDepartment.

TheHonorableJohnConyers,Jr.

PageTwoBasedonaspecificrecommendationintheReport,onSeptember29,2008,AttorneyGeneralMichaelMukaseyappointedMs.DannehytoserveasaSpecialAttorneypursuantto28D.S.C.§515anddirectedthatshe:

1.DeterminewhethertheevidencedemonstratesthatanyprosecutablecriminaloffensewascommittedwithregardtotheremovalofDavidIglesias;

2.Assessthefacts

thattheOIG/OPRinvestigationuncovered;

Conductfurtherinvestigationasneeded,includingobtainingorreviewingadditionaldocumentsorspeakingwithwitnesses;and4.DeterminewhetherevidencedemonstratesthatanycriminalfalsestatementsweremadebywitnessestoCongressorOIG/OPR.

Ms.Dannehy,togetherwithotherprosecutorsandagentsoftheFederalBureauofInvestigation(theinvestigativeteam),soughtandobtainedalldocumentsnotedasrelevantbyOIG/OPRaswellasmanyadditionaldocuments.Theyquestionedover60individuals,includingthoseindividualsOIG/OPRdescribedaspotentiallyhavingrelevantinformation.TheWhiteHouse,underformerPresidentGeorgeW.Bush,fullycooperatedwiththeinvestigation.Theinvestigativeteamdeterminedthat,basedontheevidencealreadydevelopedbyOIG/OPRandCongress,aswellastheadditionalevidencedevelopedthroughthecriminalinvestigation,thatevidencedidnotdemonstratethatanyprosecutablecriminaloffensewascommittedwithregardtotheremovalofDavidIglesias.TheinvestigativeteamalsodeterminedthattheevidencedidnotwarrantexpandingthescopeoftheinvestigationbeyondtheremovalofIglesias.Additionally,theinvestigativeteamdeterminedthattherewasinsufficentevidencetoshowthatanywitnessmadeprosecutablefalsestatementstoeitherCongressorOIG/OPR,orcorruptlyendeavoredtoimpedeacongressionalinquiry.

II.ObstructionofJusticeAndTheftofHonest

ServicesAccordingtotheReport:[I]fthoseseekingIglesias'sremovaldidsotopressureIglesiastoacceleratehischargingdecisionintheCourthousecaseorinitiatevoterfraudinvestigationstoaffecttheoutcomeoftheupcomingelection,theirconductmayhavebeencriminal....[W]ebelievethatpressuringaprosecutortoindictacasemorequicklytoaffecttheoutcomeofanupcomingelectioncouldbeacorruptattempttoinfluencetheprosecutioninviolationoftheobstructionofjusticestatute.Thesamereasoningcouldapplytopressuringaprosecutortotakepartisanpoliticalconsiderationsintoaccountinhischargingdecisionsinvoterfraudmatters.Reportat199.

TheHonorableJohnConyers,Jr.Page

Three

TheOmnibusClauseof18U.S.C.§1503punishesanyonewho

"corruptly.

..influences,obstructs,orimpedes,or

endeavorstoinfluence,obstruct,orimpede,the

due

administrationofjustice.,,2

BecausetheOmnibusClausepunishesonlyendeavorsto"influence,obstructorimpede,"itpenalizesonlyforward-lookingconduct.Therefore,Ms.Dannehysoughttodetermine(1)whethertheevidenceestablishedthatanypersonendeavoredtopressureDavidIglesiastoacceleratehischargingdecisionsintheCourthousecaseorinitiatevoterfraudinvestigationstoaffecttheelection,and(2)whethertheevidenceestablishedthatanyoneinfluencedorendeavoredtoinfluenceajudicialproceedingbyremovingIglesias

thatis,whetherindividualssoughtIglesias'sremovalinordertoreplacehimwithaUnitedStatesAttorneywhowouldactinamanneraimedatinfluencingthedueadministrationofjustice.TheevidencedidnotsupportchargesundertheOmnibusClauseof§1503.TherewasinsufficientevidencethatformerSenatorPeteV.Domenici,otherNewMexicoRepublicans,personsintheWhiteHouse,oranyoneatDOJattemptedtoprospectivelyinfluenceIglesias'sactions.TheweightoftheevidenceestablishednotanattempttoinfluencebutratheranattempttoremoveDavidIglesiasfromoffice,inotherwords,toeliminatethepossibilityofanyfutureactionorinactionbyhim.SenatorDomeniciissuedapublicstatementacknowledgingthatinlate2006hecalledMr.IglesiasandinquiredaboutthetimeframeoftheCourthousecase.Mr.Iglesiasmademanypublicstatementsaboutbeingthreatenedorunjustlypressuredbythatacall.TheevidenceaboutthecalldevelopedinthecourseofMs.Dannehy'sinvestigation,however,wasinsufficienttoestablishanattempttopressureMr.Iglesiastoacceleratehischargingdecisions.And,therewasinsufficientadditionalevidencethatSenatorDomeniciexplicitlyorimplicitlythreatenedMr.Iglesiasthathewouldbefiredifacertaincaseorcaseswerenotbroughtbeforetheelection.

Section1512isnobroaderthan§1503inthiscontext.Onlytwosubsectionsarepotentiallyrelevant:Sectionl5l2(c)(2)penalizes"[w]hoevercorruptly...obstructs,influences,orimpedesanyofficialproceeding,orattemptstodoso...."Inthecontextofthiscase,§l5l2(c)(2)doesnotmateriallydifferfromtheOmnibusClauseof§1503.Sectionl5l2(d)(4)penalizesonlyharassmentthat

dissuades

hinders

institutionofaprosecution

itdoesnotcoverharassmentthat

encourages

suchaction:"Whoeverintentionallyharassesanotherpersonandtherebyhinders,delays,preventsordissuadesanypersonfrom...(4)causingacriminalprosecution...tobesoughtorinstituted,orassistinginsuchprosecution...orattemptstodoso...."Becausetheallegedmisconductinthiscasewasaimedat

promoting