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Chertoff to Face Questions About Whistleblower

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 10:06:59 AM EST
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Democrats will question Homeland Security Nominee Michael Chertoff on former Ethics Office Counsel Jessalyn Radack during his confirmation hearing today:

...Senate staffers say he will face sharp questions bout his tenure at Justice, including the decision to order the detention of immigrants and his advice to the CIA on the line between harsh interrogation and tactics that might constitute torture. The incident with the ethics office reflects what several Justice Department lawyers described as pressure to toe a hard line after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. When Jesselyn Radack, a lawyer in the ethics office, gave advice that ran contrary to Chertoff's wishes, she says, her promising career foundered.

She received a terrible evaluation less than a year after getting a merit raise and a bonus. When she leaked her e-mails to a Newsweek reporter and took a job with a private firm, the Justice Department told her employer that she was under investigation. She was forced to leave that job. "No one contests that Chertoff is a brilliant lawyer," said Radack, who is suing the government, "but I was retaliated against for doing my job."

You can read more about Mr. Chertoff and Ms. Radack here.

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    Chertoff to Face Questions About Whistleblower | 3 comments (3 topical)
    Re: Chertoff to Face Questions About Whistleblower (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 11:02:28 AM EST
    et al - The question I have is this. Did she just give advice that he, and/or others, think was incorrect, or did she give advice and insist that it was the only position. I spent quite a few years listening carefully to legal opinions on commercial matters, and giving my input from the marketing/sales side. When management rejected either side, that side had options. They could resign, or they could stay. If they stayed they had options. They could continue to work cooperatively on that, or other projects, or they could become a PITA. (pain in the...) PITA's, if not eventually fired, were placed to one side, and their career was basically over. That's just life in an organization.

    Re: Chertoff to Face Questions About Whistleblower (none / 0) (#2)
    by soccerdad on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 11:27:53 AM EST
    She took a job with a private firm, the Justice department then went to her new employer and told them she was being investigated which led to her dismissal. There are also questions obout conflicting testimony he has given The important issue is apparent pressure on lawyers to adopt positions they felt were illegal and by doing so makes it look like he supports torture and ilegal detentions or at the very least he is not a fan of due process.

    Re: Chertoff to Face Questions About Whistleblower (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 11:55:23 AM EST
    PPJ, here's the lady in question talking about her case: Link

    Chertoff to Face Questions About Whistleblower | 3 comments (3 topical)