Nobody told Biden about the federal monitors controversy
By Wally EdgeSome House Democrats are touting stories that the Justice Department has awarded mega million dollar federal monitor contracts to oversee deferred prosecution agreements (dpas)to thirty politically connected former prosecutors and government officials as a fledgling scandal, but one key Senate Democrat says he hasn't heard about it yet.
U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE), a member (and former Chairman) of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was asked about a New York Times editorial and story on federal monitors and dpas at a press availability yesterday for Frank Lautenberg's re-election campaign.
“What monitors?” asked Biden.
Someone standing near the Delaware Senator said “Oh, he’s asking about (U.S. Attorney) Chris Christie’s appointment of John Ashcroft.” Ashcroft has received a federal monitor appointment that could be worth over $50 million.
“I’m unfamiliar with that,” Biden said. “I was Chairman (of the Judiciary Committee), but I’m unfamiliar with the appointment.”
At that point, Lautenberg’s staff took Biden away.
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Quote of the Day
"Please. I wouldn't have enough paper. So let’s not even bother writing one. This is now about governing. I won. The one thing I could never understand about people in politics was winners who are sore winners." -- Gov.-elect Christopher Christie, on putting together an enemis list.
“He’s a nice man with good intentions, but in the end he’ll be remembered for timidity. Being a business titan and issuing orders from the corner office is a lot different than having to cajole and persuade people in politics and having the toughness and fortitude to see your vision become reality.”-- Ross K. Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University, on Gov. Jon Corzine.
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