A federal judge held Justice Department attorneys in contempt Friday for failing to deliver documents to former Sen. Ted Stevens' legal team.Last month, Sullivan ordered the Justice Department to turn over all the agency's internal communications regarding a whistleblower complaint against the FBI agent leading the investigation into the former Alaska senator.
Stevens and his lawyers complained during the trial about prosecutors withholding information. In December, they asked for his conviction to be tossed out. As part of their request, they asked for the documents related to Joy.
During Friday's hearing, Sullivan repeatedly asked three Justice Department attorneys sitting at the prosecution's table whether they had some reason not to turn over the documents. They finally acknowledged they did not, and Sullivan exploded into anger.
"That was a court order," he bellowed. "That wasn't a request. I didn't ask for them out of the kindness of your hearts. ... Isn't the Department of Justice taking court orders seriously these days"
He said he didn't want to get "sidetracked" by deciding a sanction immediately and would deal with their punishment later. But he ordered them to produce the material by the end of the day.
"That's outrageous for the Department of Justice -- the largest law firm on the planet," he said. "That is not acceptable in this court."
Sullivan held all three attorneys sitting at the table in contempt and demanded repeatedly to know who else was involved in withholding the information. Another government attorney sitting in the back of the courtroom stood up and gave her name.
I imagine that when you read this you had the same response that I did.
"Oh my God, isn't this damn thing over yet?"
The man is in his EIGHTIES! How long is this case going to drag on?
Look usually I am "all about justice", but for fuck's sake enough is enough! How much more time and money needs to be spent on this case? I mean come on, is there really a chance the judge is going to send this old man to prison? Of course not.
Look here is my solution. Just have the judge bring him into his chambers and make him promise not to do it again. He is no longer the Senator, he can't do it again even if he wanted to!
Besides I would like some space opened up in the courts so that we can start putting the Bush administration on trial. Now that is a criminal case that I WANT to read about in the paper! (Like Karl Rove being found in contempt for ignoring subpoenas for instance. Ooh be still my beating heart.)
(You know I was just thinking. Ted Stevens is such a stubborn old bastard that if the judge DID ask him to promise not to do it again, he might just refuse. Yep, I could totally see Uncle Ted doing just that. The old fart!)
Hey - I forgot about Ted! I guess this case is on appeal? Keep the appeals process going to delay sentencing. By the way, what was the original sentencing date?
ReplyDeleteno no...
ReplyDeletesee here is the thing..
he did break the law..
so he is old-
he is an old fucker that will live forever..
so put him on house arrest and
make him stay in that hideous house that he had illegally built...
there-
that's fair...
There has never been a sentencing date because of the appeals process.
ReplyDeleteI hear you Enigma but I just feel that this a waste of taxpayers money at this point.
I mean we still need to indict Ben Stevens, and Don Young, and somebody needs to be brought to justice for the witnessing tampering during the Troopergate investigation.
What can I say? I am just not that into Ted anymore.
I agree - this is one time to let Ted go out to pasture - if he was younger that would be different - my mother is the same age. And it would be different if he had won his seat back. I say let it go - and I don't think when he is sentenced it will be prison time. But what do I know?
ReplyDeleteDick Cheney ignores subpoenas. So does Karl Rove. What's the big deal with ignoring a court order?
ReplyDelete/snark