To the editor:

It is a matter of record that the Bush Justice Department has prosecuted many, many more Democrats than Republicans over the last eight years. There are also serious questions about U.S. district attorneys being fired when they refused to investigate and prosecute based on a person’s political party affiliation.

An impartial, nonpartisan Justice Department has been the shining jewel of our country’s legal system. Congress, under its constitutional mandate (to hold the executive branch accountable for its actions), has tried to investigate the possible politicizing of the Department of Justice.

Bush has responded to congressional subpoenas by saying that no one in his administration will say anything about this issue. In a recent stinging retort, a U.S. district judge has ruled that the Bush stance is legally laughable. Through appeals, Bush now hopes to run out the clock by waiting for this Congress’ term to run out in January and again escape accountability for extremely dubious legal behavior.

For our country, the truth coming out about what Bush has done could set us free. For Bush, I suspect he knows that the truth would send him to jail.

Daniel Patrick Schamle,
Lawrence