[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 137 (Monday, September 17, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11569-S11570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINATION

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, earlier today, the President announced his 
intention that he will, at some appropriate time, send the nomination 
of Judge Michael Mukasey to the Hill to be the next Attorney General. 
When that nomination arrives, with the appropriate FBI clearance and 
all, the Judiciary Committee will approach consideration of this 
nomination in a serious and deliberate fashion.
  The administration, of course, took many months in determining that a 
change in leadership was needed at the Department of Justice. Then 
after they made the determination they had to change the leadership, 
the President spent several weeks before making his nomination public. 
It wasn't until Saturday of this past weekend that I was told by the 
press whom he was going to nominate. Our focus now, of course, will be 
on securing the relevant information the committee needs to proceed to 
scheduling fair and thorough hearings, and we will do that.
  I am not in any way critical of the President for taking so many 
weeks in deciding whom he wanted. In fact, I would compliment him on 
his decision not to go with some of the names that apparently were 
presented to him. I tried to stress to the President and others at the 
White House, with all the problems at the Department of Justice, that 
choosing a person who would be there solely for political purposes 
would not be a wise thing to do. I know the President had a number of 
names that would have fallen into that category, and to his credit, 
those names that would have created the greatest political problems 
were rejected.

[[Page S11570]]

  Now, I have also been in discussion with White House officials about 
some of the committee's outstanding requests, and I let them know that 
cooperation with the White House would be central in determining that 
schedule. In this regard, I wish to compliment the President's counsel, 
Mr. Fielding. Mr. Fielding called me yesterday evening. Without going 
into the details of that conversation, I believe he understands there 
are certain materials that we have requested from the White House--
requested for some time now--that will be necessary so that we can 
engage in thorough deliberations. I take him at his word that we will 
try to work out a way to get us some of those materials. It will make 
it far easier for both Republicans and Democratic members of the Senate 
Judiciary Committee to ask appropriate questions.
  This is a big job, being Attorney General. It becomes even bigger 
now, as the next Attorney General must regain the public trust and 
begin the process of restoring the Department of Justice to its proper 
mission, and also replacing a very large number of key members of the 
Department of Justice who have resigned and whose replacements, 
themselves, will require confirmation by the Senate. So I am hopeful 
that once we obtain the information we need, once we have had the 
opportunity to consider this nomination, we will be able to make 
progress in this regard.
  As I told the White House last night, I stand ready to work with them 
in the coming weeks to get the material we need, and then once that 
material is available, to find an appropriate time to schedule a 
hearing.
  I look forward to meeting with Judge Mukasey in the coming days. We 
will meet briefly tomorrow and then at greater length once his 
background check has been completed. I wish to learn more about his 
record, but I also wish to learn about his ideas on improving the 
relationship between Congress and this administration so we can conduct 
more effective oversight and take the steps toward rebuilding the 
Justice Department to be worthy of its name.
  In the meantime, I have told Judge Mukasey he will have a lot on his 
plate in the coming days. I complimented him and his family for being 
willing to be considered for this nomination and urged him, even as 
busy as he may be, to spend time with his family. I understand he has a 
wonderful family--grandchildren and so forth--and I am sure he will do 
so.
  I again urge the White House that we do not need to have all kinds of 
press comments about the date for hearings. I think what would be more 
important to do would be to work, as we have in the past, will to get 
the information necessary; and in the fullness of time, we will have an 
appropriate hearing. I will do it--working, of course, with Senator 
Specter--and, as I think we have demonstrated before, we will have a 
hearing that will make the Senate proud. Both Republicans and 
Democrats, with the complete record before them, then will be able to 
ask all the appropriate questions, the questions of course that the 
American public wants and deserves to have us ask.

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