http://www.examiner.com/article/grassley-puts-hold-on-judicial-nominee-involved-dobyns-caseGrassley puts hold on judicial nominee involved in Dobyns case.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley held up the nomination of a Department of Justice attorney for a federal judgeship, citing recently unsealed documents in the case of retired agent Jay Dobyns against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Commenting in a statement on Thursday’s executive business meeting, Grassley allowed two candidates for administration appointments to be “voice voted,” but held up the nomination of Jeanne Davidson for Judge of the United States Court of International Trade.
“[B]efore we vote on the Davidson nomination, I wanted to note that recently unsealed court documents in the case of Dobyns v. United States have prompted some questions that need to be answered,” Grassley commented. “I want to follow up with her regarding the extent of her involvement in the case. So we’ll report her out today, but I’ll be sending her some additional questions that will need to be answered before her nomination is considered on the floor.”
Sen. Grassley is referring to an opinion by Judge Francis M. Allegra in which he alleged “fraud on the court” committed by ATF and Department of Justice attorneys for matters related to witness intimidation and withholding of information. In a remarkably unusual move, Judge Allegra dismissed seven of those attorneys from the litigation.
“Ms. Davidson was the ringleader for the attorneys who were representing DOJ in defense of my allegations during Dobyns v. USA.,” Dobyns noted on his website. “Under the unwatchful eye of Ms. Davidson and in a Federal courtroom those attorneys lied, cheated, withheld evidence, misrepresented and mischaracterized facts, defended, promoted and protected perjury and obstruction of justice and tampered with witnesses – i.e. FRAUD! – also known as attorney misconduct and corruption of the justice system.”
This development in the Dobyns case recalls the way Operation Fast and Furious “gunwalking” evolved as a story and then as a congressional investigation. Initial reports were confined to a niche readership and major media ignored the story, which is paralleled in this case with the exception of a Fox News report. As in Fast and Furious, Congress also needed to be pressured into noticing and then acting on the information. With Grassley’s statement and expectation for further details from the nominee, the chances for more widespread reporting have increased.
