Report: White House Involved in U.S. Attorney Firings

September 29, 2008— -- The Justice Department probe of the firings of nine U.S. attorneys was severely hampered by the refusal of former White House political aide Karl Rove and other White House officials to be interviewed by investigators, according to a report made public by investigators today.

Additionally, the White House refused to turn over to Justice Department investigators emails and other documents that investigators believed were crucial to uncovering the truth as to why the U.S. attorneys were fired, the report said.

Despite that lack of cooperation, investigators concluded the White House was more deeply involved in the firings of U.S. attorneys than administration officials had admitted.

Investigators found that in at least three removals, "the evidence indicates the White House was more involved than merely approving" the dismissals, as Bush administration officials "initially stated," according to a report by the Justice Department's Inspector General and its Office of Professional Responsibility released Monday.

Because Miers, Rove and others "refused to cooperate with our investigation, and because the White House declined to provide internal documents to us, we were unable to determine the role the White House played in these removals," the report concluded.

Investigators said they found evidence indicating greater-than-known White House involvement in firings of U.S. attorneys in Arkansas, Missouri and New Mexico.

In Arkansas, investigators said, "the evidence shows that the White House sought to give former White House official [J. Timothy] Griffin a chance to serve as U.S. Attorney, and that both Rove and Miers supported Griffin's appointment." Griffin had served as in the White House as an aide to Rov e. Griffin had foreknowledge of Cummin's dismissal, the report said, and in an email cited by investigators, Rove suggested Griffin to fill the potential vacancy.

In Missouri, "we found evidence that the White House may have directed [former U.S. Attorney Todd P.] Graves's removal," the report said, over a conflict with between Graves and a U.S. senator's office. White House lawyers had fielded complaints about Graves, and appear to have been involved in pushing his ouster, the report stated.