Many have questioned whether Obama will retain Peter Fitzgerald as US Attorney in Chicago given his investigations of Tony Rezko and other members of the Chicago political machine. My take is there is no way in hell Obama wants anyone looking any further into corruption so close to home. On the other hand, I'm hopeful that another US Attorney who has successfully fought corruption in New Orleans will be retained, Jim Letten. According to the Times-Picayune:
Landrieu also said that as senior senator, she will have a major voice in whether to retain U.S. Attorney Jim Letten as the chief federal crime-fighter in the New Orleans area. She said she will meet with members of both parties on retaining Letten. "He has done an outstanding job," she said. "He has my support today."
Let's hope than doesn't change, but just in case, be sure and let Senator Landrieu know that we need Jim Letten.
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Several articles, including a November 12th article by T/P writer, James Gill praise U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. The articles also reverberate dismay about the loss it would be toward targeting longstanding New Orleans corruption if President-Elect Barack Obama replaced Letten in keeping with his new presidential administration. I disagree.
Letten’s employment with the Justice Department appears to encompass the Louisiana region, although he is involved with other States -like a Texas case wherein a judge’s Opinion included details of aberrant actions by Letten. But, there are more than enough glaringly questionable things Letten does in New Orleans. (See the Opinion starting from pages 29 through 41 at http://www.txs.uscourts.gov/notablecases/498cr18/98cr18_opin.pdf. )
Ostensibly, Letten covered up federal Judge Thomas Porteous’ acts pertaining to the “Operation Wrinkled Robe” scandal of which Porteous’ 2 fellow judges, sheriffs and various other people went to jail. Moreover, I don’t doubt that the Intelligence on Porteous’ function with wrinkled robes was “doctored” prior to being turned over to Washington, and thus hindered Porteous’ indictment. But Letten’s office conceals VARIOUS OTHERS who are abusing their positions (see proof at: http://www.lawgrace.org) in New Orleans courts!! Also, though it is undeniable that lawyers gave bribes to Porteous, the lawyers’ identities not only were concealed, no disciplinary actions were taken. Currently, if Congress agrees, Porteous will make national history by being the first federal judge to be impeached in almost 2 decades. Similarly, Letten perhaps has the devotion (and whatever else) of U.S. Senator David Vitter and “Johns’ named in the Canal Street Brothel book after the raid, because of never being exposed nor subject to local or federal prosecution.
There is no delight in spotlighting someone’s faults, as all humans are fallible. But it is another matter when public harm looms. Comparatively, there was public outrage and demand for the resignation of Letten’s former boss, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales! It infuriates me if Mr. Letten, (Mr. Vitter -and ANY other cloaked public official) receives accolades while clandestinely involved in deception -in like manner as guzzling, well respected Wall Street tycoons. (I once supported Letten as well as Porteous. Further, the facts and evidence prove that of all the acts of public corruption, nothing is more far-reaching and socially lethal as judicial corruption.)
Letten’s tactics and potency against the average citizen easily could be as constricted, invasive, subjugating, and baseless as that time when the door of Jacques Morial, brother of Marc Morial (of the National Urban League and former mayor of New Orleans), was busted down; and the Feds maintained control of that man’s life and privacy for 3 years, but criminal charges were never lodged against Jacques. Letten (or his kind) could pretextly do the same to any other citizen, as Gonzales’ method of illegal wiretaps is likely also Letten’s method, but postulated as derived from snitches for use as leverage over people to get them to say / do what benefits rich and powerful corrupt Louisianians. Thus, I am mildly concerned that New Orleans could become a city under siege if Jim Letten becomes able to obtain and manage information collected by New Orleans’ Inspector General Robert Cerasoli.
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*LINKS to the Times Picayune Articles:
(I repeatedly submitted my comment to the "blog.nola.com" for posting like the other comments, but they did not allow mine.)
"U.S. Attorney General Jim Letten: Society’s gain is newshound's loss"
http://blog.nola.com/jamesgill/2008/11/us_attorney_general_jim_letten.html
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"Jim Letten: A proven public servant"
http://blog.nola.com/editorials/2008/11/jim_letten_a_proven_public_ser.html
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"Mary Landrieu declares 'support' for U.S. Attorney Jim Letten"
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/landrieu_declares_support_for.html
*OTHER REFERENCES*
*Lehman Brothers’ Mortgage Troubles (nationally & locally); Evidence of Foreclosure Fraud, Deception, and Conspiracy with Wells Fargo; Deceptive Judicial Filings
http://www.lawgrace.org/2008/09/14/lehman-brothers%E2%80%99-mortgage-troubles-nationally-evidence-of-foreclosure-fraud-deception-and-conspiracy-with-wells-fargo-deceptive-judicial-filings/
*Comment on Louisiana’s Ranking as 2nd Worst Legal Climate in the Nation http://www.lawgrace.org/2008/05/01/comment-on-louisiana%E2%80%99s-ranking-as-2nd-worst-legal-climate-in-the-nation/
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Barbara Ann Jackson
http://www.lawgrace.org
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