Sen. Domenici, If We Could Have A Word

The Senate Ethics Committee practically doesn't even exist, but what Sen. Domenici did to David Iglesias was so egregious that even this all-but-defunct body is opening an investigation:

The Senate, thanks a resolution it just adopted, has confirmed that Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) is the subject of "preliminary inquiry" over his involvement in the firing of former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias.

The Senate just adopted a resolution (S. Res. 153) stating that "for matters before the Select Committee on Ethics involving the preliminary inquiry arising in connection with alleged communications by persons within the committee's jurisdiction with and concerning David C. Iglesias, then United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and the subsequent action by the committee with respect to that matter, if any, the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Salazar) shall be replaced by the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Brown)."

Salazar is personal friends with Patricia Madrid, who was running for the seat occupied by Rep. Heather Wilson that Domenici attempted to insert himself into by calling Iglesias and pressuring him to bring about Democratic indictments. So that's why he recused himself. Which is a heck of a lot more honorable than what Domenici appears to have done. We'll see what happens here.

Indeed, the Judiciary Committees are moving on a number of fronts with regard to USA-gate. The Justice Department failed to comply with a subpoena from the House for various documents, so now John Conyers is considering legal options. Conyers is also warning the RNC not to let the White House review emails the committee has requested related to the case. And COnyers wants to speak with a variety of sitting USAs, including the infamous Rachel Paulose and Mary Beth Buchanan, USA for Pittsburgh, who may be more deeply involved in the case than anyone suspected:

The Justice Department consulted with U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan in Pittsburgh when it was drawing up a list of prosecutors to be fired, a former top aide to the attorney general told investigators, and now a House committee wants to interview her.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, told Senate investigators Sunday that Buchanan was one of the senior officials he consulted about which U.S. attorneys should be asked to resign, according to a Senate Judiciary Committee aide who read a transcript of the interview. The aide requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

At the time she was consulted, Buchanan was also serving as director of an office that provides administrative support to U.S. attorneys -- a job she had from June 2004 until June 2005.

Buchanan is already under suspicion for prosecuting an inordinate amount of Democrats in her jurisdiction.

There are a lot of phones ringing off a lot of hooks in Republican law firms tonight.