The independent commission investigating the Sept.
11 attacks may be about to implode amidst partisan recriminations
and charges of conflict of interest, with the chairman House
Judiciary Committee calling on one of the panel's leading members to
resign.
Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., demanded on Wednesday that former
Clinton administration deputy attorney general Jamie Gorelick resign
from the investigation, charging that she "has an inherent conflict
of interest as the author of this memo and as a government official
at the center of the events in question."
The Gorelick memo, issued under the authority of the Justice
Department in 1995, was blamed by Attorney General John Ashcroft on
Tuesday for hampering the ability of the FBI and CIA to cooperate in
terrorist investigations.
Other aspects of Gorelick's tenure suggest more conflicts, such
as questions about what role, if any, she played in advising
President Clinton that there was no legal basis to extradite Osama
bin Laden to the U.S. when he was offered by Sudan in 1996.
Another problem: Gorelick's lawfirm represents Saudi Prince
Mohammed al Faisal, a potential defendant in the litigation being
brought by the 9/11 families. A finding by the Commission that 9/11
was preventable could take some of the heat off of Gorelick's Saudi
clients.
Commission Chairman Tom Kean, however, dismissed suggestions that
Gorelick was unfit to serve on Wednesday, complaining that
Sensenbrenner and other Commission critics should "stay out of our
business."
Gorelick apparently enjoys a special relationship with Kean. She
boasted last week that she was the only other commissioner besides
Kean and co-chair Lee Hamilton who had access to every one of the
presidential daily briefings.
Gorelick's public conduct in recent days has only exacerbated
perceptions of impropriety.
Last Thursday, when asked whether the Commission's finding would
impact on the presidential election, Gorelick told MSNBC "Hardball"
host Chris Matthews, "[The report] will raise some very fundamental
issues."
Minutes later, Gorelick beamed as Matthews referred to her as a
"former deputy attorney general [who] may well be attorney general
again."
Editor's note:
"CATASTROPHE"
Reveals the Secret Story Behind 9-11
Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
2004
Elections
9/11
Commission
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