presidents who used attorney general to investigate

How is the Attorney General appointed?

Bell served as attorney general (President Carter) from Jan. 26, 1977 to Aug. 16, 1979. He was born in Americus, GA (Oct. 31, 1918) and attended Georgia Southwestern College and Mercer …

What cases have special prosecutors investigated?

Apr 01, 2019 · April 1, 2019, 1:07 AM PDT. By Allan Smith. Shortly after her election in November, New York Attorney General Letitia James vowed to "use every area of the law" to probe …

Why do presidents appoint special prosecutors?

Oct 31, 2011 · The attorney general is a member of the executive branch, appointed by the president, and tasked with assisting the president in his/her responsibility to execute the laws …

Who was the Attorney General of the United States of America from 1972 to 1973?

Apr 04, 2019 · An investigation began, and, of course, it was met with obstruction by the Obama administration. Attorney General Loretta Lynch refused to answer questions from Congress …

What was the purpose of the Attorney General's Office?

The original duties of this officer were "to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the president of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments". Some of these duties have since been transferred to the United States solicitor general and the White House counsel .

Who was the attorney general nominee for Clinton?

Gerson was fourth in the line of succession at the Justice Department, but other senior DOJ officials had already resigned.[14] Janet Reno, President Clinton's nominee for attorney general, was confirmed on March 12,[15]and he resigned the same day.

How much does an attorney general make in 2021?

Attorney General is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule, thus earning a salary of US$ 221,400, as of January 2021.

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United Stateson all legal matters. The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States.

When does the Attorney General have to resign?

Presidential transition[edit] It is the practice for the attorney general, along with the other Cabinet secretaries and high-level political appointees of the President, to tender a resignation with effect on the Inauguration Day(January 20) of a new president.

Who was the acting attorney general of the United States in 2017?

For example, upon the inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch left her position, so then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, who had also tendered her resignation, was asked to stay on to serve as the acting attorney general until the confirmation of the new attorney general Jeff Sessions, who had been nominated for the office in November 2016 by then- President-elect Donald Trump.

When was the Department of Justice established?

The Department of Justice was established in 1870 to support the attorneys general in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Who was the attorney general of the United States during WWII?

Levi served as attorney general (President Bush) from Jan. 14, 1975 to Jan. 20, 1977. He was born in Chicago, IL (May 9, 1942) and attended the University of Chicago and Yale University. During WWII, he served in the DOJ Anti-Trust Division. Before being named AG, he was served in various leadership roles at the the Univeristy of Chicago, being named president in 1968. He was also a member of the White House Task Force on Education, 1966 to 1967. Died March 7, 2000.

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The US Attorney General (AG) is the head of the US Department of Justice and is the chief law enforcement officer of the US government. These are the Attorney Generals from 1960 to 1980.

Who was the attorney general of Arizona during the Nixon administration?

Kleindienst served as attorney general (President Nixon) from Feb. 15, 1972 to May 25, 1973. He was born in Winslow, AZ (Aug. 5, 1923) and attended Harvard University. He served in the Army from 1943 to 1946. Kleindienst served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 1953 to 1954. He was in private practice before becoming Deputy AG in 1969. He resigned in the midst of the Watergate scandal, the same day (April 30, 1973) that John Dean was fired and H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman quit. He was convicted of a misdemeanor for perjury during his testimony in the Senate during his confirmation hearings. Died Feb. 3, 2000.

Who was the attorney general of Georgia?

Bell served as attorney general (President Carter) from Jan. 26, 1977 to Aug. 16, 1979. He was born in Americus, GA (Oct. 31, 1918) and attended Georgia Southwestern College and Mercer Univerity Law School. He was a major in the US Army in WWII. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Bell to the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Bell led the effort to pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 1978. He served on President George H.W. Bush's Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform and was counsel to President Bush during the Iran-Contra affair.

Who was Richardson in the military?

Richardson served as attorney general (President Nixon) from May 25, 1973 to Oct. 20, 1973. He was born in Boston, MA (July 20, 1920) and attended Harvard University. He served in the Army from 1942 to 1945. He was Assistant Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare for Legislation 1957 to 1959.

What powers does the Martin Act give the Attorney General?

The law empowers the attorney general to subpoena witnesses and documents for information pertaining to possible fraud. "The Martin Act gives really broad powers," said Dennis Vacco, a Republican who served as New York attorney general from 1995 to 1998.

Who subpoenaed Trump's banks?

James recently subpoenaed Trump's banks, seeking information about the Trump Organization and the president's finances. Though Trump has dismissed these efforts as "presidential harassment" and tweeted that James, a Democrat, "openly campaigned on a GET TRUMP agenda," several former New York attorneys general and legal experts say the president could have plenty to fear.

What is the scope of the James probe?

It is not yet clear what the scope or focus of James' new probe is, but former New York attorneys general told NBC News that she could use her office's sweeping powers as part of an investigation into whether Trump had defrauded consumers, which is when those powers are typically used, or financial institutions.

What crimes did Spitzer commit?

Spitzer, who later was elected governor only to resign amid a prostitution scandal in 2008, aggressively pursued white-collar crimes like securities fraud and used statutes such as the Martin Act to pursue prosecutions that had been typically left for federal authorities.

What was the Spitzer investigation?

Spitzer's investigation of American International Group and its then-CEO Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, for example, may have parallels to James' latest lines of inquiry into Trump's businesses. The then-attorney general alleged that the insurance giant's top executives engaged in fraudulent business practices. Those executives settled with the state in 2017, agreeing to forfeit about $10 million in performance bonuses, a fraction of what New York sought.

What powers does the Chief Legal Officer have?

As the chief legal officer in a state with that provides her with sweeping investigatory and prosecutorial powers, she can keep that promise.

Did the Trump Organization respond to a request for comment?

The Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment.

What was the most important investigation of the Reagan era?

The most prominent of the Reagan-era investigations, however, was Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh's $48.5 million examination of allegations that money from arms sales to Iran had been improperly diverted to fund Nicaraguan Contra rebels.

Who was the special prosecutor in the Whitewater case?

In particular, Republicans hoped to invoke the law in the emerging Whitewater case, which was then being pursued by a Justice Department-appointed special prosecutor, Robert Fiske . In February of 1994, one Democratic Congressman sarcastically observed the "miraculous conversion" of former critics of the law.

What did the Supreme Court overturn?

In its 1988 ruling, the Supreme Court overturned the Appeals Court's decision in a 7 to 1 decision, and upheld the constitutionality of the independent counsel law. The Supreme Court found that Congress did not seek to increase its own powers by passing the law, and held that it did not interfere "unduly" or "impermissibly" with the executive branch's powers. The Court also held that independent counsels were "inferior officers" over which the Attorney General retained ultimate authority through her or his power to recommend appointment or dismissal. For these reasons and others, the majority of the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law, with Chief Justice Rehnquist writing the majority's opinion.

What did Justice Scalia think of the independent counsel?

An independent counsel, he suggested, actually possessed some powers and advantages that even the Attorney General did not. Scalia worried that an overzealous, unaccountable independent counsel could pick his or her targets , and then prosecute them for even the most minor or technical offenses. Moreover, Scalia wrote, a partisan Special Division might appoint a committed foe of the administration or the individual under investigation. "Nothing is so politically effective," he wrote, "as the ability to charge that one's opponent and his associates are not merely wrongheaded, naive, ineffective, but, in all probability, `crooks'." Scalia prophesied that the majority's decision would weaken the Presidency, and expose the head of the executive branch to "debilitating criminal investigations" -- an opinion that has earned Justice Scalia new and unexpected admirers in recent days.

How has the independent counsel law been changed?

Arising from the aftermath of Watergate, the independent counsel law has been changed and challenged several times in its relatively short lifetime. Now, however, even some of the law's strongest supporters have become critics and are urging significant changes. Recently-proposed reforms include further reducing the number of officials covered by the law, eliminating the independent counsel's final report, and allowing the Attorney General to consider a covered official's intent in determining whether to go ahead with an investigation. Broader suggestions for change have included giving the Attorney General the power to appoint independent counsels, and the Special Division power to confirm them.

What was the investigation of the 1972 Watergate office?

As the investigation of the 1972 break-in of the Democratic National Committee 's Watergate offices began to reveal a deeper level of corruption -- including political sabotage, obstruction of justice, and campaign finance irregularities -- many in Congress pushed for the appointment of a special prosecutor.

What law reduced the overall number of individuals covered by the special prosecutor provisions?

The 1983 law reduced the overall number of individuals covered by the special prosecutor provisions. The law's notorious "hair trigger" was tightened, and the Attorney General was given more latitude in calling for a special prosecutor.

What was the investigation into the illegal firing of Obama?

An investigation by Congress into the illegal firing was met with stonewalling by the Obama White House, and the withholding of documents. The Obama White House also deliberately misled Congress about the reasons for the firing. 3. The investigation of Fast & Furious.

How many inspectors general did Obama have?

In August 2014, 47 of 73 inspectors general wrote an open letter to Congress informing them that the Obama administration of obstructing investigations by not giving them full access to the information they need to investigate properly. Such a letter was unprecedented, and the systemic corruption and obstruction the inspectors general would have been considered an impeachable defense for almost any other president. The lack of outrage (thanks to lack of media attention to the scandal) emboldened the Obama administration to impose new restrictions on the investigative powers of inspectors general. Imagine President Trump trying to get away with that today?

What was the Walpin investigation?

During his investigation, Walpin discovered a cover-up of sexual abuse allegations made by three underage students against Johnson who were offered some of this grant money as hush money. As a result, Walpin recommended criminal charges against Johnson.

Why was Eric Holder held in contempt of Congress?

The obstruction by the Obama administration was so egregious that Attorney General Eric Holder was held in contempt of Congress, in a bipartisan vote, for refusing to cooperate with their investigation. 2. The investigation of the Iran ransom payments.

Why are important questions unanswered?

Important questions remain unanswered as a direct result of the Obama administration’s failure to provide the Committee with access to necessary documents and witnesses. We have also learned that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has developed significant information about the attacks and the suspected attackers that is not being shared with Congress, even where doing so would not in any way impact an ongoing investigation.

When did the Obama case get dropped?

Then in May 2009, the case was inexplicably dropped by Attorney General Eric Holder. When the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights investigated, the Obama administration refused to respond to requests from the commission and Congress.

Who helped the Benghazi investigation?

Senate Democrats also assisted in that obstruction. According to then-Select Committee on Benghazi Chairman Trey Gowdy, the committee’s investigation was “repeatedly stonewalled by the Obama administration, Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, and Committee Democrats.” According to Gowdy, Democrats on the committee “affirmatively delayed the identification of witnesses and the production of unquestionably relevant documents. Committee Democrats have not lifted a finger to help the Select Committee speed up its investigation and release a report.”

What is the legislative branch's ultimate check on the executive?

Impeachment is the legislative branch’s ultimate check on the executive. But it is rarely used and has few rules to govern it. More

Who did Giuliani enlist in the Ukraine investigation?

Yet documentary evidence shows Giuliani enlisted Parnas and Fruman in Giuliani and Trump’s push to get Ukraine to investigate Biden (during this campaign, the Trump administration froze hundreds of millions in U.S. military aid, allegedly as leverage).

Who did Lev Parnas talk to?

Lev Parnas's notes from his conversation with Rudy Giuliani. (Source: House Intelligence Committee)

Who was the attorney general that subpoenaed Nixon's recordings?

Amid the Watergate investigation, Richard Nixon asked attorney general Elliot Richardson and his deputy, William Ruckelshaus, to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox, who months earlier had subpoenaed Nixon’s Oval Office recordings. Both lawyers opted to resign instead. In the wake of what was dubbed the Saturday Night Massacre, ...

Who was the president who fired George McClellan?

The President caught W’s eye during the walk-and-talk, and the son responded with an affirming wink. 6. Biggest Historical Impact. Abraham Lincoln fired General George McClellan, who wrote to his wife: “There never was a truer epithet applied to a certain individual than that of the ‘Gorilla.’.

What was Donald Trump famous for?

Before he was the President, Donald Trump was most famous for booting people on TV —a habit that has proved hard to quit.

When did Reagan fire the Air Traffic Controllers?

In 1981 , Ronald Reagan fired 11,400 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization 48 hours after offering them an ultimatum: end their illegal strike or forfeit their jobs. The workers, seeking better pay and working conditions, were banned from federal employment.

Who replaced Douglas MacArthur?

Biggest Turnaround. On April 11, 1951, Harry S. Truman replaced popular general Douglas MacArthur with General Matthew Ridgway over what Truman called MacArthur’s “rank insubordination” during the Korean War. Enjoying a hero’s welcome back home, MacArthur was invited to speak to a joint session of Congress.

Who was the president who convinced his dad to let him do the dirty work?

Photo by Life Images Collection/Getty Images. 5. Breakthrough Performance. George W. Bush convinced his President-dad to let him do the dirty work when it was time to fire chief of staff John Sununu in 1991.

Who was the Energy Secretary in Jimmy Carter's 1979 Cabinet reshuffle?

Poor Schlesinger. After losing his job in the Halloween Massacre, he was ousted again—as Energy Secretary in Jimmy Carter’s 1979 Cabinet reshuffling. Following the President’s notorious “malaise speech” about energy, which initially won praise, Carter asked for Schlesinger’s resignation, along with those of the Treasury; Health, Education, and Welfare; and Transportation Secretaries.

Issue

Aftermath

• The Watergate crisis continued to loom large in 1978, when President Jimmy Carter signed the group of reforms collectively known as the Ethics in Government Act. In 1987, with the Iran-Contra investigation under way, the statute once again came up for reauthorization. In Senate hearings, critics charged that the Attorney General and the Department ...

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