Domenici In Legal Trouble?

Brian Zick

On Thursday, Mike Gallagher for the Albuquerque Journal reported: U.S. Attorney David Iglesias on Wednesday blamed his firing on failure by his office to bring indictments in the courthouse investigation before the November elections, saying he felt that two members of Congress pressured him to do so. After his final news conference as U.S. attorney, he confirmed to the Journal that two members of the New Mexico delegation contacted him before the election and asked when indictments would be handed up by a federal grand jury. Today, David Kurtz at TPM reports that GOP Senator Pete "Pajamas" Domenici has fessed up to calling Iglesias, in an official statement which says in part: "I asked Mr. Iglesias if he could tell me what was going on in that investigation" Domenici's own description of the exchange appears to be an explicit solicitation of Iglesias to violate the law. Rule 6(e)(2) forbids prosecutors to disclose information about grand jury investigations, the unauthorized disclosure of grand jury information being subject to prosecution for criminal contempt under 18 U.S.C. § 401(3). The unauthorized disclosure of grand jury information can also be punished under other criminal statutes, as well as pursuant to a district court's contempt powers, among them being prosecution for the theft of government property (tangible and intangible).

Please consider supporting our work.

I hope you found this article important. Before you leave, I want to ask you to consider supporting our work with a donation. In These Times needs readers like you to help sustain our mission. We don’t depend on—or want—corporate advertising or deep-pocketed billionaires to fund our journalism. We’re supported by you, the reader, so we can focus on covering the issues that matter most to the progressive movement without fear or compromise.

Our work isn’t hidden behind a paywall because of people like you who support our journalism. We want to keep it that way. If you value the work we do and the movements we cover, please consider donating to In These Times.

Illustrated cover of Gaza issue. Illustration shows an illustrated representation of Gaza, sohwing crowded buildings surrounded by a wall on three sides. Above the buildings is the sun, with light shining down. Above the sun is a white bird. Text below the city says: All Eyes on Gaza
Get 10 issues for $19.95

Subscribe to the print magazine.