Pete Domenici

And the latest asshole leaving Congress - Pete Domenici:

Veteran Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) is expected to announce tomorrow that he will retire from the Senate in 2008, according to several informed sources, a decision that further complicates an already difficult playing field for Republicans next November.

Domenici has struggled with health problems over the last several years and has been dogged by questions about the role he may have played in the firing of U.S. Attorney David C. Iglesias in Albuquerque. As a result, he had been long been rumored as a potential retirement. Domenici's Senate office did not return a call this afternoon, but sources close to the senator say he will fly home to New Mexico tomorrow to make the announcement that he is retiring.

Josh wonders how much of Pete's involvement in the attorney purge has to do with this. I am also wondering that.

Of course the two deserting Bush now are John Doolittle and Pete Domenici, two people facing tough re-elections as well as investigations into their own backgrounds.

While the media is talking about this recent rash of desertion by warhawk Republicans, the Democratic leadership is wondering if they will put up or shut-up. Nancy Pelosi had this to say:

Another senior Republican senator has broken with the failed Iraq policy of President Bush. Senator Domenici’s March 2008 timetable is consistent with the legislation Democrats have proposed as recently as June 29 to redeploy our troops and reflects the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. Yet President Bush and most of his party in the House and Senate remain firmly committed to a policy that has failed and a war without end.

Senator Warner’s benchmarks, Senator Lugar’s declaration, and the realization by Senators Domenici and Voinovich that a change is needed in Iraq demonstrate bipartisan support for an end to the war. Now the question is whether they will join in a bipartisan way in voting to change course in Iraq and to bring our troops home? For those in Congress who have yet to speak out, the question is: how long until you respect the wishes of the American people to end this war?

Aravosis also has the statement released by Harry Reid on the same subject.

So will we see more of these people desert Bush by September, and if they do will they finally stand up for change? The poll I have been running for the past month asks that very question, and it appears most people don't believe the Republicans will change course. I am with those people, as the typical actions of a Republican is totally dictated by politics. Sadly this is the worst kind of politics - they will put their party above the security of our nation and the lives of our soldiers.

This will certainly become a big thing at this week's hearings:

In the spring of 2006, Domenici told Gonzales he wanted Iglesias out.

Gonzales refused. He told Domenici he would fire Iglesias only on orders from the president.

At some point after the election last Nov. 6, Domenici called Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, and told him he wanted Iglesias out and asked Rove to take his request directly to the president.

Domenici and Bush subsequently had a telephone conversation about the issue.

The conversation between Bush and Domenici occurred sometime after the election but before the firings of Iglesias and six other U.S. attorneys were announced on Dec. 7.

Now we have Bush directly involved in this, as well as Karl Rove. Now why would the White House's "political adviser" be involved in something that isn't supposed to involve politics, and why was the President allowing this? Only one answer makes sense - Bush knew and allowed a political firing of a U.S. attorney.

To make this issue stick even more, it looks like people in Domenici's own office are getting scared and now talking:

The Journal confirmed the sequence of events through a variety of sources familiar with the firing of Iglesias, including sources close to Domenici. The senator's office declined comment.

Good thing for Pete he has already lawyered up. With this big story coming out, it is no wonder why Fred Feilding is starting to be a little more cooperative with Congress. He must think this White House is worse off than Nixon's.

Josh has more on this.

Old Pete must be getting worried:

Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.) has hired a top defense attorney to handle the pending ethics investigation into allegations that he pressured a federal prosecutor to bring indictments against New Mexico Democrats on the eve of the 2006 elections.

Lee Blalack, who recently represented former congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.), who is now serving time in prison for bribery and other offenses, said today that he has signed on as Domenici's attorney in the wake of allegations from fired U.S. Attorney David C. Iglesias. Iglesias alleged that Domenici phoned him at his home and asked about a pending public corruption investigation.

The Senate Ethics Committee indicated Monday that it has opened a preliminary inquiry into the matter, which will examine Iglesias's and Domenici's differing accounts of the phone call.

This is how one phone call can ruin your life. You think a lawmaker in our nation would know better.