June 13, 2007
Ms. Sara M. Taylor
Former Deputy Assistant to
the President and Director
of Political Affairs
c/o W. Neil Eggleston
Debevoise & Plimtpon LLP
555 13th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004
Dear Ms. Taylor:
I received no response from you to my April 11 letter seeking your voluntary cooperation with the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ongoing investigation of the firings and replacements of a number of United States Attorneys. Similar letters to the White House Counsel from the Committee have also failed to elicit cooperation.
It is now clear from the evidence gathered by the investigating Committees of the Senate and House that, at the time you were White House Director of Political Affairs, you and other White House officials played a significant role in originating, developing, coordinating and implementing the plan and the Justice Department’s response to congressional inquiries about it.
In particular, according to documents and testimony we have heard so far, you were involved in the discussions and planning that led to the removal of Bud Cummins and bypassing the Senate confirmation process to install Tim Griffin, another former aide to Mr. Karl Rove, as U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Arkansas. You were also were part of a group that discussed using the Attorney General’s expanded authority under the Patriot Act reauthorization to avoid the opposition of the Arkansas Senators by appointing Mr. Griffin as interim indefinitely. In addition, documents and testimony show that you played a role in approving the plan for firing multiple U.S. Attorneys on December 7, 2006, and were involved in subsequent discussions regarding congressional testimony of Department officials and the Administration’s response to the growing scandal surrounding the firings.
Yet, to date the White House has not produced a single document or allowed you or any other White House official involved to be interviewed, apart from an unacceptable “take it or leave” offer to do so off-the-record without a transcript or opportunity to follow-up. As a result, I am issuing the enclosed subpoenas compelling your production of documents in your possession, custody, or control related to the Committee’s investigation by June 28, 2007 and your appearance to testify under oath before the Committee on July 11, 2007.
I look forward to your compliance with the June 28 return date for the Judiciary Committee’s subpoena for documents and to your appearance before the Committee on July 11 so we can take a step towards learning the truth about these firings and the erosion of independence at the Justice Department.
Sincerely,
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