McKay, Iglesias - Fired Because of GOP Complaints?

Amy Radil
05/11/2007

Former U.S. attorneys David Iglesias and John McKay say they believe their firings originated at the White House. And they say voter fraud complaints from their states may have played a role. KUOW's Amy Radil reports.

AS ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO GONZALEZ FACED CONGRESS YESTERDAY (THURS) OVER THE FIRINGS OF U.S. ATTORNEYS, TWO OF THOSE ATTORNEYS CONTINUED THEIR OWN PUBLICITY OFFENSIVE. IN SEATTLE, DAVID IGLESIAS AND JOHN MCKAY HAVE BEEN HOLDING PUBLIC FORUMS AND MAKING THE ROUNDS OF LOCAL MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS. THEY SAY CRIMINAL CHARGES INCLUDING OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE MAY BE WARRANTED IN THE FIRINGS. THEY BELIEVE THE WHITE HOUSE ORIGINATED THE ACTIONS, IN SOME CASES TO INFLUENCE ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS.

IGLESIAS TOLD KUOW'S 'WEEKDAY' YESTERDAY THAT HE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED ALLEGATIONS OF VOTER FRAUD IN NEW MEXICO, BUT HIS CRITICS COMPLAINED TO THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT THE LACK OF RESULTS.

IGLESIAS: "I determined we didn't have proof beyond a reasonable doubt so we could not prosecute. Well, the New Mexico Republicans just didn't believe it. They thought I was intentionally not prosecuting voter fraud cases and that's when the trouble began for me."

ONCE SEEN AS A REPUBLICAN RISING STAR, IGLESIAS SAYS HE'S NOW 'PERSONA NON GRATA' WITH HIS STATE'S REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT ADDS HE HAS NO REGRETS. MCKAY TOO WAS THE SUBJECT OF COMPLAINTS FROM WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS WHEN HE DECLINED TO CONVENE A GRAND JURY AFTER THE 2004 GOVERNOR'S ELECTION. HE ALSO CITES A LACK OF EVIDENCE.

MCKAY: "I didn't have a relationship while I was U.S. attorney with the Republican party. In my case I think we're talking more about special interests, people with axes to grind. And while we served as U.S. attorneys we would hear and see these things but as they say it's kind of what goes off a duck's back. We're just not interested in paying attention to them."

THOSE COMPLAINTS CAME UP IN GONZALEZ' TESTIMONY BEFORE THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. BUT IT WASN'T CLEAR WHETHER THEY LED TO MCKAY'S DISMISSAL.

MCKAY SAYS IN ADDITION TO COOPERATING WITH SEVERAL ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE FIRINGS, HE'LL CONTINUE TO TEACH AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY'S LAW SCHOOL. ALSO HE WAS RECENTLY HIRED BY A WASHINGTON, D.C. CONSULTING FIRM TO DO SEMINARS ON ETHICS AND LEADERSHIP.

AMY RADIL, KUOW NEWS.

℗ Copyright 2007, KUOW News