Domenici says he called fired prosecutor

This is one can of worms that seems to be getting more interesting all the time.

New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici acknowledged Sunday that he called a federal prosecutor to ask about a criminal investigation, but insisted he never pressured nor threatened his state's U.S. attorney.

The prosecutor, David Iglesias, was fired by the Justice Department in December. Iglesias says he believes he was dismissed for resisting pressure from two members of Congress before last year's election to rush indictments in a Democratic kickback investigation.

Ethics experts said Domenici's conduct may have violated Senate rules, which generally bar communications between members of Congress and federal prosecutors about ongoing criminal investigations.

Iglesias, a Republican, has said he would not name the lawmakers unless asked under oath.

A House Judiciary subcommittee subpoenaed the prosecutor last week to appear Tuesday and testify under oath. He also was scheduled to appear before a Senate committee the same day. Domenici refused last week to say if he had contacted Iglesias, insisting in a brief interview with the Associated Press, "I have no idea what he's talking about."

But in his statement Sunday, the Republican senator said he called Iglesias last year and asked "if he could tell me what was going on in that investigation and give me an idea of what time frame we were looking at.

Please note Domenici's typical first response. Typical in a Republican sort of way..."I have no idea what he's talking about."

Why don't they learn? If he had told the truth, assuming he now is, at the start this might have blown over, but now he's caught in a lie.

I'd like to be fair here. The call as described by Domenici seems perfectly harmless although I have no idea why he personally would make the call rather than dispatch an aide. But he lied...Lied...LIED! No benefit of the doubt is due. He was trying to pressure the prosecutor. I find him guilty. Can we hang him for that? I'M JOKING!

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