I know Paul Krugman already reported the seven-fold statistic in his latest column. But somehow it didn't get into my brain until a friend passed on this story from Minnesota Public Radio. Alas, MPR buries the real news in the 8th paragraph, so I'll highlight it for you:
"Two communications professors have been compiling a database of the Justice Department under George W. Bush. They found that U.S. attorneys were more likely to investigate Democrats than Republicans in the past six years. One of those professors, John Cragan of the University of St. Thomas, says U.S. attorneys across the nation investigated Democrats seven times more often than Republicans.
"It's highly unusual. It's beyond statistical possibility -- one chance in 10,000 that this is not intentional," Cragan said........
Andy Luger served as an assistant U.S. attorney in New York and in Minneapolis, for a total of seven years. During that time he served under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Luger says the current controversy is completely foreign to what he knew in those offices.
"There was never even a suggestion that either of the offices that I worked in were political or were politicized, or that our decisions were made under Democrats or Republicans for political reasons," Luger said.
The allegations that some federal prosecutors were pressured to investigate and indict individuals based on their political affiliations would be a major ethical breach.
Due to the enormous power that prosecutors have in investigating and charging individuals with crimes, they must abide by special ethical rules in addition to those followed by other attorneys.
Seven times the rate! Just freaking unbelievable. Pass this little factoid on to friends who might not be paying close attention. And call your Congressional Representatives. Tell 'em that it's time to haul Gonzales, Rove and W's in front of Congress.
Gentlemen, start your impeachment engines.