Customer Reviews

In Justice: Inside the Scandal That Rocked the Bush Administration

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Of the eight fired United States Attorneys over one year ago, no one seemed more representative of the hurt and bewilderment than David Iglesias, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. His unusual heritage, military service and the fact that he was a Republican added heft to his Congressional testimony as he sought to tell his story about being sacked along with seven others. His new book, "In Justice" (which certainly could have been one word) is a terrific look at a moment when politics and justice met head-on with immediate unfortunate consequences...but consequences that provided a forum for truth re-establishing the upper hand over politics.

The firing of the attorneys, not only in the way it was handled but the premeditated way in which the plan was cooked up, would have been a disgrace by itself, but the fact that these noble men and women were also Republicans made the whole affair that much more curious. Much of the first half of "In Justice" is spent on background...Iglesias's upbringing in and out of the United States... and his emotional state when he learns of being fired and those subsequent feelings for days afterward. But the book really heats up when he testifies before the Senate and his spirit of fighting back comes to the fore. Chief among the original "black hats" are New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici and Congresswoman Heather Wilson, who each made improper calls to Iglesias during an ongoing case. The speculation then centers on who made up a master list of attorneys to be axed and exactly why the plan was ever devised. Iglesias and others contend that their loyalty, which was not blind to the Bush White House, was a deciding factor in their collective dismissals and as the facts tumbled out, this became a very likely primary reason. What remains a mystery to this day is who orchestrated the move. Was it the hapless former Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, who seemed to have a major problem with memory...? Karl Rove, whose fingerprints tend to be on or near every White House catastrophe....? Or, did the president have any hand in the matter? One might suspect that as this feckless administration comes to an end, more and more insiders will be telling their own tales of woe, and we may learn much more about this particular case. I hope for David Iglesias's sake and for the sake of the other fired attorneys, that the whole truth will someday be revealed. I highly recommend "In Justice" and commend David Iglesias for helping to get this story out and for his narrative as to why it ever took place at all.

In Justice is the fascinating re-telling of the unjust firing of seven U.S. Attorneys in 2006, and its eventual implications on both a very personal level and for the political landscape at large. The book opens as more of a memoir, a genre it revisits many times throughout. Iglesias recounts his own personal struggle with his inexplicable firing. While his tone is one of justifiable incredulity, anyone who has been unfairly passed over, unjustly fired, or humiliated by a more powerful superior can unfortunately relate. The book moves beyond the personal, though, as Iglesias discovers he is not alone in his humiliation. The story broadens and becomes more of a detailed re-telling of the incidents surrounding the seven fired U.S. Attorneys and their movement from humiliated public servants to courageous spokespersons for the truth. Justice comes full circle as many who unfairly and/or illegally exert power are brought low. Iglesias exposes the problem of partisan politics in the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its ramifications for our time and for the future. The book would be of great interest to anyone who has ever worked for the DOJ, judges, or those with an interest in the law or political corruption. It is well-written and infused with a sense of humor when appropriate, interesting allusions, and an honest "voice." In Justice is a good read.

As the U.S. Attorney for New Mexico, David Iglesias, was charged with ensuring that the wheels of justice, though they might turn exceedingly slowly, turned fairly and true in the state of New Mexico. The irony is that the very justice he helped dispense was not served in his own case.

An up-and-coming Bushie whose star was rising in Republican circles, Iglesias was one of seven U.S. Attorneys suddenly sacked for political reasons. Partly because his mentor, Senator Pete Domenici, illegally helped initiate the action, Iglesias soon found himself at the center of a growing scandal that resulted in the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and a number of others in the Justice Department.

In going public with his side of the story and retelling it in detail in this book, Iglesias helped set the record straight. "In Justice" is a well-written account of power corrupting those responsible for safeguarding our judicial system. Gonzalez served as the unwitting hit-man for those in the Bush White House who put politics above principle. But "In Justice" gives you the back story in how he did so, bringing clarity to the murky machinations of an administration that lost its way.

Unlike Scott McLellan's recent self-serving tell-all, Iglesias' book gives the clear-eyed and fair recounting of the evidence that we expect of our judicial system. It helped restore my faith that justice, though slow, is eventually served.

If Alberto Gonzalez wanted to fire all of these qualified prosecutors, just because they were not "Republican enough," he should have done it one by one. Then no one would have noticed. But instead, he thought no one would notice a mass firing and even more, no one would do anything about it.

This book explains how it happened, why it happened, and helps us remember we have a Constitution in this country that must be preserved.

As to the book itself, large parts are a little dull because the author must tell us more about himself and that is not all that interesting. He's an intelligent guy doing a good job. However, the last 100+ pages are riveting as he reveals the lies of the Justice Department and specifically Alberto Gonzales.

RK

Mr. Iglesias' book is a well written, riveting account of one of the tragedies of the Bush Administration, the politicization of the Justice Department. It is a fascinating insider's account of the U.S. Attorney scandal, demonstrating one of the Bush Administration's fatal flaws, the high premium it placed on loyalty to both President Bush and the party in the law enforcement arena.

"In Justice" is an essential read for anyone interested in the public arena. Although painful for Republicans (like myself) to take in, it is imperative that Republicans (and everyone) digest the clear warnings throughout the book. Mr Iglesias' story serves as a caution to never value partisan politics above the rule of law, and shows how that is possible in today's partisan atmosphere. Mr. Iglesias serves as role model to everyone concerned about the integrity of our justice system. America would be a much better country with dedicated, ethical public servants like Mr. Iglesias.

The book first gives an account of Mr. Iglesias' career in service to his country before resignation from his post as U.S. Attorney and the ensuing scandal. While following Mr. Iglesias' through his remarkable career, it is impossible to miss the guiding hand of Providence. In the second part of the book, Mr. Iglesias gives an astounding behind the scenes look into the U.S. Attorney scandal that eventually implicated powerful members of the Bush Administration. Even in the hardest of times, the hand of Providence can be seen on Mr. Iglesias' life. It turned what seemed like a devastating loss into an opportunity to gain prominence while standing up for justice to an administration that had gone astray.

The book ends by acknowledging the necessity of reform in the public arena, and an important plea for a fundamental change in the political process "to attract principled and ethical people into the political arena." The more public servants our country has like Mr. Iglesias, who will stand up for the truth regardless of the cost, the easier this goal will be reached.

Do not pass on this important book

"In Justice" was captivating. I plowed through it in one sitting. It reads like an intrigue novel. The machiavellian machinations it exposes are disturbing! It drove home the point: "you reap what you sow," powerfully. A must-read!

1)--VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION. The integrity of the United States Justice Department is on life support. One question left unasked and unanswered is what the remaining U.S. Attorneys had to do to keep their job. We know that about the U.S. Attorneys in Alabama and the Don Siegelman case, and the U.S. Attorney in Wisconsin and the Georgia Thompson case...what others took place? Which other Democrats were unfairly or unevenly prosecuted, and which Republicans were unfairly or unevenly not prosecuted? Another question unasked is about Deborah Wong Yang, the former U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, who got a big-buck job with a major law firm shortly before the firing and while her office was investigating Representative Jerry Lewis.

2)--Not much new in this book if one followed the progress of the Justice Department scandals in TalkingPointsMemo.com, RawStory.com, and other sources.

3)--Far from the world's best ghost-writer, co-author, whatever.

It was sad, yet refreshing, to see a true "Bush-ite" see the truth about the lying, law-breaking administration that we have been saddled with for eight years.

This book was so fasinating that I had difficulty putting it down. It explains a lot about what happened that never made it to the sound bites of the news media. If you want an understanding of what happened, read this!

This is a book that's hard to put down even though you get so angry when reading about all downright criminal things that the Bush people have gotten by with. It's very obvious from the very beginning that Bush wants no honest people around him.