User:Yellowdesk/scratch10

Nomination as Attorney General
On September 16 2007, various publications reported that Mukasey accepted Bush's offer to replace Alberto Gonzales as the Attorney General. He was nominated by the President on September 17 2007. At his nomination press conference with the President, Mukasey stated, "The task of helping to protect our security, which the Justice Department shares with the rest of our government, is not the only task before us. The Justice Department must also protect the safety of our children, the commerce that assures our prosperity, and the rights and liberties that define us as a nation." If confirmed, Judge Mukasey would be the second Jewish person to become Attorney General.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said on September 18 that the administration desired the Mukasey nomination be confirmed by October 8 2007. She cited past prompt confirmations of attorneys general. Senator Patrick Leahy, the Democratic Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said that Mukasey would commit to an administrative rule to ensure that only the Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General, not U.S. Attorneys or other Justice employees, could respond to inquiries from politicians regarding outstanding cases, and that any other employee who discusses cases "with somebody outside, whether from the White House or members of Congress or something else like that, they will be fired"; this concession sought to avoid problems that arose during the controversy over the dismissal of U.S. Attorneys under the previous Attorney General's tenure.

On October 2 2007 Mukasey's written response to a pre-hearing Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire was received by the committee, and published. Leahy replied the next day by letter proposing to meet individually on October 16, 2007, to discuss numerous issues on which the White House has declined to respond; the letter outlined issues and commitments Leahy desires from the nominee. On October 4, Senator Leahy indicated that the committee nomination hearing is scheduled to commence October 17, 2007. As of October 28, 2007 two senators – Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont – had announced their intention to vote against Mukasey's confirmation due to concerns about his stance on torture.

Senator Leahy announced that a committee vote on the nomination was scheduled for Tuesday, November 6, 2007. The announcement came a day after Mukasey replied via letter to the committee. Leahy and the other nine Democratic committee members had indicated via letter to Mukasey that they were "deeply troubled by your refusal to state unequivocably that waterboarding is illegal during your confirmation hearing..."

Relationship with Rudy Giuliani
Tony Fratto, a presidential spokesman affirmed that Mukasey has a close friendship with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. He also said that Mukasey will recuse himself from any case involving Giuliani. Newspaper reports assumed that Mukasey will further recuse himself from cases involving Bernard Kerik, a former New York City police commissioner under Giuliani. (Kerik is under federal investigation for bribery and other offenses.) Neither Mukasey nor the presidential press secretary returned New York Times reporters' requests for confirmation of potential recusal from the Kerik case.