Michael Mukasey

Michael Mukasey

Republican Michael Mukasey is the current U.S. Attorney General. He replaced Alberto Gonzales, who left the office amidst the United States Attorney Firings scandal, on September 17, 2007.

Fast Facts:

Full name: Michael Bernard Mukasey
Born: July 28, 1941
Birth place: Bronx, New York
Alma maters: Columbia University and Yale Law School
Party: Republican
Spouse: Susan Mukasey
Children: Two, Marc and Jessica
Appointed to District Court by Ronald Reagan
Clashed with The Bush Administration on allowing Jose Padilla access to attorneys¹
Son Marc Mukasey is a partner at Bracewell & Giuliani LLP

Judgeship

Mukasey previously spent 18 years as a judge in the District Court of Southern New York. He retired from the position in 2006 and is a partner at the New York City law firm of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.²

Attorney General Appointment

On November 8, 2007, Mukasey was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 53–40, the narrowest margin to appoint an Attorney General in 50 years.³ Much of his confirmation hearing surrounded the Bush Administration's policy on "enhanced interrogation techniques," including waterboarding.⁴ Several senators, including future Democratic primary candidates Christopher Dodd and Joe Biden, refused to support Mukasey's nomination, because he would not unequivocally call the practice illegal.⁵⁶

9/11 Wiretap Comment

During a March 27, 2008, address, Mukasey tearfully commented that the ability to wiretap a key phone call coming from Afghanistan to the United States, prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, could have prevented the tragedy.⁷ There are no records of a critical phone call having been made. Critics have also pointed out that the call, if it existed and could be identified, could have been legally wiretapped under existing orders. The Justice Department is still trying to understand the exact meaning of Mukasey's statements under increasing scrutiny from a congressional inquiry.⁸

Categories

Politics | Political Appointees | Justice System | Lawyers | Judges | Bush Administration

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The Mahalo Top 7

The White House: Michael Mukasey Profile
The Swamp: Fitzgerald left undefended by Mukasey Email Print Link (July 10, 2008)
New York Daily News: Mukasey rejects 50-yr. sentence request (July 9, 2008)
San Francisco Chronicle: Mukasey Asked to Explain Terror Call Remarks (April 11, 2008)
Wikipedia: Michael B. Mukasey
BBC News: Mukasey nomination goes forward (November 6, 2007)
Harpers Magazine: The Torture Litmus Test (November 2, 2007)

Michael Mukasey Recent News

Washington Post: Mukasey Vows Smooth Transition At Justice for Next Administration (July 10, 2008)
The New York Times: Mukasey Distances Himself From a Memo on Searches (April 11, 2008)
ABC News: Mukasey Pressed on Counterterror Memo (April 11, 2008)
CNN: Mukasey takes over Justice Department leadership (November 14, 2007)
Los Angeles Times: New attorney general sworn in (Nov. 14, 2007)
Associated Press: Bush Promises to Rebuild Justice Department (Nov. 14, 2007)
Los Angeles Times: Senate confirms Mukasey as attorney general (November 9, 2007)
New York Times: Mukasey Senate Committee Approves Mukasey Nomination (Nov. 7, 2007)
BBC News: Mukasey nomination goes forward (November 6, 2007)
Bloomberg.com: Mukasey's Approval by Senate Boosted by Two Democrats (November 2, 2007)
CBS News: Feinstein Says Yes To Mukasey, Saves Nomination (November 2, 2007)
New York Times: Bush Moves to Save Mukasey Nomination (November 1, 2007)
USNews.com: Leahy Expects Mukasey To Be Confirmed (October 17, 2007)
Newsweek: Justice: Grilling a Bush Pick (September 23, 2007)
Los Angeles Times: Ex-jurist in line to replace Gonzales (September 17, 2007)
Philly.com: Conservatives Eye Possible AG Nominee (September 16, 2007)
Politico.com: Bush plans to pick Mukasey for A.G. (September 16, 2007)
FoxNews.com: Judge Michael Mukasey on Top of Attorney General Short List (September 16, 2007)
ABC News: Criminal Probe Opened Over CIA Tapes (January 2, 2007)
Google News: Michael Mukasey

Michael Mukasey Videos and Media

AlterNet: Attorney General Nominee Mukasey Compares U.S. Torture to Nazi Tactics (October 17, 2007)
LiveVideo: Mukasey calls torture memo a 'mistake' (Time: 1:42)
YouTube: Mukasey Says "Huh" to White House Claim of Privilege (Time: 2:06)
Google Images: Michael Mukasey

Michael Mukasey Background and Profiles

Reuters: FACTBOX: Attorney General Michael Mukasey
BBC News: Profile: Michael Mukasey
ChicagoTribune.com: Giuliani legal team (September 6, 2007)
New York Sun: "As Judge Leaves for Law Firm, His Legacy Is Remembered" (2006)
Wall Street Journal: Law Blog: Judge Michael Mukasey to Join Patterson Belknap (2006)
OpinionJournal.com: "Before attacking the Patriot Act, try reading it." by Michael B. Mukasey (2004)
CNN: U.S. can hold 'dirty bomb' suspect (2002)

Michael Mukasey Blogs and Commentaries

American Chronicle: Attorney General Michael Mukasey—Tears for Fears! (April 11, 2008)
Michelle Malkin: Mukasey debate on the Senate floor (November 8, 2007)
Think Youth: How Could They? Mukasey Gets Confirmed (November 8, 2007)
Daily Kos: Michael Mukasey tags
Salon.com: Glenn Greenwald: Liveblogging the Mukasey confirmation hearing (October 17, 2007)
The New York Times: "Nuance in Rulings by Attorney General Nominee" (September 23, 2007)
The Huffington Post: Michael Mukasey: Man of Mystery (September 20, 2007)
Politico.com: Bush AG nomination may face little fight (September 17, 2007)
Think Progress: Former judge Michael Mukasey top AG pick (September 15, 2007)
Weekly Standard: Michael Mukasey to be Attorney General... (September 15, 2007)
OpinionJournal.com: Jose Padilla Makes Bad Law (August 22, 2007)
Google Blog Search: Michael Mukasey

Related Pages on Mahalo

Rudy Giuliani | George W. Bush | Alberto Gonzales | Jose Padilla | Padilla Verdict | Ronald Reagan