Klobuchar seeks answers about new revelations in targeting of Heffelfinger

Source: (Minneapolis-St.Paul) Star Tribune

By Eric Black, Star Tribune
Last update: May 31, 2007 – 7:40 PM

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D.-Minn., on Thursday demanded answers to new questions about why the Justice Department considered firing former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger.

Klobuchar sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., asking him to pursue the matter at a hearing Tuesday when the committee will question a former Justice Department official. That official, Bradley Schlozman, a political appointee in the Justice Department, may know whether Heffelfinger had alienated Republican insiders by his position on an Indian voting issue on the eve of the 2004 election. ~snip~

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, Schlozman prevented an investigation into whether Indian voting rights were in jeopardy because of the "special sensitivity of this matter."

Kiffmeyer had issued a directive that would have prevented Indians, other than those living on reservations, from using tribal identification cards for voting purposes. Heffelfinger was concerned that such a policy would damage Indian voting rights. ~snip~

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