Eric Black: "Putdown for Paulose"

Eric Black (now at Minnesota Monitor) has the scoop:

Rachel Paulose, the embattled U.S. attorney for Minnesota, suffered through an awkward moment Tuesday when a retirement party for a long-serving prosecutor in her office turned into a thunderous ovation for several of Paulose's severest critics. Word of the incident has buzzed through the Twin Cities federal legal community and become the latest symbol of a very rough 18 months since Paulose took over the top federal law enforcement job in Minnesota.

Will Paulose get the message or will Minnesota's kick-boxing USA keep fighting to save her job?

The Paulose Puzzle - Three Timelines Offer Clues

Why did former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger resign and why did Rachel Paulose replace him?

Although Heffelfinger insists he left voluntarily, it seems very likely he jumped before he was pushed.

We know the assistant U.S. attorneys he left behind are very unhappy working for Paulose. But, with the exception of a recent open letter complaining about Paulose, they haven't given the media any clues why Heffelfinger was removed and replaced with the boss from hell.

In every mystery, there's a motive.

Dahlia Lithwick at Slate explains the reason for what happened in U.S. Attorney offices across the country:

There is only one narrative that works with the facts. The White House wanted party loyalists placed in either key battleground states, or in states where Republicans were being investigated or they thought Democrats should have been.

If that's so, Heffelfinger should have been popular at the White House, because he successfully prosecuted Democrats such as former Minneapolis City Council members Brian Heron, Joe Biernat, and Loren Jennings, a former state representative.

With that motive in mind, let's take a look at some timelines and see if they point to an answer.

Ed Felein, the editor and publisher of Pulse of the Twin Cities published a timeline in his publication PULSE last week:

Sept. 16, 2005--"What did Dean do wrong?" by Ed Felien. Analysis of the "case" against [then] Minneapolis Council Member Dean Zimmerman.

Aug. 16, 2006--In the wake of "Zimmergate," commentator David Tilsen discusses how he believes former City Council Member Dean Zimmerman was set up, and Tilsen gives advice to anti-establishment leaders.

Zimmermann was anything but anti-establishment. Zimmermann was a one-stop-shop for political favors and corruption in Minneapolis.

Ed Felein is Zimmermann's friend and one of the few people in this town besides David Tilsen who defended Zimmermann in print after his conviction. For Felein and Tilsen, Heffelfinger is the villain. That is probably why the Pulse has ignored the scandal surrounding Paulose.

Another of Zimmermann's friends and supporters is Charley Underwood, the head of the DFL Progressive Caucus and a blogger at Mn Blue. Underwood, who has attacked Rep. Keith Ellison for what he perceives as a betrayal of the anti-war movement, has forgiven his friend Zimmmermann of any wrongdoing.

For Felein, Tilsen and Underwood, Heffelfinger, is the bad guy; a Bush appointee that investigated and indicted Zimmermann, their friend.

Eric Pusey at Mn Blue has posted a timeline of the U.S. Attorney scandal that avoids mentioning Heffelfinger's prosecution of Zimmermann.

One of the facts that Pusey states as reason for Heffelfinger's dismissal is that he was a "moderate".

But if Heffelfinger was a moderate, that would make him one of the good guys, right? Hefelfinger wasn't a "loyal Bushie" like Paulose. This is what Pusey thinks his timeline proves:

It's clear that Heffelfinger would not cooperate in 2008 when the Bush Administration would want some voter suppression to occur in urban, minority areas ... areas that would likely vote against Norm. The Bush Administration considers Minnesota a key battleground state. Hell, they're holding their convention here to help out Norm Coleman in his reelection bid. Rachel Paulose, a trusted neo-con, will do the Bush Administration's bidding unquestioningly, whatever it happens to be.

Pusey could be right. It's also possible that Heffelfinger's dismissal had something to do with the Abramoff scandal.

But, Zimmmermann's reported ties to at least two prominent Republican donors (and politicians) and his possible ties to others suggests that Heffelfinger chose to leave rather than face Monica Goodling's buzzsaw during the crucial 2006 election year.

What did the FBI find in the raid on Zimmemrmann's house in September of 2005?

Did they find e-mails to and from Republican donors and politicians on Zimmermann's hard drive?

Why won't Rachel Paulose release the FBI tapes shown in open court of Zimmermann accepting bribes from Gary Carlson? Is it because Carlson held a fundraiser for Senator Norm Coleman?

Read the Minneapolis Confidential Mn DOJ timeline and see what you think.

Heffelfinger, Paulose Minnesota U.S. Attorney Timeline

Heffelfinger, Paulose Minnesota U.S. Attorney Timeline

(With special attention to Minneapolis public corruption investigations)

September 1991: April 1993: Thomas B. Heffelfinger's first term as United States Attorney, District of Minnesota (appointed by President George H. W. Bush).

July 17, 2001: Minneapolis city council members Brian Herron indicted (taped by FBI accepting $10,000 bribe). Herron pleaded guilty and resigned.

September 2001: Tom Heffelfinger appointed by President George W. Bush to a second term as US Attorney for the District of Minnesota.

Nov. 7, 2001: R.T. Rybak and Zimmermann elected. Rybak campaigned with a gigantic green air freshener stating how city hall needed to have its air freshened with reform and a return to ethical standards of practice by its elected officials.

November 21, 2002: Councilman Joe Biernat convicted of five felony charges related to allegations he received free plumbing work in exchange for a vote.

September 9, 2004: Mayor RT Rybak casts his only veto in favor a Basim Sabri's development. Zimmermann also supports Basim Sabri's project.

December 2005: Basim Sabri convicted of three counts of bribery for trying to pay former City Council Member Brian Herron to help him with a controversial project on Lake Street.

May 18, 2005: FBI agents meet with a cooperating witness (Gary Carlson) about Zimmermann.

May ? 2005: In an FBI tape, Carlson mentioned he had recently had a fundraiser for Norm Coleman at his house; Zimmermann chided Carlson for not inviting him. Carlson replied by saying he didn't think Zimmermann [as a Green] would want to attend a Republican fundraiser.

Zimmermann responded by saying, "Liberals, Greens, Democrats, Republicans…it's all money."

August 31, 2005: Zimmermann meets with Carlson at his home. Zimmermann receives an envelope that contains $1000 in the form of 10 $100 bills, given to Carlson by the FBI. Zimmermann asks Carlson to contribute money to another Green candidate, Dave Bicking. Zimmermann also boasts of having forced a primary with a "straw man".

September 9, 2005: FBI agents confront Zimmermann with video and audio evidence of bribery. Zimmemrmnann lies and refuses to admit wrongdoing. Zimmermann's house searched. Investigation announced.

September 11, 2005: Fifth Congressional District Green Party chair Steven Eisenmenger) claims USA Tom Heffelfinger canceled press conference:

Eisenmenger said two members of the Zimmermann campaign were subpoenaed to testify Monday before a Hennepin County grand jury, but were told Friday their appearances had been cancelled. He also questioned why U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger cancelled a Friday press conference where he was to release a statement on the case.

Jan. 9, 2006: Kyle Sampson memo to White House Counsel Harriet Miers: proposed working with "targeted U.S. Attorneys to encourage them to leave government service voluntarily; this would allow (them) to make arrangements for work in the private sector and `save face' regarding the reason for leaving office, both in the Department of Justice and in their local legal communities." (Nick Coleman, Star Tribune 4/1/07)

January 18, 2006: Former city councilman Dean Zimmermann indicted.

Feb. 14, 2006: Tom Heffelfinger, announced his resignation (effective Feb. 28, 2006).

Feb. 17, 2006: Paulose was named to be the interim US Attorney.

April 14th, 2006 memo from Kyle Sampson states, "Also, I would note that two on my original list have already resigned" (presumably Heffelfinger and Graves).

August 10, 2006: Zimmermann convicted on 3 counts of accepting cash.

November 7, 2006: DFL candidate for Rebecca Otto claims she was the victim of Green Party dirty tricks in this You Tube video.

December 9, 2006: Rachel Paulose confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate's last act of the session at 3:00 a.m (Saturday morning)

December 19, 2006: Former Minneapolis Councilman Zimmermann Sentenced to Federal Prison.

March 9, 2007: Rachel Paulose Sworn in as US Attorney fo the District of MInnesota at ceremony at Saint Thomas. - Thomas Heffelfinger, was not invited (Nick Coleman, Star Tribune 4/1/07)

March 21, 2007: City Pages article on flawed research that claimed Mayor Rybak was investigated by Heffelfinger--Heffelfinger says, he cannot comment on investigations that did not result in charges. But it doesn't take a scholar to read between the lines: "Rybak should be pissed off," Heffelfinger says. "That's irresponsible for someone to publish something like that."

April 5, 2007: "...three of her top administrators — First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marti, second in command; civil division head Erika Monzangue and criminal division head James Lackner — voluntarily resigned those positions, reverting to simple assistant U.S. attorney status, reportedly in protest over Paulose's management style. According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, she was noted for dressing down underlings and quoting Bible verses on the job.

April 7, 2007: Pioneer Press reporter, Ruben Rosario complains that Rachel Paulose doesn't release information... even about "Cubby the Bear" to the press.

On April 17th: The AP reported that Ms. Paulose had been contacted for voluntary questioning by the US House Judiciary Committee in relation to the "firings of 8 U.S. federal prosecutors"

****Zimmermann Trial Facts****

*Gary Dean Zimmermann had a court-appointed attorney.

*Gary Dean Zimmermann still owns property worth $794,500 (according to City records).

*A Star Tribune editorial recommended that Zimmermann receive no jail time.

****More Reference****

TPM US Attorney Scandal Timeline:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/usa-timeline.php

KSTP Coverage of the US Attorney scandal.

FBI Search Affidavit (PDF).

Best & Flannagan Heffelfinger resume.

Zimmermann's sorry environmental record in office.

MnBlue Blog's timeline.

Rachel Paulose and the Zimmermann Tapes

Reporters and bloggers are trying to figure out why a loyal Bushie was put in charge of the US Attorney's office in Minnesota.

So far they've been looking in all the wrong places.

The question they should be asking is what happened to the investigation of municipal corruption in Minneapolis.

The investigation of Gary Dean Zimmermann should have yielded a treasure trove of information about Zimmmermann and his contacts.... many of them prominent, wealthy and influential right-wing Republicans.

The FBI tapes shown in open court during his trial showed Zimmermann soliciting and accepting large amounts of cash from Gary Carlson who held a fund raiser for Norm Coleman. Zimmermann also lobbied for Crown Hydro, acompany owned by William Hawks who held a fundraiser for Michele Bachmann (special guest Dick Cheney)

Perhaps Zimmermann's computer served up a e-mails to and from prominent Republican politicians and donors. There were a bunch of prominent Republicans promoting PRT and the Taxi 2000 Corporation.

Yesterday I found another prominent Republican donor who for a time was a co-defendant in the Taxi 2000 lawsuit.

Zimmmermann lobbied incessantly for Taxi 2000 while he was in office. I hope that the media takes the time to ask the question fellow Green Party office-holder Annie Young asked back in 2004:

“This is not a Green Party issue; this is Dean’s project. I’m concerned about his relationship to Taxi 2000, and about the time he’s spending on the project and whether he’s meeting the needs of the people in his ward. There are potentially some good things that could come from it, and I see what the point is but I’m not sure the timing is right. There are also a lot of questions about it, like why are the Republicans so interested in it?... "

To learn more about Zimmermann's odd relationship with prominent right-wing Republicans and about the FBI tapes showing Zimmermann requesting and receiving cash bribes from a Hummer-driving Republican developer, read this post at Lloydletta.