"It's nothing but pure politics," said Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary. "The Justice Department is holding Mr. Abramoff to account, and the career Justice prosecutors are continuing to fully investigate the matter."

Can't help but agree with McClellan here: it surely is nothing but pure politics on Bush's part to nominate Hillman to a judgeship before he can dig further into Abramoff's connections to Congressional and administration Republicans. Bush is showing his fear in getting this guy out of the way so Justice department officals can install someone more friendly to run the case.

"In a letter sent to the attorney general on Thursday asking for an independent counsel, Senator Schumer and Senator Ken Salazar, Democrat of Colorado, praised Mr. Hillman's office for the investigation that led to the guilty plea by Mr. Abramoff and his former lobbying partner, Michael Scanlon, a former press secretary to Representative Tom DeLay."

"We applaud its pursuit of Mr. Abramoff and his colleagues," they said. "We have no doubt that if the investigation is left to the career prosecutors in that section, the case would reach its appropriate conclusion. Unfortunately, the highly political context of the allegations and charges may lead some to surmise that political influence may compromise the investigation."

Political influence may compromise the investigation? With this adminstration? Really? No, never!