At Justice, Chertoff Played Party Politics

Michael Chertoff, a frontrunner to replace Alberto Gonzales, has impressive judicial credentials, but the LA Times reports that he also has a background tinged with partisan politics. While head of the Justice Department's criminal division, the current Homeland Security secretary met with conservative activists and brought controversial charges against an associate of Hillary Clinton.

In 2001, Chertoff met with members of the conservative group Judicial Watch, who urged him to pursue criminal charges against Clinton over the new senator's fundraising techniques. Chertoff's division of the Justice Department eventually prosecuted an associate who he was later acquitted; he has said, "They couldn't get Hillary Clinton, so they came after me." (More Michael Chertoff stories.)