It’s utterly facinating to see all the hoopty-do about seven prosecutors fired, which is drop in a bucket compared to the “Great Purge of ’93″. But this was more than just a election year purge, it was essential to the Clinton’s agenda.

Let’s go to the New York Times, March 24th, 1993:

“WASHINGTON, March 23 — Attorney General Janet Reno today demanded the prompt resignation of all United States Attorneys, leading the Federal prosecutor in the District of Columbia to suggest that the order could be tied to his long-running investigation of Representative Dan Rostenkowski, a crucial ally of President Clinton.

Jay B. Stephens, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, who is a Bush Administration holdover, said he had advised the Justice Department that he was within 30 days of making a “critical decision” in the Rostenkowski case when Ms. Reno directed him and other United States Attorneys to submit their resignations, effective in a matter of days.

While prosecutors are routinely replaced after a change in Administration, Ms. Reno’s order accelerated what had been expected to be a leisurely changeover. Says He Won’t Resist

At a news conference today only hours after one by Ms. Reno, Mr. Stephens said he would not resist the Attorney General’s move to force him from office, and he held back from directly accusing her of interfering with the Rostenkowski inquiry.

But Mr. Stephens left the strong impression that Ms. Reno’s actions might disrupt the investigation as he moved toward a decision on whether to seek charges against the Illinois Democrat, who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

“This case has been conducted with integrity,” Mr. Stephens said, “and I trust the decisions in this case will not be made based on political considerations.”

Nonetheless, lawyers who have followed the investigation have said that Mr. Stephens has been concerned that the Democratic Administration might try to upset his investigation. Has Denied Wrongdoing

Mr. Rostenkowski has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, and he has not been accused of any impropriety. But if he is indicted, he would be forced by House rules to relinquish his chairmanship, a development that some lawmakers have said could seriously jeopardize Mr. Clinton’s efforts to steer his economic and health-care proposals through Congress.”

“Health-care proposals” namely, the now infamous and failed Hillary Clinton health care. Hillary as I mentioned before was absolutely adamant, according to those who were there about ensuring that Rostenkowski stayed in his chair.

Again, it would have raised serious questions if only Stephens was removed. Thus the “scorched earth” approach.

Of course under a new prosecutor Rostenkowski got indicted anyway on 17 counts of embezzling public and campaign funds, mail and wire fraud, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice, and went to the slammer (after the Clinton’s fed him to the wolves).

But ah forgiveness (and a threat to tell all) of course would later bring us….. (Surprise!)

“On December 23, 2000, President Bill Clinton in his last few days in office pardoned Rostenkowski. Rosty wasn’t eligible for a pardon request through regular Justice Department channels, because a felon has to wait at least five years after completing a sentence before filing a pardon application. But that didn’t stop Clinton, since no such rules apply to a direct Presidential pardon.

Kind of pales in comparison to the present day non-issue wouldn’t you say?

UPDATE: Talk about Chutzpah, Ms. Clinton is calling for Gonzales’s head.

“I’m deeply disturbed by what we have learned thus far,” Clinton said, “and I join those who are calling for a full and thorough investigation to try to get to the bottom of these very political decisions that interfere with prosecutorial responsibility by U.S. attorneys, and I think that the attorney general should resign.”

Yeah, disturbed: