Security from Political Interference in Justice Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1845
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2007-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Attorneys general
Cabinet officers
Civil actions and liability
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional-executive relations
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Department of Justice
Executive Office of the President
Federal employees
Federal officials
Government Operations and Politics
Government ethics
Presidential aides
Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: 
Authorizes the President and the Attorney General to designate certain officers or employees in their respective agencies as covered officers for purposes of making a covered communication. Defines &quot;covered communication&quot; to include any communication relating to an ongoing civil or criminal Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation and to exclude any communication relating to policy, appointments, legislation, budgets, public relations, programmatic matters, intergovernmental relations, administrative or personnel matters, or requests for legal advice. 

Requires the President and the Attorney General, after designating a covered officer, to notify the House and Senate Committees on the Judiciary of that designation within three days, with an explanation of the necessity of that designation.

Allows only covered White House and DOJ officers to make covered communications.

action_date: 2007-10-23
text: 
Security from Political Interference in Justice Act of 2007 - Defines &quot;covered communication&quot; as any communication relating to an ongoing Department of Justice (DOJ) civil or criminal investigation (regardless of whether a civil or criminal indictment or information has been filed). Excludes from such definition any communication relating to policy appointments, legislation, rulemaking, budgets, public relations, programmatic matters, intergovernmental relations, administrative or personnel matters, appellate litigation, or requests for legal advice. 

Defines &quot;covered Department of Justice officer&quot; as the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, and the Associate Attorney General. Defines &quot;covered White House officer&quot; as the President, the Vice-President, the Counsel to the President, and the Counselor to the President. 

Requires the Attorney General to submit semi-annual reports to the Judiciary Committees of Congress listing the name and title of each DOJ officer or employee who made a covered communication with any officer or employee of the Executive Office of the President in the previous six-month period. Requires the Counsel to the President to make the same semi-annual reports listing the name and title of each officer or employee of the Executive Office of the President who made a covered communication with any DOJ officer or employee. Allows the exclusion of covered DOJ and White House officers from such reports. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-10-23
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 438.
action_date: 2007-10-23
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-203. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2007-10-23
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-203. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2007-09-20
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2007-07-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9866-9867)
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate