Attorney General Michael Mukasey praised for dedication, grilled on money allocation

This morning, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies under the Committee on Appropriations, heard Mukasey’s testimony on the U.S. Department of Justice’s budget. The 2009 budget request of 22.7 billion dollars “will allow us to accomplish our mission and to focus on several of the priorities I’ve discussed in other settings. These are national security, violent crime, immigration and border security, and public corruption.”

A large portion of the proposed budget is allocated toward the FBI. Mukasey says that there is a “relatively new mission” within the FBI, which is that of intelligence gathering. When asked more specifically about how the money will be used, approximately 280 agents will be hired along with 271 intelligence analysts.

While providing detailed information, at times Mukasey didn’t comment on questions saying he needed to look into them. He was urged greatly by committee members to find the answers they sought, including looking into the allocation of additional funding for border security, especially in Tucson. When challenged that when drug smugglers are arrested and then released for having anything less than 500 pounds of drugs, Mukasey’s defense skirted away from the issue.

FBI Director Confident Bureau is headed in the Right Direction

The House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies interrogated FBI Director Robert Mueller on a number of issues pertaining to the progress of his department. Issues covered during the hearing were the FBI’s fiscal year 2009 budget request, the progress the FBI has made in counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and cyber security, and the methods the department uses to carry out their wide-spanning activities.

Mueller’s comments were met with both criticism and support by the members of Congress making up the panel conducting the hearing. The hearing was chaired by Congressman Obey (D-WI) who was particularly critical of the methodology used by the FBI to interrogate alleged criminals, and of the expensive budget Mueller hopes to receive.

Mueller’s defense of the large budget requested by the FBI was that the bureau needs money to recruit and train new employees, as well as to efficiently protect America. Director Mueller mentioned that the FBI is trying to crackdown on “white collar crime” and maintained that his department conducts its business legally.