A former Bush administration Department of Justice official pleaded guilty Tuesday to criminal contempt of Congress.

Scott Bloch (gov)

Scott Bloch was the head of the DOJ’s Task Force for Faith-based and Community Initiatives. He later headed U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an agency that protects federal government whistleblowers and gives advice related to the Hatch Act, which regulates the political activities of federal employees.

According to the Department of Justice, Bloch withheld  information from the House Oversight Committee, which was conducting an investigation into whether Bloch had directed the deletion of e-mails and files on agency computers. Bloch allegedly hired a computer repair service, Geeks on Call, to scrub the computers of files. His office and home were raided in May 2008 as part of an investigation.

Bloch faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a fine of $100,000, but his likely sentencing range is zero to six months in jail under the federal sentencing guidelines, according to the Justice Department. His sentencing is scheduled for July 20.

As head of OSC, Bloch ordered all references to protections for federal employees in regards to their sexual orientation removed from materials and said his office lacked the authority to enforce the statute.

Bloch was removed from his post and banned from federal offices after a meeting with White House officials in October 2008.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to consider another U.S. Attorney nominee at its meeting Thursday.

Zane D. Memeger (Morgan Lewis)

The panel will vote on Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney nominee Zane D. Memeger, in addition to Connecticut U.S. Attorney nominee David Fein.

Memeger is a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and a former Assistant U.S. Attorney. He would succeed Pat Meehan, who resigned as U.S. Attorney in 2008. Read more about Memeger here.

The panel has yet to schedule votes for another 18 would-be U.S. Attorneys. The committee has endorsed 45 of President Barack Obama’s U.S. Attorney nominees, 41 of whom have won Senate confirmation.

In a letter to senators Tuesday, the Departments of Defense and Justice offered to provide some of the documents sought by a Senate panel investigating the November shooting at Fort Hood Army base in Texas.

According to the Associated Press, the agencies agreed to provide congressional investigators with access to the personnel file of the shooter, Army Maj. Nidal Hasan and an internal Pentagon report on the Army’s failure to heed warnings about Hasan. The departments declined to provide access to witnesses of the shooting or the notes taken by criminal investigators.

On Nov. 5, 2009, Hasan opened fire in a building at Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13 and wounding 30 people. Hasan, who was set to deploy to Iraq and had allegedly been in contact with an imam associated with al-Qaeda, has been charged with premeditated murder.

Last week, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee issued subpoenas to Attorney General Eric Holder and Defense Secretary Robert Gates requesting access to documents and witnesses for its investigation.

Read the full AP story here and a write-up by CNN here.

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the AstraZeneca Settlement Announcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. ~ Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

Over the past 15 months, Secretary Sebelius and I have made it a top priority of both our Departments to crack down on health care fraud, which we know costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Through our Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team, or HEAT, we have brought the full resources of the federal government to bear against individuals and corporations who illegally divert taxpayer resources for their own gain.

Today, we are here to announce the latest results of that effort. The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has agreed to pay $520 million to federal and state taxpayers to settle claims that it illegally marketed the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel for uses that were not approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration. As part of this scheme, AstraZeneca was accused of illegally promoting Seroquel to physicians and violating the federal Anti-Kickback statute, all in furtherance of supporting the drug’s use for a host of illnesses for which it was never approved.

According to the settlement, AstraZeneca’s illegal marketing of the drug led to millions of dollars in false claims against federal and state programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

These were not victimless crimes – illegal acts by pharmaceutical companies and false claims against Medicare and Medicaid can put the public health at risk, corrupt medical decisions by health care providers, and take billions of dollars directly out of taxpayers’ pockets.

As we have said, we will not let such actions stand. This Administration is committed to recovering taxpayer money lost to health care fraud, whether it’s by bringing cases against common criminals operating out of vacant storefronts or executives at some of the nation’s biggest companies.

The settlement we are announcing today is a major accomplishment in that effort. It is the largest amount ever paid by a company in a civil only settlement of off-label marketing claims. The federal government will receive $302 million, and states will share up to $218 million.

Over the past 15 months, we have recouped more than $2.8 billion in health care fraud cases through use of the False Claims Act, money that will be fed back into federal coffers. In 2009, the Justice Department also reached an all-time high in the number of health care fraud defendants charged, with more than 800 indictments and more than 580 convictions. Our Strike Forces now operate in seven cities and we plan to expand to more this year.

These are major success stories with our partners at HHS, but we know that we must not rest – and we will not. As long as health care fraud pays, and as long as it goes unpunished, our health care system will remain under siege, with tremendous costs to the quality of health care provided in this country and to the nation’s fiscal health. As Secretary Sebelius and I both said when we launched HEAT in May 2009, you should expect to hear from us again on this subject. The American people expect results, and we are committed to delivering them.

Before I turn it over to Secretary Sebelius, I’d like to thank the Civil Division for its hard work on this case and its anti-fraud efforts across all sectors. Over the past 15 months, the Civil Division in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s offices across the nation has recovered more than $5.7 billion in civil recoveries and criminal fines by uncovering fraud in a range of areas. I’d also like to thank U.S. Attorney Michael Levy of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and his great office for their fine work on this case.

And of course, I would like to thank our partners at the Department of Health and Human Services, who have made invaluable contributions to this effort. I’ll now turn it over to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that he has concerns about Arizona’s recently passed immigration law, calling it “unfortunate.”

Speaking at a press conference announcing the AstraZeneca settlement, Holder said he was worried that the Arizona law — which makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally and goes into effect in July — could lead to potential abuse and create a wedge between law enforcement and the community.

The law was signed by Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday, and President Barack Obama ordered the Justice Department to review it for potential civil rights violations.

The Senate Judiciary Committee last week released the questionnaires submitted by seven recent U.S. Attorney nominees. They will be updated as more information becomes available.

They are:

• Donald J. Cazayoux (Middle District of Louisiana)
• Pamela Cothran Marsh (Northern District of Florida)
• Zane D. Memeger (Eastern District of Pennsylvania)
• Peter J. Smith (Middle District of Pennsylvania)
• Edward L. Stanton III (Western District of Tennessee)
• John F. Walsh (District of Colorado)
• Stephen R. Wigginton (Southern District of Illinois)

Peter J. Smith (King’s College, Georgetown University Law Center) is nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He would replace Martin C. Carlson, who resigned Aug. 10, 2009. The district’s current interim U.S. Attorney is Dennis C. Pfannenschmidt.

Smith’s vitals:

• Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in 1940.
• Attended but did not earn degrees from the John F. Kennedy School of Government Program For State and Local Government Executives at Harvard University, Georgetown University and International Summer School at Oxford University.
• Has been retired since April 2, 2009.
• Was the deputy state treasurer for audits and investigation at the Pennsylvania Treasury Department in Harrisburg, Pa., from 2005 to 2009.
• Worked as the deputy auditor general for performance audits at the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General in Harrisburg from 2003 to 2005. Was the director of the Office of Special Investigations from 1997  to 2005.
• Was the assistant chief of the Environmental Crimes Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, at Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.,  from 1994 to 1997.
• Worked as an associate at Vaira and Associates PC in Philadelphia from 1992 to 1994.
• Was an associate at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC in Philadelphia from 1991 to 1992.
• Was the Pennsylvania Inspector General in Harrisburg from 1987 to 1991.
• Worked in the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1976 to 1987. Was First Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1986 to 1987, chief of the criminal division from 1985 to 1986 and an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1976 to 1985.
• Was a Pennsylvania assistant attorney general in Philadelphia in 1976.
• Worked as a staff enforcement attorney for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Philadelphia from 1973  to 1976.
• Was an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia from 1971 to 1973.
• Worked as a part-time research assistant at Georgetown University Law School from 1969 to 1971.
• Was a management intern at the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (Now Health & Human Services) in Washington, D.C., from July 1967 to August 1968.
• Worked as a part-time office clerk for AT&T Co. in Washington, D.C., from September 1966 to June 1967.
• Served in the Navy from 1962 to 1966. Was honorably discharged at the rank of Lieutenant junior grade.
• Has tried approximately 15 cases to verdict, judgment or final decision, serving as sole or chief counsel in most of the cases.

Click here for his full Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.

UPDATE: On his Senate Judiciary financial disclosure Smith reported assets valued at 1.8 million, mostly from his pensions, and $104,000 in liabilities, mostly from a mortgage on his personal residence, for a net worth of $1.7 million.

Pamela C. Marsh (Akerman Senterfitt)

Pamela Cothran Marsh (Georgetown University, Georgetown University Law Center) is nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. She would replace George Miller, who headed the district from 2002 to 2008, as the Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney for the district. The district’s current acting U.S. Attorney is Thomas F. Kirwin.

Her vitals:

• Born in Atlanta in 1965.
• Attended but did not graduate from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, and Tarrant County Junior College (now known as Tarrant County College) in Fort Worth, Texas.
• Has been of counsel at Akerman Senterfitt in Tallahassee, Fla., since July 2006. Was an associate with the firm’s Tampa office from August 1997 to June 1999.
• Was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of Florida from June 1999 to July 2006.
• Was an associate at the now defunct law firm Annis, Mitchell, Cockey, Edwards & Roehn in Tampa from September 1996 to August 1997.
• Clerked for Judge Jane R. Roth in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia from August 1995 to August 1996.
• Was an associate at Jenner & Block LLP in Washington, D.C., from January 1995 to August 1995. Clerked for the firm from September 1994 to January 1995.
• Worked as a summer associate at Miller & Chevalier in Washington, D.C., during the summer of 1994. During this time also worked at the D.C. Public Defender’s Office, sponsored by the firm.
• Was managing editor of Georgetown Law Journal from June 1993 to June 1994.
• Worked as a research assistant at Georgetown Law Center from January 1993 to June 1994.
• Clerked at Arnold & Porter LLP in Washington, D.C., from September 1992 to January 1993.
• Danced professionally with the Fort Worth Ballet in the mid-1980s.
• Has participated in 17 trials that resulted in a verdict or final judgment. Tried 15 cases to guilty verdict as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, serving as sole counsel in eight of those trials, associate counsel in four trials and lead counsel in three trials. In private practice, tried two cases to final judgment, serving as associate counsel in one case and lead counsel in the other.
• Assisted in drafting an amicus brief filed by the National Defense Industrial Association in the Supreme Court case University of Phoenix v. United States ex reI. Mary Hendow and Julie Albertson.

Click here for her full Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.

UPDATE: On her Senate Judiciary financial disclosure Marsh reported assets valued at $1.1 million, mostly from securities and real estate, and $421,200 in liabilities, mostly from a mortgage, for a net worth of $640,700. On her Office of Government Ethics financial disclosure she reported her salary for 2009 and three months of 2010 was $158,541.75.

Edward L. Stanton III (University of Memphis, University of Memphis School of Law) is nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. He would replace David Kustoff, who headed the office from 2006 to May 2008. The district’s current interim U.S. Attorney is Lawrence J. Laurenzi.

Stanton’s vitals:

• Born in Memphis in 1972.
• Attended but did not earn a degree from Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis.
• Has been senior counsel in the litigation department of the Federal Express Corporation in Memphis since December 2002.
• Was an associate at Armstrong Allen PLLC in Memphis from September 2001 to December 2002.
• Worked as an assistant city attorney in Memphis from May 2000 to September 2001.
• Was an associate at the Law Offices of Charles E. Carpenter, PC in Memphis from August 1997 to May 2000.
• Clerked for Judge James E. Swearengen in the Shelby County, Tenn., Circuit Court from April 1996 to April 1997.
• Was a national advance team member for Clinton/Gore ‘96 in Washington, D.C., from July 1996 to November 1996.
• Clerked for the University of Memphis’ Office of Legal Counsel from December 1995 to April 1997.
• Worked as a graduate assistant in the University of Memphis’ Office of Judicial Affairs from December 1994 to November 1995.
• Volunteered with Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) in Memphis from May 1994 to August 1994.
• Has tried approximately 12 cases to verdict or final decision, serving as sole counsel in all but two cases, where he served as chief/lead counsel.

Click here for his full Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.

UPDATE: On his Office of Government Ethics questionnaire Stanton reported earning a salary from the Federal Express Corporation of $199,211 for 2009 and the first few months of 2010.

On his Senate Judiciary financial disclosure Stanton reported assets valued at $898,500, mostly from two real estate properties, and $492,100 in liabilities, mostly from mortgages on the properties, for a net worth of $406,400.

Stephen Wigginton (Weilmuenster & Wigginton PC)

Stephen R. Wigginton (Southern Illinois University, St. Louis University School of Law) is nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. He would replace Bush holdover A. Courtney Cox, who has headed the office since November 2007.

His vitals:

• Born in East St. Louis, Ill., in 1963.
• Has been a partner and co-owner of Weilmuenster & Wigginton PC in Belleville, Ill., since November 2000.
• Has worked part-time as an assistant state’s attorney in the felony division of the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office in Edwardsville, Ill., since February 1999.
• Was an associate at Becker, Paulson, Hoerner & Thompson PC in Belleville from June 1996 to November 2000.
• Worked as an associate at Kassly Bone Becker Dix Reagan & Young in Belleville from April 1994 to June 1996.
• Was an associate at Jenkins Kling & Sauerwein, PC in Clayton, Mo., from February 1992 to April 1994.
• Worked as an assistant circuit attorney-felony prosecutor in the Circuit Attorney’s Office for the City of St. Louis from June 1990 to February 1992.
• Was an associate in the May Department Stores Company’s Office of Legal Counsel in St. Louis from May 1988 to June 1990. Clerked in the office from May 1987 to September 1987.
• Clerked for Kassly Bone Becker Dix Reagan & Tillery in Belleville from September 1987 to May 1988 and from May 1986 to May 1987.
• Has tried approximately 80 to 100 trials to verdict. Served as chief counselor or sole counsel in the criminal trials, chief counselor or co-counsel in most of the civil jury trials and chief counselor pr sole counsel in all but a few of the bench trials.

Click here for his full Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.

UPDATE: On his Office of Government Ethics questionnaire Wigginton reported earning a salary and distribution from Weilmuenster & Wigginton PC. His salary for 2009-2010 was $362,048 while he received a distribution of $125,000 for 2009. In 2008, his salary from the firm was $245,134. He also reported earning a salary of $17,822 from the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office.

On his Senate Judiciary financial disclosure Wigginton reported assets valued at $3.9 million, mostly from his part ownership of Weilmuenster & Wigginton PC and real estate, and $428,700 in liabilities, for a net worth of $3.5 million.