Sen. Chuck Schumer seems to be forging a new fight with U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Yesterday, just four days after a failed push for a Senate vote of no-confidence in Gonzales — who is under fire from Congress for the controversial firings of eight U.S. attorneys — Schumer, who has led the investigation, sent a letter to Gonzales seeking support for two pieces of legislation aimed at protecting children from online predators. The measures, which he co-sponsored in January and February, would require the Justice Department to add online identifiers such as chat screen names and e-mail addresses to the National Sex Offender Registry.
“Since then, despite a number of requests, we have not received the Department’s official views,” Schumer (D-N.Y.) writes in the letter. “The delay is inexplicable.”
Schumer’s letter comes after Gonzales responded earlier this week to the Senate’s effort by saying he was, “spending my time focused on what’s important...ensuring that our kids are safe from pedophiles.”
A Department of Justice spokesman said the department received Schumer’s letter and was reviewing it, but had no comment on its content.
Aaron Cahall