WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Wednesday limited the number of its employees who can discuss investigations with the White House, seeking to end any political meddling in sensitive cases.
The change rolls back a more lax policy, set under former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, that critics said allowed hundreds of Justice Department and White House workers to communicate about topics that only a few people should have handled.
In a memo Wednesday to department lawyers, Attorney General Michael Mukasey said that only he and his deputy attorney general can initiate conversations with the White House about civil and most criminal cases — and then only with the president’s counsel and deputy counsel. Only cases deemed necessary to the president’s duties can be discussed, Mukasey said.
During President Clinton’s two terms, discussions of sensitive cases were restricted to six people — two at Justice and four at the White House. In 2002, a year after President Bush took office, the number of people was greatly expanded — to what the White House estimated to be 417 staff members and 42 Justice Department employees.
