Who should investigate Chuck?

Rick Casey adds a small piece to the puzzle of where the investigation into possible wrongdoings by now-former DA Chuck Rosenthal stands.

Republican candidates to replace Rosenthal have called for a special prosecutor to investigate whether he illegally used his official computer for re-election campaign purposes.

And Wednesday Eric Nichols, deputy attorney general for criminal justice, sent a letter to Acting District Attorney Bert Graham offering "our office's assistance with any further potential action involving Charles A. Rosenthal, Jr."

Graham said Thursday he has not yet made a decision, but possibilities include asking the attorney general's office to pursue the matter, asking a district judge to appoint an independent prosecutor, or leaving the matter to the next district attorney.

Let me just say that options 1 and 2 are vastly preferable to 3. Whoever the next DA is, Republican or Democrat, he or she should not have to undertake the task of investigating his or her immediate predecessor. Given how political Rosenthal was in deciding when to pursue an investigation or not, this particular case needs to be as far removed from politics as possible. Let someone with no connection to Harris County or interest in its power structure handle this. This should be a no-brainer.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 23, 2008 to Crime and Punishment