Durham’s Previous Run-In with Tribalism

There are two more themes emerging on the coverage of John Durham, the guy Mukasey picked to investigate the torture tape destruction. First, there’s this piece from the WaPo that describes how Durham managed to take down the governor of CT.

Pickerstein said Durham relied on a "good versus evil" vision of the world while overseeing the probe of former governor John G. Rowland.

Rowland was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison and four months of home confinement for accepting $107,000 in gifts from people doing business with the state and for not paying taxes on them. "It wasn’t an easy case, but John was single-minded in his pursuit of the truth," Pickerstein said.

Gotta say I appreciate the emphasis on his willingness to go after Republicans. But folks? Let’s stop with the "Second coming of Fitz" claims, particularly ones that suggest Fitz doesn’t have a sense of humor.

He’s Fitzgerald with a sense of humor

I just think the whole "second-coming" thing is unnecessary. Perhaps, shocker, there is more than one model for honest prosecutor.

My favorite new detail to come out about Durham today is this one:

Durham’s role in the Boston investigation has been judged a success, but before it concluded, he found himself at the center of brutal warfare between Boston’s competing and almost tribal political and law enforcement interests — interests that had become increasingly mistrustful over the years because of what later was proven to have been leaks of law enforcement secrets to murderous gangsters.

Friends said Durham, who until then had been largely trustful of law enforcement colleagues, quickly concluded that no one could be trusted. And in the murky world of Boston law enforcement, friends said the publicity-averse Durham became almost maniacal about leaks.

In Connecticut, Durham’s distaste for the press has become something of a standing joke among law enforcement agents. He appears in public only when forced by superiors and, then, usually issues terse "no comments." 

That detail I particularly like. If my admittedly WAGGY reading of the factionalism behind the torture tape destruction is even close, Durham will need to wander Washington trusting no one, negotiating some really Byzantine rules of tribalism.

Now if we can only get him special counsel status.