WASHINGTON, April 14 (UPI) -- The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday called for Jamie Gorelick to resign from the Sept. 11 commission because of a conflict of interest.
Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., issued a statement saying a 1995 memo written by Gorelick while she was with the Justice Department and in which she called for keeping counterintelligence and criminal investigations separate created a problem for the commission's independence.
The memo was released Tuesday during testimony by Attorney General John Ashcroft. The document led to a "wall" that Ashcroft said hindered subsequent investigations into terrorism.
Sensenbrenner said Gorelick "has an inherent conflict of interest as the author of this memo." The congressman added that he believes the commission's work and independence will be "fatally damaged by the continued participation of Ms. Gorelick as a commissioner."
Gorelick is one of five Democratic members of the 10-person commission looking into possible intelligence failures ahead of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The commission Wednesday was wrapping up a two-day public hearing.
The commission had no immediate comment on Sensenbrenner's request.
