Downward Spiral at Justice

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Byline: Bob Barr, Special to the Washington Times

Back in 1988, during my tenure as the United States Attorney in Atlanta, and while my office was concluding an investigation of Pat Swindall, at the time one of only two Republican congressmen from Georgia, the other Newt Gingrich opined publicly that perhaps I was a "rogue U.S. Attorney" for pursuing this particular prosecution.

In fact, the future Speaker of the House was mild in his veiled criticism, compared to the furious, behind-the-scenes activity by many other Republican leaders unhappy with my decision to prosecute a sitting Republican congressman.

While the criticism quickly abated months later when a jury found Swindall guilty of perjury and …