This is friggin priceless:
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Firing by Bush rejected by boundary officialSEATTLE -- A dispute over a backyard wall in Whatcom County has reached all the way to the White House, with President Bush firing International Boundary Commissioner Dennis Schornack over his handling of the matter.
But on Wednesday Schornack rejected his dismissal by the commander-in-chief.
In a strongly worded letter to Bush, Schornack said the International Boundary Commission (IBC) is an independent, international organization outside the U.S. government's jurisdiction. Schornack wrote that according to the 1908 treaty that created the IBC, a vacancy can only be created by "the death, resignation or other disability" of a commissioner.
Thus, Schornack said, the president cannot fire him.
"I am unable to recognize the authority of this communication because I don't believe that you would knowingly act beyond your authority, outside the law or to otherwise jeopardize the national security of the United States," Schornack wrote.
A dejected Schornack said Wednesday: "I am ashamed of my government." Bush nominated him to the IBC in 2001.
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Schornack and Feldman said the IBC had a strong case and felt the Leus' wall presented a legitimate risk to national security, particularly if it paved the way for more new construction inside the border vista that might provide protection for terrorists or drug smugglers.
So Schornack pressed ahead, against the wishes of the Justice Department, and last week enlisted former U.S. Attorney Mike McKay to represent the IBC in U.S. District Court in Seattle, Feldman said.
Late Tuesday, Schornack received a faxed letter from Liza Wright, assistant to the president for personnel, informing him Bush had terminated his appointment "effective immediately."
The White House referred calls about the firing to the Department of Justice, but officials there declined to comment, saying it was a personnel matter.
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Full story here:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003785546_border12m.html