The United States Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, is under immense heat from not only Democrats, but also fellow Republicans for his involvement in the firings of nine United States attorneys. Although federal prosecutors serve at the President’s discretion, they may not be used as political pawns. Some of the attorneys have alleged they were targeted because of their involvement in prosecuting political corruption cases against Republicans. Revelation of the dismissed attorneys’ favorable performance reviews, and the Attorney General’s less-than-candid Congressional testimony, drew bi-partisan criticism and have the American public questioning Gonzales’ integrity.
Whether Gonzalez acted illegally remains to be determined. If his Congressional testimony is to be believed, then at the very least, the Attorney General is guilty of shirking his professional responsibility. During his April 19th questioning Gonzalez repeatedly insisted on his limited involvement in the firings. The Attorney General plays an important role in overlooking the process. Over the past weeks it has become increasingly more apparent that the decision originated not in the Justice Department, but the White House instead. New emails indicate the involvement of the ubiquitous Karl Rove. This reason alone is enough for many to call for Gonazales’ resignation.
But the uproar over the U.S. attorney firings is only one of a string controversies surrounding Gonzales including his much publicized denial of the right to habeas corpus in the U.S. Constitution and his involvement in the President’s warrantless wiretapping program. In shocking testimony, former Deputy Attorney General James Comey, who lead the Justice Department in the absence of an ailing John Aschcroft, described a nighttime visit by Gonzales to Ashcroft’s hospital room. Accompanied by then White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Gonzales attempted to persuade Ashcroft to sign an authorization of the NSA’s domestic surveillance program that Justice had already determined to be illegal.
While Democrats continue to rally around the Attorney General’s misdeeds in calling for his ouster, Republicans seem to be focusing primarily on Gonzales’ perceived lack of candor while under Congressional investigation. Throughout his questioning Gonzales was vague and elusive. So frequently did he claim to have forgotten key events and conversations related to the U.S. attorney firings that one Senator commented facetiously about his concern for the Attorney General’s memory. In addition to alienating members of his own party, Gonzales’ testimony did also not sit well with the American public. From the Los Angeles Times, to the Washington Post letters poured in expressing frustration and disgust for the man who tasked with protecting our civil rights.
Firing attorneys to obstruct an official proceeding is illegal. So is lying to Congress. It is no wonder that a no-confidence vote appears to be forthcoming.
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