... he stuck to his past assertions ...
Democrats at the hearing of the House Judiciary Committee tried but failed to elicit greater clarity.... Mr. Gonzales offered little new information...
Mr. Gonzales repeated his assertion...
Several Democrats questioned Mr. Gonzales’s credibility.
May 11, 2007
What did anyone expect?
Here's the NYT on Alberto Gonzales's appearance before the House Judiciary Committee yesterday. A quick summary:
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My opinion is that if Alberto Gonzales had resigned just as this thread that is still unravelling was initially pulled, things would be going much better for Bush. Again, Bush's blind loyalty gets him in trouble. On the plus side, now we get to see just how bad (ineffective? irrelevant?) an Atty General Mr. Gonzales is.
Firing people isn't bad. But the story behind the firing really should be consistent and believable. And the ramifications of the firing shouldn't cast doubt on the work of the entire Dept. of Justice.
Congress had a hit out on Gonzales. The wanted him fired because Gonzales fired prosecutors who were resisting carrying out his policies.
Congress has failed. Another failure in the long line of many for the new Democratic Congress.
The Republican Congress in 1994 passed many pieces of major legislation (contract with America) which were signed into law in their first 6 months, including a major crime bill, welfare reform, etc.. They also passed serious congressional reform. The 1994 Congress cut spending from 22% to a low of 18.5% of GDP by 1998.
This Democratic Congress has done nothing. They haven't even done the congressional reform they promised (earmarks), which does not require Pres. Bush's signature. They have 75-80 year old members chairing the major committees. How pathetic.
The 2007 Democratic Congress only knows defeat. Defeat in Iraq and defeat of their legislative agenda.
Congress had a hit out on Gonzales.
This statement completely ignores the role that blogs have plsyed in this affair. Congress was asleep at the switch re: Justice oversight until various blogs made enough noise that the msm woke up.
The interests of the country are not served when Congress is a doormat to the other branches of the Government.
It still comes down to a non-story. The AG, and esp. his underlings, fired some political appointees in patronage positions. Meanwhile the Speaker, Majority Leader, and former Ranking Member on the subcommittee that oversees military bases have all been found to have either benefitted personally (Reid) or their immediate family benefitted through their positions in Congress. The most egregious appears to be Sen. Feinstein, who seems to have diverted a billion and a half of military construction contracts to her husband's company. But Sen. Reid is right behind, making money for all four of his boys and cutting himself in too on a land swap.
These are the Democrats who rode to office to combat a "Culture of Corruption", and instead spend their time attacking the firing of political appointees who serve at the whim of the President.
You know that the MSM is in the bag for the Democrats when the real corruption scandals are being totally ignored, while they concentrate on perfectly legal actions by the AG.
I take it, then, that when President Clinton orders the Justice Dept to pursue lawsuits against only Republicans you'll be fine and dandy with that. And that when she fires the Attorneys who don't do that you'll just shrug your shoulders and say "What can we do? This is her right!"
Things that are perfectly legal may not be in the best interests of the country.
don't bother with these two madison man. they have nothing to offer. their pockets are empty.
the pathetic thing is that these two seem to think it is ok. we can only pity them. doesn't look like anything will change them.
What did anyone expect?"
From an Attorney General? Being honest with Congress and enforcing the law impartially.
their pockets are empty.
My pockets are empty because big government keeps sticking its hands in there to steal my money. Now the Democrats want to steal my pants too.
Sloanasaurus. Read more at John Adams Blog.
Congress had done some reforms; they've relaxed the travel rules.
On the other hand, having an incompetent legislature is great! It reduces the number of stupid laws, at least temporarily.
(Incidentally, I'm actually perversely curious to watch what happens if congress doesn't fund the military. Do they start having 4 day weeks at The Pentagon? Do they suddenly "discover" they really didn't need that much money after all?)
When was the last time we had an attorney general who wasn't an embarassment or a lackey? 20 years? 40?
I wonder whether a constitutional amendment to change how the AG is appointed might not get support, given the revulsion most Americans feel at the actions of Gonzalez, Ashcroft and Reno, as well as the sorry history of characters like John Mitchell, Ramsey Clark, Richard Kleindeinst and even RFK who might have been an inspiring senator but was an atrocious abuser of civil rights as AG.
I'd be all in favor of Bush firing Gonzalez, but then who would he replace him with? Who would Hillary bring in? Guiliani? McCain? Edwards? Truly frightening to contemplate any of those scenarios.
johnstodder....it is scarier to have this idiot stay on any longer. he can't remember to tie his shoes.
should appeal to sloan who when Poncho is attempting to tie his shoe, Sloan will be bending over to lick his ass.
My pockets are empty because big government keeps sticking its hands in there
Maybe big government should shrink in size. You know, like it did during the Clinton Administration. How has hiring changed since Bush entered the White House? It's up up up.
Even conservatives believe he should be fired-Tom Coburn, Jeff Sessions. These two are about as conservative as you can get. Good old boys from those high tech hubs Alabama and Oklahoma.
Slonafaturas thinks this is a "hit" on Gonzales.
The fact that Gonzales doesn't have a clue about anything that is going on in his department is irrelevant. So he is incompetent, so he has lied, so he says (as the leader of justice) he wasn't involved in the firings this is all just irrelevant.
Even the National Review said fire him. Also, Bill Buckley has said this war is a disaster which will be a huge loss for republicans for decades-what a defeatocrat he is.
I actually think it is good for the democrats that he stays. If a Director or a Manager at a company responded the way Gonzales responded to this issue they would be gone the first time he lied.
But in the Bush white house Gonzales is doing just great. Just like Wolfowitz is doing great. I am sure they will be getting some award soon like the medal of freedom.
Competence and Accountability mean nothing to this administration and really the only one it hurts is Bush. It doesn't hurt the democrats that Gonzales is staying.
Brownie, Rumsfeld, Feith, Wolfowitz, Tenet, Bremer, Gonzales, Bernard Kerik (who they knew had all the issues before selecting him to Homeland Security Director) Harriet Meirs and the list goes on and on are all incompetent, unqualified hacks.
Yes, the republicans have made it very clear that they want limited government. Limited government to them means hiring trolls into positions that shouldn't be there and aren't qualified.
They have literally been wrong or clueless about everything.
But lets keep them.
That's what will get you 28% favoribility and people like Slossass professing their love and devotion to sinking ship.
After watching this Bush Administration it is really depressing and sad. It is beyond me why anyone who is intelligent, competent and motivated would ever want to work in Government.
Give me the private sector any day.
Speaking of which Boston just concluded the "BioWorld" Conference and it was fabulous. 90 Countries and 16 states (progressive states-blue states of course) were all there courting the businesses and talent to their particular region. I think Wisconsin's governor was there. It was inspring and exciting. There were over 30,000 people here, many mayors, governors etc. This is the economy of today in great cities like San Francisco/Berkeley, San Diego and Boston/Cambridge. As well as the "Creative Sector and Economy" of the future. And the rest of the world wants a piece of it. 1 in 5 residents in Mass work in LifeSciences and the average salary in the Biotech sector in Boston is $100,000. Not bad. Now you see why everyone is clamoring for these businesses and jobs.
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