Gonzales: Don't Blame Me, Blame Bush

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002861.php

Gonzales: Don't Blame Me, Blame Bush
By Paul Kiel - March 23, 2007, 5:59 PM

President Bush shut down an internal Justice Department investigation into the administration's warrantless wiretapping program against the advice of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, according to a letter sent by a senior Justice Department official to Congress yesterday. To Democrats, it's yet another example of why Gonzales should step down.

The investigation, launched in January 2006 by the Department's internal watchdog, the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) -- an office created in the wake of the Watergate scandal to prevent similar abuses by DoJ officials -- would have examined whether Department officials had properly reviewed the legality of the NSA's Terrorist Surveillance Program, which dates back to 2001.

But the probe was shut down when Bush denied investigators the security clearances necessary for the investigation. Such a denial was unprecedented and arbitrary.

New questions were raised about that decision last week when National Journal's Murray Waas reported that Gonzales knew that the investigation might focus on him when he discussed with Bush whether to shut it down. House Democrats pressed Gonzales to respond to the accusations in the piece.

Yesterday, Richard Hertling, the acting Associate Attorney General, responded on Gonzales' behalf:



Setting aside the complexities of whether Gonzales knew the probe would touch on him or not, let's just take a moment to examine what happened here.

For no apparent reason, Bush shut down an internal DoJ investigation that would have examined his administration's possibly illegal wiretapping program. And the guy who heads up that department, whose job is to uphold the rule of law, objected, but let it happen.

According to Jeff Lieberson, the spokesman for Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), the lawmaker who initially requested the OPR investigation, Gonzales' failure to challenge Bush demonstrates Gonzales' inability to do his job.

"The attorney general demonstrated a failure of leadership by not standing up to Bush," Lieberson told me. "He knew should have gotten security clearances, and he had an obligation to stand up on behalf of his agency.

"He's still acting as if he were still White House counsel instead of the head of law enforcement for the United States.... He's made clear to the president that whatever he wants done, the Justice Department is going to do."

As a result, Lieberson said, Hinchey will soon be joining the chorus of voices calling for Gonzales' resignation.

I am so completely in disagreement with Richardson on this:

Question: Alberto Gonzalez happens to be a member of your community. Is this guy gonna survive? He's the first Hispanic to have that job.

Richardson: Yeah, I know. I'm rooting for him, I like the guy, I know him. I hope he survives....

Question: It occurs to me now, listening to you talk about your friend who you know, Mr. Gonzalez, it draws a stark contrast between—I haven't checked where all the other candidates are, but I know Obama is on record very clearly saying Gonzalez should step down. I suspect other Democrats running for president are maybe saying the same thing. That's a contrast between you and others on whether or not this guy should step down.

Richardson: That's right. I do believe that it's up to a president to make those decisions about Cabinet members. Obviously, Alberto's very damaged, and he's gotta be frank and testify and do what has to happen. But I think that's up to the president.

Question: So you would not call for his stepping down right now.

Richardson: No, no. And you know what? Part of it maybe is because he's the highest-ranking Hispanic ever.

Question: But wrongdoing is wrongdoing, though. If he did wrong.

Richardson: Well, I think it's more a lack of attention, lack of a plan, lack of being thorough. He's too much the president's lawyer. He's too much of a political person. And I recognize that. ... I've had conversations with him on immigration. I thought he was very competent. ... But I just think, Tavis, that this is a presidential decision. You can pick your Cabinet. And if somebody's not performing, let him go.

Source and more context: http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200703/20070321_richardson.html

regarding a recount in the 2004 General....

"I want 15 minutes in a room with that guy and a baseball bat."

(the "Pointy Girl" from Abu Ghraib), a leash, cameras, and a pile of naked Iraqis? Oh yeah, and don't forget her boyfriend, li'l Chuckie Graner.