More on Gonzo
No one has been able to get me a good explanation of why Alberto Gonzales has resigned. Why did Bush accept it?
Countdown – Gonzo still in office
Sometimes I feel like I’m watching an old western when I look at politics in Washington. The deck is stacked against our hero. We know it but he doesn’t. The Dems are fighting a very tough battle. Unlike Nixon, Bush has stacked the Executive Branch with NeoCons. They have no love for the law or the constitution. They love money and power. Government exists to provide government contracts to businesses friendly to neocons. So, now, the Dems need for government to function as the Framers intended – checks and balances. Unfortunately, Bush appointed Gonzales. Bush appointed the Solicitor General Paul Clement. The question is whether Clement will be loyal to the Bush Administration or to the Constitution. Right now, I’m betting on the constitution. Democrats are also.
—–
From WaPo:
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III yesterday contradicted the sworn testimony of his boss, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, by telling Congress that a prominent warrantless surveillance program was the subject of a dramatic legal debate within the Bush administration.
Mueller’s testimony appears to mark the first public confirmation from a Bush administration official that the National Security Agency’s Terrorist Surveillance Program was at issue in an unusual nighttime visit by Gonzales to the hospital bedside of then-Attorney General John D. Ashcroft, who was under sedation and recovering from surgery. (more…)
Countdown – Gonzo drowning in lies
Oh, it is hard to feel sorry to Alberto. It seems to me that when you go into the lions’ den you should throw the lion a nice big fat steak and leave as fast as you can. Alberto Gonzales has been called into the Lion’s Den for a repeat performance. The only problem is Alberto hasn’t been bring steak. He has been throwing Congress a plastic steak doggy toy. Congress has chewed and chewed the plastic steak and they aren’t happy. So, Alberto should have brought steak but no, he was too clever. The Senate Judiciary committee had nothing to chew on but him. Dems and Republicans took bites. Arlen Spector, who is known for barking loudly in committee hearings, was true to form. Patrick Leahy did his best to take a chunk out of Gonzo’s hide.
Update: Appears that there are some documents that AP has found that seems to contradict Alberto Gonzales.
——
From WaPo:
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales testified yesterday that top congressional leaders from both parties agreed in March 2004 to continue a classified surveillance activity that Justice Department officials had deemed illegal, a contention immediately disputed by key Democratic lawmakers.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (W.Va.), who were briefed on the program at the time, said there was no consensus that it should proceed. Three others who were at the meeting also said the legal underpinnings of the program were never discussed.
“He once again is making something up to protect himself,” Rockefeller said of the embattled attorney general.
The dispute came as Gonzales weathered one of the most contentious and hostile congressional hearings seen during the Bush administration. Democrats and the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee accused him of repeatedly misleading them and warned that he could face perjury charges if he lied to the panel.
“I do not find your testimony credible, candidly,” said Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who became visibly angry at several points during his exchanges with Gonzales. “The committee’s going to review your testimony very carefully to see if your credibility has been breached to the point of being actionable.” (more…)