Quote of the Day

"I do not support such an amendment. Based on principles from my tenure as a judge, I think constitutional amendments should be reserved for extraordinary circumstances that we cannot address effectively through legislation or regulation. Because most undocumented workers come here to provide for themselves and their families, a constitutional amendment will not solve our immigration crisis. People will certainly continue to cross our borders to find a better life, irrespective of the possibilities of U.S. citizenship."

Alberto Gonzales, on Republicans talking about changing the 14th Amendment.

Republicans have made noise about the bogus crisis of illegal immigrants coming into the United States to have babies. The Pew Hispanic Center found that babies from illegal immigrants made up 8 percent of births in 2008. American-born children of illegal immigrant must be 21 years-old before they can sponsor their parents for citizenship. There is no guarantee the parents will receive citizenship. If the parents fail to be granted citizenship the child must wait another ten year to try again. The so-called anchor babies are not the fastest path towards citizenship.

Hat tip to GottaLaff.

Dick Cheney: Not In the Torture Chain of Command

Vice-President Dick Cheney told Wolf Blitzer that he was not in the torture policymaking chain of command. Cheney adds that he supports waterboarding. This is the lack of moral courage Cheney is known for. Cheney attempted to cover up shooting Harry Whittington in a hunting accident. Cheney disavowal being involved in torture policy.

Cheney's own legal council David Addington crafted a memo with Alberto Gonzales and William Haynes granting the administration the right to waterboard Abu Zubaydah. Addington is now Cheney's Chief of Staff. Cheney expects the public to believe his former legal council crafted a torture memo without the Vice-President's approval. Not likely.

Cheney sinks lower by taking a shot at former terrorism czar Richard Clarke. The same petty side Cheney shown against Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame rears it's head at Clarke. The White House made Clarke crisis manager during the 9/11 attacks. Clarke was put in that position because no administration official knew anything about al-Qaeda.

Transcript

BLITZER: We're out of time, but a quick couple of questions and then I'll let you go. Waterboarding, it was used how many times?

CHENEY: It was on three different individuals.

BLITZER: And the information you believe that was received was valid?

CHENEY: I do.

BLITZER: It stopped -- you stopped using it after, what, 2003?

CHENEY: There has not been an occasion since.

BLITZER: Why?

CHENEY: There has not been an occasion.

BLITZER: Is it -- there no need?

CHENEY: I'm just going to leave it that way. You know, when we get into talking about the application of specific techniques to prisoners, then we get into the business of signaling to our adversaries what we might or might not do and they can train for it. It has been publicly acknowledged that we did use waterboarding. That we did use it on three different individuals. And I believe it was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Zubaydah, and one other, I think al-Nashiri. Those three individual were subjected to waterboarding during the course of their interrogation. But that's it.

BLITZER: Because I've always been perplexed, if it is so good and so useful, there are bad guys out there right now, why not continue to use it?

CHENEY: Well, you don't use it on somebody because he's a bad guy. What we were attempting to do, and what we did was to persuade these individuals who had a lot of intelligence and information about al Qaeda -- remember, we captured Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in, I think it was, spring, March of '03, in Karachi. At the time we didn't know a lot about al Qaeda. On 9/11 we didn't know a lot about al Qaeda. If Dick Clarke was such an expert, how come he didn't have all of this information about al Qaeda when he was running the counterterrorism program? The fact of the matter is that we were able to persuade them to cooperate, to give us the intelligence we needed, and to give us the base of understanding about al Qaeda, about personnel and operations and financing and geography and so forth that was essential in terms of defending our country against further attacks. Now you don't go in and pull out somebody's toenails in order to get them to talk. This is not torture. We don't do torture.

BLITZER: John McCain says it's torture.

CHENEY: Well, John is wrong. He and I have a fundamental disagreement on this point. But what the agency did was they sought formal guidance from the senior leadership of the administration, as well as the Justice Department in terms of what was appropriate and what wasn't. And they got that guidance. And they followed that guidance, as far as I know. I have no reason to believe anybody out at the agency violated any tenet of the obligations and responsibilities we have in terms of statutes or our treaty obligations. I think it was done very professionally. I think it was done very few times, when it was necessary. I think it produced good results. I think there are Americans alive today because we used that technique on those three individuals.

BLITZER: And if necessary, would you authorize it again?

CHENEY: Well, I'm not in the chain of command, but if necessary, I would certainly recommend it again.

BLITZER: Waterboarding?

CHENEY: Yes.

NRCC Fearmongering on FISA Bill

I'm on the NRCC email list. It's painful reading, but occasionally I catch nuggets like this fearmongering message sent out by Chairman Tom Cole. The latest email is titled "The Terrorist Threat to America Never Expires."

Even though our intelligence agencies have helped us successfully avoid attacks on our soil, in a few days from now, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will expire. If Congress lets this bill expire, our intelligence personnel, both here and abroad, will be extremely handicapped and will have a harder time saving American lives from terrorist threats.

The President and Republican leaders in both the House and Senate believe it is long overdue for Congress to pass and send to the President a long-term bill that updates the FISA laws vital to our national security.

Do you agree with your Republican leaders that we need permanent FISA legislation?

American families deserve security and not uncertainty, and they understand that our terrorist surveillance laws help keep our country safe from attack. It speaks volumes about the national security priorities of congressional Democrats that they have failed to permanently close the terrorist loophole after six months. The time for excuses has expired, it's now time for action.

If you believe it’s time to draft responsible legislation that ensures that we quickly close the intelligence gap, sign this petition today.

Cole never mentions that the White House denied violating the Fourth amendment and spying on domestic calls. The Supreme Court ruled in Katz v. United States that national security and executive privilege does not allow the federal government to domesticly wiretap without a warrant.

Retroactive immunity would allow telecommunication companies to gather information and conversations on American citizens. A Mellman Group poll found 63 percent want to government to require a warrant before domestically wiretapping phone calls.

Support for this constitutional right is both deep and wide, cutting across every demographic segment. Whether they are old or young (age 60+ 61% warrants required, age 50-59 61%, age 40-49 66%, age 18-39 66%), more or less educated (college grads 67%, some college 65%, high school or less 57%), black or white (black 83% warrants required, whites 60%), upper class or lower (upper/upper-middle 63% warrants required, middle 66%, working/lower 57%) overwhelming majorities favor requiring warrants for government wiretaps of Americans’ international conversations. Eight-in-ten percent (80%) of Democrats, 56% of independents, and even half (50%) of the President’s own Republicans oppose tapping Americans’ international conversations without a warrant.

Public demand for requiring warrants for wiretaps of Americans’ international conversations also cuts across geography. Large majorities in every part of the country favor requiring warrants: 72% in the Northeast, 64% in the South, 62% in the West, and 57% in the Midwest. Both less religious voters (68% warrants required) and those who are very religious (59% warrants required) oppose wiretapping Americans’ international conversations without a warrant. The same is true of both households with veterans (58%) and non-veteran households (65%).

Public opinion is on the Democratic Party's side. That did not stop several Democrats from voting to extend FISA.

Jay Rockefeller (D-WV),
Evan Bayh (D-IN),
Daniel Inouye (D-HI),
Tim Johnson (D-SD),
Herb Kohl (D-WI),
Mary Landrieu (D-LA),
Claire McCaskill (D-MO),
Mark Pryor (D-AR),
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR),
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA),
Ken Salazar (D-CO),
Tom Carper (D-DE),
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD),
Jim Webb (D-VA),
Ben Nelson (D-NE),
Bill Nelson (D-FL),
Kent Conrad (D-ND),
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

No Democrat in Congress is arguing that terrorists should be protected from wiretapping. The argument goes to sheds when the Bush administration is forced to defend this assertion. The exchange between Russ Feingold and Alberto Gonzales is a perfect example.

Feingold: Do you know anyone in government who ever took that position?

Gonzales: No, but that is not what I said.

Feingold: It is a disgrace and disservice to your office and the President to have accused people on this Committee of opposing eavesdropping on terrorists.

Gonzales: I didn't have you in mind or anyone on the Committee when I referred to people who oppose eavesdropping on terrorists. Perish the thought.

Feingold: Oh, well it's nice that you didn't have us "in your mind" when making those accusations, but given that you and the President were running around the country accusing people of opposing eavesdropping on terrorists in the middle of an election, the fact that you didn't have Congressional Democrats in "mind" isn't significant. Your intent was to make people think that anyone who opposed the "TSP" did not want to eavesdrop on terrorists, even though that was false. No Democrats oppose eavesdropping on terrorists.

Gonzales: I wasn't referring to Democrats.

The White House wants retroactive immunity because they are afraid what telecommunication companies will say about the administration in court. Bush may have foolishly thought going around the FISA court was protecting America. Bush is protecting his own self-interest. The President has made warrantless wiretapping and torture conservative values.

Alberto Gonzales Stripped of Lawyer of the Year Title

Shit like this can not be made up. The American Bar Association Journal named lawyer of the year. After the publlic outrage (and laughter from me) the publication stripped Gonzo of the title.

Alberto Gonzales: come on down and accept your Newsmaker of the Year crown.

One Year Later: the Fired U.S. Attorneys

How are the fired U.S. Attorneys doing?

A year later, most have landed on their feet, in law partnerships or private-sector jobs where their compensation dwarfs government pay. Some carry scars from the experience. Six of the attorneys marked the anniversary of their firings at a private dinner in San Diego 10 days ago, where they toasted one another for persevering.

"The great irony of this is, it has hardly tarnished any of our reputations," said Paul Charlton, the former U.S. attorney in Phoenix, who hosted the reunion.

Charlton, now a partner in a Phoenix law firm, says that as a group, the attorneys have fared much better than the department officials who orchestrated their demise.

Meanwhile, Alberto Gonzales has a legal defense fund in his name. Gonzo is facing potential perjury charges. There is the question if Gonzales pressed the U.S. Attorney to prosecute Democrats to help Republican candidates.

It is interesting that lawyers fired for not being loyal Bushies have a brighter future than the most loyal Bushie.

Torture Tapes Destroyed

The CIA admitted to destroying videotape of of interrogation of two Al Qaeda suspects. The Agency destroyed the tapes in 2005 out of fear of potential criminal prosecution. If that isn't a tipoff that the CIA and White House is violated the law then I don't know what is. The CIA would not have destroyed the tapes if they weren't concerned that their actions qualified as torture. The Geneva Conventions (which the United States signed) is quite clear on this.

To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:

(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;

(b) Taking of hostages;

(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

(d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

The Bush administration has violated all of these rules. Children have been held prisoner. Khaled El-Masri was illegally kidnapped. Alberto Gonzales contends that there is no express right to habeas corpus. The White House has maintained that violated our rights is to keep us safe. You can guess how CIA Director Michael Hayden explains why evidence was destroyed.

General Hayden said in a statement that leaders of Congressional oversight committees were fully briefed on the matter, but some Congressional officials said notification to Congress had not been adequate.

"This is a matter that should have been briefed to the full Intelligence Committee at the time," an official with the House Intelligence Committee said. "This does not appear to have been done. There may be a very logical reason for destroying records that are no longer needed; however, this requires a more complete explanation. "

Hayden's statement doesn't pass the bullshit test. The 9-11 Commission asked if such tapes existed. The CIA never handed any tapes over Philip D. Zelikow, never knew of the tapes existence.

"The commission did formally request material of this kind from all relevant agencies, and the commission was assured that we had received all the material responsive to our request," said Philip D. Zelikow, who served as executive director of the Sept. 11 commission and later as a senior counselor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The policy of the Bush administration is deny, cover up, get caught, lie and repeat cycle. Nothing they say should be taken at face value.

Alberto Gonzales University of Florida Appearance

Crooks and Liars has a video of protest demonstrations during Alberto Gonzales's speaking engagement at the University of Florida. Gonzo was paid $40,000.

Another One Bites the Dust

The U.S. Attorney's scandal is taking it's toll on the Republican Party. First it was Karl Rove. Then Alberto Gonzales. Now Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) will not seek reelection.

Domenici called Alberto Gonzales and asked that U.S. Attorney David Iglesias be fired. Domenici pressed Iglesias as to if any Democrats were named in corruption cases in sealed indictments. The contents of sealed indictments are not to be discussed with officials not involved in pending cases. Domenici was attempting to obtain information he had no legal right to. The fact that he called Iglesias at his home is unheard of.

Domenici wanted Democratic corruption cases announced before the election. He wanted a scandal to affect the outcome of congressional races in New Mexico.

He made a call to Karl Rove to have Iglesias removed.

At some point after the election last Nov. 6, Domenici called Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, and told him he wanted Iglesias out and asked Rove to take his request directly to the president.

Domenici and Bush subsequently had a telephone conversation about the issue.

The conversation between Bush and Domenici occurred sometime after the election but before the firings of Iglesias and six other U.S. attorneys were announced on Dec. 7.

The stench of this scandal goes as far as Bush. The players involved are going to need good legal council. This could go on well after the next presidential election.

The issue isn't that U.S. Attorneys serve as the President's pleasure (which is true.) It's that the White House was using the power of the Justice Department to help rig elections in the Republican Party's favor. The witch-hunting of Democrats and bogus voter fraud cases thrown out of court were about keeping a political party in power. The people in the White House were sworn to uphold the law. Not use it to club opponents to death.

Jack Goldsmith Interview

Former Office of Legal Council attorney Jack Goldsmith talks to Bill Moyers about Alberto Gonzales's and Andy Card's infamous visit to John Ashcroft's hospital room. Gonzales and Card were attempting to go around acting Attorney General James Comey by having Ashcroft a classified program. Ashcroft was sick and engaged that the men would visit him at such a time.



Goldsmith talks about the White House's desire to bend the law in the war to combat terrorism.

Hat tip to Roxanne Cooper.

Related: Jack Goldsmith

Party For Alberto

Now this is hysterical. Democracy for America Miami is holding a going away party for Alberto Gonzales. The official name for the event is "A 'Gone-zales' Going Away Party."

Event Date: Friday, September 14, 2007
Event Time: 6:00 PM Eastern

Venue Name: Tobacco Road
Address: 625 S. Miami Ave.
City: Miami
State: FL
Zip Code: 33130
Handicapped Accessible: Y

Jack Goldsmith

Jack Goldsmith is a former attorney of the Office of Legal Council. He nearly resigned because of a top secret surveillance program. Former Justice Department official and FBI Director Robert Mueller were prepared to resign, with him, because of the same program. All three men were in the hospital room attempting to stop Alberto Gonzales and Andy Card from making John Ashcroft sign authorization to a secret program.

Goldsmith eventually resigned after overruling a John Yoo torture opinion.

Goldsmith was concerned, however, that the White House might overrule him. So he made a strategic decision: on the same day that he withdrew the opinion, he submitted his resignation, effectively forcing the administration to choose between accepting his decision and letting him leave quietly, or rejecting it and turning his resignation into a big news story. “If the story had come out that the U.S. government decided to stick by the controversial opinions that led the head of the Office of Legal Counsel to resign, that would have looked bad,” Goldsmith told me. “The timing was designed to ensure that the decision stuck.”

The White House drafted these opinions to justify their consolidation of presidential power. The NSA was not allowed to view legal opinions that involved their agency. The affect was the Bush administration weakened executive power for future generations.

In retrospect, Goldsmith told me, Bush “could have achieved all that he wanted to achieve, and put it on a firmer foundation, if he had been willing to reach out to other institutions of government.” Instead, Goldsmith said, he weakened the presidency he was so determined to strengthen. “I don’t think any president in the near future can have the same attitude toward executive power, because the other institutions of government won’t allow it,” he said softly. “The Bush administration has borrowed its power against future presidents.”

What is surprising about the legal fights within the administration is how well John Ashcroft comes off. He hated Yoo's opinions and thought tribunals were a bad idea. It's scary when conservative laywers feel that the Bushies are extreme. These people aren't tree-hugging hippies. They are hardcore Republican. Even they were shaking their heads and saying "WTF."

Hat tip to Mustang Bobby.

Alberto Gonzales Resigns

It is no coincidence that Alberto Gonzales resigned shortly after Karl Rove. Both were facing immense political pressure from the House and Senate Judiciary committees' investigations into the U.S. Atorney scandal. Both face the choice of staying in office and contradicting the testimony of others or seeking immunity. The choice isn't that difficult.

"Al Gonzales is a man of integrity, decency and principle," said President Bush.

The seal of approval from Bush was Gonzales's kiss of death. It was only a matter of time before the Attorney General was forced out.

“I do have confidence in Attorney General Al Gonzales,” Mr. Bush said of his old friend from Texas.

Bush's seal of approval did little to help Michael Brown, Tom Delay or Dennis Hastert. The President's loyalties and political instincts are so misplaced it's as if he is trying to intentionally screw up.

Fired U.S. Attorney David Iglesias had this advise on the qualifications for the next Attorney General.

"Get an attorney general who's respected by the courts and by Capitol Hill and somebody who has experience as a federal prosecutor.... You need someone who understands that the attorney general has to say no to the president sometimes."

One can only hope.

USA Today has an Alberto Gonzales timeline.

Update: Here are comments from Florida congressional members.

Mel Martinez: "Alberto Gonzales is an honorable man whose life history speaks volumes about what’s best about America. ... Alberto Gonzales has conducted himself always with honesty, dedication and integrity. He is my friend and he is a good man. He and his family have my thanks for their sacrifice for serving during difficult times, and my best wishes for the future."

Bill Nelson: “We have an urgent need to restore credibility at the Justice Department. My hope is President Bush’s new pick will take politics out of enforcing the law.”

Adam Putnam: “The Department of Justice now has the opportunity to benefit from fresh leadership. What the American people need right now is an effective, independent Attorney General who will be undistracted in his or her efforts to enforce our laws, secure our borders, and vigorously prosecute the war against militant Islamist jihadists.

Martinez is a Bush loyalist to the end.

Update: Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Ron Klein offer their opinions on Gonzo's resignation.

Wasserman Schultz

"We need an Attorney General who will act as a lawyer for the American people rather than a lawyer for President Bush- that is why he has a White House Counsel," said Wasserman Schultz, a member of the House Judiciary Committee. "Attorney General Gonzales was the antithesis of the blindfolded Lady of Justice; rather than providing a blind, balanced justice, he tipped the scales to the right. The President must now appoint an Attorney General who will serve as the nation's chief law enforcement officer and as defender of our constitution independent of political influence."

Klein

"The Attorney General is one of the most critical positions in our government as he or she is tasked with overseeing the enforcement of our laws, and the prosecution of suspected criminals and terrorists. Thus, it's essential that the Attorney General is a person that maintains our sense of justice and keeps Americans safe," Klein said. "Unfortunately, the retention of Alberto Gonzales is another example of President Bush favoring loyalty over competence and integrity. Strong, honest, independent leadership must be restored to the Office of Attorney General or else the American people's faith in our justice system will continue to be comprised. I strongly urge President Bush to appoint a person that meets these high thresholds of character and integrity when searching for a replacement to Mr. Gonzales."

Update: Litbrit has a post on Gonzo. She is surprised by Gonzales's resignation. I'm not. Both Rove and Gonzales know that a grand jury investigation(s) will go beyond Bush's term. The prospects of another Republican president is not guaranteed. They can't rely on a pardon. They need legal council and will likely point blame at Bush and Cheney. The President and Vice-President will hide behind executive privilege and run out the clock.

Karl Rove Resigns

Karl Rove is official resigning.

"I just think it's time," Mr Rove said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, adding that he was quitting for the sake of his family.

Rove has been subpoenaed for his alleged involvement in the U.S. purge scandal. Litbrit pointing to an under-oath statement by Kyle Sampson that Alberto Gonzales confirmed.

Gonzales confirmed statements by Sampson that presidential adviser Karl Rove passed along GOP complaints to Gonzales last fall about the alleged lack of aggressiveness by Iglesias and two other U.S. attorneys in prosecuting voter fraud. Gonzales said he passed on the complaints to Sampson, who at some point in the same time period placed Iglesias on the firing list.

White House official don't resign unless they are in trouble (Michael Brown, Lewis Libby) or out of favor with the Bushies (Richard Clarke.) It's hard for me to believe that a political junkie like Rove would want out before the 2008 elections. He is aware how vulnerable the GOP is right now. Resigning after being subpoenaed gives reason for skepticism.

Joe Wilson points out that Rove was suppose to be forced out after President Bush promised to fire anyone caught leaking Valerie Plame's identity to the media.

"Karl Rove's resignation signals the final chapter in the Bush administration's betrayal of the identity of a covert CIA officer. When this breach of national security occurred, the President promised the American people that anybody in his administration responsible for the leak would be removed. Rove, identified by the prosecutors as one of the leakers, not only was not summarily dismissed, but has been allowed to leave on his own terms, to praise from the President. This sordid tale of compromising national security to cover-up and distract from the false rationale for the invasion of Iraq will forever remain in history a black mark on the Bush presidency."

The Bush administration: words mean more than actions.

Update: video of Bush/Rove press conference.

The Price of Loyalty

Hat tip to Sheri Divers. Special thanks to her for putting my Netroots For Dummies post on the front page of Blog For America.

Where Is Bill Nelson's Spine?

Susan S has a fascinating post about what a weak-willed pol Bill Nelson is. Remember, Nelson was one of the 12 Democrats, in the Senate, to vote for what is now known as the torture bill. The bill gave the President the ability to bend the Geneva Conventions to his liking.

(b) The Military Commissions Act defines certain prohibitions of Common Article 3 for United States law, and it reaffirms and reinforces the authority of the President to interpret the meaning and application of the Geneva Conventions.

Nelson voted for this bill out of political fear. The pathetic thing was at the time he was killing Katherine Harris in the polls and raising shitloads of cash. Nelson displayed more cowardness in the Senate Intelligence Committee. He backed Republicans to continue funding the CIA's interrogation techniques.

But the committee stopped short of using its budget authority to shut down the program. In a closed session on May 23, two Democrats, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Dianne Feinstein of California, proposed barring spending on interrogation techniques that go beyond the Army Field Manual, which bans physical pressure or pain. Under their proposal, the only exception would have been when the president determined “that an individual has information about a specific and imminent threat.”

The amendment failed when Senator Bill Nelson, Democrat of Florida, joined all the Republicans in voting no.

Nelson recently voted for the FISA bill that gives President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales more power to spy on Americans. Susan S had a heated exchange with Nelson at a town hall meeting in Pasco County. This was after Nelson told the audience that the administration lied to him about Iraq WMD intelligence. Susan then went off.

"Then why, when you know they can't be trusted, when you know they lie to you, did you vote for the FISA bill that gives the incompetent Bush administration more power to spy on American citizens?"

Nelson ducked the question and Susan interrupted him again.

"I can't believe you fell for it again. You just gave Alberto Gonzalez more power to spy on us."

Nelson weakly responded on how Gonzales can't be trusted.

Why can't Florida have better Senators than Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez?

Quote of the Day

"We had no takers."

Chris Wallance of Fox News explaining why there were no Republicans on his show to defend Alberto Gonzales.

Just How Dumb Is Gonzo

The answer is the depths of Alberto Gonzales's stupidity can not be measured. Let's replay this exchange Gonzo had with Senator Chuck Schumer.

SCHUMER: I'll let you speak in a minute, but this is serious, because you're getting right close to the edge right here. You just said there was just one program -- just one. So the letter, which was, sort of, intended to deceive, but doesn't directly do so, because there are other intelligence activities, gets you off the hook, but you just put yourself right back on here.

GONZALES: I clarified my statement two days later with the reporter.

SCHUMER: What did you say to the reporter?

GONZALES: I did not speak directly to the reporter.

SCHUMER: Oh, wait a second -- you did not.

(LAUGHTER)

OK. What did your spokesperson say to the reporter?

GONZALES: I don't know. But I told the spokesperson to go back and clarify my statement...

SCHUMER: Well, wait a minute, sir. Sir, with all due respect -- and if I could have some order here, Mr. Chairman -- in all due respect, you're just saying, "Well, it was clarified with the reporter," and you don't even know what he said. You don't even know what the clarification is. Sir, how can you say that you should stay on as attorney general when we go through exercise like this, where you're bobbing and weaving and ducking to avoid admitting that you deceived the committee? And now you don't even know. I'll give you another chance: You're hanging your hat on the fact that you clarified the statement two days later. You're now telling us that is was a spokesperson who did it. What did that spokesperson say? Tell me now, how do you clarify this?

GONZALES: I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you.

Gonzales had someone else clarify his statement. He then didn't know how the statement was clarified. Gonzales is risking perjury by making excuses that don't pass the laugh test. He is a lawyer. He should have the common sense not to put himself in legal jeopardy.

Another example of Gonzo's stupidity.

In the Justice Department's Great Hall (the very room where giant, blue drapes covered the underdressed statuary during John Ashcroft's tenure as attorney general), an array of prosecutors, securities regulators and FBI honchos gathered yesterday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the President's Corporate Fraud Task Force.

Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who famously prosecuted former vice presidential aide Scooter Libby, was chatting with a pair of reporters about his upcoming appearance on the National Public Radio program "Wait Wait . . . Don't Tell Me!" when none other than Attorney General Alberto "Fredo" Gonzales appeared at his side.

"Good job," Gonzales said, extending his hand to Fitzgerald. Must have been thinking of Fitzgerald's office's successful prosecution last week of media mogul Conrad Black for fraud, obstruction, etc. Fitzgerald, taken aback, didn't say much in response, our colleague Carrie Johnson reports.

Loop Fans may recall that a former Gonzales aide had placed Fitzgerald's name on a list of prosecutors who had "not distinguished themselves" in March 2005, just after Fitzgerald had indicted former GOP Illinois governor George Ryan and as he was investigating the leak of the identity of CIA officer Valerie Plame.

Gonzo trying to buddy up to a U.S. Attorney he attempted to fire. Calling him a fucking idiot would be an insult to people with that level of intelligence.

Here Comes the Subpoenas

Karl Rove and Scott Jennings have been subpoenaed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats sent a letter to Solicitor General Paul Clement. They have asked special counsel to investigate to investigative if Alberto Gonzales perjured himself to Congress.

Gonzales made claim that he visited John Ashcroft's hospital room. There have been news stories that Gonzales was seeking approval to continue a classified surveillance program. Gonzales wished to circumvent acting Attorney General James Comey. Ashcroft turned down Gonzales's request.

Gonzales testified that he visited the hospital on the behave of Democrats. Tom Daschle, Jay Rockefeller, Jane Harman and Nancy Pelosi stated that is false. Futhermore, an Office of the Director of National Intelligence document reveal that Democrats did not dicuss reauthorization of the domestic surveillance program during the March 10, 2004 meeting. Gonzales's cover story has been blown by eyewitnesses and documentation.

Testifying before a Congressional committee is the same as testifying in court. The laws of perjury apply. Elliott Abrams pleaded guilty to Congress to two felonies for perjuring himself to Congress. Abrams said these word to John Kerry about Contra funding.

"I can say that while I have been assistant secretary, which is about 15 months, we have not received a dime from a foreign government, not a dime, from any foreign government."

Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia funneled 32 million of his country's money to the Contras. The current President gave him the nickname Bandar Bush.



In other news: The House Judiciary Committee voted to file contempt charges against Joshua Bolton and Harriet Miers. Bolton accompanied Gonzales to visit Ashcroft. Miers was part of the email exchanges dealing with the U.S. Attorneys purging.

“In our system of government, no one is above the law,” Rep. John Conyers, the committee’s chairman, said in a letter to the White House.

Tony Snow responded by kicking out a Yiddish diss. I swear I'm not making this up.

“This is pathetic,” said White House spokesman Tony Snow. “We have hundreds of hearings that have produced bupkis.”

The literal definitions of bupkis is beans. Perhaps Snow is confusing the judiciary committees the House Committee on Agriculture.

If that was the case then Mr. Snow wouldn't be in full spin mode.

Bush Statement on Accountability Laughable

George W. Bush was asked what he would do if there is proof that Alberto Gonzales unethically fired U.S. Attorneys.

"If there's wrongdoing, it will be taken care of," The President told the White House Press Corp.

Bush should be challenged on that statement. His credibility on holding his own official accountable is in tatters. The President was asked what he would do if any members of his administration leaked Valerie Plame's name to the media.

"If there's a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is," said the President. "And if the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of."

Lewis Scotter Libby resigned and was convicted of perjury. Karl Rove leaked to Bob Novak. No administration official involved in the Plame investigation lost their security clearance. Bush has since refused to answer questions about the leakers.



Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...

Impeach Alberto Gonzales

Update: Bush isn't budging on Gonzo.

"I frankly view what's taking place in Washington today as pure political theater," he said. "I stand by Al Gonzales, and I would hope that people would be more sober in how they address these important issues."

Nothing works it's magic like the Bush vote of confidence.

Update: Sunny has a superb post on Alberto Gonzales failing to prosecute Texas guards that sexually abused juveniles. Talk Left has more on the Texas Youth Commission.