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TechnoratiWhy Gonzales Still Has His Job
It's amazing that Alberto Gonzales still has his job.What do you need to do to get fired in the Bush Administration?
Well, if you're the President's crony, quite a lot, evidently.
Gonzales lied six ways to Sunday about his role in the U.S. attorneys' scandal and in the illegal domestic wiretapping program.
He's been a liar since his birth as Attorney General.
Even at his confirmation hearings, he told a whopper.
He submitted written testimony that said: "The policy of the United States is not to transfer individuals to countries where we believe they likely will be tortured." Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have estimated that the Bush Administration has transferred more than 100 detainees to countries notorious for torture. Many have since attested to torture.
So when members of Congress take up perjury charges against Gonzales, they should start at the beginning.
With Gonzales so compromised as the nation's leading law enforcement officer, why is he still in office?
Because Bush doesn't care. Gonzales is a career loyalist, even covering up for Bush when he had a drunk driving episode.
But more than that, in his dissembling before Congress, Gonzales was doing his master's bidding.
It was Bush who wanted to proceed with the illegal wiretapping.
It was Bush who wanted detainees tortured.
It was Bush (or at least Karl Rove) who wanted to use the offices of the U.S. attorneys to go after Democrats so as to swing elections to Republicans.
Lastly, it's convenient for Bush to have Gonzales still there. He offers one more layer of protection before the darts and spears come straight at the President.
The New York Times, for instance, can call for the impeachment of Gonzales. That's easy. It still hasn't called for the impeachment of Bush, however. That would take guts that the Times does not have.
Sure, Gonzales should be canned, prosecuted, or impeached-or any combination thereof. He's an embarrassment to the Department of Justice, and to the country.
But he's just been serving a criminal President.
And we need to devote our attention to that criminal: not his hired and hapless stooge.
Matthew Rothschild is the editor of The Progressive magazine.
© 2007 The Progressive
26 Comments so far
Show AllAccording to Vice President Cheney (a.k.a. Lucifer) who was on Larry King yesterday, history is going to look favorably on the Bush administration's accomplishments. What world do these people live in? Criminals, despots, the most evil people I have ever seen in power in this country. I cannot think of one single thing they have done while in office that is a positive.
We need the Democrats to DEMAND some benchmarks for the Attorney General to make progress toward telling the truth. If he fails to meet a sufficient number of benchmarks by the deadline, then he will be threatened with FURTHER REVIEW.
I'm sorry to use such harsh language, but we've all been left with no choice.
It is possible that the GOP hopes an impeachment of ABU Gonzales will quell the angry mob, and deflate the momentum of vengfulness that has been building for so long. My hope is that once the feeding frenzie starts, it briskly works it's way through the top.
The spin machine has spun and all of the marionettes are once again dancing to the tune. I am of course referring to Gonzales's argument that he went to see Ashcroft on intelligence matters other than the TSP program. This has effectively altered the argument. Now it is about which program he went to see Ashcroft about when the real question should be, why was he going to see Ashcroft at all? Ashcroft was not the Attorney General. Which program it was about is immaterial.
Lobo Gris
I just love the logic, well BS logic, that they use to escape responsibility. On one hand, we are lead to believe that they just can't remember the events that comprise their daily jobs. However, this lack of memory does not preclude them from these jobs. Call me crazy, but I thought one of the primary requirements for lawyers was an attention to detail; which, based upon the normal precedence, is rooted from a better than average memory. I guess it kind of a bastardized-reverse-logic that forms the basis of the GOP.
If you haven't caught this episode of "This Modern World", it is worth the effort...
http://www.workingforchange.com/comic.cfm?itemid=22406
You're all wrong on this one. I have three important facts that prove that Mr. Gonzales possesses a great legal mind and deserves our deepest respect:
1. He, ah, I don't actually recall the first one at this time;
2. In an absolutely brilliant moment, he...well, I can't recall the second one but the third is really good:
3. I don't remember this one, but...
Isn't it wonderful that the dominos are beginning to fall on this lawless pack of liars and thieves??
I'm just sorry that Americans have been so stupid and gullible for so long.
If my husband and I knew in February 2003, Michael Moore knew, The Chicks, Susan, Tim and Sean knew that Bush, DICK, Weezie and Rummy were lying turds, why didn't Congress frigging know?????
Follow the money!
Gonzales has his job because his job is to cover for Cheney and Rove. Like the scooter did. I really wish that someone would stop blaming the puppets, and start talking about who's pulling their strings. I don't want Albero impeached. Impeach cheney-Bush, then see what happens
"If all are corrupt can any know what corruption is?"
Are noble lies and noble truths but the same in DC?
As working folks, we pay through the nose for everything as life gets harder and harder. When will it be that we will finally say we have had enough? Isn't better to starve honestly than live in the splendor that comes from dishonesty?
It is how we play the game, not whether we win or lose.
Washington Post, July 30, 2007:
"Gonzales's Truthfulness Long Disputed"; "Claims of misstatements to shield Bush stretch back a decade."
As usual, the usual suspects continue to be "shocked - shocked I tell ya" that Fredo is the leader of the lying loyalbush brigade. Who would have ever guessed the levees would collapse?
The above essay gives the Loonitary Executive too much credit. It's crystal clear at this point that Cheney's in charge and determined to keep it that way...
Ipenek said "...why shouldn't the Bush regime have a similar caricature leading the Justice Department."
It is not so much a caricature, but a good representative might be one of the three stooges.
After listening to his confirmation hearings I concluded that Gonzalez is the first person I know who can tell multiple lies in one sentence. A very articulate liar.
I had to eat a lot of anti-acid when I heard that they confirmed him.
Gonzales' successor has a professional responsiblility to prosecute Gonzales for his part in the president's assault on the federal prosecutorial function. Until he's removed, he has the last word on his own prosecution, and that's why he's still in office.
In a way Gonzales is the perfect symbol of the Bush cartel, its perfect representative, for trafficking in buying and selling law to further corporate interest is all they're about. Mickey Mouse and Goofy are the symbolic "heads" of Disney, why shouldn't Bush regime have a similar caracature leading the "Justice" department. Rule of Law -- hardy-har-har. The only rule of law in America is that enough money can buy you the laws you need, the judgements you require. Speedy Gonzales is perfect.
when Gonzales testifys to Congress, I'm not sure if I'm watching the US Attorney General speaking, or the head of the Soprano Crime Family.
They are both equally forthright.
hi all - guess what just happened? Inslee just put his bill to impeach Gonzales on the table. Here's more about what it says -
.............
House Democrats calling for Gonzales impeachment inquiry
Brett Murphy at 10:27 AM ET
[JURIST] A group of US House Democrats said Monday that they plan to pursue a resolution instructing the House Judiciary Committee [official website] to launch an investigation into whether to impeach Attorney General Alberto Gonzales [official profile; JURIST news archive]. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) [official website], sponsor of the resolution, and six co-sponsors plan to introduce the measure to investigate whether Gonzales has been truthful about the Bush administration's expanding domestic surveillance program [JURIST report]. The White House has said that this is just another "partisan attack," but Inslee defended the move, saying that "it's indefensible to treat the truth with such cavalier disregard when talking to the American people and Congress."
And they've actually done it. There's a press conference about it on c-span, audio and video -
The contempt this administration holds for the law is well-placed. This government is not of the people, but of the corporations. Republicans do not fear Democrats because there is VERY LITTLE difference between the two parties and neither are going to buck the corporate money that flows just as easily into their re-elections as their opponent.
TYRANNY.
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
May the revolution be as swift as it is peaceful.
I would like to ask every American if the television set and the SUV are really worth THIS???
Peace to you and yours.
I watched him for one second and his answer to something was that he "went on behalf of the president", but he would not state that the president sent him.
He is pathetic.
These creeps can't even wipe the sneers off their faces.
Sooner or later, it will trickle down that no one will have any respect for the law.
He has probably been given a raise! Fired? Not a chance--he is doing EXACTLY what The Decider wants him to do.
The biggest crime that Gonzales has committed (in my way of thinking) is that he's detroyed any confidence americans had in "the rule of law". If you talk to poor minorities living in substandard housing in extemely poor neighborhoods you find out that there has never been any confidence there in "the rule of law" BUT NOW with our current attorney general lying and violating law after law it's not just oppressed minorities who feel the law is absurd it's everyone. How can I trust a government (that is supposed to be on the side of the people) when "law" is so flagrantly violated and used against "enemies" and for that we can thank Alberto Gonzales and the whole administration. Thanks folks we are now a banana republic where the law is concerned and we are moving toward that same bottom in our whole quality of life in this great nation. The parents of these traitors must be so proud!
He's still got his job because a sufficient number of Democrats, and virtually all Republicans, don't take significant issue with Bush's policies.
All it takes is a critical mass.
Why Gonzales Still Has His Job
Because his boss is: (pick one)
a. dumber
b. more crooked
c. as moronic a pinhead
d. All of the above
Hook him up to a polygraph. Hook up the wires to his cajones. Stand him on a skinny box. Put hood over his head. Get creative with cattle prod.
The Republicans go all-out for the rich. The Democrats go all-out for the middle-class. Who in office goes all out for the poor?
Using campaign spending limits to get America better politicians is the only way to solve America's problems enough. If you think "clean money" public financing of our campaigns will bring us enough campaign finance reform, you're sadly mistaken.
Taxation without representation.
*opens eyes, rubs them, looks around*
My god, that's what it is, isn't it? At the very least.
The criminals waging these wars and maintaining all these military bases across the world and taking over other countries' natural resources and advocating torture and suspending habeas corpus - as well as the ones responsible for the pitiful educational system in my state - these people do not represent me.
Yet I have to worry about going to jail if I don't pay my taxes.
Meanwhile, the multi-gazillion-dollar corporations and the people who run them just pay someone to find (or create, or purchase) tax loopholes for them.
They don't care about the rest of us. They care even less about the citizens of foreign countries who don't want to go along with "our" interests.
Maybe filling the jails with tax resisters would at least gunk up the works for awhile? I don't know. So discouraging. These people are capable of anything.