Some highlights of the Gonzales hearings this morning and afternoon.
Arlen Specter signaled that Inherent Contempt is not out of the question for administration members that do not comply with subpoenas. Specter also strongly suggested that Gonzales would be subject to prosecution for perjury if he did not correct his testimony.
The latter specifically relates to testimony Gonzales previously gave about whether or not there was an internal disagreement about the NSA wiretapping program. Alberto’s defense is that his hospital visit to Ashcroft involved another program than the one revealed in the December 2005 New York Times article. Beyond that, he wants to go into executives session before he elaborates.
One of his problems is that both Sens. Feingold and Whitehouse serve on both the Judiciary and the Intelligence Committee. They are both saying that Gonzales’ is full of it. They are both saying that Gonzales perjured himself.
It’s hard to describe how badly Gonzales’ testimony has gone. There are several areas where he has had to basically admit that he misled Congress. For example, he previously testified that he was aware of no serious violations related to the Patriot Act. But he had received extensive reporting about abuses, including misuse of National Security letters by the FBI. His defense is that he is sorry and has tried to make amends.
This is a real test for Republicans. Sens. Kyl and Hatch showed up briefly to throw some softball questions. But after that, the Republicans abandoned the field. Specter has been unmerciful in his criticism.
I honestly don’t know if the Republicans can hold the line after this testimony. And if they can’t they will have a real problem because the Democrats will not confirm a new AG unless the administration turns over the documents they are seeking.
Then that means we can look forward to hearing from Bush, in a fit of giddy excitement, how “honest, forthright and truthful” he thought the AG’s testimony was. There will be no reason to ask him another question after today. He will have given them everything and more, in Bush’s Bizarro World.
Look forward to even greater confidence in the AG from our Commander in Chief.
He’s doing a heckuva job!
I’d like to see some noise about impeaching Gonzalez. Surely perjury before Congress is sufficient grounds? Clearly Bush isn’t going to get rid of him voluntarily. Besides, it’s like wading into the shallow end of the pool–perhaps some of the more hesitant folks will realize that the water’s fine (and I have a feeling that a trial would lead to the emergence of some juicy tidbits).
If you haven’t done it, watch Schumer’s evisceration of Alberto Gonzales.
Gonzales is toast. There is no other word to describe it. Stick a fork in him-he’s done. If this man stays on, then we might as well draw the curtains, turn out the lights and call this American experiment finished.
Weren’t people saying he was done after earlier rounds of testimony though? The Bush admin seems to have taken stubbornness to new levels, the limits of which we’re yet to find. I think Congress needs to take matters into its own hands to get rid of him; Bush simply refuses.
It took an election to get rid of Rumsfeld, and there won’t be another one of those within the current term.
I agree. The idea that this administration will show any shame is ludicrous. But today’s testimony is really going to create a test for the GOP senators. I don’t know if they can hold the line on this.
There is no way the administration can afford to let him go. Aside from the fact that he’s obstructing investigation into the administration’s crimes, who would they nominate that could be confirmed?
I’ll be shocked if he goes before the end of the administration.
I certainly wouldn’t expect the administration to ever let him go.
But how much more political pressure can the Republicans tolerate, particularly those who will be up for reelection?
We all know the core of this administration doesn’t give a rats ass about the party. They are just trying to grab as much power as quickly as possible in anticipation of the “next 9/11” so they can finally get the police state they so strongly desire.
While any rational person would look at todays events and say there is no way he could stay, we all know it will still be an uphill battle to get him out on the street. Today is another good step in that direction.
This is definitely a defining moment for the GOP: do they maintain their loyalty to the ultimate in a Culture of Corruption, or do they start to step away and disavow the tactics of this administration?
Yes, after today, only the most staunchly delusional neo-con would be able to say with a straight face that Gonzales is not a liar.
I am sure that any Republican who is up for re-election in 08 and has, up to this point, defended this AG and this administrations practices when it comes to its unlawful operations is letting out a deeply despondent sigh right now.
If you are one of these people, you are presented today with a very stark choice. There is no room for equivocation.
You’re either for the rule of law, or against it.
It could not have gone worse for Gonzales today. He has lost any shred of credibility.
you’re right. I have never seen anything like this.
Our Attorney General is an unrepentant perjurer.
Make that smug and unrepentant.
But it was fun to see him have to sit there and get lectured by Sheldon Whitehouse, Specter, Shumer, Leahy…etc.
I liked when Leahy said that he had lost faith in him, and that although he had had differences with members of the Cabinet in the past, this was the first time that he could say that he had lost faith in one of them.
It’s going to be a fun month or so ahead!
Contempt charges tomorrow?
Fitzgerald called before the Committee?
Waiting for Gonzales to produce documents stopping Contempt charges against him
What if “loyal bushie” appointee, Morford, becomes Acting AG, as Gonzales is forced to step down? How does that play in the Congress asking for Contempt Investigations?
Why would Fitz be called before the committee?
It was intimated during the hearing today, that they want to know what he knows about all this. Some are suggesting he should be nominated the new AG also. If Gonzales is forced to step down, although Morford would probably be the acting AG, he is only an appointee, and not cleared by the Congress. Most likely, anybody appointed by Bush to replace Gonzales, would not be accepted by Congress.
It’s all gonna be one big bucket o’…..
This guy is a lawyer. To a lawyer, a word has a meaning, a specific, legal meaning. To Gonzales, nothing appears to have any sort of a meaning.
Gonzales is a hack lawyer. His legal career has been almost entirely tied to his political connections.
.
(AP) July 24 – Attorney General Alberto Gonzales denied today that he and former White House chief of staff Andy Card tried to exploit then-Attorney General John Ashcroft’s frail condition by pressuring him to recertify President Bush’s intelligence-gathering program during a now-famous 2004 hospital visit.
Gonzales’ version conflicts with Comey’s.
“I was angry,” Comey testified in May, releasing details of the meeting for the first time. “I thought I had just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very sick man who did not have the powers of the attorney general.”
“The disagreement that occurred, and the reason for the visit to the hospital, senator, was about other intelligence activities,” Gonzales said, refusing to say what the other program might be.
“I don’t trust you,” Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., told Gonzales.
Spectre recommends to appoint a special prosecutor in DOJ’s attempt to block Congressional oversight.
At the end there was some commotion and a demonstration with shouts of: “LIES – LIARS.”
VIDEO of session on C-SPAN3
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."I am curious Is it not Ilegal to lie to Congress, Is Perjury commited while under oath to congree- Impeachable ? or is it a Crime ? Spector reminded him that it is a 5 year Sentence.
( I know in the 80s an EPA official lied to Congree- and went to Jail….)
it’s both.
But, it’s more important to get Gonzales out of the justice department than it is to prosecute him. The statute of limitations on perjury will not be up before the Democrats take power in ’09.
After today’s events, the big question to everyone on the committee should be,
It is not going to take a lot of effort for Senators to review the transcripts from past testimony, by Gonzales and others, and determine that Gonzales lied while under oath.
Is there any way a rational, thinking person could dispute this fact? Granted, I’m looking at from one perspective, that of someone who thinks this administration is unlawful to the core. Give me some other perspective here, BooMan. Am I missing something obvious because I’m so wanting it to happen?
What you’re missing is that the Democrats know it’s an impeachable offense, but they will refuse to impeach without GOP support. They want a sure thing, cowards that they are, because they don’t want to be accused of partisanship.
It’s insane the games they are playing with our future.
No Steven, It would be hard to miss that. I’m well aware that the Democrats are scared to death that the Republicans and their minions at the keys of the mighty right-wing Wurlitzer could possibly call them old meanies who don’t want to play nice with their supremely bipartisan and “always willing to compromise” Dear Leader.
Why, we’ve all heard The Decider say many times how he looks forward to rigorous and civil debate and how he’s always interested in hearing the opinions and wishes of the “Democrat Party”. Then, after all the opinions are aired and contrary views have been laid out, the “Democrat Party” should just shut up now and give him what the hell he wants. Because, dammit, I’m the President. And I decide what is best.
The Dems just don’t understand how it works. It’s TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT–LISTEN TO WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANTS–CAVE TO THE PRESIDENT.
TALK–LISTEN–CAVE. It’s a very simple process. Up to this point the Dems have become very proficient.
The hearing today elicited two huge new points. The first is that there was in fact a second surveillance programme, which the gang of 8 at DOJ were ready to resign en masse over. We still don’t know what that was, but the most likely prospect is massive data-mining of information on individuals targetted by the administration. In short, it was the Echelon project.
The other is that Cheney had (has) a direct line into every decision made at the DOJ, including those involving prosecutions. To my mind, this is the most damning, since it doesn’t provide the cover of national security that the data-mining does. Whitehouse nailed Gonzales on that point, and he won’t let go.
It will take some time for the MSM to sort all this out, but I’m willing to wager that the WaPo will pick up on the Cheney takeover of the justice department.
This was a great hearing. The Dems came prepared and didn’t let up. I doubt we will see any more appearances before that committee by Gonzo. He couldn’t survive another day like today.
Bush can tee up a recess appointment who would not have to be confirmed and have him in by the end of August. Legally.
Solution:
Don’t recess.