Sunday, April 15, 2007
Nothing Improper -- Right...Sure...
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales penned an op-ed in the Washington Post this morning. He writes:
And sure, during your happy talks with your then-deputy chief of staff you probably made no decisions "about who should or should not be asked to resign." After all, that would've been above your pay grade.
The Albuquerque Journal via TPM Muckraker has this juicy tidbit to add:
I know that I did not -- and would not -- ask for the resignation of any U.S. attorney for an improper reason. Furthermore, I have no basis to believe that anyone involved in this process sought the removal of a U.S. attorney for an improper reason.Well, Howling Latina is happy to note Gonzo's confidence in the seedy matter. However, considering that his underling directly contradicted earlier testimony from him and...his story has kept changing, please forgive mere mortals if we have little assurance in the AG's words.
All of these documents and public testimony indicate that the Justice Department did not seek the removal of any U.S. attorney to interfere with or improperly influence any case or investigation. Indeed, I am extremely proud of the department's strong record of vigorous prosecutions, particularly in the area of public corruption, where Republicans and Democrats alike have been held accountable for their crimes.Oh really...all of the documents, every last one, oh, even the millions of e-mails lost to the gods of cyberspace whim?!?
And sure, during your happy talks with your then-deputy chief of staff you probably made no decisions "about who should or should not be asked to resign." After all, that would've been above your pay grade.
The Albuquerque Journal via TPM Muckraker has this juicy tidbit to add:
All this time that America thought Gonzo was the AG of the people, it turns out that he was just carrying water for the White House and their evil machinations. Just another political flack in the long line of toadies too afraid to take a piss without the go-ahead from Dubya and Rove.Former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias was fired after Sen. Pete Domenici, who had been unhappy with Iglesias for some time, made a personal appeal to the White House, the Journal has learned.
Domenici had complained about Iglesias before, at one point going to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales before taking his request to the president as a last resort.
[...]
At one point, the six-term Republican senator tried to get Iglesias moved to a Justice Department post in Washington, D.C., but Iglesias told Justice officials he wasn't interested.
In the spring of 2006, Domenici told Gonzales he wanted Iglesias out.
Gonzales refused. He told Domenici he would fire Iglesias only on orders from the president.
// posted by Howling Latina @ 4:07 PM 
