By Kenneth J. Theisen, 7/24/07
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in testimony before
Congress on July 24th seemed to add a few new nails to his political coffin
when he testified that he and Andrew Card had been encouraged by Democratic and
Republican congressional leaders to take the necessary steps to continue a NSA
surveillance program beyond its expiration deadline. That led Card and Gonzales to make their
famous March 10, 2004 visit to the intensive care hospital room of drugged
Attorney General John Ashcroft to get his permission to continue the program. But
Ashcroft denied permission to continue the illegal domestic eavesdropping
program.
Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee, “We went
there because we thought it was important for him to know where the
congressional leadership was on this. Clearly if he had been competent and
understood the facts and had been inclined to do so, yes we would have asked
him. Andy Card and I didn’t press him. We said ‘Thank you’ and we left.”
In his testimony Gonzales claimed that in March 2004
congressional leaders, known as the “Gang of Eight” (consisting of the
bipartisan leaders of the House, the Senate and both intelligence committees) agreed
to continue a classified surveillance activity that Justice Department
officials had earlier considered illegal. But those leaders who were briefed by Gonzales
at the time challenged his version of events. Senator Jay Rockefeller and House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated there was no agreement that the program continue. Rockefeller claimed, “He once again is
making something up to protect himself.”
The hearing became so contentious at one point that
Republican Senator Arlen Specter stated, “I do not find your testimony
credible, candidly”The constitutional authority and responsibility for
congressional oversight is gone. If that is to happen, the president can run
the government as he chooses, answer no questions. The attorney general has the authority to
appoint a special prosecutor.” After the hearing he clarified his remarks by
saying a special prosecutor would be one option to consider if the Senate cites
Bush administration officials with contempt of Congress. Somehow I can not see Gonzales appointing a
special prosecutor to prosecute other Bush regime cronies or his self.
At the hearing Senator Russ Feingold said, “It’s hard
to see anything but a pattern of intentionally misleading Congress again and
again. Shouldn’t the attorney general of the United States meet a higher standard?”
Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy told Gonzales, “I don’t trust you. There’s a
discrepancy here in sworn testimony. We’re going to have to ask who’s telling
the truth, who’s not.”
Senator Charles Schumer asked Gonzales, “How can you
say you haven’t deceived the committee? How can you say you should stay on as
attorney general when we go through exercises like this? You want to be Attorney
General, you should be able to clarify it yourself.” He was questioning
Gonzales” earlier statement that there had been no dissenting views in the
administration on the warrantless domestic surveillance program despite the
fact that several senior officials had threatened to resign over it.
During the hearing Gonzales refused to answer many questions
at all. He avoided answering whether the
Bush regime would forbid U.S.
attorneys from pursuing contempt charges against current and former administration
officials who have defied congressional subpoenas. Gonzales stated,
“You’re asking me a question that’s related to an ongoing controversy,”
as if that prevented an answer.
Senator Herb Kohl asked Gonzales the following at the
hearing, “Would you please explain to us why the administration of justice
and the American people would not be better served by somebody sitting in the
office who does not have all of the problems that you possess with respect to
believability, credibility, confidence, trust?”
Gonzales replied, “Ultimately I have to decide whether
or not it would be better for me to leave or just stay and try to fix the
problems. I’ve decided to stay and fix the problems.” It is true that Gonzales has been one of the
prime “fixers” in the Bush regime. When
the regime wants to do anything illegal, Gonzales fixes it by coming up with
the legal justification. If little items
like the Geneva Convention, the Constitution, or other laws intervene he finds
the fix.
Perhaps that is why, despite the political pummeling
Gonzales faced at the hearing, the White House issued its routine defense of
the Attorney General. Upon the end of
the hearing, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said, “Of course the
president continues to have full confidence in the attorney general. We have
every reason to believe that the attorney general testified truthfully.”