08/27/2007
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Resigns
It's about time.
After months of controversy over the firing of U.S. Attorneys and his testimony regarding the NSA's terrorist surveillance programs, as well as accusations of perjury by congressional Democrats, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has reportedly resigned. An announcement is forthcoming later this morning, according to reports.
According to the New York Times: "Mr. Gonzales, who had rebuffed calls for his resignation, submitted his to President Bush by telephone on Friday, the official said. His decision was not announced immediately announced, the official added, until after the president invited him and his wife to lunch at his ranch near here. Mr. Bush has not yet chosen a replacement but will not leave the position open long, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the resignation had not yet been made public."
U.S. News is saying that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff will replace Gonzales: "Officials say he’s got fans on Capitol Hill, is untouched by the Justice prosecutor scandal, and has more experience than Gonzales did, having served as a federal judge and assistant attorney general."
Cnn is reporting that Chertoff is to be replaced by Bush loyalist Clay Johnson III, the Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget.
Attorney General Gonzales Resigns [abc news]
Embattled Attorney General Resigns [nyt]
BREAKING: Alberto Gonzales Resigns [think progress]
Posted 9:05 AM EST by Andy Towle in Alberto Gonzales, George W. Bush, News | Permalink
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This guy's stupidity was TRULY astounding. The only person dumber than Gonzo was WIMPY for not firing his ass eons ago!
Posted by: dc-20008 | Aug 27, 2007 9:15:26 AM
And the angels made a joyful noise.
I do have to give Bush props on the Chertoff as a replacement. Will be tough for Democrats to oppose this guy.
Posted by: hoya86 | Aug 27, 2007 9:29:07 AM
So, is this how this is going to play out?
One by one they'll resign? Or is this just another distraction tactic?
A crime is a crime.
Posted by: ShirleyHeezgay! | Aug 27, 2007 9:45:44 AM
He's been a good and loyal servant, so he'll be pulling down a high 6 figure income at some Right Wing Think Tank within a month.
You don't really expect the spineless Democrats to actually pursue criminal charges do you?
Posted by: Roscoe | Aug 27, 2007 9:54:55 AM
How many Bush administration officials does it take to change a light bulb?
The answer is seven:
* One to deny that a light bulb needs to be replaced.
* One to attack and question the patriotism of anyone who has questions about the light bulb.
* One to blame the previous administration for the need of a new light bulb.
* One to arrange the invasion of a country rumored to have a secret stockpile of light bulbs.
* One to get together with Vice President Cheney and figure out how to pay Halliburton one million dollars for each light bulb.
* One to arrange a photo-op session showing Bush changing the light bulb while dressed in a flight suit and wrapped in an American flag.
* And finally, one to explain to Bush the difference between screwing a light bulb and screwing the country.
Posted by: vinny | Aug 27, 2007 10:01:57 AM
Reid suspected bush might do this and try to appoint a replacement during congress' summer recess. Before goin on vacation reid said he and the white house had cut a deal that there would be NO summer recess apointments.
Well, guess what? Bush probably lied again and the wimp ass dems believed him and Bush will post replacement before congress gets back from vacation.
Posted by: anon | Aug 27, 2007 10:23:36 AM
So he FINALLY, though BELATEDLY, does the "Gonzo shuffle"? View my choice for successor:
http://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/breaking-news-us-attorney-general.html#links
Posted by: KYJurisDoctor | Aug 27, 2007 11:25:09 AM
So he FINALLY, though BELATEDLY, does the "Gonzo shuffle"? View my choice for successor:
http://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/breaking-news-us-attorney-general.html#links
Posted by: KYJurisDoctor | Aug 27, 2007 11:25:22 AM
Good riddance...
Posted by: Robert In WeHo | Aug 27, 2007 11:42:53 AM
New Homeland Security Chief nominee Clay Johnson III "was previously President of Horchow Mail Order and Neiman Marcus Mail Order, the Deputy Director/Chief Operating Officer of the Dallas Museum of Art, and held positions at Frito-Lay and Wilson Sporting Goods.
He was a classmate of President George W. Bush at Phillips Academy, roommate and Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity brother at Yale University, where he helped pull down the goalposts after a Princeton game"
Fuck the "Homeland" just as long as my sable coats and potato chips are safe!
Great light bulb joke, Vinny!
Posted by: Leland Frances | Aug 27, 2007 12:51:24 PM
I'm sorry but what were Gonzales crime? I was under the impression the attorney general's office could fire attorney's because it was under the executive branch? Can I get some clarification?
Posted by: Matt | Aug 27, 2007 1:23:22 PM
His crime was lying to Congress. (Yep, it's a crime.) His testimony regarding the attorneys' firings was false on a number of occasions and he kept backing up to revise his 'misspeakings'. It is not illegal to fire attorneys under the executive branch, but it is illegal (or at least questionable) to lie about why your replacing them (many times it was alleged to be a competence issue) and then replace them on a political basis.
Posted by: David D. | Aug 27, 2007 1:31:39 PM
Thanks David for the clarification. So one more question then. Why was congress even questioning him if the executive branch can fire their attorney's at will whether it be for political or competence issues? I did a quick search and found that numerous presidents while in office have fired their attorney's both republican and democrat so why the stink over this?
Posted by: Matt | Aug 27, 2007 1:57:55 PM
The irony of this has to be Bush's statement:
"It's sad that we live in a time when a talented and honorable person" is impeded "from doing important work."
Try telling that to the gays and lesbians who have been pushed out of the armed forces.
Posted by: gregus | Aug 27, 2007 3:10:16 PM
Matt,
Your question has been asked and answered ad nauseum in hundreds of places over the last 6 months. Have you been paying attention?
Posted by: dc-20008 | Aug 27, 2007 4:11:35 PM
Matt because if one compares the numbers and the time in which the firings took place it looks fishy.
The firings generaly occur at the begining of a president's FIRST term and not in such large numbers. Bush did this during his second term and to such a large extent that it looked fishy as in some kind of cover up of something else. You know the whole ideal of transparent governemtn for the people
Congress wantyed answers and if Gonzales and the white house had just acguiesed instead of lied then there would have been no problem and it quickly would have gone away.
The cover up is what always gets you even for covering up something that needn't have been covered up in the first place.
Well, the cover up reve3aled lies to congress which is ILLEGAL......the refusal to turn over documents which is ILLEGAL.....and that some other illegal things did take place. Oh and incompetence. Gonzales revealed himself to be an idiot yes man to bush.
Posted by: anon | Aug 27, 2007 4:11:57 PM
damn
sorry for the typos
Posted by: anon | Aug 27, 2007 4:12:54 PM
Matt,
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is not part of the Executive Branch, no matter how much Bush and Gonzales want it to be. The United States Congress's House Committee on the Judiciary and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary have oversight authority over DOJ. While the notion of the separation of powers might be considered "quaint" by Gonzales, Cheney, and Bush -- the Constitution notwithstanding -- they do have to answer to Congress (that nettlesome advice and consent notion). In answering to Congress, Gonzales lied. That is a crime.
The DOJ is supposed to be apolitical. Karl Rove (Is there nothing nefarious that this evil entity does not have a hand in?) and Harriet Meirs singled out the Gonzales 7 because they were investigating and prosecuting cases against repugs and, they believed, not pursuing alleged wrongdoing by dems. They trumped up reasons for the firings of the targeted U.S. Attorneys. Congress would have been oblivious had not some of these same attorneys taken issue with their firings and made public their objections. This was not a fishing expedition by Congress.
It is amazing to me that for an administration that has sought to appoint strict-constructionist jurists to the Supreme Court, they have not thought twice about playing fast and loose with the Constitution: to wit, elimination of habeus corpus , the so-called Patriot Act, warrantless spying on American citizens, large-scale rendition, torture, and on and on.
That being said, I am glad to see this little shit go. He forgot, or never knew, that his job was to serve the people, not the president. He was the Bush family's lackey, and he was an embarrassment to me as a Mexican-American.
Posted by: nic | Aug 27, 2007 6:12:40 PM
Of all the latin lawyers Bush had to pick the dirtiest of all. What happened was expected. I'm latin and have been against this grease ball from the begining. Everybody knew he was a dirty pig. I was surprised when he was confirmed. Much moola must have passed under the tables. Finally the monkey, and he looks like one, has left the Washington circus. Applause, applause....
Posted by: Oscar | Aug 27, 2007 7:14:48 PM
This was the only thing on NPR this morning as I drove to work, and I have to say it really makes my day to hear about Bush's fortress continuing to collapse around him.
Posted by: Heath | Aug 27, 2007 11:18:02 PM
Gregus - the best part of that quote is actually how Bush paused from "dragged through the....mud" as he had to flip to the next paper of the speech
god, he really is *that* stupid
Posted by: gabriel | Aug 27, 2007 11:40:39 PM