John Dean on Alberto Gonzales

John expects Gonzo to resist leaving his post and Bush to refuse to fire him. In my mind this is not an altogether bad thing. The very dark cloud that hangs over Gonzales, and therefore Justice, extends widely over the White House as well, especially with Bush backing Gonzo.

We no longer have a lame duck in the White House, we have a dead duck, and as long as Gonzo stays the investigations and hearings will continue. More career Justice Department Lawyers will come forward and more crimes will be uncovered; from election manipulation, as if that weren't enough, to God knows what.

So, let Lil Alberto stay, until he takes down all the Bushites with him!


The ranking Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter, called Attorney Alberto Gonzales's command performance on Thursday, April 19, 2007, his "reconfirmation hearing." Needless to say, this was hyperbole -- for Gonzales has already been confirmed by the Senate long ago and thus will serve until he resigns or the President removes him. Neither of those events appears likely, although this saga has not yet ended.

By and large, the Gonzales hearings had few surprises. But the few that did occur were quite telling: There was a stunning lack of Republican support for Gonzales on the Judiciary Committee, and there was a remarkable change in White House procedures for contacts with the Department of Justice. (not really surprising, John. The Rethugs have figured out that impeachment is not on the table for a very good reason. The longer these asshats stay in office the more likley it is that the Republican Party is finisihed, for a very long time to come.

What was not surprising, however, was Gonzales's determination to stay in the job and Bush's disinclination to remove him- for this is consistent with the GOP presidential standard. Let's look at each of these features of the hearings, in turn.

The Striking Lack of Republican Support for Gonzales

There are nineteen members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, ten Democrats and nine Republicans. Based on the conduct displayed during the Gonzales hearing it appears that the Attorney General has the support of only two Republicans: Senator Orrin Hatch (R.UT), who tried repeatedly to rehabilitate Gonzales during the hearings; and Senator John Cornyn (R.TX), who sought to protect fellow Texan Gonzales. Both Hatch and Cornyn are hardcore conservatives. (without a conscious, of course)

Running throughout the questions were statements relating to Gonzales's competence. In the afternoon session, Senator Coburn (R. OK) did not mince words: He made it clear that he had found that the Attorney General had acted with incompetence, and that he believed there their must be consequences for Gonzales's mistakes. Accordingly, in a striking fashion, he called for Gonzales to resign.

Even when Orrin Hatch tried to rehabilitate Gonzales, Hatch all but conceded the Attorney General's incompetence, at least regarding the firing of the eight U.S. Attorneys. But Hatch tried - unsuccessfully - to balance that with vague statements as to all the good Gonzales has supposedly done.

Senator Arlen Specter said everything short of actually calling Gonzales a liar, for all of his conflicting statements about the handling of the dismissal of the U.S. Attorneys. In addition, Specter said while he would not call for Gonzales to resign, he strongly suggested that he do just that, and that if he did not, the President should send Gonzales back to Texas.

The lack of GOP support for Gonzales is not good for the White House, which needs all the friends it can find, now that the Democrats control Congress and they are undertaking their responsibility to conduct oversight. Having an attorney general with zero clout on Capitol Hill - which is now the case for Gonzales - leaves the White House all the more exposed.

Column continues


....and the truth shall set us free.