But He’s Still There For Some Reason
On the night of March 10, 2004, a high-ranking Justice Department official rushed to a Washington hospital to prevent two White House aides from taking advantage of the critically ill Attorney General, John Ashcroft, the official testified today…
“I was very upset,†said James B. Comey, who was deputy Attorney General at the time, in his testimony today before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “I was angry. 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 because they had been transferred to me.â€
The hospital visit by Mr. Gonzales and Andrew H. Card Jr., who was then White House chief of staff, has been disclosed before, but never in such dramatic, personal detail. Mr. Comey’s account offered a rare and titillating glimpse of a Washington power struggle, complete with a late-night showdown in the White House after a dramatic encounter in a darkened hospital room — in short, elements of a potboiler paperback novel…
Although Mr. Comey declined to say specifically what the business was that sent Mr. Gonzales to the bedside of Mr. Ashcroft in George Washington Hospital, where he lay critically ill with pancreatitis, it was clear that the subject was the National Security Agency’s secret domestic surveillance program. The signature of Mr. Ashcroft or his surrogate was needed by the next day, March 11, in order to renew the program, which was still secret at that time.
Senator Arlen Specter: “It is the decision of Mr. Gonzales as to whether he stays or goes, but it is hard to see how the Department of Justice can function and perform its important duties with Mr. Gonzales remaining where he is, and beyond Mr. Gonzales’ decision, it’s a matter for the president as to whether the president will retain the attorney general or not.”
I cannot believe that Gonzales is still US Attorney General. It is unbelievable. He is completely incompetent, he has made mistake after mistake, he has tried to politicize the Justice Department, he is the worst Attorney General in modern US history but… he’s still there.
10 Responses to “But He’s Still There For Some Reason”
He’s just a minor reflection of the nightmare that is President George W. Bush.
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Another shining example of why Dubya isn’t going to be getting rid of the AG anytime before 2009. How would he get someone this willing to walk on peoples rights or stoop so low past a democratic senate?
Before long this administration will be the Three Stooges – W, Rummy and Gonzo. As MvdG says the worst ever. Cheney is safe, he hasn’t shown the greed of Agnew.
Um, Rumsfeld resigned last fall, Rudi.
I believe Rummy’s legacy as a stooge is safe and secure for posterity.
Three stooges- W, Wolfie and Gonzales. The WH appointed Gonazales for the very reasons that he’s the wrong man for the job. They knew he would do anything Bush and Karl Rove asked him to do- he makes Ashcroft look like a man with integrity by comparison. Blame the GOP Congress who never attempted to derail the nomination-even though they knew that Bush had a very long history with him that would make keeping the necessary distance impossible. Bush doesn’t care how incompetent he is as long as he fulfills his role as loyal toady.
Imagine, if you can, that in July of 2005 Alberto Gonzales was being considered for a seat on the United States Surpreme Court.
Things may seem frightening now but they could have been oh so much worse. Thank God the GWB Goon Squad will be gone in less than two years.
# Jason Steck Says:
May 15th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Um, Rumsfeld resigned last fall, Rudi.
Then why is he still stalking the halls of the pentagon with an “advisory” role?
I cannot believe that Gonzales is still US Attorney General. It is unbelievable. He is completely incompetent, he has made mistake after mistake, he has tried to politicize the Justice Department, he is the worst Attorney General in modern US history but… he’s still there.
substitute “George Bush” and it makes equal sense. Blunt-headed neanderthal cronyism is alive and well.