Posted on 03/31/2007 10:54:21 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(AP) WASHINGTON -- A Republican congressman on Saturday urged Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign, citing what he said were Gonzales' contradictory statements about his role in the firing of eight federal prosecutors.
"I trusted him before, but I can't now," said five-term Rep. Lee Terry (news, bio, voting record), whose district includes metropolitan Omaha.
Gonzales' credibility took a blow this past week during testimony by his former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sampson, who resigned March 12, said the attorney general was regularly briefed about plans to fire the prosecutors and was involved with discussions about "this process of asking certain U.S. attorneys to resign."
Lawmakers impatient to hear Gonzales' side of the story said the embattled attorney general needed to explain himself quickly or risk more damage to his department. Gonzales is to testify on Capitol Hill on April 17.
"My views were was that this was Democrat posturing and a witch hunt," Terry said. "My trust in him in that position has taken a hit because of these contradictory statements by him."
Gonzales on Friday sought to explain weeks of inconsistencies about how closely involved he had been in decisions to dismiss the U.S. attorneys. He said he had been aware his staff was drawing up plans for the firings but did not recall taking part in discussions over which people would actually be told to go.
"I believe in truth and accountability, and every step that I've taken is consistent with that principle," Gonzales said in Boston. "At the end of the day, I know what I did. And I know that the motivations for the decisions that I made were not based upon improper reasons."
Asked why he had not resigned, as some Democrats and Republicans have demanded, he said: "I am fighting for the truth."
Terry, asked whether he believed Gonzales' accounts, said: "I don't know ... I don't think so. ... I trusted him before, but I can't now."
He added, "Frankly, until these statements came out that contradicted his first statement, I was backing him, saying that he shouldn't resign. Now I think that he should."
Meanwhile, Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., is demanding a retraction from Gonzales on behalf of New Mexico's former U.S. attorney, who was among the prosecutors fired last year.
Schumer wrote Gonzales on Friday demanding that the attorney general clear David Iglesias' name. Schumer's letter came the day after Sampson testified that in hindsight, he would not have recommended Iglesias for dismissal.
Sampson orchestrated the firings for department officials as part of a plan to replace some prosecutors in President Bush's second term. He added Iglesias' name late in the process, but on Thursday said he could not remember exactly why.
Iglesias has said that he wants a written retraction from the Justice Department stating that performance had nothing to do with his dismissal.
I guess we can all breathe a sigh of relief that Gonzalez will not be the next SCOTUS justice.
I think the Atty Gen. should stand his ground....why should he resign?
Just because the libs think they have a 'scandal' he should resign....(sigh) all these RINO's and no where to put them....
What refreshing change that would be.
Thank GOD
Of course, these idiots in the Bush administration could have simply stated the fact that the US attorneys can be fired for any reason deemed necessary, and simply repeated this every time it is brought up. Instead, they act like they have done something wrong.
"Mistakes" or no (depending on who's commenting), he should NOT resign. It will only feed the 'Rats bloodlust for more. Gonzales would be a mere snack: they really want VP Cheney and President Bush.
Dems stepped in it, with attacking Gonzales.
Gonzales should NOT resign. Republicans should loudly and vigorously defend him, and frankly should call Democrats "racists".
Seriously.
It's silly, but that sort of language works. It's way past time to use it on Democrats.
They are, after all, racist.
No, you don't have to defend him. Nor do you have to attack him.
You just have to let the issue go by and say 'who cares'.
If he doesn't voluntarily resign, there is nothing they can do to him.
This story does not have legs.
What they need to do is focus on each prosecutor they let go, one at a time, and explain why they let them go.
It's funny how far a "Republican" will go to get the DNC whores in the MSM to like him.
"Of course, these idiots in the Bush administration could have simply stated the fact that the US attorneys can be fired for any reason deemed necessary,"
That's not exactly true. Even the president can't fire someone -- and Domenici couldn't call someone -- if it's the purpose is to "corruptly obstruct, influence, or impede an official proceeding." So if the administration did that, that's a crime, and people should be prosecuted.
The issue to me is that the evidence seems nowhere near compelling enough to warrant all this hysteria, let alone Gonzales's resignation.
The guy's from Omaha .. must have been talking to Hagel!
Either the Pubbies find a spine, or we will be voting from the roof tops sooner rather than later (Thomas Jefferson was right, just off on his timing).
5.56mm
Or a 'firebrand' or 'maverick'.
Of course, these idiots in the Bush administration could have simply stated the fact that the US attorneys can be fired for any reason deemed necessary, and simply repeated this every time it is brought up. Instead, they act like they have done something wrong.
You're exactly right. Sadly :-( The stupid kumbaya-let's-sit-around-the-campfire-and-eat-semores approach by President Bush has been an abysmal failure.
Notice that House member is from Nebraska???
That probably tells us more than anything else. Hagel country...and Ben Nelson country.
Both voted to put a timetable on the war.
Alberto Gonzalez has YET to have his time in front of the Senate...I think that the GOP could at least give him that shot..
I am not a fan of AG, personally....but, I DO KNOW that this is a witch hunt by the Dems..and I also read that there is a pretty big corruption case in New Mexico..that Iglesias might not have been pursuing hard enough...
What's in the water in Nebraska? Gee Whiz!
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