Alberto Gonzales Signed Off on U.S. Attorney Firings

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Fri Mar 23, 2007 at 09:50:02 PM EST
Tags: Alberto Gonzales (all tags)

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Remember when Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he wasn't very involved in the firing of U.S. Attorneys?

He said at a news conference on March 13 that he had not participated in any discussions about the removals, but knew in general that his aides were working on personnel changes involving United States attorneys.

The AP now reports that documents released today show he signed off on the plan.

A Nov. 27 meeting, in which the attorney general and at least five top Justice Department officials participated, focused on a five-step plan for carrying out the firings of the prosecutors, Gonzales' aides said late Friday. There, Gonzales signed off on the plan, which was drafted by his chief of staff, Kyle Sampson. Sampson resigned last week. Another Justice aide closely involved in the dismissals, White House liaison Monica Goodling, has also taken a leave of absence, two officials said.

[Hat tip Atrios.]

Update: The Daily Background provides a review and analysis of the newly released documents.

< I Like Hillary Too | O'Reilly Cuts Lis Wiehl's Mike Over U.S. Attorney Firings >

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Alberto Gonzales Signed Off on U.S. Attorney Firings | 6 comments (6 topical)

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re Tony Snow and CBS (none / 0) (#1)
by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Mar 23, 2007 at 10:35:26 PM EST

I've been watching the video of the interview with Tony Snow and that CBS reporter. Tony snow says that the offer of the white house is
any information that anybody needs is going to be made available.

However, since their point of view is that Congress and the public don't need to know why some are chosen, some are dismissed and some are put in, the promise is a meaningless one.

For what it matters, I used to believe that George W Bush was a Christian, but he and his associates all seem to think it is OK to lie routinely. I have started to wonder about the sincerity of his Christian faith.

how involved (none / 0) (#2)
by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Mar 23, 2007 at 10:39:13 PM EST

actually what Gonzo said March 13 was that he was not involved in any discussions about what was going on.

I just didn't take Gonzales's March 13 statement.. (none / 0) (#3)
by cal11 voter on Fri Mar 23, 2007 at 10:57:43 PM EST

of not knowing what was going on as a statement that he did not know that the US Attorneys would be dismissed, but that he was not intimately involved in the details of selecting which US Attorneys would be dismissed. I never thought that any US Attorney would have been dismissed without Department head Gonzales' approval. Or Bush's approval.

Treason, arrest, Amsterdam, De Dampkring (none / 0) (#6)
by Aaron on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 12:27:04 AM EST

Jeralyn

Bad link here needs fixing.

-----------------------------------------------------

Alberto Gonzales, just like the guy he thinks is his boss George W. Bush (actually it's us but don't try to tell him that), is a traitor to the Republic. These people, these traitorous dogs have spent the last eight years trying to undermine our democracy, trying to remove the power from the hands of the people, and apparently they believe they're doing the right thing. Hard to believe that these are Americans and all, hard to believe that anyone who grew up in this country would ever even consider doing what they have done.

I'm so glad to see someone in a position of power in the media finally come out and use the terms which I have been using for the last three years, and those terms are traitors and treason. Tonight on Real Time with Bill Maher, Bill use the term traitor in direct reference to the president and vice president, hallelujah it's about time!

It's not González who should resign, it's the entire Bush White House who should resign after they have been arrested and held without bail until their trial for treason and crimes against humanity.

PS I just got back from Amsterdam, Holland rules! America and this draconian predatory corporate hypocritical pseudo democracy we live under in the US really sucks, it sucks big time.

For the record, I rat holed 2 ounces of bubble gum in my gastrointestinal tract on the Continental Airline flight back, smiling and laughing with TSA, Border Patrol, and DEA agents at every checkpoint, I even patted their dogs. In-your-face suckers! The muling was a bit uncomfortable, but it was worth it, I won't be needing any fake pharmaceutical antidepressants for at least a year now. :-) (just kidding... maybe).

I revel in the breaking of unjust laws, and will continue to do so until I have to ask you guys for legal representation, pro bono of course, thanks in advance.

I'm off to lose my job now since they insist I take a drug test after I came in this morning still wreaking of smoke from De Dampkring. The THC level in my urine are so high, when the testers get a whiff as it wafts to their nostrils while carrying my sample, they'll immediately drop to the ground in uncontrollable hysterics from the huge buzz they're going to get. I suppose they'll get fired as well, but at least they will be incapable of being sad about it.

: Thanks, I updated the link (none / 0) (#8)
by Jeralyn on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 12:45:01 AM EST

I swapped it for an AP link that still works.
Yes, I agree, Amsterdam is great. A bunch of bloggers, including me and the TL kid got to go for a week last year, courtesy of the Holland tourism department.
A picture I took of De Dampkring is here.

I don't see any trolls (none / 0) (#9)
by Jeralyn on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 12:45:45 AM EST

who are you referring to?