Sunday, April 22, 2007

More Gonzogate: An Embarrassing Defense of the Indefensible - Vol. 3 Issue 50

Last Thursday, Alberto Gonzales appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to shed light on the latest Bush administration scandal, the firing of 8 U.S. Attorneys for purely political reasons. In a performance that can only be described as embarrassing to the point of humiliation, the beleaguered Attorney General testified that he had “made mistakes,” but he still felt he had done the right thing. He admitted that he was responsible for the firings. Gonzales bobbed and weaved, ducked questions and answered, “I don’t recall” OVER 70 Times. As my grandmother would have said, “Oy!” I’m not sure what Alberto Gonzales’s grandma would have said, perhaps “Dios mio! What kind of man is my grandson?” Sadly, I would have to tell Grandma Gonzales that her Grandson was liar and an empty suit who is not qualified to be Attorney General of the United States.

The frustration of the REPUBLICAN Senators on the Committee was palpable. Besides Senators Hatch, Grassley and Kyl - the usual stalwart defenders of the administration - Senators Graham, Specter and Coburn were outright hostile toward Gonzales. Senator Specter became visibly upset and raised his voice when Gonzales refused to answer even the simplest questions. Senator Graham and Senator Coburn were brutally blunt. They both told the Attorney General that he should resign. See, Washington Post. Senator Coburn’s words regarding the fired U.S. Attorneys were searing, “It was handled incompetently. The communication was atrocious,” Coburn told the beleaguered attorney general. “You ought to suffer the consequences that these others have suffered, and I believe that the best way to put this behind us is your resignation.” See, Washington Post.

Despite this political carnage, on the Friday after the Hearing, the President reiterated his support and “confidence” in Gonzales. In public, the President appears to have dug himself into the position of supporting his Attorney General to the bitter end. However, White House insiders are reportedly betting on the exact date of Gonzales’s resignation. Either way, the Congressional investigation of political corruption at the highest levels of the executive branch will continue. It’s difficult to imagine, but perhaps the twin disasters of Katrina and Iraq will turn out to be lesser scandals when compared with the mounting stench at the Department of Justice.

Looking for an equal opportunity hangman, I remain

Savant