Gonzales pummeled by Senate

[underpants]

Source: Chicago Tribune

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is getting pummeled by senators, mostly but not exclusively Democrats this morning, in a Capitol Hill equivalent of a prize fight.

True, some Republicans, notably Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah are serving as his cut men, attempting to patch him up whereever they can.

But the senators with doubts about Gonzales so far seem to be ahead on points.

The reason: Gonzales appears to be saying he was involved in the firing of the eight federal prosecutors up to his ankles but not to his neck even though he was the decider but didn't really know a lot about what he was basing his decision on. It's a strategy not likely to win him a lot of confidence.



Read more: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/2007/04/gonzales_gettin.html

---

Exchange between Gonzales and Sen.Specter follows.

I can't find Gonzales's "I don't recall if the meeting happened but I know that I made the decision but I don't recall when I made the decision...I don't recall making the decision" whopper

[State the Obvious]

1. Could someone ask Gonzalez, "Tell us exactly what DO you do?"

Gonzalez is either "not involved", or "can't recall", or "wasn't at the meeting" etc.

Let's find an Attorney General who IS involved, and
......... who CAN recall, and
......... who DOES attend meetings!

Mr. Gonzalez, "How do YOU define good leadership?"

[underpants]

2. As noted in the GD threads-they are laying out a net for Rove

all Gonzo has to do is say that Rove directed the whole thing and they will probably let him go home. But then if he stays tight, this is the real test today, Gonzo will be set for the rest of his life.

[Xipe Totec]

3. To the best of my recollection, Senator, I do not recall...

My nose?

What about my nose?

[Generator]

4. Gee I hope they had tomatoes

[underpants]

5. An even better recap here (Bloomberg)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ad8yfQrXjv5s&refer=home

``We have to evaluate whether you are really being forthright,'' said Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, the panel's top Republican. ``Your characterization of your participation is significantly, if not totally, at variance with the facts.''

``Most of this is a stretch,'' South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham told Gonzales. ``It's clear to me that some of these people just had personality conflicts'' with Bush administration officials and the Justice Department ``made up reasons to fire them.''

Graham noted that Gonzales had once explained that the decision ``just came down to these were not the right people at the right time.''

``If I applied that standard to you, what would you say?'' Graham said.

``There are some very serious problems, Mr. Attorney General,'' said Sessions. ``Your ability to lead the Department of Justice is in question.''

[yellowcanine]

6. "some Republicans, notably Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah are serving as his cut men"

Good one. To continue with the boxing metaphor, I listened to a bit of it this afternoon and it appeared to me that the ref should step in and declare a TKO. The cut men aren't keeping up.

[classysassy]

8. Mr Booby Hatch

in the corner of the paperweight chump.

[Eugene]

7. Gonzales confronts call for resignation

Source: Associated Press

Gonzales confronts call for resignation

By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer
5 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales confronted a
fresh call for his resignation from a fellow Republican Thursday
as he struggled to survive a bipartisan Senate challenge to his
credibility in the case of eight fired prosecutors.

"The best way to put this behind us is your resignation," Sen.
Tom Coburn (news, bio, voting record) bluntly told Gonzales,
one GOP conservative to another.

Disagreeing, Gonzales told the Oklahoma Republican he didn't
think resigning would put the controversy to rest.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070419/ap_on_go_co/gonzales_prosecutors

---

...but Gonzo's departure would be a good start.

[Roy]

9. That's what I am hoping Mr. Attorney General...

"Disagreeing, Gonzales told the Oklahoma Republican he didn't
think resigning would put the controversy to rest."

Nope, please don't resign let's keep the corruption in the news.

Let's just see you and bosses sweat until... hmmm... let's see..... how bout Nov 2008.

[LiberalFighter]

10. Senators Chastise Gonzales at Hearing

Source: Washington Post

Subtitle: Members of His Own Party Pile On as Attorney General Defends Firings

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales came under withering attack from members of his own party yesterday over the dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys, facing the first resignation demand from a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and doubts from others about his candor and his ability to lead the Justice Department.

Gonzales appeared frustrated, weary and at times combative during a five-hour Senate panel hearing that was widely considered crucial to his bid to hold on to his job. He sought to present a careful defense of the firings, apologizing for the way they were handled but defending them as the "right decision."

"While the process that led to the resignations was flawed, I firmly believe that nothing improper occurred," Gonzales said. "It would be improper to remove a U.S. attorney to interfere with or influence a particular prosecution for partisan political gain. I did not do that. I would never do that."

Yet the attorney general, who spent the past three weeks preparing for his testimony, struggled to recall key details of his involvement in the firings, including a pivotal conversation with President Bush.

Read more: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041902935.html?hpid=topnews

[soothsayer]

11. ...but in the end he got away with his job.

[LiberalFighter]

12. That's okay by me... as long as bushwad has the albatross around his neck