Gonzales Defends Move to Fire Attorneys, Denies Political Role

[babylonsister]

Think he's feeling the heat? :D

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117315089797027786-aabQjnzrOTN_S350Pb9Q75rS_jk_20080305.html?mod=blogs

Gonzales Defends Move to Fire
Attorneys, Denies Political Role
By EVAN PEREZ
March 6, 2007; Page A4

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, facing criticism for the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, defended the action as appropriate but said the Justice Department handled the situation poorly.

"We could have rolled out the decisions more smoothly," he said in an interview. But he also rejected accusations from Democrats and other critics that the prosecutors were fired for failing to follow the Bush administration's political agenda.


"To think we made these changes to retaliate or because they didn't carry out certain prosecutions?" he said. "That did not occur here. I stand by the decision to make the changes."

The tempest has been the latest imbroglio for the Justice Department and Mr. Gonzales, a longtime Bush friend and former White House counsel who has defended the administration's often-controversial law-enforcement programs, from domestic surveillance to the treatment of enemy combatants.

Part of the problem is the Justice Department's contention that the Dec. 7 dismissals were performance related, which came after initial suggestions that the moves were normal turnover. That switch has prompted protests from some of those let go. Some have taken to referring to the firings as the "Pearl Harbor Day Massacre." And some of have said they wouldn't have protested the moves otherwise.

Internal Justice Department documents, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, show evaluations offering positive reviews for all the prosecutors' work as recently as last March. Mr. Gonzales said the written reviews were among several factors the department used to evaluate prosecutors, which include numbers and types of prosecutions and management issues.

more...

[aquart]

1. Did he deny it was political under oath?

Call him back every day and ask him the question again.

[ninkasi]

2. This administration excels at one thing

Lying. They lie about everything, all the time, even when the truth would do no particular harm, it's just second nature to them to lie anyway. Gonzales is one of smarmiest members of this criminal gang, just looking at him gives me the creeps. Everything they do is to advance their own power, and nothing they do is for the benefit of the American people, or the preservation of the Constitution.

The worst president in American history has assembled the worst administration in American history, and will spend the next two years doing more of the same. They are out of control, and completely indifferent to the will of the people, or the good of the country.

[EC]

3. Ha..

"To think we made these changes to retaliate or because they didn't carry out certain prosecutions?" he said. "That did not occur here. I stand by the decision to make the changes."



No, It was because they DID (not didn't) prosecute certain cases...Duke's case is a prime example...