If Special Prosecutor is not named, NYT, in editorial, calls for impeachment of Alberto Gonzales

[DeepModem Mom]

Editorial
Mr. Gonzales’s Never-Ending Story
Published: July 29, 2007

President Bush often insists he has to be the decider — ignoring Congress and the public when it comes to the tough matters on war, terrorism and torture, even deciding whether an ordinary man in Florida should be allowed to let his wife die with dignity. Apparently that burden does not apply to the functioning of one of the most vital government agencies, the Justice Department.

Americans have been waiting months for Mr. Bush to fire Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who long ago proved that he was incompetent and more recently has proved that he can’t tell the truth. Mr. Bush refused to fire him after it was clear Mr. Gonzales lied about his role in the political purge of nine federal prosecutors. And he is still refusing to do so — even after testimony by the F.B.I. director, Robert Mueller, that suggests that Mr. Gonzales either lied to Congress about Mr. Bush’s warrantless wiretapping operation or at the very least twisted the truth so badly that it amounts to the same thing....

***

As far as we can tell, there are three possible explanations for Mr. Gonzales’s talk about a dispute over other — unspecified — intelligence activities. One, he lied to Congress. Two, he used a bureaucratic dodge to mislead lawmakers and the public: the spying program was modified after Mr. Ashcroft refused to endorse it, which made it “different” from the one Mr. Bush has acknowledged. The third is that there was more wiretapping than has been disclosed, perhaps even purely domestic wiretapping, and Mr. Gonzales is helping Mr. Bush cover it up.

Democratic lawmakers are asking for a special prosecutor to look into Mr. Gonzales’s words and deeds. Solicitor General Paul Clement has a last chance to show that the Justice Department is still minimally functional by fulfilling that request.

If that does not happen, Congress should impeach Mr. Gonzales.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/opinion/29sun1.html?hp

[mmonk]

1. I agree with that.

[IChing]

2. Solicitor General Paul Clement

said he won't do it, maybe a NY times editorial will convince him, if not
it sure is good press for the public to read which calls him out on his constitutional duties.

[Disturbed]

5. The Showdown between the Congress & the Exec. Branch.

Will there be a compromise? Will neither back down? Will one back down? We shall find out in Sept. unless there is a massive terrorist attack in the meantime.

[IChing]

8. I would call as an almost even bet

that Congress won't back down......47 will back down...53 won't back down.

[PDJane]

3. It's time.

that man is totally incompetent....and mendacious.

[kurth]

4. Paul Clement was Scalia's clerk. Zero chance of a special prosecutor.

IMPEACH.

[IChing]

6. I wouldn't take Vegas odds that Clement would do it either

I read he will make his decision within 30 days so that takes it to
about the last week in August.

[aquart]

14. Should make for an uncomfortable summer.

Does he want to tie his career to losers? Can he be absolutely sure that making the least ethical decision possible will not dog his future?

[IChing]

15. Well I think he saddled his career not to horses

but to large Neo-con, federalist dinosaurs early in life. I doubt he will change horses or donkeys in midstream.

[Theduckno2]

9. Never let it be said that we didn't give them a chance to do the honorable thing.

Yeah right.

Bushco doing the honorable thing. :rofl:

IMPEACH

[Joe Chi Minh]

28. Rats.... sinking ship?

[BlooInBloo]

7. lol! If something which will never happen doesn't happen, then they should impeach - genius!

Fucking deceitful cowards can't just call for impeachment.

[IChing]

10. LOL.........

I love double negatives used correctly.:) :thumbsup: :rofl:

[Tatiana]

11. So, basically the NY Times is calling for Gonzo's impeachment?

About time. They've had some pretty decent editorials of late.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

12. Good For Them! Now We Need It In Every Paper.

But still, that was quite encouraging to read.

[sam sarrha]

13. my plan for the history books.. convict on 2 counts..he's pardoned, convict on 2 more counts, he's

pardoned, convict on 2 more counts, he's pardoned, convict on 2 more counts.. and show how corrupt they both are..

[BR_Parkway]

24. Can't be pardoned under impeachement, it's the only restriction in

the Constitution on the Prez's power to pardon. Take away his get-out-of-jail free card - should make an interesting summer to say the least.

[sam sarrha]

31. only if the senate convicts.. charging for a crime and convicting is not impeachment

[VP505]

16. Absolutely they should

impeach Gonzales, not only will it help clean up DOJ but it will give a BIG boost to the moral of most of the country. It would also serve to gage how receptive the country is to taking that strong of action. I also think it might present a good opportunity for Pelosi to put impeachment for team Bu$h/Cheney back on the table which hopefully could get their attention.

[Usrename]

17. I just looked over the Gonzales Torture Memo again.

How in the world did the Congress of the United States of America ever confirm this animal in the first place?

That has to be the most completely subversive, vile, dishonest, and discrediting document that I have ever seen.

In any functional government, the Torture Memo alone would be enough evidence to indict, prosecute, and convict.

PDF Warning: http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/us_law/etn/gonzales/memos_dir/memo_20020801_JD_%20Gonz_.pdf

[in_cog_ni_to]

18. Have a look at Paul Drew Clement. There's no way in hell he's going to appoint a Special Prosecutor.

Paul Drew Clement (born June, 1966) is the current Solicitor General of the United States. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on March 14, 2005, confirmed by the United States Senate on June 8, 2005, and took the oath of office on June 13, 2005. Clement replaced Theodore Olson.
Contents


Early life and education

Clement is a native of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, and graduated from Cedarburg High School in 1984. He was a part of the debate team. He received his bachelor's degree summa cum laude from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and a master's degree in economics from Cambridge University. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School where he was the Supreme Court editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Legal career

Following graduation, Clement clerked for Judge Laurence H. Silberman of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court. After his clerkships, he worked as an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis. Clement went on to serve as Chief Counsel of Subcommittee on the Constitution, Federalism and Property Rights of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Afterwards, he was a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of King & Spalding, where he headed the firm's appellate practice. Mr. Clement also served from 1998 to 2004 as an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, where he taught a seminar on the separation of powers.

Clement joined the United States Department of Justice in February 2001. Before his confirmation as Solicitor General, he served as Acting Solicitor General for nearly a year and as Principal Deputy Solicitor General. He has argued over 25 cases before the United States Supreme Court, including McConnell v. FEC, Tennessee v. Lane, Rumsfeld v. Padilla, United States v. Booker, Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld v. FAIR, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, Gonzales v. Raich, Gonzales v. Oregon and Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation. He also argued many of the key cases in the lower courts involving challenges to the President's conduct of the war on terrorism.

[DeepModem Mom]

19. Doesn't look good, in_cog_ni_to. Thanks for posting this info! nt

[IChing]

20. I think that was handled upstream but thanks for imput again. Question?

Most of us here know he will not resign or have a special prosecutor assigned but
some viewers don't know the background of this Tyrannosaurs.

What are your Vegas odds on starting the impeachment process in Congress?

[in_cog_ni_to]

30. IMCPO, I think Gonzo is toast. He's told so many lies, Congress will have no choice

but to impeach him. I say....99.9% odds in favor.:) He'll be impeached.

We have to remember, Ashcroft testified behind closed doors BEFORE Comey testified. Congress KNOWS Gonzo is lying through his teeth and can probably prove it through their testimonies (Ashcroft's and Comey's must have meshed). He won't resign, but IMCPO, I think he's finished. It's just a matter of time now.

[Oilwellian]

21. Great post...very interesting

Delving into the SC cases you name, Clement argued before the SC on behalf of Gonzales & Rumsfeld. greeeeat. The Gonzales v. Raich case involved medical marijuana and states rights. Clement argued on behalf of federal power over illegal substances. Great read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzales_v._Raich

In the Hamdan v. Rumsfeld case, Clement argued in favor of trying Guantanamo prisoners before a Military Commission.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States

This guy needs to recuse himself.

[barbtries]

27. obviously a bush tool n/t

[ooglymoogly]

34. Having previously defended Gonzalas he needs to recuse himself.

Its the honorable thing to do....yeah, yeah I know this mob doesn't know what the word means.

[ooglymoogly]

35. This guy looks like a thinner Star

I guess these Nazi's all look alike...isn't much of a stretch to see this man in an SS uniform.

[ooglymoogly]

32. The entire government is fixed and crookedness is now a forgone conclusion.

congress must not put any stock in a crooked judiciary. The crooks who are legion are circling the wagons to protect the biggest hyste in the history of mankind.

[tbyg52]

22. Firing's too good for him.

How about criminal charges? If these people aren't called to account, they'll just go somewhere else and do what they've been doing.

[hisownpetard]

23. And Bush says he's keeping Gonzo in his job out of "loyalty..."

Silly me!! I thought the President's loyalty was supposed to be
to the good of the country!! What a dunce I am.

[creeksneakers2]

25. Impeaching Gonzales would be helpful to investigators

Impeachment would demonstrate legislative need for information Bush claims is privileged. Gonzales deserves impeachment too.

Leahy and Specter were on Face the Nation this morning and Specter was asked about impeaching Gonzales. Specter said its still too early for that. Its noteworthy that even Specter didn't rule impeachment out. Too early implies that if no special prosecutor is appointed then Congress should move toward impeachment.

[malaise]

26. K & R

[pinto]

29. NYT makes a very clear, concise case here. Kick.

[JerseygirlCT]

33. Absolutely. If we don't insist on the rule of law now, it will be lost

The precedent just allowing him to finish out Bush's term sets is horrible, and very dangerous.

He perjured himself to Congress. Impeach him.

And then absolutely positively refuse to accept any new candidate who is not completely above the Bush political machine. Keep saying "no" until he puts up someone with integrity. That may take a while. Maybe until Jan. 2009.

[pinto]

36. Kick.