Specter: Gonzales's tenure may not last through the remainder of President Bush's term.

[Quixote1818]

Gonzales Yields On Hiring Interim U.S. Attorneys

By Paul Kane and Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, March 9, 2007; Page A01

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales agreed yesterday to change the way U.S. attorneys can be replaced, a reversal in administration policy that came after he was browbeaten by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee still angry over the controversial firings of eight federal prosecutors.

Gonzales told Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and other senior members of the committee that the administration will no longer oppose legislation limiting the attorney general's power to appoint interim prosecutors. Gonzales also agreed to allow the committee to interview five top-level Justice Department officials as part of an ongoing Democratic-led probe into the firings, senators said after a tense, hour-long meeting in Leahy's office suite.


The concessions represent a turnaround by the White House and the Justice Department, which have argued for three months that Gonzales must have unfettered power to appoint interim federal prosecutors and have resisted disclosing details about the firings.


More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/08/AR2007030801087.html

[drm604]

1. All it takes is some browbeating?

We can only hope that's the case! I'll believe it when I see it.

[Auntie Bush]

7. Browbeating from Pat Leahy works wonders. Yeah Pat!

[spindrifter]

2. Yes!

Every day he remains as AG is a day too many.

[JDPriestly]

8. I wonder how he ever passed the bar exam.

He has a shockingly poor understanding of Constitutional law. It is just appalling.

[spindrifter]

22. What about the ethics section?

[hang a left]

3. Yeah sure Specter

He is probably crafting some kind of law that will make AGs immune from prosecution or removal from office.

[Fovea]

4. How badly does Gonzales scare the GOP?

Here is the naked face of one party corporatism.

Does the Republic party want to be an elected party under the rule of law, or is it too late for them?

My feeling is that the Republics are feeling the heat, but it may look so dismal for them now, that they have adopted the Berlin 1945 mindset.

[walldude]

5. That little weasel is as dangerous as Bush and Cheney

if not more. The Attorney General is supposed to be beholden to the law and the Constitution not to any party or ideology. It's amazing he hasn't been disbarred.

[Horse with no Name]

6. Are they going to reinstate the fired attorneys?

Or take their beatings and STILL put their political croneys in?

[fooj]

9. My feeling is that there is more to come.

I think this is far from over. I'm hoping this is the beginning of the end for Gonzo. Knock 'em over...one at a time.

[Solly Mack]

13. That's my question too

Will those fired be reinstated

and why are they caving? It could be just me - though I know it's not - but when a neo-con caves on one thing, I get to wondering what they are really up to

[badgerpup]

10. He needs to be booted out of office...conflict of interest.

The job he is supposed to be doing is Attorney General FOR THE PEOPLE.
That's US, Gonzo...you know, the ones who V-O-T-E?

The Republican current occupant of the Oval Office, and his sidekick with his shadodw government are perfectly capapble of buying hiring their own phalanxes of attorneys.

Mr. "I don't have to answer to a subpoena if I don't want to".

[johnnydrama]

11. the jig is up

I don't think there is going to be any mass firings of attorneys anytime soon, so it's not like they'd ever use that statute again.

It's a victory, but not much of one really.

[Golden Raisin]

12. Gonzales is a horror but I don't believe

one word out of Specter's mouth. Specter is all talk, or worse, says "A" then does/votes "B". I didn't think Bush could find someone worse than Ashcroft for Attorney General, but he did. If Gonzales goes, Bush will do so again and I don't have much faith that whomever he nominates will be seriously opposed in this Congress.

[Vidar]

14. Unfortunately, you are right on all counts.

[GreenTea]

15. Pacifying us. Don't believe a word republican Arlen Specter says, he who has

pretended to be against administration illegalities...Unconstitutional or not, but in the end has always given Gonzales & BushCo everything they've demanded....

[Disturbed]

16. Can an AG be Impeached?

I'll answer that. Damn right he/she can be Impeached. The House needs to do so, now1

[Swamp Rat]

17. Call the Texas Bar Association

They might be able to do something.

[salin]

18. bingo! all bluster no action (or worse) arlen. Ironically it was *he*

that slipped the (mis)administration friendly provision into the patriot act that led to the current fiasco. While it was in the early stories it is less frequently in current stories - the point that the pres has always had the ability to fire - but prior to last year (courtesy of spector) the new appointees had to face senate approval/confirmation - the new provision lets the admin put folks in place with no senate confirmation.

[maine_raptor]

19. "Agreed to allow"???????????

WTF????????

Since when does the Senate have to get the AG's permission to call witnesses?

That is just more proof that this guy never bothered to read the Constitution, much less understand it.

[Buttercup McToots]

20. Bad Man

He is a bad man...

[sendero]

21. I wonj't be satisfied...

... until everyone is reinstated. this is just saying "we won't rob any more banks". and it is a weak promise from someone known to lie a lot.

No, this isn't jack.

[VP505]

23. Senator "smoke screen"

Specter thinks Gonzo may not last till the end of Bu$h's term, WTF? Perhaps the Senator could tell us all HOW and WHO got that little provision in the Patriot Act they used to sack those Attorneys you know the one that got sneaked in there in the middle of the night?