Aug 27 2007
The Lynching Of Gonzales
I heard the news this morning that US Attorney General Roberto Gonzales has resigned:
The first Hispanic to hold the job, Gonzales will step down on Sept. 17. In a brief statement, he called his 13 years in public service a “remarkable journey,” but he gave no explanation about why he chose to resign now after resisting months of pressure to quit.
An administration official said that Gonzales had told President Bush of his decision on Friday, but the announcement was withheld until the two met face to face on Sunday at Bush’s ranch in Crawford. Bush planned to make a statement shortly before noon from Waco, Tex.
More GOP self destruction is my guess. Gonzales has weathered the storm of the FISA-NSA battles (and actually won them) and he made it through the silliness that was the departure of 8 US AG’s who were not performing up to par. Gonzales had taken the hits from the left and the American people had ho-hummed all the silly little conspiracy theories that the left had come up with. So why throw Gonzales under the bus?
The far right who are still fuming over immigration reform and who are withholding support from Iraq – as they threatened would happen. People forget that Gonzales, like Miers but to a lesser degree, was resisted by the far right. He was Hispanic and had far left Hispanic groups cheering the first Hispanic AG (why wouldn’t they?). For example check this item from the time of his nomination:
Jesus Lopez, who immigrated legally to the United States, resents the agenda being pushed by groups like La Raza. He’s also upset that a possible Attorney General like Gonzales would associate with what Lopez calls “racist organizations who want to take back the borders states through invasion, promote open borders, voting for illegal aliens, driver’s licenses for illegal aliens and an official proclamation of sorts for their own culture.” Lopez said he and his family had to wait their turn to legally enter the United States and they are proud to be Americans first and says organizations like La Raza don’t want to promote harmony but are militant.
Pure fantasizing bunk. Bush nor Gonzales ever once promoted those kind of far left policies. But the far right is so insecure over immigration they can be counted on to overreact.
But the anti-abortion groups feared Gonzales too, again all based on rumour and innuendo – nothing hard:
Late last week, a delegation of conservative lawyers led by C. Boyden Gray and former Attorney General Edwin Meese III met with the White House chief of staff, Andrew H. Card Jr., to warn that appointing Mr. Gonzales would splinter conservative support.
And Paul M. Weyrich, a veteran conservative organizer and chairman of the Free Congress Foundation, said he had told administration officials that nominating Mr. Gonzales, whose views on abortion are considered suspect by religious conservatives, would fracture the president’s conservative backers.
All the dire predictions were wrong and silly. But the far right now has some opportunity for revenge. Revenge against Jorge Bush – the traitor. I seriously doubt this was an act to appease the left in Congress or the media – the damage was done and past. This might just be the far right on their continuing purity inquisition. If so, it seems interesting that this time they do not seem too interested in publicizing it. If it comes out Gonzales had an “et tu Brutus?” moment then I would suspect the GOP will not be able to take over Congress in 2008. The backlash will be too strong.
Update: Folks, it is quite clear the Democrats would pile on Gonzales. So the fact is many on the right have been screeming for his head and Bush needs support for Iraq. Look at Bush’s statement:
After months of unfair treatment, that has created a harmful distraction at the Justice Department, Judge Gonzales decided to resign his position and I accept his decision.
It’s sad that we live in a time when a talented and honorable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeding from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the mud for political reasons.
And then look at these comments from April of this year:
The letter concludes by saying, “Attorney General Gonzales has proven an unsuitable steward of the law and should resign for the good of the country… The President should accept the resignation, and set a standard to which the wise and honest might repair in nominating a successor…” It is the first public demand by a group of conservatives for Gonzales’ firing. Signatories to the letter include Bruce Fein, a former senior official in the Reagan Justice Department, who has worked frequently with current Administration and the Republican National Committee to promote Bush’s court nominees; David Keene, chairman of the influential American Conservative Union, one of the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots conservative groups; Richard Viguerie, a well-known G.O.P. direct mail expert and fundraiser; and Bob Barr, the former Republican Congressman from Georgia and free speech advocate, as well as John Whitehead, head of the Rutherford Institute, a conservative non-profit active in fighting for what it calls religious freedoms.
Or how about this gem from Malkin:
Laura Ingraham blasted Gonzales last week …
Rich Lowry says: “Smart insiders are thinking he’s out, perhaps by the end of the week. For what it’s worth…â€
For what it’s worth, I can’t say I’ll miss him.
“The public would be much better served to have another attorney general,” said Gingrich, who is considering a possible 2008 presidential run. “I cannot imagine how he’s going to be effective for the rest of his administration.”
The cries from the right for Gonzales to go have been coming as fast and furious as the calls from the left for us to surrender Iraq. Everyone wants to surrender to their opponents. Ugh! Winners these people are not.
Tom Sullivan filling in for Rush just went over a little of Gonzales’ background. Pretty impressive to say the least. I have that same sick feeling in my stomach I had when Miers was treated the same way by the far right.
Alberto Gonzales knows that he’s vindicated.
Interesting comments coming from both sides as noted by Matt Drudge.
I know what you mean, Satrist, about your same sick feeling.
BTW, AJStrata,
Captain’s Quarters had a post up this morning about the illegal immigrants self-deporting themselves from Arizona because of their new laws requiring businesses to verify status of their employees.
And, I wondered if Gonzales is taking advantage of the normal departure procedures where many staff begin to leave the WH a year to year and a half before the end of the term.
it’s my uneducated guess that Gonzales left because he felt his presence as AG was causing problems for both the president and the DOJ.
I think they’re both honorable and loyal men and doubt that the reason was a self serving one.
Lynching??
Gonzales DESERVES lynching. Without doubt the most corrupt and incompetent attorney general since John Mitchell was unceremoniously sent to a federal prison in leg irons.
Gonzales will most likely wind up in prison himself.
AJ labeled this post exactly how I had labeled this latest example of the Pug demolition force. I say Pugs because it could not have happened without them. The ones that participated in this LYNCHING should be ashamed. Another good man down that you not only allowed to be trashed, but actively turned the thumb screws.
President Bush said it best when he said it was SAD.
Let’s face it. This Texas crew were just not elite enough for either side. Did not have that ole fake polish.
Let me congratulate Michelle Malkin on another one down. Happy days for her and Tancredo. Btw….I watched her and her sidekick Tancredo on O’Reilly. Since O’Reilly has his little segment on ‘body language’ each week, I suggest he put his expert to the test. I dare Mr Bill to freeze Malkin’s face in that program. It shows pure venom. And people wonder how the Republicans always manage to shoot themselves in the foot and end up looking bigoted.
All this crap from the preening Pug Kings in Congress and the preening newly elected Pug Pundits who join the ranks of the old MSM make me ill. Yes Mr President, it is a sad day when decent people come into that corrupt town and have to take on not only the Dems with their 99% owned MSM but the ankle biting, backstabbing crew of their own party. Sad. Disgusting. Shameful. All this from someone who did not care either way for Gonzales. It’s the principle of the thing………exactly the same as the smearing of Miers. No, these self made Texans are just not good enough. Need a little more shinola.
I could be wrong but I don’t agree AJ that it was the right. He had weathered the storm and what’s to gain for the right by trying to get another AG through this batch in congress? I would sooner think he decided like Rove to move on while the clowns were on vacation. Move on to more money, less stress and on to regaining his reputation. I hope he and Rove write books and tell the real story the mainstream media don’t want us to hear. After all he could not very well defend himself any longer with the willing accomplises in the press regurgitating every false dem accusation.
That said I hope W. nominates Ken Starr for AG or Chertoff for AG and Ken Starr for homeland security.
The resignation within itself is tragic. There was no justification at all to haunt Gonzales, the only thought I wished for was for Gonzales to flip the bird to the withhunt by the libs.
I wonder how the hispanic population feels now, since the libs believe their scored a victory?
First Rove, now Gonzales, who’s next? Not a wise move in my opinion.
dhunter,
There was no reason for him to leave accept shore up support for Iraq amongst the GOP. We know the Dems want us to lose Iraq.
This was the price for something – else Bush would not have let it happen.
It’s that ole fool Specter and what is coming up.
I lost all respect for Krauthammer when he dog piled on Gonzales. These talking heads are wrong all the time, about all sorts of things, but since the only thing they have to run is their mouths it does not matter.
Gonzales was run out of office by a bunch of political hacks who never even bothered to bring Ashcroft in and question him after they called Gonzales a liar.
I am disgusted with both sides of the aisle.
I guess these people prefer someone like Janet Reno who was responsible for that debacle and Waco as well as the change in ROE for the FBI that got people killed at places like Ruby Ridge. If Gonzales had been responsible for that kind of mayhem they really would have lynched him.
Malkin is really starting to annoy me. I will not watch her. Can’t do it.
Alberto Gonzales Resigns…
And it looks like the Administration may be on the verge of making another mistake in the AG saga. The rumor mill has it that Bush will seek to replace Gonzales with current Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff. Chertoff – a former U.S. Court o…
Dafydd had a good post on this at Big Lizards.
Here is a part of it.
Now that so many conservative Republicans (especially bloggers of the Right) have got their wish, and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is out the door, I eagerly await the rest of their promised scenario: I now wait with bated breath for the strong, conservative, take-no-prisoners Attorney General nominee who will take firm control and start enforcing the conservatives’ favorite laws with vigor and enthusiasm!
Yes sir, I’m ready for that change. Conservative pundits and bloggers have argued that if only President Bush would dump Gonzales, we could get someone really, really good in his place: we will get an Attorney General who will:
* Sail through confirmation hearings on the strength of his or her personal honesty, loyalty, and solid conservative credentials (not just some interim, acting Attorney General who is crippled by his inability to be confirmed);
* Strongly oppose all “affirmative action,” racial preferences on principle;
* Crack down hard on employers who hire illegals and swift deport any illegals who commit crimes in this country;
* Go after anyone who commits voter fraud or accepts bribes, even if he happens to be a Democratic congressman;
* Defend the presidential prerogative to fire employees who have their own, more liberal agenda than the administration;
* Run the Department of Justice with a firm and stalwart hand;
* Use the office of the Attorney General and all Justice Department resources to thoroughly investigate and track radical Moslems in this country via the FBI, CIA, NSA, with warrantless eavesdropping and surveillance of radical mosques as necessary;
* And especially strongly enforces the new ban on partial-birth abortion.
So let’s see it; let’s see the next John Ashcroft who will be easily confirmed by the Democrats in the Senate… because he’s so darned good, even Majority Leader Harry “Pinky” Reid (D-Caesar’s Palace, 90%) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY, 100%) cannot deny him.
I’m sure the Democrats will cooperate. They would never demand that the president pick from a short list prepared by Sens. Schumer, Ted Kennedy (D-MA, 100%), Carl Levin (D-MI, 100%), and Russell Feingold (D-WI, 100%). Now we’re sure to get someone who will make it his priority to round up all the illegals and deport them, clean up Democratic corruption, press forward strongly with updating and defending the Patriot Act, strongly enforce the ban on partial-birth abortion, land on voter fraud like a ton of bowling balls, and authorize all current and future intelligence operations against terrorists. After all, the Democrats only want what’s best for the country, too.
You may want to check NRO for Robert Bork’s article. I think his predictions will come true.
hmmm…actually, it seems that the Fed “and” State and Local govs all over the country have suddenly “found” the necessary authority to a) inquire as to one’s immigration status and b) arrest you if you are here illegally and c) deport them.
Dc:
Yeah sure. There is so much disinformation out there that I don’t believe half what I hear about immigration, especially if it comes from the right.
For one thing when it comes to socalled self deporting people have often times stopped coming here when the work was not there, a slow down in housing could cause that. Fear of what is coming could cause that, more work at home could cause that.
Not long ago if I remember correctly Aitch said that if there was an economic slowdown and the laborers stopped coming in the same numbers the right would claim credit, she was right.
And as to inquiring about someone’s immigration status, that was never the point. The point was there was nothing to do with them. The point was that until there were more detention centers etc there was no way to just deport people because they had to have hearings etc. As more of these additional resources are available more people will be deported. It was not as if they were not deporting them before. And it was not as if they could not ask them for proof of being legal before either.
And this thread is about Gonzales, a decent man who was hounded out of office by a bunch of partisan Democrats and back stabbing Republicans.
Boy, where oh where to begin on this one!
Yes, the left and many on the right have been unfair to him recently.
But can any of you honestly say he, at times, was his own worst enemy? His constantly conflicting testimony and writting, and his in ability to explain his actions of late, certainly to any honest observer would be imbaresing at least, if not unbelievable! Yes, the firings of the Prosectors was absolutely within the right of the A.J. and the President. They serve at the pleasure of the president, and if he wants them gone, they are gone, period. But Gonzoles constantly changing stories is what killed him.
And lets face it, he was very selective as to what laws we will enforce. It’s hard to overlook his Departments absolute surender to Patrick Fitgerald. What a Joke!
HOW MANY CIA/STATE DEPT. LEAKERS HAVE BEEN CAUGHT, TRIED, AND PROSECUTED??? Ya, I thought so, not a one! Sure Mary McCarthy was forced to quite a few months prior to her retirement, big woopty do!
And he’s done a bang up job of shutting down these Illegal Sanctuary Cities as well.
This, just to name a few. So, sure, the MSM and the Dem’s and Arlen Spector hurt him. But his biggest problem was himself. If you can not honestly see that, there may be no hope for you.
Take Care everyone, enjoy your day.
On a related note: If you would like to learn more about just how bad the CIA has gotten, pick up a copy of SABOTAGE by Rowen Scarboroug, or ENEMIES by Bill Gertz. These two, will make you want to pull your hair out!
Well, I question the timing of both Rove’s and Gonzales’ departures. I am wondering if the dems made a deal with W to pass the FISA revision only if these two left the administration.
From last night’s Special Report with Brit Hume:
—On the Attorney General—
FRED BARNES: Well, obviously, Alberto Gonzales was a drag on the administration. I think President Bush is better off the last 16 months that he’s gone.
Everything that I’ve been told today was this was done not at Bush’s request, but that Gonzales himself decided to go by the Josh Bolten rule . . . that if I’m not out by Labor Day of the year before . . . I’ll stay to the end. He wasn’t ready to stay to the end. And he was getting battered . . . by Democrats, by the press, by people inside the administration, inside the Justice Department itself.
And what the president needs is a strong attorney general with credibility on the big issues that are going to come up just in the next few months. One is warrantless surveillance of terrorists that you talked about. Another one is the interrogation of terrorists. And there’s the whole question of Executive Power.
NINA EASTON: It’s funny, Fred, because you say it was a drag on the White House, and I think six months ago a lot of us were saying, for damage control, this guy should resign. It would be in the White House’s interest to resign.
But, in fact, it had this perverse effect of, in some ways, you could argue, helping the White House. . . . Congressional approval ratings — what are they now? Eighteen percent — historic lows. He became the centerpiece of a new Democratic Congress that was focused on investigation. And it has rebounded to the detriment, I believe, of the Democrats.
They weren’t able to get front and center on the agenda. They got some pieces through, but not a lot. They got focused on this. And as the Republicans like to say, there’s something like 600 investigations going on now, and subpoenas. . . .
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: When Gonzales was in front of Congress, particularly when he had an easy case, as you mentioned, the case of the firing of the attorneys, all he had to say is, “They serve at the pleasure of the president. Of course the White House is involved. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He never made that case. He was very weak in his response. It was not a question of wrongdoing, it was a question of a man who was over his head.
BARNES: I don’t think you want somebody from inside the administration. Chertoff, you’d have three weeks of questions about Katrina, and you don’t want to live through that again. The Democrats would, because they think it’s a great issue to use against Republicans.
Seems like pretty fair assesments.