Time for Gonzales to Go

The clock is ticking for our current attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, who never realized that he now represents the people of the United States rather than only President George W. Bush.

I haven't liked Gonzales ever since I learned how callous he was about the frequent use of the death penalty in Texas, when W was the governor.  He rubber stamped decisions that led straight to the executioner's chamber, despite having the opportunity (and cause) to slow down the train.

So in that light, this matter of firing US attorneys because they were not sufficiently loyal to the President seems trivial.  But whatever it takes--it's time for Gonzales to go.

Comments

[MarkD]

Marcus, I was struck by this statement in your posting:

“So in that light, this matter of firing US attorneys because they were not sufficiently loyal to the President seems trivial.”

Is it really trivial? Yes, we are all aware that AGs serve at the pleasure of the President. All Presidents have the right to hire and fire their staff – and rightly so. However, the issue here really isn’t the trivial firing of eight AGs, it is the politicisation of the Justice Department. That is why the question “why” has become so critical in this debate. Why were these people fired? Were they really incompetent? Where they not doing their jobs or were they simply not “Bushie” enough? The White House emails are disturbing. How can we have faith in a justice system where the standards are different depending on your political point of view?

But there is a larger issue yet. This event is part and parcel to a broader trend in this White House. There seems to be a total lack of respect for the principles on which the Republic was founded. Separation of powers, due process under the law, impartiality before the law, the right for a free and speedy trial, some of these principles have been handed down as far back as the Magna Carta. Yet over and over again, this administration has shown a contempt of these core values that define the American Republic. Though this latest scandal may not be the most egregious violation of America’s core principles it may prove to be the scandal that unwinds the whole sorted mess. Yes the president does have the right to hire and fire who he wants – however he is not allowed to do so on his own. For the moment anyway, the President must still defend his actions before the American public and its representatives.

Why is this such a big issue at the moment? Because until the Patriot Act the President was required to get congressional approval for new AG appointments. Bush clearly replaced these men and women so that he could place in their stead loyal “Bushies “ without congressional oversight. The issue isn’t who was fired, but who will be hired in their place. For now there is no check and balance on these appointments. The President can appoint at will because the Patriot Act allows him to do so. I, for one, would be satisfied if Bush publicly said; “look for whatever reason these people were fired I can assure the American public that their replacements will go through the normal approval process. I will not use the powers granted to me under the Patriot Act to appoint replacements without review.” Anyone want to take a bet on the likelihood of that happening? No, make no mistake about it this is a palace orchestrated coup of the justice system. That is why this is not a “trivial” issue.

When exactly did the Republican Party stop believing in America and the principles for which it once stood?