Reaction to "Inevitable" Resignation of Alberto Gonzales
Soon-to-be-former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (his resignation is effective 16 September, after the summer Congressional recess ends) was criticized for his close relationship to the White House, especially in light of what appears to be politically-motivated firings of US Attorneys. The NY Times called for his impeachment, and there were rumblings of a perjury charge among some members of Congress.
Reaction from the President was predictable: reached at his ranch in Texas, Bush said that Gonzales had been treated "unfairly" (by Congress, by the press?) and that he was a victim of political mud-slinging.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) decried "poisonous partisanship" and thanked Gonzales for his service. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) also thanked Gonzales for his public service and called for called for a replacement "who will continue an aggressive approach against those who aim to harm our nation."
The timing of the resignation seems politically motivated. Campaign 2008 is well underway, even for members of the House. For example, President Bush is in the Seattle area today, raising money (tickets are $1,000 and $10,000) for Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA).
So notes Patrick Basham, Cato Center for Representative Government:
Alberto Gonzales' belated resignation as Attorney General lances one of the many political boils sapping President Bush's political strength.
[...]
However, it was a significant political mistake to allow the Gonzales affair to fester for so long. President Bush would have been better served if he had demanded Gonzales' resignation when it first became obvious that Gonzales no longer enjoyed the confidence of congressional Republicans.
Notes From The Blogosphere
Writing for Andrew Sullivan, Steve Clemons notes that "[t]he inevitable certainly does take a long time in this administration." Shaun Mullen (The Moderate Voice) called Gonzales a "legal lightweight" and described his legacy as "[a] disdain for the rule of law — whether it had to do with torture, civil rights or fair elections — that bordered on the obsessive."
Presidential Candidates
Republican candidates are interestingly silent on the resignation. Four hours after the press conference, McCain (who voted for confirmation) will reportedly have no statement; no statement from Giuliani, Romney or Thompson.
Democratic Presidential candidates, on the other hand, have been vocal.
Former VP candidate John Edwards said the resignation was "better late than never" and had called for his resignation in March.
Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee who had also called for Gonzales to resign in March, noted that he did not vote for confirmation (roll call vote, 60-36) .
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) said, "I have long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda." He also voted against confirmation.
There is currently no comment on Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) website, but she reportedly said, "He demonstrated that his loyalties lie with the president and his political agenda, not the American people or the evenhanded and impartial enforcement of our laws." She also voted against confirmation.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) reminded us that Congress has a role to play in preventing abuses of power:
While some may applaud the resignation as some sort of victory, the underlying abuses of Americans' Constitutional rights and civil liberties authorized by the Congress through the so-called Patriot Act and the recently approved amendments to FISA will continue unabated.
Official Statement
As of 10 am Pacific, the Department of Justice had no links to the 10.30 am Eastern briefing where Gonzales resigned (AG Speeches, DOJ Press Releases). Here is a copy of his resignation letter, from The Swamp.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Gonzales "took no questions after his one-minute statement and gave no reason for stepping down."
Gonzales resigned on Friday, in a phone call to the President; he visited the President in Texas on Sunday. White House statement.
The US News & World Report Washington Whispers blog reported Friday evening that Gonzales might be out and Chertoff in. (tip)
For Background, See:
Comments
An MSNBC pundit commented this morning that Republicans are a bit more relieved than they will admit, and Democrats are a bit more disappointed than they will admit, over the news that Alberto Gonzales has finally stepped down.
His resignation was inevitable because of the political problems he caused for Republicans, especially those seeking reelection in 2008. Not because of his support of torture, his astonishing disregard of the U.S. Constitution, or his lying to Congress.
It’s interesting to me that Republican presidential candidates are saying nothing. Nothing!
McCain did vote for confirmation; Biden, Clinton and Obama did not. Of course, it was pretty-much a party-line confirmation vote.
Donald Rumsfeld, Karl Rove, Alberto Gonzales all now gone. I wish it would be so easy to get rid of Dick Cheney…
My guess is that Bush was told, in no uncertan terms, by Senate Republican leadership, to dump Gonzales or they would. In private, they are undoubtedly relieved.
Giuliani may say something. Romney will invent his truth. LOL