Alberto Gonzales Resigns
27 August 2007 12:20 pm by Taylor Marsh
Alberto Gonzales Resigns **updated below – bumped from early a.m.**
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| VIDEO: Turley on Gonzo “More controversial than John Ashcroft.” – Turley BooMan on Michael Chertoff CNN AUDIO: Edwards on Gonzo Greenwald on what Dems must do now. VIDEO: Clinton on Gonzo & next AG |
It took long enough.
Embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, under fire from congressional
Democrats, has resigned, senior Bush administration officials said Monday.A senior Justice Department official said that a likely temporary replacement
for Gonzales is Solicitor General Paul Clement, who would take over until
a permanent replacement is found.Another official, also speaking on grounds of anonymity, said that Gonzales
had submitted a resignation letter last Friday. … ..
Who will replace him? NRO
is pushing Michael Chertoff.
Politico.com is reporting the acting AG will be Solicitor General Paul Clement:
The announcement was to come later today. The acting attorney general with
be Solicitor General Paul Clement. He “can stay in that position for
quite a while,” a senior administration official said.That would avoid a bruising confirmation fight. Some Democratic senators
have vowed now to confirm a Gonzales successor. … ..
UPDATE II: Obama weighs in.
“I have long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda, and so I am pleased that he has finally resigned today. The President needs to nominate an Attorney General who will be the people’s lawyer, not the President’s lawyer, and in an Obama Administration that person will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution.”
UPDATE: Speaker Pelosi demands for the de-politicization of the Justice department.
The resignation of Attorney General Gonzales is long overdue. The rampant politicization of federal law enforcement that occurred under his tenure seriously eroded public confidence in our justice system. The President must now restore credibility to the office of the Attorney General. Given the serious loss of public trust and the disarray at the Department of Justice, the American people must have absolute confidence in the integrity of the next Attorney General as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and as defender of our constitution independent of political influence. The President’s nominee must have the character and stature to command that confidence.
The nominee must also pledge to cooperate with ongoing congressional oversight into the conduct of the White House in the politicization of federal law enforcement. Hearings on the nominee will provide Congress with another opportunity to examine the new, flawed FISA law and will aid in our efforts to improve it.
