Dems weigh in on US attorney controversy

Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 1:32 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: White House, Congress

From NBC's Ken Strickland and Mark Murray
Senate Democrats are asking the age-old Washington question amid the controversy over the firings of several US attorneys: What did the president know and when did he know it? At a news conference earlier today, Sen. Chuck Schumer accused AG Alberto Gonzales of "carrying out the political wishes of the president in at least some of these firings." Sen. Dianne Feinstein joined Schumer in calling for subpoenas for Karl Rove, Harriet Miers, and Gonzales' chief of staff Kyle Sampson (who resigned yesterday.) Feinstein added that she was "incensed" by the matter because when she first called Gonzales to complain about the firings he told her she "didn't have her facts right. That none of this was correct."

As usual, Schumer provided some of the best sound bites. He said:
-- that Sampson's resignation "does not take heat off the Attorney General. In fact, it raises the temperature. Kyle Sampson will not become the next Scooter Libby, the next fall guy."
-- "The cloud over the Justice Department is getting darker and darker and only the president can dispel it."
-- "When someone's indicted and they claim political interference, it's going to have new truth even if that person was justifiably indicted."
-- "It's now increasing clear that the only bad actors in this case were top officials in the White House and the Justice Department, not, not the US attorneys."

Two of the Democratic presidential front-runners also weighed in. Hillary Clinton released a statement saying, "It is imperative that the president act swiftly to explain what role the White House played in this situation, hold those who acted inappropriately accountable, and take responsibility.” Barack Obama said in his statement: "I opposed Mr. Gonzalez's (sic) nomination, in part, because he had shown in his role as White House Counsel a penchant for subverting justice to serve the President's political goals, and I feared that in an Attorney General. Sadly, the latest revelations underscore my concern."

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Comments

"Let The Guilty Hang""Year of The Boomerang"-(Rage Against The Machine)

M.E., Albany, Ga. (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 1:52 PM)

Aww - just have Chicken Dick put on his biggest American flag lapel pin and call everyone who questions the running of the DOJ a traitor playing into the hands of the terrorists, and that should take care of it.

Lee Steele MV CA (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 1:52 PM)

The Gonzalez press conference only solidifies my opinion that the independence of the US Attorney's has been subverted. He took maybe six questions and answered three of them the same way: "I take responsibility but in a Department this large I am not aware of all decisions that are made." After the sixth question, he says he stood by his decision of who to fire, and then he left the stage. Another case of, to paraphrase, "We screwed up but we are going to continue to do whatever we want and there's nothing anyone can do about it." I think it's time we had an Attorney General who can do more than a song (Ashcroft) and a song and dance (Gonzalez).

Robert Catalano, Salem, OR (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 2:36 PM)

Well, we all know the President doesn't remember anything before the age of forty, right? Now well see how much he can remembered since then, but don't make plans.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 3:12 PM)

Kyle Sampson, Alberto Gonzales CHIEF OF STAFF is the latest "FALL GUY" in the Bush Administration. Gonzales stated he delegated the job of identifying the weak Federal Prosecutors around the country to Sampson. Gonzales stated he was "NEVER" given memo's, presentations, emails or updates on Sampson progress over a 2 year period. Gonzales appeared to claim that he was unaware of the recommendation by Sampson to the White House calling for firing of at least 8 of the 93 Federal Prosecutors until it became public.. Let me get this straight, Gonzales meets with Sampson every day or nearly every day. One of the most important jobs delegated to Sampson was to develop a process and determine the "WEAKEST" of the 93. Gonzales and Sampson never discuss the Process, the Results or the Recommendations to the White House to fire at least 8. GIVE ME A BREAK! Let's find out what Gonzales knew, when he knew it and his justifications sent to the White House. Jim Frego Grants Pass, OR

Jim Frego, Grants Pass, OR (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 3:32 PM)

I think you have to start with the assumption that if Bush wasn't the perpetuator in this matter it is not because it would be outside his modus operandi. It is textbook Bush ideology. His position of trust requires he be held to a higher standard than ordinary men. He has too, too much dirt on his hands to be accorded a presumption of innocence. He has squandered away too much of the public's trust. He has proven over and over that he is on the side of the wealthy, and not the people, and has thereby violated his contract with the American people with his overt arrogance, everlasting bad faith and his cavalier and condescending treatment of the masses who sign his paycheck. He can no longer surprise us with protestations of righteousness and being the one who knows what is best for the country. He knows what is best for the ungodly rich and the corporation chiefs who own him, and you don't hear any one of them complaining about anything at all he has done. Let's hear it from them - CEO of Exxon, Halliburton! What say you, Lee Raymond? He has done a bang-up job for the hog-jowled owners of America. It is as good a time as any for him to pay up, and for them to pay up. And for the religious dogs and working class mass-miseducated brainwash-ees who made him possible by stuffing the ballot boxes for him in their comatose state of ignorance - to pay up.

JIrby, Colorado Springs (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 3:42 PM)

I'm startin' to really wonder just how much coke "W" sniffed and how many of his dealers are on the US Govt payroll.

Greg R, Spokane, WA (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 7:26 PM)

I think Gozales may have exceeded his level of competence ala the Peter Principle.

Rufus Gibbons, Kennett, Mo. (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 7:33 PM)

Only this Administration would continually attempt to Lie the Truth into a Corner.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 10:04 PM)

message to ignorant individuals: U.S.Attorneys=political appointments: always were, always will be. The can be retained or dismissed at the whim of the President. Someone out there prove me wrong.

jtb (Sent Tuesday, March 13, 2007 10:24 PM)

Hillary Clinton released a statement saying, "It is imperative that the president act swiftly to explain what role the White House played in this situation, hold those who acted inappropriately accountable, and take responsibility." "I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president" -- Hillary Clinton commenting on the release of subpeonaed documents.

Rick, Germany (Sent Wednesday, March 14, 2007 5:21 AM)

Devout Republicans: Bill Clinton is no longer president. Not since the great election theft of 2000. Please mark your calenders and calibrate your complaints to issues at hand, like the gutting of the Constitution (I know you've heard of it! Some of you might have even sworn an oath to protect it! You're doing a really lousy job.) and war crimes. Just see if you can sit down, take a few breaths and figure out which is important. At least try. jtb - the DOJ is supposed to be non-partisan. That's the difference. Bush could have sacked them all, but you can't just pick the ones that won't go after one party and leave the other alone. It's not that difficult. Why is Arlen Spector upset? Is he a secret Democrat? Why is "fair play" so far outside your realm of experience and life?

Lee Steele (Sent Wednesday, March 14, 2007 10:51 AM)

Lee. I've heard of that Constitution thingy. I think it gives me the right to freedom of speech. Same as you. Mrs. Clinton wants to weigh in on the current situation, and I want to comment about here actions when she was under fire.

Rick, Germany (Sent Wednesday, March 14, 2007 11:22 AM)

Lee, Please, So it is not political to fire ALL of them but it is to fire 8? I am sure that Bill had a nice cross section of both parties hired in those spots. Not saying that it is right or wrong but if you did it, don't now claim it is wrong. Hillary's hipocrisy is amazing!

Steve, Kansas City (Sent Wednesday, March 14, 2007 1:04 PM)

It's to be expected that a member of this administration would cover up the truth and then expect to have his ignorant discretions overlooked. Shrimpy Gonzales is just following in the footsteps of his mentor... George 'Wacko' Bush...

Ricjhard C Heney (Sent Wednesday, March 14, 2007 2:11 PM)

This is just another witch hunt propagated by the left. People's memories are selective at times. I wonder what would incite a more angry response...Alberto Gonzales firing 8 US Attornies or Janet Reno busting down the door of a Miami family, with M16s at hand, to grab a small boy to deport to Cuba. There's a bigger problem here that just the Attorney General, people hate our president so much that they are willing to believe anything they hear as long as it make him look bad

EGV, Milford, CT (Sent Wednesday, March 14, 2007 3:29 PM)

jtb. Remember your argument when there is a Democratic President once again in the White House. And maybe it won't be a "nice" one like Obama but a cut throat Democratic trail lawyer like John Edwards who will site Bush's actions as precedent for what he plans to do to the Republicans. oooooh. Can't wait.

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Thursday, March 15, 2007 10:43 AM)

Amy: don't have to wait for '08 to watch the fur fly.

jtb (Sent Thursday, March 15, 2007 2:00 PM)

It's important that the mainstream media doesn't use Bush's language. It's congress vs. Bush, not Democrats vs. Bush.

Democrab Mt Pleasant Texas (Sent Wednesday, March 21, 2007 12:11 PM)

can you send me a clear 2007 calender please

mielika leviston victoria ballarat (Sent Monday, May 14, 2007 4:25 AM)

i send you this comment sent by me and i will say you are great see ya you are awsome....!!!!

sydney gray,Hartselle AL (Sent Monday, September 17, 2007 3:23 PM)

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