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Attorney General Gonzales resigns
By: staff and wire
Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: News
Embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned Monday after months of controversy surrounding the firings of several U.S. attorneys and questions regarding his behavior in office.
President George W. Bush, who has worked with Gonzalez since his time as governor of Texas, said in a statement Monday morning that he reluctantly accepted his resignation. Though, he understood Gonzales decision because his character had been under assault due to Congressional investigations. "His good name was dragged through the mud," Bush said.
Gonzales announced his departure Monday morning to reporters at the Justice Department. "Even my worst days as attorney general have been better than my father's best days," said the son of immigrants. This comes, though, after he repeatedly said he had decided not to leave.
His resignation is effective Sept. 17, but Democratic leaders said the investigation into his actions will continue even after he leaves office.
"Congress must get to the bottom of this mess and follow the facts where they lead, into the White House," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
The dismissal of eight prosecutors for potentially political reasons, as Gonzales' detractors claim, has been the basis for the Congressional investigation. Also, his inability to answer questions about his involvement in a hospital bedside meeting with then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, pushing Ashcroft to re-certify the legality of the Bush administration's no-warrant wiretapping program. Though he had refused to do so earlier, Gonzales and other administration officials sought Ashcroft's approval while he was recovering in an intensive care unit.
Gonzales was also criticized and fodder for jokes because of his apparent lack of recollection during a Congressional testimony on April 19, where he answered either "I don't know" or "I can't recall" to scores of questions.
Gonzales started working for Bush when he was governor of Texas, and he was hired to serve as general counsel. He then became Texas' secretary of state and served on the Texas Supreme Court.
When Bush was elected as president in 2000, Gonzales became a counselor to the president, and was appointed as attorney general after the resignation of Ashcroft.
Solicitor Attorney Paul Clement will serve as the interim replacement. Possible names circulating as possible replacements include Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Asa Hutchison, the former head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Ted Olson, the former solicitor general and the attorney who represented Bush in the 2000 Florida election recount, and Larry Thompson, the former second in command at the Justice Department during Bush's first term.
-Battalion staff writer Rick Rojas and David Espo of the Associated Press in Washington contributed to this report.
President George W. Bush, who has worked with Gonzalez since his time as governor of Texas, said in a statement Monday morning that he reluctantly accepted his resignation. Though, he understood Gonzales decision because his character had been under assault due to Congressional investigations. "His good name was dragged through the mud," Bush said.
Gonzales announced his departure Monday morning to reporters at the Justice Department. "Even my worst days as attorney general have been better than my father's best days," said the son of immigrants. This comes, though, after he repeatedly said he had decided not to leave.
His resignation is effective Sept. 17, but Democratic leaders said the investigation into his actions will continue even after he leaves office.
"Congress must get to the bottom of this mess and follow the facts where they lead, into the White House," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
The dismissal of eight prosecutors for potentially political reasons, as Gonzales' detractors claim, has been the basis for the Congressional investigation. Also, his inability to answer questions about his involvement in a hospital bedside meeting with then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, pushing Ashcroft to re-certify the legality of the Bush administration's no-warrant wiretapping program. Though he had refused to do so earlier, Gonzales and other administration officials sought Ashcroft's approval while he was recovering in an intensive care unit.
Gonzales was also criticized and fodder for jokes because of his apparent lack of recollection during a Congressional testimony on April 19, where he answered either "I don't know" or "I can't recall" to scores of questions.
Gonzales started working for Bush when he was governor of Texas, and he was hired to serve as general counsel. He then became Texas' secretary of state and served on the Texas Supreme Court.
When Bush was elected as president in 2000, Gonzales became a counselor to the president, and was appointed as attorney general after the resignation of Ashcroft.
Solicitor Attorney Paul Clement will serve as the interim replacement. Possible names circulating as possible replacements include Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Asa Hutchison, the former head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Ted Olson, the former solicitor general and the attorney who represented Bush in the 2000 Florida election recount, and Larry Thompson, the former second in command at the Justice Department during Bush's first term.
-Battalion staff writer Rick Rojas and David Espo of the Associated Press in Washington contributed to this report.
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