Gonzales: "No Place For Politics At Justice"

By: Andrew Cohen
Topics: Field Notes

(CBS)

Lawyer Andrew Cohen analyzes legal affairs for CBS News and CBSNews.com.

Twenty-four-and-one-half pages into a 26-page speech he is prepared to give Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales finally found the time and space to briefly share with lawmakers his latest views on the U.S. Attorney scandal—the "politicization of hiring in the Department" he labels it with a false sense of detachment.

"I believe very strongly that there is no place for political considerations in the hiring of our career employees or in the administration of justice," the Attorney General writes. "As such, the allegations of such activity have been troubling to hear. From my perspective, there are two options available in light of these allegations. I could walk away or I could devote my time, effort and energy to fix the problems. Since I have never been one to quit, I decided that the best course of action was to remain here and fix the problems. That is exactly what I am doing."

No one is fooled any longer by Gonzales' Captain Renaud imitation. Surely he is not really shocked—SHOCKED!—to find his Justice Department politicized. After all, he is one of the people who helped politicize it. It was Gonzales who failed to protect career professionals at Justice; it was Gonzales who encouraged or tolerated the hiring practices that brought partisan hacks into the Department at the expense of non-partisan veterans. And it was Gonzales who allowed his patrons at the White House to turn Justice into just another arm of Karl Rove's political machinery.

In a piece Tuesday focusing upon Gonzales' testimony, and the related news that the House of Representatives is pushing ahead with contempt proceedings against White House chief of staff Joshua Bolton and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, the Washington Post's Dan Eggen wrote:

Most members of Gonzales's senior staff have resigned or are on the way out. Several outside candidates turned down chances to be considered for the job of his deputy, and more than a half-dozen other top positions remain filled by temporary appointees. Some of the department's key legislative priorities -- including intelligence law revisions and anti-crime proposals -- have also bogged down because of the fight with Democrats over the prosecutor firings.

"It takes away from normal work," one recently departed Justice official said about the persistent controversy over Gonzales's role in the firings and the use of improper political considerations in hiring career employees. "It obviously has a serious impact," said the former official, who would discuss the department's internal workings only if not identified.

Doesn't matter. Gonzales goes to Capitol Hill Tuesday and argues that the person responsible for causing the problem should be the one responsible for fixing it. Wouldn't it be nice if the rest of us were allowed by our bosses to oversee the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the worst foul-ups we've ever accomplished in our professional lives? Would it be great if the narratives we conjure up in our minds to rationalize our colossal failings at work, or in our personal lives, were given the full force of law? And if the only person who could fire us had decided instead to keep us at our post to prove a point to his enemies and ours?

Gonzales devoted only a few paragraphs to the scandal. It's clear he wants to pretend it is going away even as a grand constitutional showdown looms over Congressional questions about Justice Department practices. But even as he tries to gloss over his failed leadership it's clear he lacks the judgment and decency to lead. Why? Because the guy thinks that his refusal to quit is a sign of some inner strength, as if anyone cares any longer about Gonzales' inner struggle for respect and courage.

If the Attorney General wants to prove a point about redemption and resolve, let him instead go off into the wilderness for a few years and come back with a book that offers a candid look at all that went wrong during his tenure at the Justice Department. Or, better yet, let him come to Congress and tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth instead of trying to defend himself with silly platitudes. He's failed miserably as Attorney General. And now he's failing, too, at knowing when it's time to quit.

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by ericmichael1 July 25, 2007 7:43 PM EDT: Prepared Remarks of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales at the Senate Judiciary Oversight Hearing WASHINGTON, D.C. July 24, 2007

"I have the great pleasure to work with over 100,000 dedicated public servants at the Department of Justice. I admire their dedication to the pursuit of justice for all Americans. The Department%u2019s many accomplishments are, in reality, their accomplishments. As Attorney General, I have worked with these fine men and women to keep our country safe from terrorists, our neighborhoods free from violent crime and, our children safe from predators."

As one of the 100,000 above, Andy, I have to say once and for all to you that it is time to stop the political bickering and time to make sacrifices and serve the public.

If the critics were truly concerned about the state of the USDOJ, they would take the pay cut and join it. As it is, they sit in armchairs and criticize and do nothing.

After 23+ years of public service, I take offense at that. And I suspect the rest of the 100,000 take offense too.

Get off your armchair, Andy. Serve the public.

And that goes for the rest of you critics, too.

Eric; Reply to this comment


by oakishpines July 25, 2007 2:55 PM EDT: many billion break down to tens of thousands of counties of tens of thousands of folk break down to a few hundred trail groups occupied by a few hundred hiking / swiming / busing / camping

it isn't that the average one doesn't have relatively meaningful engagement with about fifty folk in a day, exchaning like fifty bucks in a day, it's just that media has prestorically had a tendancy to ignore that fact; Reply to this comment


by oakishpines July 25, 2007 2:33 PM EDT: it isn't that the world isn't full of naked people, almost half the world lives iwth no toilet, no light bulb, no lunch money, and no clothes ... but nobody reports

the world is full of natives that no one reports on, and battered two year olds and four year olds that no one reports on

even the wealthiest cities are littered with far more charity than currency, but no one reports

folk plan to travel when they retire, but retire to find there is no funds for travel after one retires ... folk retire to live awhile, but find the body stops when the body stops: and they don't tend to live all that long

yet the quests for the cures for the common deaths and the quests for the cures for the common immortalitys never cease and fire no one; Reply to this comment


by oakishpines July 25, 2007 2:08 PM EDT: i could have, with the minimum wage folk, danced get well soon feed the world first aid on the trail songs with the two year olds and four year olds rallied around the sick beds drifting up and down the trails: but i, with the maximum wage folk, danced get sick soon tax the world first strike on the trail songs with the folk that swear the cure for evertyhing is waving expeinsive bombs in folks faces and stuffing expensive pills down folks throats; Reply to this comment


by oakishpines July 25, 2007 2:04 PM EDT: i was rich, so i had more than my neighbors: and that was like living in a third world country ... though it could be argued that money is a silly and unneccesary formality ... the money aside, corruption is still potential due to bad attitudes toward charity ... the money not aside, corruption is still potential due to bad attitudeds toward charity; Reply to this comment


by perception5 July 25, 2007 11:35 AM EDT: Proof- From Rasmussen Reports, the American people have spoken and this is what they agree on:

"Sunday, July 22, 2007

In the final poll of a series measuring perceptions of media bias, the Associated Press, local television stations, MSNBC, and CNBC are all perceived as tilting to the left when reporting the news.

Earlier releases showed that Americans tend to believe the major broadcast networks (CBS,NBC,ABC) CNN, and NPR have a liberal bias. Fox News is seen as having a bias in the other direction. In print, the New York Times, Washington Post, and local newspapers were also seen as having a liberal bias."

.....SO......when? is our liberal MSM wolfpack going to implement "affirmative action" programs that include NOT EXCLUDE "moderates" and "conservative".

And we wonder why our corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack press hasn't had "big stories" reporting these opinions from the American public.

Gee.........I wonder why.; Reply to this comment


by ghostcommand July 25, 2007 7:43 AM EDT: What few honorable employees in the Bush administration should perform a citizen' arrest on August 01 2001. Everybody will have to act at the same time--10:a.m. EST. Just round up the corrupt and incompetent criminals and turn them over to the local police. This is for all departments and government agencies. They cannot stop you if you all do this all at the same time.; Reply to this comment


by long_rider July 25, 2007 7:28 AM EDT: Just more blab, blab, blab from our elected officials. If they were serious about Gonzo they would impeach him.

Gonzo is going to be a key figure in the constitutional show down between congress and the chimp.

Gonzo will block congressional efforts, and back the chimp to the hilt. If Gonzo ever has to appoint a special prosecutor, you can bet that person will be a chimpette.

Gonzo is a man with no honor, during a time when men of honor are desprately needed.; Reply to this comment


by micma-2009 July 25, 2007 4:16 AM EDT: Awsome article!

Anyone who's had the unpleasant opportunity to watch Gonzales lie and backpaddle his way through his testimony would agree that the whole thing is just becoming a sad joke. He should resign.; Reply to this comment


by roach9703 July 24, 2007 6:21 PM EDT: The HORCRUX is George Clinton. The Congress will NEVER hold any aspect of Bush administration accountable because of.... Bill Clinton.; Reply to this comment