GOP Senator Calls For Gonzales' Firing

John Sununu Says Bush Should Replace Attorney General In Wake Of Controversial DOJ Ousters

(CBS/AP)  Sen. John Sununu of New Hampshire on Wednesday became the first Republican in Congress to call for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' dismissal, hours after President Bush expressed confidence in his embattled Cabinet officer.

Gonzales has been fending off Democratic demands for his firing in the wake of disclosures surrounding the ousters of eight U.S. attorneys — dismissals Democrats have characterized as a politically motivated purge.

Support from many Republicans had been muted, but there was no outright GOP call for his dismissal until now.

"I think the president should replace him," Sununu said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I think the attorney general should be fired."

Bush, at a news conference in Mexico, told reporters when asked about the controversy: "Mistakes were made. And I'm frankly not happy about them."

Senior administration officials said that — at this point — Mr. Bush will resist calls to fire Gonzales, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

The president expressed confidence in Gonzales, a longtime friend, and defended the firings. "What Al did and what the Justice Department did was appropriate," he said. What was "mishandled," Mr. Bush said, was the Justice Department's release of some but not all details of how the firings were carried out.

The developments unfolded as presidential aides labored to protect White House political director Karl Rove and former counsel Harriet Miers from congressional subpoenas.

The White House dispatched presidential counsel Fred Fielding to Capitol Hill to negotiate the terms of any testimony by White House aides in an institutional tug-o-war reminiscent of the Watergate and the Iran-Contra scandals.

Sununu said the firings of the prosecutors, together with a report last Friday by the Justice Department's inspector general criticizing the administration's use of secret national security letters to obtain personal records in terrorism probes, shattered his confidence in Gonzales.

"We need to have a strong, credible attorney general that has the confidence of Congress and the American people," said Sununu, who faces a tough re-election campaign next year. "Alberto Gonzales can't fill that role."

Some of the dismissed prosecutors complained at hearings last week that lawmakers tried to influence political corruption investigations. Several also said there had been Justice Department attempts to intimidate them.

E-mails between the Justice Department and the White House, released Tuesday, contradicted the administration's earlier contention that Bush's aides had only limited involvement in the firings.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., predicted Wednesday that Gonzales would soon be out.

"I think he is gone. I don't think he'll last long," Reid said in an interview with Nevada reporters. Asked how long, Reid responded: "Days."

White House Counsel Fielding, negotiating with lawmakers over possible administration testimony, is a veteran of the Nixon and Reagan White Houses. He was hired by Mr. Bush this year to handle just these kinds of demands by the Democratic-controlled Congress.

It was unclear whether the president would grant Democratic requests for his own aides to tell their stories under oath.

For his part, Gonzales, in a brief hallway interview with reporters, said he intended to cooperate where his aides are concerned.

“We want Congress to know, to understand what happened here. We'll go, we'll work it out,” he said.

Earlier, on CBS News' The Early Show, Gonzales said, "I didn't become attorney general by quitting. Obviously, my job is easier if I have the confidence of Congress."

[toldyouso21]

Much has been made of the ugliness of neoCons, their racism, lying, hypocrisy and hatefulness and much has been said about the hypocrisy of the Democrats from the time of reconstruction until the 1970s. What many fail to realize is that both groups are talking about the same people. The rise in incivility, hate, lying and racism directly parallels the defection of old Southern whites from the Democratic party and the joining of them with the old conservative guard. Ignorance always breeds hate, lies, fear and lots of religious fervor to disguise it--so the bane of the GOP can be directly contributed to their new members and their offspring of the past 25 or so years.

[forthepeaple]

HAVE BEEN TELLING ALL OF YOU TO GO AND READ THE FACTS TRUE FACTS ABOUT IRAQ AND IRAN..HOW MUCH LONGER TO I HAVE TO KEEP POSTING THE SAME THING UNTIL YOU ALL READ IT..go to www.scoop.co.nz go to search tab and put in PENTAGON WHISTLE-BLOWER IRAQ and read it..it is sad but true and until you americans wake up and smell the s/h/i/t/ that your government has been telling you for CENTURIES.....
americans need a real american to run this country so vote for david a belanger for president he is a real american and will only help america and americans. [e-mail]

[anvilheadsix]

US_Infidel, do you enjoy being associated with the party of Mary Cheney (lesbian with out of wedlock child), Newt Gingrinch (hypocrite who led impeachment of Clinton while having an affair), Mark Foley (child molester), Ken Mehlman (closeted homosexual head of RNC), and Ted Haggard (junkie and homosexual)??

And you beat up Bill Clinton, the straight, rich, old, white guy.....

I guess this is the new RNC. Time's done changed...

[anvilheadsix]

It isn't your politics that is the most annoying; it is the willful and intentional ignorance and stupidity that you continualy display.
Posted by Zoroastor at 11:36 AM : Mar 15, 2007

That goes for hima, the entire Bush Administration, and the culture of intentional, aggressive ignorance that they are perpetuating!

[zoroastor]

(part II)

You crucify Clinton for lying, as if you believe that integrity mattered. Yet, when a lack thereof is practiced by your own party you ignore, deny and defend to a degree that is equatable with arguing that the sky is NOT blue, but red.

I challenge you to find a democrat who claims Clinton didn't lie. Further, that lying isn't wrong. We admit it.

You, on the other hand, just pretend your party doesn't do it, deny that they do it in the face of incontrovertable evidence to the contrary, and failing in either or both of those, defend it in the name of patriotism and national security.

You make me sick with your whining about the liberal media, the allegid moral absence of the left and the historicly incorrect supposition that the left is fiscally irresponsible.

You and your party simply want what you want and you want it now, regardless of the ethical or moral implications, the rule of law, or the good of the country.

[zoroastor]

(Part I)
"This guy is a RINO. He's a democrat butt kisser who is trying to appease his liberal state so he can get re-elected. It means nothing.
He doesn't have to resign. In fact, it was a mistake for him to admit that "mistakes" were made. The only mistake I can see is that they didn't just stand there like men and tell the press to F-Off."
Posted by US_Infidel at 07:48 AM : Mar 15, 2007

Another posting that serves as a fine example that you, and all of your ilk, are NIAVE, KNEEJERK REACTIONARIES that believe EVERYTHING you read that fits your ideology but thinks anything that doesn't is a leftist conspiricy by the evil media.

Your blind faith in a man and an administration that has repeatedly and blatantly broken the law and makes no apology is laughable.

It isn't your politics that is the most annoying; it is the willful and intentional ignorance and stupidity that you continualy display.

[anvilheadsix]

I really respect Sununu, although I rarely agree completely with him. He is one of the few Republicans who is indentured to neither Corporate America nor the Religious Right.

[frankly6]

US_Infidel

Right wing web sites that pride themselves in unbiased information? Are you trying to make a joke. Cause you made me laugh.

[us_infidel]

What's your source for this information?
Posted by frankly6 at 09:25 AM : Mar 15, 2007

Numerous right wing neocon news sites and blogs that pride themselves on unbiased information but will have no appeal to anyone here.

Let's just say Clinton did it to 90+ in '93 and that was ok, and W did it to 8 in '07 and it's a scandal.

[forthepeaple]

Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I.....
Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I.....

[frankly6]

US_Infidel

What's your source for this information?

[bm6005]

Upon taking office, in an YET UNEXPLAINED departure from the practice of recent administrations, Janet Reno911 suddenly fired all 90+ U.S. attorneys. She said the decision had been made, "in conjunction with the White House." Translation: The President ordered it.
The Whitewater investigations were ALREADY under way in Arkansas. I think he had a protoge of his fire the Arkansas attorney general. (not sure about that - probably should have left that out.)
Posted by US_Infidel

Wow another tale from the Limpbow room. Revisionist history at it's best!! The John Sununu everyone is talking about is the present John Sununu's father. Look it up. This is the son.

[bm6005]

What does the bm stand for? Bowel Movement? Maybe that all you need to get yourself right. LOL
Posted by thgdriver

Aaaahhh, you're right I feel much better now after I gave birth to a thgdriver!

[us_infidel]

Upon taking office, in an YET UNEXPLAINED departure from the practice of recent administrations, Janet Reno911 suddenly fired all 90+ U.S. attorneys. She said the decision had been made, "in conjunction with the White House." Translation: The President ordered it.

The Whitewater investigations were ALREADY under way in Arkansas. I think he had a protoge of his fire the Arkansas attorney general. (not sure about that - probably should have left that out.)

The lefties can spin it like Linda Blair's head if thy want to. He did it. Bush did it. There is no problem.

Actually, the only problem is an administration with not the nads to stand up and tell the press to take their bias and F-Off!!!

[observantx]

processor2

I think you are right. After reading some of the remarks he has posted it is obvious that Processorr2 is a fraud and a troll. He should not be using your screen name.

I may disagree vehemently with your views, but I do not take any pleasure in this highjacking of your name. You have a right to express your opinion and you should not have to have some jerk posting utter cr@p and trying to pin it on you.

[bm6005]

This proves once and for all how blantantly bias the media is, and that truth is indeed stanger than fiction.
Posted by jpmzo

Congratulations, I read your post and all your statements were 100% wrong. If you look at what you atated as a timeline it just doesn't hang together. Like Clinton fired the attorneys to hamper the whitewater witchunt. As soon as Clinton came to office he changed out the atty's, as does every pres initially. Are you saying that Whitewater was in progress AS Clinton was taking office? Please don't insult our intelligence here. The same goes for the balance of your BS. But remember, it's all Clinton's fault. 6 yrs after he left office!

[grumpas]

Processor2: Why is everything a left wing plot?????? The right wing are the only ones who plot and intrigue! Maybe one of these days you will grow up and discovered that!

[processorr2]

Oh yeah? Well what about Clinton? What's his role in all this?

I'm guessing you libs can't answer that one.

[forthepeaple]

AND PROSS-RR-2, LETS SEE WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?? IS IT CIA-FBI,WAS,GWB,RUMS,LIT-DIC, WHO CARES

[forthepeaple]

Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I.....