Dems Seek No-Confidence Vote On Gonzales

(AP)  Senate Democrats said Thursday they will seek a no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales over accusations that he carried out President Bush's political agenda at the expense of the Justice Department's independence.

Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Dianne Feinstein of California, who have led the investigation into the conduct of White House officials and Gonzales, said the attorney general has become too weakened to run the department.

"It seems the only person who has confidence in the attorney general is President Bush," Schumer told reporters. "The president long ago should have asked the attorney general to step down."

"I think the time has come for the Senate to express its will," Feinstein said. "We lack confidence in the attorney general."

Schumer said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid supports the resolution and would try to bring it to a floor vote next week. Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, too, was expected to sign on.

"I have absolutely no confidence in the attorney general or his leadership," Leahy, D-Vt, said earlier in the day.

Schumer predicted the resolution, which has yet to be finalized, would win support from at least the 60 senators required to beat a filibuster.

Five Republican senators have called outright for Gonzales' resignation, including Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., who added his voice Thursday. Several other Republicans have suggested that Gonzales consider stepping down.

One of the latter group, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, has left no doubt that he thinks Gonzales should leave. But he told The Associated Press that he wanted to see Schumer's resolution before saying he would vote for it.

The announcement is the latest in a series of blows suffered by Gonzales this week, including new criticism from Republicans and the prediction of one GOP veteran that the investigation into the firings of federal prosecutors would end with the attorney general's resignation.

Specter, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said earlier Thursday that the Justice Department can't properly protect the nation from terrorism or oversee Mr. Bush's no-warrant eavesdropping program with Gonzales at the helm.

"I have a sense that when we finish our investigation, we may have the conclusion of the tenure of the attorney general," Specter said during a committee hearing. "I think when our investigation is concluded, it'll be clear even to the attorney general and the president that we're looking at a dysfunctional department which is vital to the national welfare."

His comment echoed new criticism of Gonzales this week. Former deputy attorney general James Comey testified that Gonzales tried to get his predecessor as attorney general, John Ashcroft, to approve Mr. Bush's eavesdropping program as Ashcroft lay in intensive care.

Asked twice during a news conference Thursday if he personally ordered Gonzales and then-White House chief of staff Andrew Card to Ashcroft's hospital room, Mr. Bush refused to answer.

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[cfin5]

bobnjersy.......The problem that I see with the two parties is that in judging themselves they are quite liberal and for the other they are very politically biased. Were you upset at Janet Reno's performance as AG? Or did you let her off like you are not for AG Gonzales?........Regarding my feelings about what was said about the constitution, if it is true just as you posted it, being that they swore to uphold it, they should be tried for treason!....... I am an Independant American Constitutionalist, not left or right wing as I have reason to not trust either side. Anything that is unconstitutional is simply just that. I am upset that JUSTICE does not seem to have a blindfold on anymore.

[bobnjersey]

[This problem that the Dem's have with Mr. Gonzales is the biggest bunch of partisan BS that's in the news. The AG who I saw several years ago with real problems was Janet Reno.]
[Posted by cfin5 at 07:59 AM : May 19, 2007]

a classic right wing 'redirection' of the issue onto someone else. it's defies all logic how there could still be anyone who would actually step up and defend this idiot.

don't forget ... alberto gonzalez is a guy who was quoted saying "the constitution is an outdated document" (fyi: gwb said seperately: "it's just a ******** piece of paper")..

now write that down so it's clear and you don't forget it ... the attorney general of the us govt said the us constitution is an outdated document.

put them next to each other ... one on top of the other ... reverse their positions ... use different colors ... write it in bigger and smaller type ... use a different font ... write it like they do in hebrew (from right to left) ... write it updside down.

no matter how you do it ... it's all still the same ... another incompetent loser who was appointed by the chief incompetent loser!

[cfin5]

......after doing a little history research on AG Janet Reno, excuse me a minute......................................................................................................There! I had the sudden urge to lick my un-showered armpit to get the bad taste out of my mouth. I wonder if those Florida State Troopers had to do that too!.....EEEEYYYYYUUUUUUUUUKKKKKKKK!!!!

[cfin5]

This problem that the Dem's have with Mr. Gonzales is the biggest bunch of partisan BS that's in the news. The AG who I saw several years ago with real problems was Janet Reno. It sure does'nt take much I-surfing to figure that out....... When a boss wants a certain job done and the employee refuses to do so, it is the employee who has decided to be fired. The boss just "seconds the notion" on paper. A good employer expects a full days work for a full days pay...... THIS IS "ONE" OF THE BIG DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM!

[pakaal]

"It seems the only person who has confidence in the attorney general is President Bush," Schumer told reporters.

That's so unfair of Schumer. I have confidence in Gonzales too! Confidence he'll keep obstructing justice that is. Har har har!

It'd be funnier if it weren't so true.

[pakaal]

Gonzales, 4/19/07: "Looking back, things that I would have done differently? I think I would have had the Deputy Attorney General more involved, directly involved."

Gonzales, 5/15/07: "The recommendations reflected the views of the Deputy Attorney General. He signed off on the names and he would know better than anyone else, anyone else in this room."

Hmm, so confusing. Perhaps our country's highest ranking Justice department official, defender of the rule of law and the truth could clear this up for us. Oh wait, he's the one who can't get his story straight!

[kansas1946]

The only reason Bush hasn't dumped Gonzales is that he knows he will not be able to get another Republican lap dog confirmed by this congress. He picked Gonzales because he knew that Al would go along with anything the dictators in the White House wanted, regardless of law or the constitution. He will never be able to get one of his party hacks through now. Better to keep an impotent lap dog, than a real AG that cares about the country.

[bigal321321]

I'm thinkin' Bush is keeping Gonzo on so another scandal doesn't erupt. Cause just after everyone of these scandal that calm down a new one crops up.

[pepperp1]

Let%u2019s be very clear this President has again put politics before this country%u2019s interest and safety and undercut to the extreme the war on terror in doing so. By placing political operatives with no or 1 trial experience in US Attorney%u2019s position in the battleground jurisdiction for political purposes he again has made us more vulnerable to criminal elements and home grown terrorist, remember Tim McVey for example. The AG made it clear that a US Attorney%u2019s focus on voter fraud far surpassed any other criteria for ending up on the fire list, the high jackers of 911 and Tim Mc Vey to my knowledge never voted illegally.

[pepperp1]

Let%u2019s be very clear this President has again put politics before this country%u2019s interest and safety and undercut to the extreme the war on terror in doing so. By placing political operatives with no or 1 trial experience in US Attorney%u2019s position in the battleground jurisdiction for political purposes he again has made us more vulnerable to criminal elements and home grown terrorist, remember Tim McVey for example. The AG made it clear that a US Attorney%u2019s focus on voter fraud far surpassed any other criteria for ending up on the fire list, the high jackers of 911 and Tim Mc Vey to my knowledge never voted illegally.