Gonzales No Confidence Vote Dies In Senate

Republicans Block Symbolic Measure Against Embattled Attorney General

(CBS/AP)  Republicans handily blocked a symbolic vote of no confidence against Attorney General Albert Gonzales in the Senate on Monday, turning back a Democratic effort to prod him from office after lawmakers in both parties questioned his competence and his evasive answers to questions about the dismissals of U.S. attorneys.

The 53-38 vote fell seven short of the 60 votes required under U.S. Senate rules to move the nonbinding resolution to a formal debate. In bringing it up, Democrats dared Republicans to vote their true feelings about the attorney general, who had alienated even the White House's strongest defenders by bungling the firings of eight federal prosecutors and claiming dozens of times that he did not recall details of their departures.

Republicans did not defend him, but most voted on constitutional grounds against moving the resolution to formal consideration and accused Democrats of trying to prod Gonzales from office. That development seemed unlikely in the short term. Gonzales dismissed the rhetorical ruckus on Capitol Hill, and President George W. Bush continued to stand by his longtime friend and legal adviser.

"They can have their votes of no confidence, but it's not going to make the determination about who serves in my government," Bush said in Sofia, Bulgaria, the last stop on a weeklong visit to Europe.

"This process has been drug out a long time," Bush added. "It's political."

The attorney general said he was paying no attention to the rhetoric in Congress.

"I am not focusing on what the Senate is doing," Gonzales said at a nuclear terrorism conference in Miami. "I am going to be focusing on what the American people expect of the attorney general of the United States and this great Department of Justice."

Democrats and Republicans have widely criticized Gonzales for botching the firings of the prosecutors, claiming not to know who ordered the dismissals and causing the Justice Department to fall into disarray as a result. Lawmakers of both parties also have long complained that Gonzales allowed Justice to violate civil liberties on a host of other issues — such as by carrying out Bush's warrantless wiretapping program.

It's all about political symbolism, since only the president can decide if Gonzales stays or goes, CBS News correspondent Bob Fuss reports. A lot of Republicans are unhappy with Gonzales, but say this "no-confidence" vote was a stunt.

One veteran Republican said Gonzales had spent his political capital in the Senate.

"There is no confidence in the attorney general on this side of the aisle," said Sen. Arlen Specter, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Specter voted to move the resolution forward, but he said many of his GOP colleagues would not because they feared political retribution.

Democrats said it was only fair to put senators on record for or against Gonzales, particularly since five Republican senators have demanded the attorney general's resignation and many more have said in public comments that they had lost confidence in him.

"If senators cast their vote with their conscience, they would speak with near unanimity that there is no confidence in the attorney general," said the resolution's author, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer. "Their united voice would undoubtedly dislodge the attorney general from the post that he should no longer hold."

Sen. Trent Lott, the Senate's second-ranking Republican, said it is inappropriate for the Senate to hold forth on a member of the president's cabinet, and that doing so would boomerang.

"This is a nonbinding, irrelevant resolution proving what? Nothing," Lott said. "Maybe we should be considering a vote of no confidence on the Senate or on the Congress for malfunction and an inability to produce anything."

[sjc_1]

I hope they blast this lying, smirking piece of trash off the planet. Bush is the worst president the country has ever had and this guy is the worst AG we have ever had.

[bareemperor]

Time for the do-nothing Congress to stroke Bu$h's lap dog Gonzo...

[maggiebott]

Lieberman is spewing more lies about Iran and with Gonzales still in power we are headed to destroy another country. Who's the terrorists? This administration are the warmongers hell bent on destroying us.

Ron Paul is our only hope to restore the republic.

[rushlimpdrug]

Mr. Bush said Monday. ".... It's political."

Call it what you want gonzo is scum. Hope the Senate has the b__ls to do the right thing. This is not Demo/Rep b.s..
Bush can keep all the scum around him he wants the truth is the man can't hide behind the curtain anymore.

[ammermantm]

"They can have their votes of no-confidence but it's not going to make the determination about who serves in my government," Mr. Bush said

it is OUR government pal, not yours not mine but ours have some class.

[ixoye_02]

A no-confidence vote is an appropriate expression by the Senate. The senate republicans have no backbone when it comes to expressing the will of the majority. Political trick or not, the no-confidence resolution should go on record.
Bush can have whomever he wants in his cabinet, but it doesn't mean that the people can't express the disgust they feel about someone in Bush's adminstration who should at least be above reproach. The sad thing is that Bush has more than just one person in his adminstration who should be thrown out of office because of illegal and immoral behavior. But I suppose one cannot be greater than one's leader, and since Bush sets the tone, I can believe that the people around Bush are no better than the criminal that Bush has proven himself to be. I can't wait until we purge Bush and his cronies from the White House.

[forthepeopl1]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush cannot order the military to seize and indefinitely detain a Qatari national and suspected al Qaeda operative, the only person being held in the United States as an "enemy combatant," an appeals court ruled on Monday.

In a major setback for Bush's policies in the war on terrorism adopted after the September 11 attacks, the appellate panel ruled 2-1 the U.S. government had no evidence to treat Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri as an "enemy combatant." The court ordered him released from military custody.

"The government cannot subject al-Marri to indefinite military detention. For in the United States, the military cannot seize and imprison civilians -- let alone imprison them indefinitely," Judge Diana Gribbon Motz wrote.

Al-Marri has been held in a U.S. Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina, for about four years without any charges.

The ruling sent the case back to a federal judge in South Carolina with instructions to direct the secretary of defense to release al-Marri from military custody within a reasonable period of time.

BUSH AND HIS GOVERNEMNT AS HE STATED IS THE ONLY ENEMY COMBATENT THAT SHOULD BE HELD FOR TREASON AGAINST OUR COUNTRY. HE HAS BEEN SUPPORTING SUNIS WITH GUNS AND CASH

[sjc_1]

Wait until after September when the "surge" is a flop. You will see Republicans saying that they never wanted the war to drag on this long and they think the illegal wiretaps were wrong and that Gonzo should have never been appointed.

They can and should impeach Bush and the VP now. They need the votes to do it, but the list of evidence supporting truly impeachable offenses is very long and growing longer day by day.

[jerr11]

Perhaps this vote of no-confidence will serve as a precursor to the vote of no-confidence in the two warmongers currently still occupying the White House.

[pepperp1]

my government."
a excuse me Mr. President that reference would be our government and we do get a vote! Jan 2009 good bye......

[bluestardad]

REPUBLICANS ARE DONE!

STICK A FORK IN THEM!

BED TIME FOR GONZO! NIGHT! NIGHT!

[fascistusa]

Truth time.

America is ruled by The American/Israeli Elite.

The Government works for The Elite and the Elite ONLY.

We The People's ONLY chance is to GET OFF YOUR ***** AND INTO THE STREETS.

No Politician will save us.

[aaabee-2009]

This is 100% worth repeating:

Dear Senator Reid,

Like most American voters I was overjoyed with the Democratic congressional victory in November 2006. But lately your and the senate democrats' actions of late are begining to give me serious cause for concern.

While like you I have no confidence in Attorney General Gonzales' ability and trustworthiness I fail to see how a senate vote of no confidence in man is in anyway of value to nation as whole.

With the war in Iraq still ranging out of control, with a soaring national debt, with a looming immigration crisis to name just a few of issues that should be senate's priority than mere political machinations!

I would urge you and your fellow senate democrats to refocus your energy and our tax dollars to higher priorities than burning the President's cabinet in effigy through meaningless and non productive resolutions.

Sincerely,

A concerned American Voter!
Posted by ozilot at 01:20 PM : Jun 11, 2007

[searingtruth]

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just released its judgment on the treason of Bush and his henchman. Here is is:

"To sanction such presidential authority to order the military to seize and indefinitely detain civilians, even if the President calls them 'enemy combatants,' would have disastrous consequences for the constitution %u2014 and the country," the court said in its opinion.
4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals


Gonzales has been one of the most instrumental figures in the subversion of our Constitution, and one of the greatest defenders of those who ground it into the dust.

It is long past time to hold Bush, Cheney, Gonzales, and all the administrations henchmen responsible for their actions.

They must be justly accused and tried according to the rules and laws set forth in our Constitution. We will show the world, by justly trying that most despicable of lifeforms, the traitor, that the American rule of law, and justice, have been restored to our great country.
ST


"My fellow citizens, the truth is that the Constitution fails to defend itself, enduring only in the brave hearts of those who would uphold it."
SearingTruth, A Future of the Brave

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[tbweb]

The slow motion Freeze Frame by Frame Exit of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales! Movie alomost over Gonzo! The End.

[canyoutellme-2009]

Uhm.. here's my guess what will happen...

After BushCo is out of office, he's going to make an official announcement that goes something like this...

"My Fellow Americans, It has been my pleasure to serve as your president. You have been wonderful sheep who approve everything I and my staff do. In addition, i'd like to thank you for many years of faithful allegience. With that said, I'd like to say I made a mockery of the US Government just because I could. No Stupid piece of paper you call "The Constitution" could have held me back. It was my personal experiment and it succeeded. As I leave the United States and move to Dubai along with my Haliburton friends and my incredible wealth which I've hidden from you, I shall think of you fondly. By the way, sorry about all those American soldiers that i sent to be killed in a war which is unwinnable because everyone knows, you can't win a war on an idea. But hey, it achieved my end goal. I'm Rich ***!"

Amen.

[roach9703]

GEE ARLEN, I have a great idea.

Let's IMPEACH Conzales? Now, run to the law library and look that up.

[edjohn66]

Get 'em Chuck!!!!

Keep up the good work!!!!

[ioweign]

I have no problem with the Senate Voting No Confidence in The Attorney General. It maybe political but it will also serve as a bookmark in history on the MOST lawless Administration in our history. It is not as expensive as what this Administration has become/is. Oh and this Administration ISN'T political!

[fizzal-2009]

In a system where there is a defiite spperation between the judicial, legislative and executive powers it shure seems like the legislative powers are oversteaping their procedures.If they didn,t like Gonzales when he was first nominated for the job they should have spoke up then.

[donbl1]

the Democrats have resorted to 100% political theatre due to their inability to pass anything of substance. I suspect it is Schumer who is all political theatre.

If this continues, there will be a change in January 2009 and it won't just be the President.....

[jntlw-2009]

I want the Senate to vote a no confidence vote on Mr. Gonzales. Mr. Gonzales is inept, loyal to party over loyalty to our law and constitution, and no one in the DOJ wants to work with him. Please vote!!!! If the Republicans or any Democrats do not at least vote to have the no confidence vote - they WILL NOT get my vote November 2008. It's that simple.
We are watching you!!!

[nyckate]

donbl1 - how big a fool can you be?? It is patently clear that Gonzalez is not fit to head up US justice department - he made clear that his first and primary loyalty is to Bush not the United States and not the Constitution. And worse again he and Bush and Rove and Cheney have filled the Justice Department with bush loyalists who are also most likely not qualified for their positions either - born-again nutjobs who 'graduated' from Bob Jone U are not educated - they are edumacated.

[searingtruth]

I have a lot of work to do so I have to go now. I see plenty of loyal Americans fighting against Bush and his henchmen, and for the Constitution, on this forum today though.

America could not be left in better hands. Go get 'em fellow citizens, and always remember, you have the Constitution, and truth, on your side. You cannot be defeated.
ST


"Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the attachment."
George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[soldat44]

In a system where there is a defiite spperation between the judicial, legislative and executive powers it shure seems like the legislative powers are oversteaping their procedures.If they didn,t like Gonzales when he was first nominated for the job they should have spoke up then.
Posted by fizzal at 03:02 PM : Jun 11, 2007

Please Spell Check....good gravy...lol

[cozzicon]

"the Democrats have resorted to 100% political theatre due to their inability to pass anything of substance. I suspect it is Schumer who is all political theatre.

If this continues, there will be a change in January 2009 and it won't just be the President.....
Posted by donbl1"

Didn't you WATCH the testimony? Egads man!

Go watch it- it's all on youtube... then come back and comment.

I just can't believe anyone who watched all that testimony would hold to your opinion. That would be like being Neil Armstrong and somehow insisting the moon was made of cheese!

[nyckate]

fizzal - there was no way to know that Gonzalez wasn't going to put his responsibility to US and Constitution ahead of his fealty to Bush - as an attorney he more than most should have known that his primary responsibility and oath of office were to the nation not to Bush.

That's like blaming all those Bush lied to instead of blaming Bush for lying.

[nyckate]

What is wrong with a vote of no confidence in Gonzalez??

Is it political? Of course - but the primary importance is that it puts Bush, Cheney and Gonzalez that much more "on the ropes" and on notice that their actions are subject to law and to congress and intense scrutiny will be applied to all their decisions and actions from here on out - even if it means Gonzalez has to appear each day for the rest of his tenure as AG.

[roger_inkart]

The only people who believe Gonzales is fit to be the AG are dull-witted, sycophantic Bush zealots, some GOP loyalists and the administration itself.

Unfortunately, these GOP loyalists are more concerned with the Republican cause then what is best for the nation. They are putting party before constituency. They%u2019re putting the will of the Bush administration before the will of the American citizens. I hope the voters remember this next year and ram their warped priorities and hypocrisy down their rotten throats.

[antoniof123]

You right fizzal it won't be just the President it will be another 20 Republican Senators and a lot more Republican Rep. as well. America is getting tired of this administration not listening. Just like in 1994 with the Dems, what part about they work for America the majority not the Repblican party don't you understand.

[firststate]

They should simply impeach Gonzales. That would be a meaningful indication of a lack of confidence in him without allowing republicans to hide behind procedural votes. Those republicans who don't want him to stay in office would have a way to end his tenure without participating a so-called stunt.

Calling the vote of no-confidence a stunt is something of a stunt itself. It allows Senators who know that Gonzales should no longer be Attorney General to avoid embarrassing the administration and their party. Once again, loyalty to the republican party and W is more important than the interests of the United States.

They've changed from the party demanding yes or no votes in the Senate. They now engage in the very tactics they threatened to prevent by changing the rules of the Senate when they were the majority.

[realpatriot1]

soldat44,

He wasn't obstructing justice and suppressing voters constitutional rights when he was first nominated. Nobody is guaranteed a Constitutional office regardless of performance. All executive officers govern at the will of the people.

He would be above the law IF we had no separation of powers.

[firststate]

ozilot,
any action that demonstrates the danger to our very form of government Gonzales represents is a good thing, especially if it led him to resign. He is dangerous, not just incompetent. In two additional years how much more damage can he do?

Will we have a republican party operative at polling places with the authority to invalidate voter registrations of people look likely to vote against the "party?" As far-fetched as it sounds, under Gonzales, we are closer to that possibility than ever in our history. At least those voters would know their votes were invalidated. Caging, already used by Rove's protege, Tim Griffin was an even worse version of the same concept. He used caging to invalidate the votes of soldiers serving overseas without their knowledge.

Once again, the administration's support for our troops is limited to affixing a "support the troops magnetic ribbon" made in china, to their vehicles. It's okay to disenfranchise soldiers and have them live in sub-slum conditions at Walter Reed, but they support the troops. They have magnets that say so.

[clestes-2009]

Put those rep senators in the hot seat and make them declare themselves!

The American people voted the dem in last Nov and they WANT a change of leadership. We are tired of the Iraq war, the endless bloodshed, lost lives and limbs, the lying and the ineptitude of the Bush administration. Bonzo's continued support of Gonzo is just another example of how Bush doesn't care about the American people.

The DOJ is in SHAMBLES, but he makes no effort to try and straightened it out. HE DOES NOT CARE.

He is so pigheaded he can't see beyond his nose.

[bareemperor]

Gonzo is the NeoCon dream team lawyer.

He has had his hand in every anti-Constitutional law Bu$h has rammed down our collective throats.

I only wish Congress could vote Guilty or Innocent instead of No-CONfidence...

[soldat44]

soldat44,

He wasn't obstructing justice and suppressing voters constitutional rights when he was first nominated. Nobody is guaranteed a Constitutional office regardless of performance. All executive officers govern at the will of the people.

He would be above the law IF we had no separation of powers.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 03:57 PM : Jun 11, 2007

???

[space_poet]

Hey Searing Truth, just wanted to say thanks for your patriotism. Even if you didn't agree with what you're saying, you at least made relevant arguments with quotes spoken from the mouths of patriots, not uttered by the fear of lunatics.
You seem to do it with great gusto, and I have never seen anyone come close to legitimately challenging you on a point, kudos. I almost wonder if you should make it easier on the lambs so you can lure them in your razor sharp mind, but i have a feeling that you're better than that.
If the guiletine does drop on our beloved daughter of Justice (USA) then the government would do wise to let those who see your kind of vision a say in the new one.

Corny, I know, telling someone they are worth something has become a lost art...

[tejasdemo]

Does he have a green card ?

[beanerman4]

"I am not focusing on what the Senate is doing," Gonzales said at a nuclear terrorism conference in Miami.

Maybe he should focus so he can recall.

[kansas1946]

I think we should keep the little weasel. He is totally impotent and won't be able to do anything for the next year and a half, and then he will be gone leaving only a bad taste in real American's mouths. A little mouthwash and Gonzales will be gone from out taste and collective memory forever.

[forthepeopl1]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush cannot order the military to seize and indefinitely detain a Qatari national and suspected al Qaeda operative, the only person being held in the United States as an "enemy combatant," an appeals court ruled on Monday.

In a major setback for Bush's policies in the war on terrorism adopted after the September 11 attacks, the appellate panel ruled 2-1 the U.S. government had no evidence to treat Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri as an "enemy combatant." The court ordered him released from military custody.

"The government cannot subject al-Marri to indefinite military detention. For in the United States, the military cannot seize and imprison civilians -- let alone imprison them indefinitely," Judge Diana Gribbon Motz wrote.

Al-Marri has been held in a U.S. Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina, for about four years without any charges.

The ruling sent the case back to a federal judge in South Carolina with instructions to direct the secretary of defense to release al-Marri from military custody within a reasonable period of time.

BUSH AND HIS GOVERNEMNT AS HE STATED IS THE ONLY ENEMY COMBATENT THAT SHOULD BE HELD FOR TREASON AGAINST OUR COUNTRY. HE HAS BEEN SUPPORTING SUNIS WITH GUNS AND CASH

[david1737]

It's bedtime for Gonzo. LoL

[sasi1-2009]

Bush will not listen to anyone (except maybe Cheney), so this no confidence vote will accomplish nothing. Bush is a sociopath, and common sense is beyond him.

[robertr121]

the Democrats have resorted to 100% political theatre due to their inability to pass anything of substance. I suspect it is Schumer who is all political theatre.

If this continues, there will be a change in January 2009 and it won't just be the President.....
Posted by donbl1 at 03:03 PM : Jun 11, 2007

Sure and wind up in the same situation we're in now, we sure would be sending a message though wouldn't we? Heaven help us.

[j-whitman]

Here we have it.... Republicans support corruption & disruption of our own democracy & judicial system --- They bend over but up for Bush ----- LOYALTY TO DISHONOR BEFORE COUNTRY

[j-whitman]

robertr121,,,
You call it political theater, Gonzalez is a political appointee & supports torture, elimination of habeous corpus,
detainment of prisoners our courts say violates the laws of our country & removal of hab removing American rights, loading all courts with radical militant idealogs.

[gkc99]

Art. 2, sec 4 of the Constitution provides that "all civil officers of the United States" can be impeached and, if convicted, removed from office.

If the House Dems had any guts at all, they would impeach Gonzo. But Pelosi is too eager to play kissy-face with Bushit. Disgusting.

[forthepeopl1]

time to take up ARMS and take them all out.

EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..

I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.

AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..

DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,[e-mail]

ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION


they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..

just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..


if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!

its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..

they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out

[rushlimpdrug]

38 sheep.
Looks like we Americans will have to live with this scum longer.
It's gonna be a long hot summer.

[rhs648]

Another success for the Democrats? The hearings were nothing more than a political ploy as the Democrats attempted to show the public that they are doing something. This is inline with the Democrat's approach of going after the Bush people one by one.