Ex-Attorney General Gonzales Hires Lawyer

Former Justice Dept. Official Will Represent Gonzales In Probe Of Prosecutor Firings

(AP)  Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has hired a high-powered Washington lawyer to represent him in investigations of mismanagement of the Justice Department.

George Terwilliger, a white-collar crime defense attorney and the second-ranking Justice official in the early 1990s, was on the White House's short list last month to replace Gonzales.

Investigators are look into allegations that Gonzales lied to lawmakers and illegally allowed politics to influence hiring and firing at the department.

Terwilliger said Gonzales, a close friend of the president's and a former Texas Supreme Court justice, maintains he did nothing wrong or illegal, and that hiring an attorney should not signal any guilt.

"It would really be unfair to individuals who are smart enough to get themselves a lawyer to draw some inference that they need a lawyer because they did something wrong," Terwilliger said in an Associated Press interview.

"Nor has he been accused of wrongdoing. Investigations are conducted to find the facts. And the facts will show that Judge Gonzales acted honorably in all circumstances while holding positions of great responsibility and importance to maintaining the safety of the country."

Gonzales resigned in September after months of criticism about his leadership and honesty. President Bush has nominated a retired federal judge, Michael Mukasey, to lead the department. The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled hearings on the nomination beginning Oct. 17.

Gonzales, a native Texan, still lives in the Washington area, in part because his three sons are enrolled in local schools. Gonzales' hiring of Terwilliger was first reported Wednesday by Newsweek.

The department's inspector general and Office of Professional Responsibility are investigating Gonzales and other former officials. The inquiry first focused on whether the firings last year of eight federal prosecutors were politically motivated.

The internal probe, which began in March, has expanded to include whether Gonzales inappropriately discussed the ousters in a meeting that former aide Monica Goodling later said made her feel "uncomfortable." Her account led to questions of whether Gonzales was coaching Goodling, which could amount to witness tampering.

Gonzales has said he was merely trying to comfort Goodling at an awkward time.

Investigators also are looking into allegations that Goodling, and possibly other one-time aides, let politics play a part in hiring career prosecutors, in violation of the law.

Additionally, days after Gonzales announced his resignation in August, investigators confirmed they were examining whether Gonzales lied or otherwise misled Congress in sworn testimony about the Bush administration's domestic terrorist spying program.

At a contentious hearing in July before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Gonzales denied that he tried in 2004, as White House counsel, to push the department into approving that program despite concerns it was illegal.

Gonzales said the March 2004 dispute - which played out in part at the hospital bedside of a groggy Attorney General John Ashcroft - focused on "other intelligence activities." Ashcroft was recovering from surgery at the time. Gonzales succeeded him in 2005. But Gonzales' testimony was contradicted by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller and other former department officials.

Congress also is investigating the U.S. attorney firings and concerns about the surveillance program.

Terwilliger said he expects most, if not all, questions for Gonzales to come from the department. "I'll be assisting him in connection with his continued cooperation with the Justice Department," Terwilliger said.

Terwilliger was widely believed to be among the top three contenders for the attorney general post after Gonzales resigned. He spent 15 years at the department and eventually became deputy attorney general, the No. 2 official, under the first President Bush.

Terwilliger was among the legal experts who helped George W. Bush during the Florida recount in the contested presidential election of 2000.

[vincan-2009]

Gonzalez is a liar and a criminal. Why are you saying something about Carter who is standing up with truth to the liars in power? He is bold and courageous against the idiots who believe anything this administration says about anything. Carter is the true christian man, not the phoney one.

[flreason]

"Terwilliger was among the legal experts who helped George W. Bush during the Florida recount in the contested presidential election of 2000."

Well, that explains why Gonzales hired him: Terwilliger already successfully got one huge illegal act upheld by the Supreme Court, so Gonzales figures he can sway his buddies in the high court again.

[lewiston14]

pepperp1: It''s has been going on for years. Do you think your opinion is going to change things. Good luck.

[pepperp1]

Congress or the next President need to understand that we the people of America will not accept pardons or lack of action in the name of the Country healing, their must be consequences for people of power who betray the trust of the People and their Oath of office to the People of America. And this guy is target number one and if Rove is involved and directed political prosecutions he is 1B, but the indictments need to come in Feb 09 there is not enough time to impeach Bush if he tries to pardon them as he did the traitorous felon Libby..

[abbe91]

"Within 3 - 5 years every high level Bush/Cheney appointee will be in front of some inquiry committee for one suspected crime or another. I look for Rove, especially, to be implicated in a number of things.
Posted by bogusbones at 10:34 AM : Oct 11, 2007"

You only need to ask ...
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1669990,00.html

[toldyouso21]

Yeah, right, Twirly, innocent people hire lawyers all the time.

Maybe we should all run out and hire lawyers since Twirly claims hiring a lawyer is something people do when they are (bored?).

Maybe Bush will pardon Gonzo before he leaves office. Reagan pardoned all his criminal associates, why shouldn''''t Bush? Posted by tuckerndfw at 07:47 AM : Oct 11, 2007

Innocent people DO hire lawyers. Because if an investigation moves to indictments or even to be advised under questioning, one needs an objective position and mind. It has always been said that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client.

The reason is, once charges are brought or answers could precipitate charges--then a person is emotionally invested and cannot always think clearly.

I think Gonzales did the right thing in having a lawyer and NO, he resigned, the cost for his lawyer will come either from his own pockets or like Libby--from donations of the GOP or elsewhere.

Whatever the case and with lawyer in tow--I hope enough is accrued that Gonzales ends up facing a grand jury--not only for the firings and perjury--but for advocating torture--I want to see his feet held so close to the fire and him being so unsure if Bush can pardon him (impeached Presidents can pardon no one) that he hands us Bush or at least Cheney on a platter. Now that, would be sweet indeed.

[myidoncbs]

Gonzales is Guilty of enabling unspeakable War Crimes.

He needs a lawyer, one much more intelligent then himself. He probably needs a WHOLE TEAM of lawyers.

Eventually, he''s going DOWN, along with the rest of the Criminals in the White House!

[lewiston14]

Don''t worry. Bush will still carry alot of weigh even after office

[bogusbones]

Within 3 - 5 years every high level Bush/Cheney appointee will be in front of some inquiry committee for one suspected crime or another. I look for Rove, especially, to be implicated in a number of things.
Nixon had nothing on these guys - they''re professional criminals.

[marcodele]

Well at least the former Attorney General has the sense to admit he needs a lawyer to figure out what is right and wrong in the Justice Department.

Do you think Bush will ever run out of really stupid friends to appoint?

[walt1944-2009]

The former AG of the USSA, Alberto (The Great Gonzo) Gonzales has hired a lawyer to represent him in the investigations against him at "Justice"(???!!)! This from a man who was in charge of the department, the country''s #1 attorney (laugh!) and personal attorney to Emperor Bush II (laugh again!).

Despite this, the Emperor feels that Gonzo needs an attorney, mostly to speak for him (since no one believes a word Gonzo says), and protect any inadvertant "leaks" that might result and damage "the national interest (and the Emperor Bush legacy, such as it is!)".

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

The Gonzo''s hiring of an attorney seems to lend credence to the rumors that Gonzo got his license to practice law out of a box of breakfast cereal, in fact, the same cereal where the Great Emperor Bush received his grammar school, high school, and college diplomas!

[brianbwb-2009]

Gonzo doesn''t even need a lawyer, Bush will pardon everything that the investigation cannot cover up anyway, this is just another ruse to funnel taxpayer funds to Bush''s friend Twirly.

[crater7]

CROOKS HONOR;

WHO''S PAYING FOR THIS HIGH PRICE ATTORNEY? SOMEONE SHOULD MAKE SURE NOT A PENNY OF THE TAX PAYERS MONEY ARE SPENT ON THIS OR ANY OTHER BUSH ADMINISTRATION CROOKS.

STAYYYYY THE COURSE........

[rushlimpdrug]

So does this mean he won''t get deported?
He will stay and pick oranges?

[missingamerica]

This Administration has taught me something about the Law: It exists in two states.

If you''re a member of the "Bush team", the Law is merely a gas; a useful means of poisoning those the Administration dislikes but something they hold to be harmless to themselves - and so they ignore it at will.

If you are an ordinary American citizen being broken on the anvil of the Law, it is very much a solid.

Here''s hoping each and every member - past, present and future - of the "Bush team" comes to know the anvil of the Law intimately.

[trillion1]

Noticed CBS dropped bush demanding immunity for the telcoms breaking the law pretty quickly.

[briannorwood]

Gonzo hires a high powered lawyer? Good. That lying little weasel is really gonna need one!

[pollroller1]

Good job Alby.

[crater7]

YOU GOT TO LOVE IT.

THE FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL HIRES A LAWYER, TO REPRESENT HIM FOR MISMANAGEMENT OF THE JUSTICE DEPT.

THIS IS THE GUY WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF RUNNING OUR LEGAL SYSTEM, WHY WOULD HE NEED AN ATTORNEY?

THIS IS THE SAME GUY WHO SAID, ABOUT 57 TIMES, I CAN''T RECALL.

MAYBE HIS ATTORNEY WILL HAVE A BETTER MEMORY OF THE EVENTS, THAT GONZO, CAN''T REMEMBER.

STAYYYYYYY THE COURSE..........