Senate Judiciary Committee w/Alberto Gonzales-7/24/07 Pt21

Part 21 of 32 Senate Judiciary Committee with Alberto Gonzales. End of Senator Dick Durbin's questions to Alberto Gonzales; Leahy weighs in. 7/24/07

KEEP IN MIND: Gonzales was given each and every question he would be asked beforehand. Nothing was a surprise - there was absolutely NO "GOTCHA!"

DURBIN: The last question I want to ask is this. The latest national intelligence estimate suggests that Al Qaida's stronger today than they were on 9/11. It suggests, as we all know, that Obama -- or Osama bin Laden -- excuse me -- is still at large. And it suggests that Guantanamo has become a symbol of injustice around the world.

Can you explain to me, why five years after the Guantanamo detention situation has been created, there still has been -- hasn't been a single conviction of any of these detainees or combatants for any wrongdoing?

GONZALES: It's not for lack of trying on the government's part, Senator, it's because...

DURBIN: Could be lack of competence.

GONZALES: ... these individuals have been provided process and they're taking advantage of that process.

GONZALES: And I don't begrudge them for it, for hiring good lawyers and defending their interests in the courts.

And so we're slugging it out in the courts.

And, you know, I'd like to get all these issues resolved. I'd like to bring all these individuals to justice. So we're doing our best, but we're doing it in a way that reflects the reality that these individuals have the opportunity and the means to go into court to contest what we're doing.

DURBIN: I would suggest five years ago Senator Specter and I proposed legislation to create military commissions which we thought would have given you that opportunity, and the administration was not receptive. Thank you, sir.


LEAHY: As I recall, I was among those who joined with you on that proposal.

It was almost an arrogant rejection of our proposal. Basically the White House -- you were then White House counsel -- said, well, you know better; we don't need it. And rejected it out of hand. Of course, when the Supreme Court came down -- a Republican-dominated Supreme Court came down, said you were wrong, we were right, but we've wasted years, which I think was Senator Durbin's point.

Category:

News & Politics

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• senate
• judiciary
• committee
• cspan
• torture
• durbin
• leahy
• part
• 21
• alberto
• gonzales
• 7/24/07
• cssjcagpt2172407

[colonelmatterson]

Obama still hasn't been found. loll