Part 18 of 32 Senate Judiciary Committee with Alberto Gonzales. Senator Chuck Schumer's first round of questions to Alberto Gonzales. 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!"
Transcript of this portion of the hearing:
SCHUMER: I'd like to just pick up where Senator Specter left off, about the TSP program. Just a few preliminaries.
First, I take it that there was just one program that the president confirmed in 2005. There was not more than one.
GONZALES: He confirmed one, yes, intelligence activity. Yes, one program.
SCHUMER: Thank you. OK.
Now, you -- and you've repeatedly referred to the, quote, "program," that the president confirmed in December 2005. Let me just -- I'm going to put up a chart here.
Here's what you said before this committee on February 6th of 2006. You said, quote, "There has not been any serious disagreement about the program the president has confirmed. With respect to what the president has confirmed, I do not believe that these DOJ officials that you were identifying had concerns about this program."
This was in reference to a question I asked you, "Was there any dissent here?" This was before Comey came to testify. It was in February. But we had some thoughts that maybe that happened.
And now, of course, we know from Jim Comey that virtually the entire leadership of the Justice Department was prepared to resign over concerns about a classified program. Disagreement doesn't get more serious than that.
And what program was the ruckus all about? And this is the important point here.
At your press conference on June the 5th, it was precisely the program that you testified had caused no serious dissent. You said, "Mr. Comey's testimony" -- and he only testified once -- "related to a highly classified program which the president confirmed to the American people some time ago."
SCHUMER: Those are your words, sir.
So please help us understand how you didn't mislead the committee.
You just admitted to me there was only one program that the president confirmed in December of 2005. I asked you, "Was there dissent?" You said no.
Now you're saying -- you said in a letter to me there was -- well, there was -- there was dissent over other intelligence activities. But your June 5th statement confirms that what Comey was testifying about, because he had then testified, was the very program, sir -- the very program that you said there was no dissent to.
How can you say you haven't deceived the committee?
GONZALES: Well, I stand by what I said to the committee. This press conference is one that I would like to look at the question, I would like to look at my response.
SCHUMER: OK, we're going to bring it up to you right now, sir. OK?
(CROSSTALK)
GONZALES: Good.
SCHUMER: These are your words, right? You don't deny that these are your words. This was a public press conference.
GONZALES: I'm told that in fact here in the press conference I did misspeak, but I also went back and clarified it with the reporter.
SCHUMER: You did misspeak?
GONZALES: Yes. But I went back and clarified it with the reporter...
SCHUMER: When was that? And which -- what was the reporter's name?
GONZALES: At The Washington Post two days later.
(CROSSTALK)
GONZALES: Dan Egan (ph) was the reporter.
SCHUMER: OK. Well, we'll want to go follow up with him.
But the bottom line is this: You just admitted there was just one program that the president confirmed in December...
GONZALES: The president...
SCHUMER: ... just one. Is that correct, sir?
GONZALES: The president talked about a set of activities...
SCHUMER: No, I am just asking you a yes-or-no simple question, just as Senator Specter has. And just like Senator Specter and others here, I'd like to get an answer to that question.
You just said there was one program. Are you backing off that now?
GONZALES: The president...
SCHUMER: Was there one program or was there not that the president confirmed?
GONZALES: The president confirmed the existence of one set of intelligence activities.
SCHUMER: Fine.
Now let's go over it again, sir, because I think this shows clear as could be that you're not being straightforward with this committee; that you're deceiving us.
You then -- then you said in testimony to this committee in response to a question that I asked, "There has not been any disagreement about the program the president confirmed."
Then Jim Comey comes and talks about not just mild dissent, but dissent that shook the Justice Department to the rafters.
SCHUMER: And here, on June 5th, you say that Comey was testifying about the program the president confirmed.
You, sir...
GONZALES: And I've already said...
SCHUMER: Sir.
GONZALES: ... I have clarified my statement on June 5th. Mr. Comey was talking about a disagreement that existed with respect to other intelligence activities.
SCHUMER: How can we -- this is constant, sir, in all due respect with you. You constantly make statements that are clear on their face that you're deceiving the committee. And then you go back and say, "Well, I corrected the record two days later."
How can we trust your leadership when the basic facts about serious questions that have been in the spotlight, you just constantly change the story, seemingly to fit your needs to wiggle out of being caught, frankly, telling mistruths?
It's clear here. It's clear. One program. That's what you just said to me. That's what locks this in. Because before that, you were, sort of, alluding -- in your letter to me on May 17th, you said, "Well, there was one program," -- you said there was the program, TSP, and then there were other intelligence activities.
GONZALES: That's correct.
SCHUMER: You wanted us to go away and say, "Well, maybe it was other" -- wait a second, sir. Wait a second.
GONZALES: And the disagreements related to other intelligence activities.
SCHUMER: I'll let you speak in a minute, but this is serious, because you're getting right close to the edge right here.
You just said there was just one program -- just one. So the letter, which was, sort of, intended to deceive, but doesn't directly do so, because there are other intelligence activities, gets you off the hook, but you just put yourself right back on here.
GONZALES: I clarified my statement two days later with the reporter.
SCHUMER: What did you say to the reporter?
GONZALES: I did not speak directly to the reporter.
SCHUMER: Oh, wait a second -- you did not.
(LAUGHTER)
OK. What did your spokesperson say to the reporter?
GONZALES: I don't know. But I told the spokesperson to go back and clarify my statement...
SCHUMER: Well, wait a minute, sir. Sir, with all due respect -- and if I could have some order here, Mr. Chairman -- in all due respect, you're just saying, "Well, it was clarified with the reporter," and you don't even know what he said. You don't even know what the clarification is.
Sir, how can you say that you should stay on as attorney general when we go through exercise like this, where you're bobbing and weaving and ducking to avoid admitting that you deceived the committee? And now you don't even know.
I'll give you another chance: You're hanging your hat on the fact that you clarified the statement two days later. You're now telling us that is was a spokesperson who did it. What did that spokesperson say?
Tell me now, how do you clarify this?
GONZALES: I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you.
SCHUMER: How do you clarify this? This is serious, because it looks like you've deceived us.
GONZALES: Well...
LEAHY: In your own words, how would you clarify it?
SCHUMER: How would you clarify it? You don't need to -- if you, sir...
GONZALES: What I would -- what I would say -- let me answer the question.
SCHUMER: If you want to be attorney general, you should be able to clarify it yourself, right now, and not leave it to a spokesperson who you don't know what he said.
Tell me how you clarify it.
GONZALES: Mr. Comey's testimony about the hospital visit was about other intelligence activities -- disagreement over other intelligence activities.
GONZALES: That's how we'd clarify it.
SCHUMER: That is not what Mr. Comey says. That is not what the people in the room say.
GONZALES: That's how we clarify it.
SCHUMER: Explain that again, because it still doesn't add up.
(CROSSTALK)
SCHUMER: You said there's one program the president confirmed.
Are you saying Mr. Comey didn't disagree with the program that the president confirmed in December?
GONZALES: What I'm saying is...
SCHUMER: That's what you're saying here.
GONZALES: ... the disagreement which Mr. Comey testified about was about other intelligence activities.
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@babyshambled2008 I REALLY ADMIRER YOUR TRUTH AND WISDOM. !!!!
derekgonzalez361 11 months ago
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Its sad to see how many people are Lost......Its all about Misleading/Deceiving & to Con. Being a victim is what is creating hatred. Dont let "THOSE" politicians fool you...I wish the best for you and hope you are doing Great!! Truly reading the Bible can make you see whats Truth! (called wisdom) IM PROUD OF ALBERTO FOR NOT GIVING IN & SNOOPIN TO THEIR LEVEL TO LIE.....Take Care
derekgonzalez361 11 months ago
2:57
The way he says "Good," is like a pouting teenager sounds when he gets grounded.
TruthinessDotCom 1 year ago
Don't worry. The democrats are toast come November 2010 and it's because of idiotic senators like Schumer.
nossful 1 year ago
Which is quit understandable, since Gonzales is almost constantly evading answering any question and lying when he's forced to answer. So yes, 'with all due respect' is probably only rethorical, but in that highly understandable!
fearnoevilexceptbush 2 years ago
Well, Schumer is lying when he says "with all due respect", because he clearly does NOT respect the Gonzales.
babyshambled2008 3 years ago
You're absolutely Right! A Good way to put it. When Gonzalas yelled out "GOOD" I jumped up as if my team had scored A touchdown. That was a good Day for the rule of law
BloodNGutts 3 years ago
Schumer OWNS Gonzales.
namfoodler 4 years ago
Go Schumer!
awatiker 4 years ago
By the way: Great job Cspander!
Conradbubi 4 years ago