Senate Judiciary Committee w/Alberto Gonzales-7/24/07 Pt32

Part 32 of 32 Senate Judiciary Committee with Alberto Gonzales. Chair Pat Leahy speaks to Alberto Gonzales as the hearing concludes. 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:

LEAHY: I find this frustrating. I have a lot more questions. I find it so difficult to get answers that I'm not going -- I may or may not submit them for the record.

But I think the tragic thing here is the ongoing crisis -- in the ongoing crisis of leadership of the Justice Department is the undermining of good people and the crucial work the department does. There are thousands of honest, hard-working prosecutors and civil servants. They work every day. They deter crime or prevent crime or uncover crime.

I know in my years as a prosecutor the admiration I had for them.

LEAHY: I've work with them for decades since, both Republican and Democrat administrations. With these -- I speak of the professionals, the career people. I've never had any one of them say anything to me that indicates one way or the other what their political leanings are. I've just gotten straightforward answers.

But you say morale is good. It is not. I'm not trying to put words in your mouth. Let me just say this. You've come here seeking our trust. Frankly, Mr. Attorney General, you've lost mine. You've lost mine. And this is something I've never -- this is something I've never said to any cabinet member before, even some of whom I've disagreed with greatly.

I hope you can regain the trust of the hard-working men and women who are at the department. They deserve better. You know, once the government shows a disregard for the independence of the justice system and the rule of law, it's very hard to restore people's faith.

Any prosecutor will tell you, when they go into court, what they carry with them is the credibility of their office. If that credibility is lost, it's an uphill battle the whole way through.

I know this committee will do its best to try to restore independence and accountability and commitment to the rule of law to the operations of the Justice Department. I know I'll be joined by a lot of senators, Republican and Democratic, in that. I take no pleasure in saying this, but I'm seriously, gravely disappointed.

Thank you.

If you wish to say something -- then we stand adjourned.

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[Telcontar1962]

The fix will be in to get a new president, such as another Clinton, with enough skletons in the closet to keep them on-side and keep under wraps the full criminality of the politcal regime in Washington.

If you ask me its a far far cry from what I understand of the constitution and the soldiers are fighting the wrong enemy. They should perhaps turn their guns round 180 degress and ask the president to surrender in the name of the people.

[cspander]

Don't count on the next Prez or Congress going after him or the truth. If Bush & Repubs are pulling out all the stops to prevent the facts from coming out, they're not about to chance a Dem Prez or Dem Congress being able to investigate once Bush & Repubs are out of power. Either Bush & Repubs plan on remaining in power (see Bush EO of 5-9-07) or the fix is in with Hillary like it is with Pelosi.

[cspander]

Bush could be, my reading anyway, charged for so many acts. Bush ordering wiretapping without a court issuing warrants is illegal & isn't within his official job as Prez. Bush fabricating a case for war isn't within his official duties. But to prove them, you have to get Bush out of the way because he's claiming executive privilege to prevent the evidence from surfacing. That means impeachment is the only way to break the logjam.

[cspander]

The problem here is the same problem that Fitzgerald had with the CIA leak. Fitz couldn't prove the crimes because Libby was hindering the investigation by lying, preventing the full story from coming out. Bush firing US attys is within his official duties, but not if he's firing them as part of a wider effort to game the elections. The problem is, Bush is blocking Congress's efforts to investigate what happened. On EVERYTHING.

[cspander]

Presidents have claimed that they can't be subjected to various kinds of legal proceedings with mixed success at the SC. The SC ruled during Nixon Admin that Presidents can't be sued for official acts. Clinton tried to extend that, to acts that he was accused of before he was Prez (Paula Jones) & only until he was out of the White House. The SC ruled that to allow a Prez to postpone would be to deny Paula Jones her day in court, putting Prez above the law.

[cspander]

The Senate is where the trial takes place, with the senators as the jurors. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial. He's like a judge in any trial, he is there to maintain the rule of law. The case is argued for and against the accused, and then the senators vote to remove the impeached person or not to remove him.

[cspander]

No, the Supreme Court doesn't remove anyone from office. Here's how it works: The House impeaches, which is like an indictment or holding over for trial. Representatives in the House are like grand jurors, saying "There is/isn't enough evidence of high crimes & misdemeanors to hold the accused over for trial." If the members of the House find that there is, that's impeachment (holding over for trial in the Senate).

[Telcontar1962]

That great thanks. So in effect those that are calling for just impeachment are in the main asking for next to nothing, though admittedly it will take up alot of politcal time and energy to obtain.

It bbrings me to my central question, even if impeachment is obtained, what use if Bush and Cheney (at the least) are not offered up for trial on capital crimes at a war tribunal not in the US? I ask because it should apply to Blair of the UK too.

[Telcontar1962]

I've asked in a few places for clarification as to what the impeachment process actually results in as everyone is asking for it. No one has. Thanks for the reply.

[DrunkleBobgenx]

I really have to add thanks as well... this is so appreciated... thank you thank you thank you