Part 26 of 32 Senate Judiciary Committee with Alberto Gonzales. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's second 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:
LEAHY: We won't have to recess unless the attorney general wants a break. I'll turn the gavel over to Senator Whitehouse.
WHITEHOUSE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
WHITEHOUSE: Mr. Gonzales, let me just follow up briefly on what Senator Feingold was saying, because I'm also a member of both committees. And I have to tell you, I have the exact same perception that he does.
And that is that if there is a kernel of truth in what you've said about the program which we can't discuss but we know it to be the program at issue in your hospital visit to the attorney general, the path to that kernel of truth is so convoluted and is so contrary to the plain import of what you said, that I, really, at this point have no choice but to believe that you intended to deceive us and to lead us or mislead us away from the dispute that the deputy attorney general subsequently brought to our attention.
So you may act as if he's behaving, you know, in a crazy way to even think this, but at least count two of us and take it seriously.
When we first spoke sometime ago, we talked about communications about cases between your office and the White House.
In that context, let me ask you, sort of, a background question or a context question.
And that is if you want an independent Department of Justice, one that is protected from improper political influence, as you're assaying the different places from which improper political influence might come to affect the Department of Justice, what do you think would be the locus most presenting that risk?
GONZALES: I'm sorry Senator. I don't understand the question.
WHITEHOUSE: Well, if you're setting up barriers, for instance -- administrative barriers, to protect the department from improper influence, where would you be looking to have the department -- I mean, the Boy Scouts of America, not a major risk, wouldn't you say?
GONZALES: Of course.
WHITEHOUSE: Mayors, city councils around the country, not probably a major risk.
GONZALES: We'd be concerned, of course -- I think where you're leading -- trying to lead me to is the White House.
WHITEHOUSE: Isn't the White House the number one locus of general concern that's persisted through many administrations as to where political influence coming into the Department of Justice improperly is going to come from?
GONZALES: Obviously, that would be certainly a key source of concern.
WHITEHOUSE: The key -- the key, right?
GONZALES: Probably the key source of concern.
WHITEHOUSE: OK.
And in response to that, as we discussed in the last hearing -- I'd like to remind you there was the 1994 letter from Janet Reno to Lloyd Cutler.
And in response to that concern, which we agree is a very real one, the letter announced -- and I believe that the letter -- I wasn't here at the time, but I believe the letter was actually reduced to writing at the direction and instigation of then-Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch, who saw this as a significant concern.
And the letter said this: "Initial communications between the White House and the Justice Department regarding any pending department investigation or criminal or civil case should involve only the White House counsel or deputy counsel (or the president or vice president) and the attorney general or deputy or associate attorney general" -- seven people.
As you'll recall, I showed you a graph of what had been done since.
And in response to that, you seemed to agree that I had a somewhat legitimate concern that I was pursuing. You said -- and this is from your transcript -- "I remain concerned as attorney general in terms of making sure that communications from the White House and the Department of Justice remain in the appropriate channels."
You further said, "I agree with you, it is important to you to try to limit the communications about specific criminal cases between the counsel's office and the Department of Justice."
You specifically said, "I think the safeguards that you're referring to I think are very, very important."
WHITEHOUSE: And then you said, "I, like you, am concerned about the level of contacts in ensuring that the communications from the White House and the Department of Justice occur at the appropriate -- within the appropriate channels."
GONZALES: Channels.
WHITEHOUSE: Now, I then showed you the letter that Attorney General -- the memorandum that Attorney General Ashcroft prepared. And that's the document that, sort of, kicked open the door from seven to hundreds of people to be involved and have discussions about ongoing criminal/civil investigative matters. And that's what led to our discussion about all of this.
Now, you've had some time to think about this. You've indicated desire to clean up the mess at the department. I would like to bring to your attention a May 4th, 2006, memorandum that is a subsequent document to the Ashcroft memorandum. This one is signed by you.
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I am agree.At Last...My taxes at work....oh my god....what a feeling. Trash this Bastard.
Gioxtream 1 year ago
Now, THIS is my tax dollars at work!
princekuja 2 years ago
"You've had some time to think about this..." Hahaha! Like he'd been in time out or something.
tangneyk 4 years ago
amen homey, amen, this incompetant Attorney General in my opinion should resign in disgrace, fuck him if he won't resign with his own free will or with the objection of G.W. Bush, this motherfucker should be stripped of his responsibility to the American people.
TrentH190 4 years ago