How about put some teeth into that letter?

I think if they'd concluded it with something like this, it may have helped:

If you are unable to furnish the committee with answers to these questions, we will remand you to the custody of a compliant, third-party state which will seek to refresh your memory through the use of the so-called "extraordinary interrogation techniques" you so conveniently claim are legal.

Good for Leahy and Specter. Their tenacity is admirable.

Not only legal, but the restrictions against them are "quaint."

I can't imagine why Gonzales is hurting himself and delaying the inevitable.

http://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2007/04/alberto-gonzales-appears-on.html#links

The House can impeach Gonzales. I ask Congress to just stop with the pretense that Torture Boy is a serious, respectable public official and just get on with the obvious.

Wasn't Spector the one who threw in at the last minute to amendment to the Patriot Bill permitted the President to make interim appointments. If not for that, there probably would not have been any resignations. Has anyone asked Spector why and at who's request he put the amendment in?

Abu G can be impeached. He might not get convicted by the Senate -- that requires 67 votes -- but then again, he might. All but two of the Republicans on the Judiciary Committee were pretty disgusted with him last week.

Besides, once there is a live impeachment proceeding, Bush's claims of "executive privilege" over every single communication to or from the White House (including those on the RNC servers) would ring even more hollow than they already do.

The letter strongly suggests that the Judiciary Committee was so offended by Gonzales' 'forgetful' testimony that it is considering citing him for perjury. That would be problematic -- he can continue to claim stupidity -- UNLESS someone on the murder board practice panels is ready to feed info to the committee.

How would it look if before Gonzales' three weeks of practice his memory was fine, but afterwards it was empty?

Gonzales, and all the other Rethugs who have been unmasked so far, remind me of playground bullies -- "Huh?? I'm not doin' nothin'! Well, I ain't doin' nothin' *wrong*! I dunno what I was doin' -- I can't remember nothin'! What do ya mean, I'm gettin' expelled? What for?"

Outraged innocence or unresponsive evasion.

Code = meat

Sens. Leahy and Spector:

Thank you for your letter of April 24 or 25. I have read it and re-read it several times, and I am writing to respond to your requests.

I have tried real hard to remember all the things I couldn't remember. I know Senator Sessions had a hard time believing I couldn't remember a meeting on November 27, and I held my tongue because maybe I was just forgetful as a result of the lights or all that green felt or the fact my suit pants were a little tight. Testifying is hard work.

But even now, in the comfort of my office, I can't remember. For example, I had hoped that by being back here, alone in my office with the shades drawn and a cold washcloth pressed on my forehead and a small, neat glass of Scotch in my hand, I'd remember more. But, gosh, guys: I really can't.

I know it seems incredible, but I have hundreds of meetings every week on critical, key issues such as Meth Awareness Week, and the D.A.R.E. Annual Jamboree ribbon-cutting ceremony...

The point is, how is a guy with all these things going on supposed to remember even the first detail about a multi-staff meeting held the day after Thanksgiving five months ago where the termination of several United States Attorneys was discussed at a meeting I attended? Those kinds of things get mixed up with all the occasional photo-ops with McGruff the Crime Dog and all the weighty other things I do.

I really wish I could help. I'll keep scratching my head and looking up at the ceiling and pondering, and if I come up with anything, I'll be sure to let you know.

Respectfully,

Alberto Gonzales
Attorney General

P.S. I hope your murder trial goes okay, Senator Spector. or am I confusing you with someone else? I can't recall.

Bush's middle finger works for the Dems, too. The longer the investigation is drawn out, the bigger it all looks. The general public is beginning to recognize and understand the issue. The longer that this drags on the more likely the public is to conclude that there is indeed a problem at the DOJ. And that makes support for the Dems likely to increase as the elections approach.

Put him in jail until his memory improves.

what I think is more of an embarresment is that the media gives it a pass and moves on.

"ahh, the guy only said he didn't know 60 times, it's hard werk being AG"

give me a freaking break.

Unfortunately, as I see it.. W will instruct the Attorney General to suspend the constitution an initaite marshal law on 11/5/2008 when the election returns come in. He will do this to keep his Unitary Presidency (Kingship) after the defeat of his chosen sucessor.

Where can I go to bet the mortgage, the car, and the wife that Gonzo promptly files this letter in the trash and ignores them completely?

I think Abu G should be held in contempt of Congress.

Supplement those responses, sure:

1) I REALLY don't recall
2) I REALLY REALLY don't recall
3) I HONESTLY didn't know
4) I can't recall if I've ever recalled recalling
.
.
.

I like bush's defense of AG AG: he answered all the questions he could - honestly!

EXcellent!

"Wasn't Spector the one who threw in at the last minute to amendment to the Patriot Bill permitted the President to make interim appointments. If not for that, there probably would not have been any resignations. Has anyone asked Spector why and at who's request he put the amendment in?"

Yes, he is the author of the "Spectre Amendment," and no, no one has asked him on the record at whose request the inserted. But Senator Spectre knows that his fellow Senators know the score, that he prostituted the Senate's oversight responsibility for approving USAs for kiss on the cheek from Karl. His fellow Senators have his scrotum tightly in the Jaws of Life (Death?), a gentle turn of which might help deliver the necessary votes for impeachment for (take your pick).

which implies that if he had to answer the other questions, he'd have lied?

What Cassandrian mentions below has been a concern of mine since before the last election. These folks have not been in the least bit concerned with anything save the accumulation and use of power. I find it difficult to believe they will relinquish the Executive Branch without some sort of attempt at gaining permanent control. 33% still support him, and apparently will no matter what. Brace yourselves, get your passports in order, it's going to be a rough ride.

Code word = roll, as in "let's..."

"Unfortunately, as I see it.. W will instruct the Attorney General to suspend the constitution an initaite marshal law on 11/5/2008 when the election returns come in. He will do this to keep his Unitary Presidency (Kingship) after the defeat of his chosen sucessor.
Posted by: Cassandrian
Date: April 25, 2007 02:02 PM"

Karla Faye Tucker was one of the 150 prisoners executed by Bush and Gonzales, after a review so perfunctory it does not merit being called a review.

At the time of her execution -- and for years prior to it -- Ms. Tucker represented the epitome of the redemptive power of Christianity. That she was not accorded the forgiveness that is the most attractive hallmark of Christianity, is both a tragedy and a mockery of her achievement and the religion that Bush purports to practice.

We, as Americans, shall dwell in shame for the rest of our lives that we allowed the despicable likes of Bush, Cheney and Gonzales to ascend to positions of supreme power in our government.

The question must be, "When did you remember that you couldn't remember?"

Code word "idea", as in "I have no idea, Senators".

Damn "Political Correctness".

He's "going to the mattress" for the Mayberry Mafia.

Digby and Greg Palast are singling out Rove, and the WH is circling the wagons. Gonzales is not the issue since neither he nor l'il Sampson know who made the decisions to fire and there is no paper trail--outside of some RNC e-mails--to track the process. Monica Goodling is a good little girl who probably will not give up the dark lord, but who knows? The plot just thickens, and this is only one of the litany of abuses that Raul Emanuel cites in his speech at Brookings

This is an article by Norm Ornstein about the attorney scandal. It is an interesting that a conservative from the AEI even has problems with what the White House is doing.

http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all,pubID.26025/pub_detail.asp

Are the Attorney General and Acting Attorney General the only two that can appoint a special prosecutor?

TITLE 28--JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION

CHAPTER VI--OFFICES OF INDEPENDENT COUNSEL, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

PART 600--GENERAL POWERS OF SPECIAL COUNSEL--Table of Contents

Sec. 600.1 Grounds for appointing a Special Counsel.

The Attorney General, or in cases in which the Attorney General is recused, the Acting Attorney General, will appoint a Special Counsel
when he or she determines that criminal investigation of a person or matter is warranted and--
(a) That investigation or prosecution of that person or matter by a United States Attorney's Office or litigating Division of the Department of Justice would present a conflict of interest for the Department or other extraordinary circumstances; and
(b) That under the circumstances, it would be in the public interest to appoint an outside Special Counsel to assume responsibility for the
matter.

http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/doj/28cfr600.1.html

Alternate reality, that's for sure. Welcome to the Matrix.

Why doesn't some enterprising young staffer do some research and compare the actual count of "I don't recall" answers from Gonzales with the congressional investigations of Mafiosi in the '50s. Lets see who comes wins in the stretch, the out-and-out mobsters or the political gangsters we are saddled with now.

I'm with Malcontent. Absent full and complete answers, call him back and water board him in full view of C-Span. Let everyone see what Gonzo thinks is fine. There is, after all, an old saying that what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Have they tried "waterboarding" Gonzales???

He says it works for getting info from terrorists

One thing becomes more and more clear when listening to the testimony of any hi-ranking Bush Admin offical in any situation where lying would mean committing perjury. That is, the phrase "I do not recall" really means "I cannot answer without incriminating myself or someone else in the administration".

Alberto Gonzales consistent use of poor recollection is beyond belief. What becomes even more evident in both his testimony and and others is that they place loyalty to Bush and the administration above loyalty to country. That is why Bush now has MORE faith and confidence in him that he did prior to Senate Judiciary Commitee testimony.

Gonzales proved that no matter how stupid or incompetent it makes him look, he will not tell the truth aboout anything that could be damaging to the administration.

The technical term for what just happened is a "bitch slap", if I'm not mistaken. Ouch!

Threaten to send Gonzo to Walter Reed for medical help. That'll loosen his tongue.