Of course, Gonzales does not admit to "creating" the problems -- also, the U.S. Attorneys were fired in December of last year, but that did not hit the fan until March -- I would be willing to compromise and support legislation that no U.S. Attorney can be fired if they are investigating any politician of the President's same party, and only then for good cause.

Wow, Jake "the troll" D. -- thanks for compromising! That means a lot to the rest of us. Especially those of us who have been following the attorney purge from the get-go, and do not need the man caught with the red hands to admit he has red hands.

...but that did not hit the fan until March

Except here at TPM Muckraker where it hit the fan January 12th, 2007. And as for the proposed legislation, it wouldn't be necessary if the White House could be trusted to not politicize the Dept of Justice. Simple, not new laws required.

I've been amazed how eager small government Republicans are to grow government and propose legislation willy nilly.

what would be YOUR amendment(s)?

Articles of Impeachment against Alberto Gonzales. No new rules/laws be written. Existing rules and laws must be followed, and there's no faith remaining that AGAG is the man to enforce those rules.

Registered Independent = Embarrassed Republican Voter.

I left the GOP a long time ago, and don't hide behind the label of Independent.

Gonzo's just a product of his administration. After all, that's their argument on Iraq isn't it? We fucked things up so badly that we can't afford to try it another way?

I believe leopards have spots, nofltwlt, but your instincts are right on. Gonzo is a rat, a disgrace to lawyers, sycophants and even Republicans everywhere. I believe the reason he hasn't been jettisoned already is that the moment they do that ol' Gonzo will play the victim card.

DoJ Botulism: It's Good for You!

"I will not tolerate any improper politicization of this Department."

Which really means: "I will tolerate only the proper politicization of this Department that Bush says is okay fine for me to do and there's nothin' you can do about it--nannie, nannie, boo-boo."

Damn it, we gotta stop these people. Hey, Congress, you listening?

Gonzo do us all a favor and move to North Korea. I am sure they would give you a job after all you have been giving aid and comfort to our enemys for years. P.S. I'm not joking you are a discrace to our Republic.

Never forget, when judging credibility, this is a Bush appointee you're talking about.

It is impossible to shame this brand of Republican -- they don't understand what shame is or means.

It is a form of mental illness.

After years and years of discussion with these folks on various message boards on various topics, I have reached the conclusion that they are brainwashed and unable to think logically or coherently. They are also unable to admit mistakes or having been wrong. All they know is propaganda. As I say, it is a form of mental illness and our country is paying the price big time.

Matt:

Nice try, but it's just an echo-chamber here. We've got lots of vicious Bush-haters, and it doesn't matter what the facts are.

It's the up is down theory at work again. This clown leads the charge in the destruction of the Independence of our Justice dept. NATIONWIDE by doing the bidding and shielding them from the Rule of Law ( the opposite of it's true purpose)Bush and his neo/theocon minions have rotted our Justice Dept. and WH from the inside out, like the worms they are. Saying "no crime was committed" and "mistakes were made" to conver their unethical, immoral actions.Such an utter lack of ethical standards is appalling yet they are still IN THEIR JOBS TODAY. I do not understand why Gonzales hasn't been impeached. Doesn't CONGRESS oversee the Justice Dept.? Have all civic ethics been voided? Even if all these jackbooted thug followers of Bush and their puppets Kristol, OReilly, Novak, Slimbaugh et al. will condone this criminal behavior, shouldn't action be taken to impeach Gonzales and remove all the criminals in the DOJ that participated in the voting fraud and the placement of political partisan hacks who aren't even qualified? Shoudln't those planted there be fired? If our Justice Dept no longer is JUST and action isn't taken to rectify it, isn't that ANARCHY?
The White House usurping the power of the Justice Dept.spells lawlessness to me. Impeach Gonzales for his PERJURY. Charges should be brought against Goodling and Sampson and Taylor,Miers, et. al. and all the minions who participated in this planting of people into positions of power to force their idealogical/financial agenda! This is how Hitler did it! Blindly loyal, young, idealists...and in OUR JUSTICE DEPT. Do people not understand how dire this is? I blame the News media for not covering the news properly nowadays,the media helped Hitler too! We have proof positive that this is an unjust, unprovoked war Bush is waging in OUR NAME in Iraq, shouldn't MORE ACTION be taken to stop all this corruption? Congress must ACT to get to the bottom of the USAttorney/Election Fraud/, send in agents to confiscate the documents! The stonewalling borders on the absurd. We have to ACT BEFORE the upcoming election.
Executive Priviledge is claimed to hide virtually everything the White House does, and they have the Justice Dept. doing their bidding!
I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I find the condition our govt's condition is in appalling and the apathy of millions of Americans towards the issue is very scary indeed.
Justice in our country is wounded and dying.

the code word is loss, how appropriate.

I actually think that the apathy of millions of Americans towards this issue is to be expected -- both Democratic and Republican Presidents have fired U.S. Attorneys for political reasons -- if you really want to stop that practice, see my compromise legislation proposed above.

Michael:

What do you think of legislation that no U.S. Attorney can be fired if they are investigating anyone of the President's political party, and then only for good cause?

I think I should fire myself. I should be outlawed.

I am a little fish, hanging around in the hope the repugs will win in '08.

I am a lemming, supporting a criminal regime.

I hate myself.

Code for..." I intend to keep on doing what I have been doing....Politizing the Judicial Branch..with blessings from Bush, Cheney and Rove" and there is nothing you can do about it...! Nanner, nanner, nanner !!!

"there are two options available in light of these allegations. I could walk away or I could devote my time, effort and energy to fix the problems." So, Berto, are these allegations or are they problems? Why do you need to fix an allegation? This says it all: he is not out to fix anything he did. To him, allegations are the problem.

P.S. in 1978, Carter replaced U.S. Attorney, David Marston -- at the request of Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman Joshua Eilberg -- who was the target of Marston's corruption investigation.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,919302,00.html

Luckily, Rep. Eilberg lost his 1978 reelection bid, and, three months later, pleaded guilty to conflict of interest charges. He was sentenced to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. As an interesting bit of trivia, in 1974, Eilberg had defeated Chris Matthews, now host of MSNBC's "Hardball" program, in that Democratic primary.

In addition, Bill Clinton replaced U.S. Attorneys that he ORIGINALLY has nominated in 1993 with the following:

1998: Byron Jones, Denise O’Donnell, Paul Warner, Scott Lasser, Paul Seave, Ellen Curran, Stephen Robinson, Richard Deane Jr., Alejandro Mayorkas, Robert Green, Harry Litman, and Jose Rivera.

1999: Melvin Kahle, Gregory Vega, Thomas Strickland, Donna Bucella, Daniel French, Quenton White, Jackie Williams, Mervyn Mosbacker Jr., and Carl Schnee.

2000: Daniel Webber Jr., Norman Bay, Steven Reed, Ted McBride, and Audrey Fleissig.

FACTS ARE FACTS.

Wait, I thought all the Republicans during these hearings have been complaining that there's absolutely no evidence that there was anything worth investigating here! Hasn't that been the talking point, that after months of investigations, there's been no evidence of anything improper being done?

And now, just as they did with Rumsfeld, the White House changes course, admits there's been a problem that they've denied existed for months, thus leaving the Republicans carrying water for the Administration in Congress twisting in the wind.

Is this yet another example where the Bush White House rewards Congressional Republican loyalty by making them look like idiots?

Isn't the inherent value of this statement an acknowledgement that, yes, it appears there is substantial and credible evidence that politics played an inappropriate role in the Justice Department?

P.S. under the statute, U.S. Attorneys serve FOUR year terms or until they are replaced. As for voter suppression, I want every LEGALLY REGISTERED voter to vote -- I would support Election Day being a national holiday if that would increase turnout. You will also note I won't resort to ad hominem name-calling either.

He's not going to allow any more "improper" politicization of the justice department - wonder what he deems "proper" politicization? I think Bush issued an Executive Order making Karl Rove the final arbitor of the propriety of all politicized departments. One of the "mistakes' that won't be repeated is allowing anyone to find out about how they're running things now - executive privilege and all that....

Unfortunately Jake, YOUR "reality" is real only to you.
You clearly function in your own reality and not that of the real world. A situation such as this, with a large number of President appointed prosecutors from across the nation mysteriously being FIRED has EVER HAPPENED except in your own personal delusional reality.
The sad thing is, you believe your own delusions.

I agree, every legally registered voter should be allowed to vote. There should not be ridiculous conditions placed on voting designed to prevent people from voting, which is what has been occuring. Conceptually, why would someone go through the time to illegally vote or to cast fraudulent ballots? It makes no sense in light of the number of voters even though only 50 percent of eligible voters actually vote. It is just crass political gamesmanship by republicans to prevent people from voting.

Also, I think election day should either be a national holiday or it should fall on a weekend so all people get to vote.

Finally, you got me on the four year term, I thought it was five years, but my point still stands about replacing US attorneys at the end of their terms by Clintooon, who I didn't like anyway, so I am not real hot about trying to defend him.

It's all about gumming the issue and running out the clock. Two can play that game. Dems should insist on what they want, Bush veto or not. So what if nothing gets done. Dems can easily point out how much filibustering has been done by Republicans since the thumpin' in 2006. Bush won't play well with others, including his own party now. Let him use the rest of his term to destroy by association his loyalists in the GOP. We might as well save our energy for post 2008 when there will be even better opportunities for a Democratic agenda.

No problem, Michael. As for why would someone go through the time to illegally supress votes or to make ballots go uncounted, isn't the answer obvious: TO STEAL AN ELECTION!!!!

Something that has concerned me for a long time is this whole 'stand by your man' chant that seems to follow the loyal bushies. We saw it with Rumsfeld, a man who's obstinance helped to play a part in the failed policy in Iraq. With Gonzales, it seems much more sinister to me. Can he simply be holding on by a thread because bush and rove and everyone else in the game knows that the catssss will be out of the bag if he goes? Also, something wicked brews in this administration, like a rumble on the railroad tracks, I suspect that we are in for some very rough seas and perhaps the hangers on, and Lieberman for that matter, have been promised a little slice of what's ahead? I don't know, but the sky looks green and the winds have shifted. I smell a rat, and it aint a little one.

“the fink, whose perfidy was equaled only by his gall”

So, which "category" do you think the reason he gave ("I want to remain here and fix the problems") falls into? There couldn't possibly be a fourth category: committed civil servant who has the integrity to stay and get the job done no matter how tough the Democrats make it for him?

Here is the text of an email I sent to the Attory General's office last Thursday:

###

To AG Gonzalez,

Sir,

You are set to testify before Congress early next week. I am begging you. I implore you. PLEASE stop stonewalling Congress. If you are hiding something, then please come forward.

Who out of the Watergate scandal has come out with his dign