Let's be fair. Gonzo probably "could not recall" that he had been neck deep in felonies as the Attorney General. We saw his failing memory in action when he testified. When someone reminded him that he could be jailed, of couse he recanted his confession.

This trend is very troubling. There is something that Gonzo and Ridge are very much afraid of that is causing them to double back on their statements. With the Rush retractions that have happened this year, it was very clear where the change in heart was coming from (elected officials getting hundreds of vitriolic phone calls from their base is a compelling motivator). The fact that it is completely unclear who is pulling the strings or what the motivating fear is makes me very nervous.

To speculate for a moment, I don't think there is a financial threat here. Both men have income from a variety of sources and it would be suspicious if they made controversial statements and suddenly that all dried up. What seems like a stronger possibility is a threat to their freedom. I think it is well within the realm of possibility that both men violated laws which if prosecuted would land them in jail for a few years at least. Somebody holding evidence of these misdeeds over their heads could certainly explain the contradictory statements they've made.

If this is the case, it could be a very good thing. If there is somebody out there blackmailing these people to cover up the wrongs of the past administration, that suggests the situation is a fragile one. A solid criminal case would strip the power from whoever is pulling the strings and the past blackmail could make a deal for testimony very attractive. That could lead to the whole house of cards crashing down and the wrongs of the Bush years getting dragged out into the light of day.

Justice and the complete discrediting of those who undermined so much in this country would be very sweet indeed.

In case anyone dismisses this as farfetched, consider what happened to the last Repub to defy Limbaugh:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/25/sanford-rush-limbaugh-is_n_170041.html