To the Editor
Acting Attorney General
Three-plus weeks into the controversy over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, this is the best defense Attorney General Alberto Gonzales can make:
‘I’m not in charge of the Justice Department’.
On March 13, Mr. Gonzales denied any involvement in the firings. But 10 days later – on a Friday night, in hopes of drawing less attention the Justice Department released documents that placed Mr. Gonzales with his aides at a November 27 meeting about the dismissals.
Last week, Mr. Gonzales went back to damage control. He claimed that while he might have approved the dismissals at that November meeting seven of the eight attorneys were cut loose days later he never participated in discussions about which attorneys were going to be fired. So, eight of the 93 most important people in the Justice Department were found lacking, and he had no part in deciding who they were or why they had to go?
The overall Bush administration defense has been similarly unbelievable. First, the firings were because of performance. But some of the attorneys had strong performance reviews. Then, the White House wasn’t involved. But the idea actually started in the White House, which timed the firings with calls to Republican politicians who had complained about some of the attorneys. A White House spokesman was desperate enough at one point to say that Mr. Gonzales didn’t recall certain recollections. Mr. Gonzales’ ex-chief of staff told the Senate 122 times, when asked about the firings, that he didn’t recall.
Mr. Gonzales will be back before the Senate next Thursday and on April 17. According to news reports, he believes that his testimony is critical to keeping the job. Why does he want it, I wonders, when he admits that he isn’t doing it?
Michael R. Dean Ph.D
Chandler, Arizona