Roberto Gonzales, U. S. Attorney General, proves to be the center of gravity of most controversy in this Administration

Roberto Gonzales, U.S. Attorney General who is at the center of controversy again has proven to be a very central figure in the bad decisions at the heart of this Administration. He has been the person at the center of the changed interpretations of the use of torture on prisoners and hence, the Abu Ghraib atrocities. He now is at the center of the firing of U.S. attorneys because they were willing to decide cases on merit rather than based upon with this Administration was pushing for.

From the Washington Post comes a story on Gonzales and the reversal in policy of the President and the Administration under pressure from Congress now that Democrats are providing the necessary oversight that was lacking under Republican stewardship when thye were the majority for the past 6 years.

So now excerpts from the Washington Post story:
Gonzales Yields On Hiring Interim U.S. Attorneys
By Paul Kane and Dan Eggen
Friday, March 9, 2007;

"Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales agreed yesterday to change the way U.S. attorneys can be replaced, a reversal in administration policy that came after he was browbeaten by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee still angry over the controversial firings of eight federal prosecutors.

"Gonzales told Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and other senior members of the committee that the administration will no longer oppose legislation limiting the attorney general's power to appoint interim prosecutors. Gonzales also agreed to allow the committee to interview five top-level Justice Department officials as part of an ongoing Democratic-led probe into the firings, senators said after a tense, hour-long meeting in Leahy's office suite."

"...the administration has been battered by mounting allegations that several of the fired prosecutors -- six of whom testified before Congress on Tuesday -- had been the subject of intimidation, including improper telephone calls from GOP lawmakers or their aides, and alleged threats of retaliation by Justice Department officials. One prosecutor told lawmakers this week that he felt "leaned on" by a senior Republican senator, and Senate Democrats have readied subpoenas for five key members of Gonzales' inner circle of advisers."

"Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.), the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, seemed to suggest that Gonzales's tenure may not last through the remainder of President Bush's term."

"One day there will be a new attorney general, maybe sooner rather than later," Specter said sharply."

"Democrats and some Republicans said they were concerned the Justice Department was attempting to use the new provision to appoint political cronies without Senate oversight and that the firings were a means to that end. Gonzales and other Justice officials have argued that the old replacement system was inefficient and unconstitutional."

"Emerging from what participants called a "frank" discussion, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the attorney general agreed to allow five senior Justice Department aides to be interviewed by the committee in an inquiry that will probably begin in a private setting."

"Specter emerged from the meeting saying he still had no clear understanding why the prosecutors were dismissed. He said he instructed Gonzales to take back remarks he made in an op-ed in Wednesday's USA Today, in which he called the issue an "overblown personnel matter." Specter also asked Gonzales to do something to help remove the "significant blemish" now on the records of the fired prosecutors."

(For the complete Washington Post story click here.

When more oversight is done by this Congress, more revelations will be made from how Halliburton cheated us by not providing the services contracted, not by Millions of dollars, but by Billions. I will predict that when all the investigations are complete, many senior Halliburton officials will be charged with crimes and do jail time.

Senator Specter (R-PA) asks Justice Dept who's in charge? Give me a break!

What's wrong with this picture. Senator Arlen Specter today asked the Justice Dept. to basically propose where it sees the President's authority as it comes to his discretion as Commander in Chief related to matters of war. Sir, have you no shame!? The intention of your communication was to serve notice on the President that he is only one of the "Deciders" Constitutionally mandated to decide such matters. However, your approach sir, leaves me flat and raises serious questions for you and the Senate and Congress to deal with. That being, sir, this President and Vice President will take whatever power they deem fit. The real question to you and the rest of your colleagues is this, Are you going to allow them to dictate terms or are you going to tell them you, the Senate and Congress, are also in charge. They way you did this showed weakness in my view, as it will give them a heads up to where you're thinking on this matter is with no consequences to them. Instead, vote to cut the funding, which is your right and let the President & Vice President fight you on that issue, as it is clear Constitutionally, only Congress controls the purse strings.

I know you mean well Senator, but the lack of oversight these past 6 years has you thinking from a weak position. It is neither fitting of you or any Senator for that matter, but sir, you have already won a brave fight over cancer and deserve to be more assertive, to the point of aggression, to curb and heal these two arrogant leaders.