Political Blog

By: Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2007. All rights reserved

There’s an old adage that applies to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, when first we practice to deceive, oh what a tangled web we weave. Apparently, Mr. Gonzales was less than forthcoming when he said he had little to do with the dismissals of the nine United States Attorneys who worked for him. It appears that Mr. Gonzales and senior advisors met ten days prior to the dismissals to discuss the dismissals. Of course Mr. Gonzales says he doesn’t remember the meeting. It’s the kind of incompetence that has become the hallmark of the Bush administration. Remember soon to be pardoned Scooter Libby? He too suffered from faulty memory syndrome.

In the rearview mirror of history, we discovered for much of his presidency the late Ronald Regan had Alzheimer Disease. Are now to believe that Mr. Gonzales might be demonstrating early symptoms of the same disease? According to a spokesperson, Gonzales can’t recall the hour-long staff meeting he called to discuss the firings. Instead, he remembers tasking his chief of staff to carry out the firings. “He did not participate in the selection of those to be fired. How come? He did sign off on the final list.” Gonzales’ level of non-involvement in the agency he has been tasked to run, is reminiscent of FEMA’s Michael Brown. The Presidents continued support for Mr. Gonzales calls to mind his support for Mr. Brown, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Like Katrina, the Bush Administration continues to be a national tragedy. There is no level of incompetence that goes unrewarded. Who can forget Mr. Bush’s staunch support for the gregarious Donald Rumsfeld, his former Secretary of Defense. Mr. let’s go with a meaner leaner armed force proved to be one of the worst defense secretaries in recent memory. This did not stop our C-student president from vowing his undying support for Mr. Rumsfeld.

We can only hope that Mr. Gonzales receives the same kind of support, hopefully of a much shorter duration. Perhaps we’ve been in the Middle East too long but I could swear I saw Gonzales kiss Mr. Bush’s shoulder. Gonzales must be removed, if confidence in the Justice Department is ever to be restored, Mr. Gonzales has to go. How many lies does he have to be caught in before the President recognizes the inevitable? Unfortunately lying is seen as a virtue in the Bush Administration. From the President on down, everyone associated with the Bush Administration lies. Foremost among the Bush liars is Tony Snow, who used to shill for the President when he was a talking head on the Fox network. His current position is an extension of his former position. Let’s get back to the topic at hand. The aforementioned staff meeting took place as Mr. Gonzales and his aide’s awaited final White House approval of the detailed dismissal plan that had been drafted by D. Kyle Sampson, Mr. Gonzales’ chief of staff. According to the New York Times, The plan was sent to the White House on Nov. 15, according to previously released e-mail. Harriett E. Miers, the then White House counsel, approved Mr. Sampson’s proposal on Dec. 4, and the dismissals were carried out three days later.

The U.S. attorneys serve at the pleasure of the President. He can fire any or all 93 of them on a whim. This however, is usually done at the beginning of a president’s term, as Bill Clinton, did, not in the middle. Of a term. Not at the conclusion of successful prosecutions. All nine-fired U.S, attorneys had exemplary records, yet they were unceremoniously dismissed. In several of these instances elected officials queried them about sealed indictments. Some Republican elected officials wanted Democrats prosecuted. Others wanted on-going prosecutions discontinued. This smacks of the kind of partisan politics that have become all to familiar in this administration. We the people, should be able to have confidence in our Justice system. Under the present leadership, , this is impossible. Mr. Gonzales is loyal to a fault. His loyalty is misplaced. He should be loyal to the law and its administration. Instead he has made a political circus out of the Justice Department, and he is the head clown.

There are consequences for lies as Senator Charles Schumer noted. He said, “If the facts bear out that the attorney general knew much more than he admitted, he simply cannot continue as attorney general.” Lying to Congress is a serious crime, a fact that must have escaped the attorney general. Since lying is second nature to the members of this administration, Mr. Gonzales may have forgotten. George Bush and his acolytes have perverted every good and pure thing about this nation. They have made a mockery of our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. Mr. Gonzales to a large extent has provided the legal rationale for many of the things that have been done to rob us of our basic American rights. Like some backwater Third World country, people in America can be disappeared. No trial of peers, no jury, no defense. Mr. Gonzales sanctioned all of this. Our phones can be tapped and our mail opened without justification. We are left to ask, Is this America?

Gonzales has become an embarrassment to his Mexican heritage. He is so anxious to curry favor with the power elite, particularly Master George, that he has forgotten his humble beginnings. Perhaps this assumption is incorrect. Maybe it’s that he never wants to return to those humble beginnings that has him ignoring his obligation to serve justice. As Gonzales sees it, damn the people’s justice system if it means abandoning George. Following the tumultuous Clinton years, President Bush promised to bring dignity back to the White House. Instead, he has disgraced the office by making the kind of appointments of which Mr. Gonzales is indicative. Despite protestations to the contrary, Mr. Gonzales will be buckwheat’s before the month of April passes. Bank on it.

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