Senators Chastise Gonzales at Hearing

[jamesinca]

Source: Washington Post

Senators Chastise Gonzales at Hearing
Members of His Own Party Pile On as Attorney General Defends Firings

By Dan Eggen and Paul Kane
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, April 20, 2007; A01



Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales came under withering attack from members of his own party yesterday over the dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys, facing the first resignation demand from a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and doubts from others about his candor and his ability to lead the Justice Department.

Gonzales appeared frustrated, weary and at times combative during a five-hour Senate panel hearing that was widely considered crucial to his bid to hold on to his job. He sought to present a careful defense of the firings, apologizing for the way they were handled but defending them as the "right decision."

"While the process that led to the resignations was flawed, I firmly believe that nothing improper occurred," Gonzales said. "It would be improper to remove a U.S. attorney to interfere with or influence a particular prosecution for partisan political gain. I did not do that. I would never do that."

Yet the attorney general, who spent the past three weeks preparing for his testimony, struggled to recall key details of his involvement in the firings, including a pivotal conversation with President Bush.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041902935.html?referrer=email

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Hey Al, sucks to be you! HA HA. I listened to the hearings on Pacifica radio and his GOP talking points and 3 weeks of refresher did him no good. He either could not remember a thing or they tore his weak argument apart. It was 5 hours of fun.