Second GOP senator suggests Gonzales should go(Gordon Smith)

[maddezmom]

By Kathy Kiely and Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — A second Senate Republican has suggested that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should leave his post because of the way the Justice Department handled the firings last year of eight federal prosecutors.
"For the Justice Department to be effective before the U.S. Senate, it would be helpful" if Gonzales resigned, Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., told USA TODAY this afternoon.

Meanwhile, other Republicans today had less harsh — but still serious — words about the attorney general.

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota said he is "deeply concerned about how this whole process has been handled." Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., characterized the attorney general's explanations for the firings as "unacceptable" and "mystifying."

~snip~

more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-03-15-gonzales-prosecutors_N.htm?csp=34

GOP support for Gonzales erodes further

~snip~

One Republican, Sen. John Sununu (news, bio, voting record) of New Hampshire, has publicly urged President Bush to fire Gonzales. Still another GOP lawmaker, this one in the House and not ready to speak out publicly, said Thursday he planned to call next week for Gonzales to step down. And Sen. Gordon Smith (news, bio, voting record), R-Ore., said Thursday Gonzales had lost the confidence of Congress.

"The senator believes it would be helpful to have an attorney general that Congress can have more confidence in," said Smith's spokesman, R.C. Hammond.

Other Republican lawmakers spent Thursday urging colleagues to refrain from joining that chorus until they hear more from Gonzales and his aides directly.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/gonzales_prosecutors_48

Rove Tied More Closely to Firings as Gonzales Support Fades

By James Rowley and Robert Schmidt

March 16 (Bloomberg) -- White House aide Karl Rove was tied more closely to the Bush administration's firing of U.S. attorneys as a growing chorus of Democrats and Republicans questioned Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's fitness to remain in office.

Republican Senators Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Norm Coleman of Minnesota said they have lost confidence in Gonzales. Gordon Smith of Oregon believes it would be better ``to have an attorney general they could have more confidence in,'' said his spokesman, R.C. Hammond.

more:http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a3smKcOUu.E0

[annabanana]

1. "More, More More!" -

"How d'ya like it? How d'ya like it"

(It's a disco morning)

[maddezmom]

2. here's another one, Gonzales should go, GOP’s Gillmor says R-Ohio

Gonzales should go, GOP’s Gillmor says
Friday, March 16, 2007
Jonathan Riskind
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Rep. Paul Gillmor, RTiffin, said "it would be better for everybody" if the attorney general chose to step down.


WASHINGTON — A Republican House member from Ohio says it is time for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign amid controversy over the firings of U.S attorneys.

Rep. Paul Gillmor of Tiffin yesterday became apparently just the second Republican member of Congress to call for Gonzales to resign. A similar sentiment was voiced Wednesday by GOP Sen. John Sununu of New Hampshire.

"I think it would be better for everybody if he were to step down," Gillmor said in an interview with The Dispatch. Gonzales "has become a lightning rod that is detracting from what the mission of the Department of Justice ought to be."

Bush has supported Gonzales so far. However, the president has indicated that his attorney general would have to go before Congress to do a better job explaining the rationale for the firings.

link: http://www.dispatch.com/national-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/03/16/20070316-A3-03.html

[tanyev]

3. GOP bravery at its finest.

Still another GOP lawmaker, this one in the House and not ready to speak out publicly, said Thursday he planned to call next week for Gonzales to step down.

Bet he's hoping Gonzo will step down before he does that.

[Lobster Martini]

4. Brilliant

Brilliant. A House Rep. willing to say publically that he's not willing to say anything publically right now but may at a later date and plans to take action, not right now, but perhaps at a later date. What a shining example of visionary leadership, or perhaps of hiding under the couch.

[gratuitous]

5. Specter is "mystified"

Up yours, Arlen.

Meanwhile, Gordon Smith, with his mind wonderfully concentrated on his re-election campaign in 2008, begins the slow and surgically precise de-linking of himself from his Bush administration overlords in time to re-burnish his "moderate" credentials.

Oregon Republicans will be gulled, as they always are; will Oregon's independents be similarly fooled . . . again?