What is the procedure for removing an Attorney General from office?

[kentuck]

Is he appointed by the whole Congress or is he chosen by the President only? Can he be removed by impeachment or must he be dismissed by the President? Surely this is something that should be explored. We seem to have an Atty-General that has more loyalty to his "boss" than to the Constitution of the United States. Obviously, he is not competent for the office.

[Bitwit1234]

1. Why not impeachment??

When someone is appointed and they turn out to be a crook they are fired. But the Attorney General of the United States swears an oath when he takes office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. THAT SHOULD BE HIS FIRST PRIORITY. And if he does not support the constitution and it is proved, isn't he guilty of TREASON.

The republicans are so damn quick to accuse the democrats of treason because they just question bush, this guy is violating the constitution. I think it should be addressed by a constitution scholar.

[Shrek]

2. The AG is a cabinet member

He can resign, the President can fire him, or under Article II he can be impeached and removed.

Cabinet members have to be confirmed by the Senate but I don't think there's a way to unconfirm after the fact.

[Robbien]

3. Gonzales is in control of all the pink slips

Gonzales is the asshole who is firing all the corruption prosecutors and putting in their place lawyers who believe the president is above the law.

This world is topsy turvey.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. The President could fire him, or

the Senate could remove him by covicting him of an impeachable offence if first impeached by the House.

[Solly Mack]

5. He can be impeached as he was appointed by the President

The office of Attorney General is considered a "civil officer of government"..appointed by the President, in a cabinet level office, and thereby subject to impeachment.


ALL cabinet level positions of the executive are subject to impeachment

[Nite Owl]

6. The President selects him subject to

the approval of the Senate.
Here's the article on the voting:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60807-2005Feb3.html

~~~snip~~~

All 55 Republican senators voted for Gonzales except Conrad Burns (Mont.), who was absent. The six Democrats who voted for him were Mary Landrieu (La.), Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.), Ben Nelson (Neb.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Mark Pryor (Ark.) and Kenneth Salazar (Colo.). All but Lieberman are from states that Bush carried in November.

Three Democrats -- Max Baucus (Mont.), Kent Conrad (N.D.) and Daniel Inouye (Hawaii) -- did not vote. The remaining 35 voted no, as did Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.).

Moments before the roll call, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said some Republicans "have tried to smear anyone who has voiced concern about this nomination." He said many Democrats opposed Gonzales because of his "continued adherence to flawed legal reasoning regarding torture, a stubborn commitment betraying seriously poor judgment." Also "deeply troubling," he said, "is the nominee's lack of independence from the president."

~~~snip~~~


If they can prove that he violated the Constitution he could be impeached I believe but I got a feeling that he might have the sudden need to spend more quality time with his family if given that choice.

[LiberalFighter]

7. Change the name of United States of America to Iraq

and hang him?

[Imagevision]

8. There are seperate investigations going on for Gonzalez and Rice...

could prove to be interesting