Gonzales: I Did Nothing Wrong, But My Staff...

[babylonsister]

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002882.php

Gonzales: I Did Nothing Wrong, But My Staff...
By Paul Kiel - March 26, 2007, 7:29 PM

From an interview tonight with NBC:

ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES: I asked for their resignation not for improper reasons. I would never have asked for their resignations to interfere with a public corruption case or in any way to interfere with an ongoing investigation. I just wouldn't do that. And if you look carefully at the documentation we've provided to Congress, there's no evidence of that....

I directed the Department officials participate in interviews and hearings before the Congress. As I've indicated, I've asked OPR to be involved, to work with the Office of Inspector General so we can reassure the American public that nothing improper happened here. I've got nothing to hide in terms of what I've done. And we now want to reassure the American public that nothing improper happened here.

If I find out that, in fact, any of these decisions were motivated, the recommendations to me were motivated for improper reasons to interfere with the public corruption case, there will be swift and -- there will be swift and decisive action. I can assure you that.

PETE WILLIAMS: Meaning people would be fired?

ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES: Absolutely. Because there is no place for that. Our prosecutors have to-- there has to be no question about the integrity, the professionalism, undue influence of prosecutions in connection with public corruption kinds of cases. And if I find out that any of that occurred here involving the Department of Justice officials, yes, they will be removed.

Gonzales also explains the discrepancy between his March 13 statement that "I was not involved in any discussions about what was going on" and the revelation that he participated in just such a meeting about what was going on ten days before the firings.

What he really meant, he explains, was that he wasn't involved in the nitty-gritty: "I was never focused on specific concerns about United States Attorneys as to whether or not they should be asked to resign." And no wonder. The reasons kept changing.

[Bitwit1234]

1. I didn't fire them but if I did I didn't do it someone else did.

[sutz12]

2. Ahhh.....so he was there....but he didn't pay attention. Right? nt

[Critters2]

3. He was playing snake through the whole meeting

I can relate.

[whistle]

4. So Monic Goodling is to be the patsy

[Duer 157099]

5. The operative phrase being:

"And if you look carefully at the documentation we've provided to Congress, there's no evidence of that."

And here's what he didn't say:

"...because *we* looked at it very carefully before providing it, and made DAMN sure that no evidence was included in the documentation we've provided."

[Duer 157099]

6. Good god, he just can't help but contradict himself

First he says that he would *NEVER* ask for the resignation for improper reasons!! How dare you imply that I would?!?!

...but, well, I wasn't *really* involved in the nitty-gritty of evaluating who would be asked to resign...

Those two positions seem mutually exclusive to me.

[williesgirl]

7. He got that line from his asshole boss (remember Plame?)

[InternalDialogue]

8. So, Gonzo. If they were fired improperly...

...you're going to see to it that they're brought back on and given new four-year terms, right? Right?

[Kagemusha]

9. The AG has no power to ask US Attorneys to resign.

Assistant US Attorneys, yes. But not US Attorneys themselves. That power resides only in the President.

So where is this "I" from?

[Mist]

10. How weird--he asked for their resignations for "proper" reasons, but

someone on his staff made "improper" recommendations. Either way, they were gunning for specific attorneys, so the result would be the same, "proper" or "improper" reasons notwithstanding. But Gonzo doesn't have to worry his little head about the whole mess, as he wasn't involved in the nitty-gritty. Thanks for clearing that up, Berto.

[LiberalFighter]

11. Didn't bushwad say he was going to fire anyone involved in the Plame leak?

[babylonsister]

12. Reason #8459 to not believe anything this admin says. nt

[Cabcere]

13. Sounds like a personal problem to me, Mr. Gonzales.

:evilgrin:

:spank:

[eppur_se_muova]

14. "But My Staff..." Wouldn't that have applied to Clinton ? nt

[Kool Kitty]

15. Oh, bullshit.

What were you doing at the hour-long meeting, Gonzo? Playing games on your cell phone? something as big as this and you had no fucking idea? You should be fired for incompetence. Why do they think that if they use the "I had no idea that all the people that work for me were doing this" is any sort of a credible excuse?

[ProudDad]

16. I thought the quote would be

"I did nothing wrong, but my staff are idiot mother-fuckers!"

Damn, disappointed again... :evilgrin: