Washington Post: Gonzales 'Among the Worst' of Attorney Generals EVER

[ck4829]

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales is the 80th attorney general of the United States and if recent events in the law and at the Justice Department are any indication, he is rapidly staking a claim to being among the worst. To test that claim and evaluate the man who is not just nominally called the "nation's top lawyer," we must answer three questions. To what extent did Gonzales' public record before taking office give us clues about what sort of Attorney General he has turned out to be? Has he so far been up to the task as it is ideally defined? And, finally, does he deserve to continue to serve in office?

This series will look at each question in depth. But, here, briefly, are the answers.

First, Gonzales' cronyistic record in both Texas and as White House counsel did indeed presage many of the serious problems Gonzales now faces at the Justice Department. He has run true to form over the past two years and has diverted hardly at all from his long history of dogged obedience to the President, which often has come at the cost of institutional independence and adherence to the rule of law.

Second, Gonzales is seen by many legal historians and scholars as an abysmal failure--not quite as bad as the worst attorneys general in our history, but much closer to the bottom than to the top.

And, third, given the burgeoning scandal over the dismissal of federal prosecutors at the request of the White House, there appear to be few legitimate reasons why he deserves to stay in office.

What follows, then, is really a bill of particulars drawn up by some of the nation's leading lawyers and historians, that attempts to support these conclusions.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003557482

[stellanoir]

1. he legalized sadism and torture.

ughhh

[mod mom]

2. WOW...looks like the bu$h administration is legacy material:

WORST PRESIDENT
WORST VICE PRESIDENT
WORST SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND NOW..

WORST AG-What a triump Abu Gonzo!

GUESS THIS IS HOW LEGACIES ARE BUILT.

NOW LET'S ARREST THESE CRIMINALS!

[BOSSHOG]

7. Worst enablers

Worst media support system.

[mod mom]

13. Yeah, funny how alot of us were able to interrupt the intelligence to oppose

buSh's war but all these God damn(sorry I'm pissed!) "pundits" missed it. This goes for ALL those who voted for the IWR. It was obvious at that point that it was an illegimate administration based on lies so why would they take his word and allow an immoral war? and WTF about the patriot act? and Military Commission Acts. SHAMEFUL!

My children don't even remember a time before we had to protest. My children have never known a pResident that was respected instead of despised.

[BOSSHOG]

16. I was opposed to this Iraqi nonsense

long before we went and was shouted down when sharing my opinion. I resorted to shouting back. And the reasons for our going to war is fluid; it changes every couple of months and the ignorant trash morons who believe anything limbaugh says go along with the next justification. Not only ignorant but too proud to admit they were wrong all along, meanwhile our kids continue to die while those in power sit on their thumbs wondering what to do next.

[Atman]

3. Nothing's changed since I did this cartoon

Except for that...it's gotten worse. Gonzales has to fight for ass-kissing time with Condi.



.

[CJCRANE]

10. So true

:thumbsup:

[Cobalt-60]

4. They're a set

We will have the deliver Gonzo to the Hague along with the Rummy, Cheney, and Chimpy.

[LSparkle]

5. Torquemada is loyal to * not to the U.S. -- thus least suitable

It makes me cringe when I think of how he had the nerve to put up Harriet :) Miers for the f***ing SCOTUS ...

[Double T]

6. At least bushco is a consistently incompetent disgrace in the WH,.......

cabinet, agencies and departments.

[Bunny]

8. Here's a link to WaPo's story:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/benchconference/2007/03/alberto_gonzales_a_willing_acc.html#more

[Supersedeas]

18. thanks for the link

[rodeodance]

9. maybe this will Catch on?-----like it did with Rummy????

[madinmaryland]

11. Everyone in this admin seems to qualify as "WORST. EVER"

[kirby]

12. Supreme Court

Just think how close he was to being on the Supreme Court...

The fact that Democratic Senators didn't block this guys nomination after he authored the torture memos and other questionable legal rationalizations just goes to show what a collective lack of spine the Senate has.

[depakid]

14. Dems voting for confirmation

Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Salazar (D-CO)

Dems not voting:

Baucus (D-MT)
Conrad (D-ND)
Inouye (D-HI)

Gonzales Will Not Be Blocked
Senate Is Expected to Confirm Attorney General Nominee

Senate Democrats angrily denounced White House counsel Alberto R. Gonzales yesterday as an advocate of prisoner torture but said they would not block his confirmation as attorney general.

The minority Democrats briefly considered but quickly abandoned procedural delays to prevent a vote on Gonzales. Instead, they railed against President Bush's top lawyer for his role in administration legal policies that they said allowed the torture of detainees in Iraq. But they consented to a vote, likely tomorrow, at which Gonzales is expected to be confirmed.

Ultimately, Democrats concluded they had neither the votes nor the political stomach to block confirmation of Gonzales, who would be the first Hispanic to hold the nation's highest law enforcement office.

After a bruising debate last week followed by the confirmation of Condoleezza Rice as the first black woman to be secretary of state, some Democrats were concerned that they would be perceived as opposing qualified minority candidates. At a private luncheon yesterday, freshman Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), who is Hispanic, defended Gonzales to Democratic colleagues.

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54420-2005Feb1.html
---------------

[AndyA]

15. Anyone else spotting a trend here?

George Bush:
WORST PRESIDENT EVER.

Dick Cheney:
WORST VICE PRESIDENT EVER.

Condi Rice:
WORST SECRETARY OF STATE EVER.

Alberto Gonzalez:
WORST ATTORNEY GENERAL EVER.

Scooter Libby:
WORST PATSY EVER.

Yes indeed, folks, I do believe we have a trend here! :rofl:

Sadly, it's true. :(

[n2doc]

17. I was about to post something similar. Shrub is a "record breaker" in the worst way