President Bush has chosen White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, a Texas confidant and the most prominent Hispanic in the administration, to succeed Attorney General John Ashcroft, sources close to the White House said Wednesday.
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Gonzales has been at the center of developing Bush's positions on balancing civil liberties with waging the war on terrorism — opening the White House counsel to the same line of criticism that has dogged Ashcroft.For instance, Gonzales publicly defended the administration's policy — essentially repudiated by the Supreme Court and now being fought out in the lower courts — of detaining certain terrorism suspects for extended periods without access to lawyers or courts.
He also wrote a controversial February 2002 memo in which Bush claimed the right to waive anti-torture law and international treaties providing protections to prisoners of war. That position drew fire from human rights groups, which said it helped led to the type of abuses uncovered in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.
Come on now, you didn't really believe Bush's post-Election Day BS about "reaching out to the whole nation," did you? This is the same president who said his win in 2000, after losing the popular vote, amounted to a "mandate." It was only a matter of time before he got around to Gonzales, who he's been trying to shove down our throats for years.
And if "Thumbscrews" is the new Attorney General, I don't even want to think about who he's got lined up to replace Rehnquist.
I'm afraid he may have cloned Roy Cohn.
But I'd be remiss in not mentioning our outgoing AG:
The gospel-singing son of a minister, Ashcroft is a fierce conservative who doesn't drink, smoke or dance. His detractors said he gave religion too prominent a role at the Justice Department — including optional prayer meetings with staff before each work day. He has also been a willing lightning rod for critics who said his policies for thwarting terrorists infringed on the rights of innocent people.
Ashcroft championed many of the most controversial government actions following the Sept. 11 attacks, most notably the USA Patriot Act. It bolstered FBI surveillance powers, increased use of material witness warrants to hold suspects incommunicado for months. When there was a break in a terror case, he was the man at the lectern soberly informing the American people.
Well, one of us had to be sober. Seeing him and/or Tom Ridge issuing yet another dire warning with little or no intel to back it up almost turned me into a fifth-of-Jameson-a-day man.
"The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved," he said in resignation letter to Bush, dated Nov. 2 — Election Day.
It has? Well, what the hell do we need an Attorney General for in the first place, then?
Man, you had me worried there for a minute.
If he does make it to the Court, will Joseph Smith's Gila monster appear and give him advice?
LOL, actually I think it was a talking salamander that appeared to Joe (I'm all about the ladies) Smith. As for Hatch, even if a gila monster or salamander tried to advise him, he wouldn't listen. The guy is a certifiable megalomaniac.
An AG with religious beliefs and who prays?!!! Dear God! Our country is going to hell in a handbasket!! Warnings on terrorism with no results! How can we ever have another 911 if that continues?!!!!
Don't forget, Gonzales is the prince who wrote the memo that said it was okay for the United States of America to use torture.
And this is the guy who Bush wants to have in charge of our Justice Department.
People thought we on the left overreacted with our rending of garments when Bush won. But, not 10 days later, Bush has appointed a man who approves the use of torture to head the US Justice Department.
Tell me again that it can't happen here?
Pete/Jane -- John Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven" gives a good look at Smith and his lemmin...er...followers. Krakauer's other books are good reads too.
Its pretty interesting that on the day Asscroft was pushed aside, the terror alert warning system was decreased for many instituions around the country. At least he's outta the picture, now maybe they'll uncover those provocative nudes at the DOJ so we can stare at them during the new AG's press conferences.
An AG with religious beliefs and who prays?!!! Dear God! Our country is going to hell in a handbasket!!
Oh please. Ashcroft is to regular Christians what John Wayne Gacy was to clowns.
Warnings on terrorism with no results! How can we ever have another 911 if that continues?!!!!
Yeah, I'm sure al-Qaeda was thwarted by the warnings issued about possible floating bombs at our resorts. And also about those neat-o pens loaded with contact poison.
And Doc, Jane and I have both lived in Utah (she lives their now, if I'm not mistaken). I think Krakauer's book would bring back too many memories.
The core of Krakauer's book focused on the Fundamentalist story. However, he also did a good job of painting the history of Mormonism. It's an enlightening read (please tell me I didn't use "enlightening" in a religious post) and one that makes you question the sanity of religion in general, not just Smith.
* BTW, Utah is -- in my book -- is a state that everyone should visit at least once. Nothing like hiking up the Zion switchbacks to sit atop the Angel's Landing perch.
Putting Gonzales at AG is prepping him for a SCOTUS nomination.
SpinMD, I read Krakauer's book and you're right. It is enlightening (D'oh, I used that word) and appalling. If I hadn't lived in Utah during that sordid, grim episode it would be hard to believe it happened. I'll drop the religious references but let me encourage you to read Fawn Brodie's biography of Smith, No Man Knows My History. It will give you a frighteningly clear picture of what his church is all about and why the thought of Orrin Hatch becoming a SC justice scares the hell outta me.
babyjane, which prophecy might that be? is that a direct quote? i'd be interested in a link; or if you are the foremost authority on the lds church, i wouldn't have any aversion to seeing your credentials.
He doesn't have to clone Roy Cohn; he has Orrin Hatch warming up in the bullpen. This guy honestly believes the Mormon bullshit prophecy that says "the Constitution of the US will hang by a thread" and the LDS church will ride in and rescue it! Honest to Gawd, that's the prophecy. Hatch thinks he's the one who'll lead the Mormon cavalry to the rescue. This guy's so arrogant and power hungry delusions of grandeur are understatements when applied to him. Wait and see. Hatch is angling for a Supreme Court seat. If he gets it, I can only hope Justice Ginsberg eats him for lunch.