INSIDE THE BUSH WHITE HOUSE:
WHO SAYS GEORGE BUSH CAN’T UNITE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?
HAM-HANDED ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES HELPS BUSH “BRING US TOGETHER”
(CHICAGO)(March 14, 2007) What is it with George Bush and lawyers? First we had Attorney General John Ashcroft, who was a laughingstock and an incompetent jerk. He constantly went on TV to announce arrests in vast conspiracies that evaporated on closer inspection.
Now we have Alberto Gonzales who is, you guessed it.
But Gonzales has put lie to the claim that George Bush can’t unite the American people.
We are united! Everyone, from conservatives to liberals, is united in condemning the disgraceful behavior of the Attorney General and his DofJ munchkins.
Today Bush expressed “confidence” in Gonzales. Bad sign. Gonzo will be gone shortly. When Bush expresses “confidence,” an official is on his way out. Gonzales was being groomed for a seat on the Supreme Court. Now he is being groomed for a seat on Amtrak back to Texas.
It is all very sad. The corruption of justice and judicial service is never a light matter.
The Attorney General is unique in that he serves three (3) masters: (1) he is an officer of the courts, and is accountable to the court system for the actions of his employees; (2) he is accountable to the president; and (3) he is accountable to the American people.
It is true that the president can fire almost everyone who works in the execute branch. But the “right” to fire people does not mean that such power can be exercised capriciously or vindictively.
U.S. Attorneys are also hybrid officials. They usually rise to that office through the political process. But once in office they also serve the court system as well as the general public interest.
In the landmark case of Berger v. U. S., 295 U.S. 78, 88 (1935) the Supreme Court stated that:
The United States Attorney is the representative not of an ordinary party to a controversy, but of a sovereignty whose obligation to govern impartially is as compelling as its obligation to govern at all; and whose interest, therefore, in a criminal prosecution is not that it shall win a case, but that justice shall be done. As such, he is in a peculiar and very definite sense the servant of the law, the twofold aim of which is that guilt shall not escape or innocence suffer. He may prosecute with earnestness and vigor—indeed, he should do so. But, while he may strike hard blows, he is not at liberty to strike foul ones. It is as much his duty to refrain from improper methods calculated to produce a wrongful conviction as it is to use every legitimate means to bring about a just one.
So the U. S. Attorney is not just another Chicago patronage hack who can be replaced at will and whim.
Alberto Gonzales’ incompetent mismanagement of the DofJ—if his disclaimers and admissions of incompetence are to be believed—turned the federal prosecution service into an extension of a political clubhouse. The careers of decent men and women were needlessly trashed. Republcians all.
Making matters worse, a succession of DofJ officials marched up to Capitol Hill and repeatedly lied to congress.
So where are we now? Well, guess what. There is no right or left, no Republican or Democratic way to enforce justice. There is only the right way. And Gonzales has unfortunately pursued the wrong way.
The Washington Post carried 63 pages of redacted e-mails between DofJ, the White House and Capitol Hill. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2007/03/05/LI2007030500666.html
So there is written evidence to condemn the behavior of the persons involved. One has already departed. D. Kyle Sampson was a typical lower-level hack who gloried in his power and abused it horribly. He did serious damage to the president. Former White House counsel Harriet Miers is also in the soup.
And then there is Karl Rove. Karl, Karl.
Well, as I said, look on the bright side. The entire nation is united in saying the behavior of the White House and DofJ is wrong. Totally unacceptable.
Now if only Hillary was in the White House. Say, didn’t Bill try something similar back in 1996? To cover up his own crimes? Fire all the U. S. Attorneys?
The more things change…
As for Alberto, when Bushie is “not happy,” bad things happen. And Bushie was very, very embarrassed in Mexico today.
Al, have a nice trip back to Texas.
________________________________________________
Chicago-based Internet journalist, broadcaster and critic Andy Martin is the Executive Editor and publisher of ContrarianCommentary.com. © Copyright by Andy Martin 2007. Martin covers national and world politics with forty years of personal experience; he is America’s most respected independent foreign policy, military and intelligence analyst. Columns also posted at politicalgateway.com; contrariancommentary.blogspot.com; contrariancommentary.wordpress.com. Comments? E-mail: AndyMart20@aol.com. Media contact: (866) 706-2639
WHO SAYS GEORGE BUSH CAN’T UNITE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?
HAM-HANDED ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES HELPS BUSH “BRING US TOGETHER”
(CHICAGO)(March 14, 2007) What is it with George Bush and lawyers? First we had Attorney General John Ashcroft, who was a laughingstock and an incompetent jerk. He constantly went on TV to announce arrests in vast conspiracies that evaporated on closer inspection.
Now we have Alberto Gonzales who is, you guessed it.
But Gonzales has put lie to the claim that George Bush can’t unite the American people.
We are united! Everyone, from conservatives to liberals, is united in condemning the disgraceful behavior of the Attorney General and his DofJ munchkins.
Today Bush expressed “confidence” in Gonzales. Bad sign. Gonzo will be gone shortly. When Bush expresses “confidence,” an official is on his way out. Gonzales was being groomed for a seat on the Supreme Court. Now he is being groomed for a seat on Amtrak back to Texas.
It is all very sad. The corruption of justice and judicial service is never a light matter.
The Attorney General is unique in that he serves three (3) masters: (1) he is an officer of the courts, and is accountable to the court system for the actions of his employees; (2) he is accountable to the president; and (3) he is accountable to the American people.
It is true that the president can fire almost everyone who works in the execute branch. But the “right” to fire people does not mean that such power can be exercised capriciously or vindictively.
U.S. Attorneys are also hybrid officials. They usually rise to that office through the political process. But once in office they also serve the court system as well as the general public interest.
In the landmark case of Berger v. U. S., 295 U.S. 78, 88 (1935) the Supreme Court stated that:
The United States Attorney is the representative not of an ordinary party to a controversy, but of a sovereignty whose obligation to govern impartially is as compelling as its obligation to govern at all; and whose interest, therefore, in a criminal prosecution is not that it shall win a case, but that justice shall be done. As such, he is in a peculiar and very definite sense the servant of the law, the twofold aim of which is that guilt shall not escape or innocence suffer. He may prosecute with earnestness and vigor—indeed, he should do so. But, while he may strike hard blows, he is not at liberty to strike foul ones. It is as much his duty to refrain from improper methods calculated to produce a wrongful conviction as it is to use every legitimate means to bring about a just one.
So the U. S. Attorney is not just another Chicago patronage hack who can be replaced at will and whim.
Alberto Gonzales’ incompetent mismanagement of the DofJ—if his disclaimers and admissions of incompetence are to be believed—turned the federal prosecution service into an extension of a political clubhouse. The careers of decent men and women were needlessly trashed. Republcians all.
Making matters worse, a succession of DofJ officials marched up to Capitol Hill and repeatedly lied to congress.
So where are we now? Well, guess what. There is no right or left, no Republican or Democratic way to enforce justice. There is only the right way. And Gonzales has unfortunately pursued the wrong way.
The Washington Post carried 63 pages of redacted e-mails between DofJ, the White House and Capitol Hill. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2007/03/05/LI2007030500666.html
So there is written evidence to condemn the behavior of the persons involved. One has already departed. D. Kyle Sampson was a typical lower-level hack who gloried in his power and abused it horribly. He did serious damage to the president. Former White House counsel Harriet Miers is also in the soup.
And then there is Karl Rove. Karl, Karl.
Well, as I said, look on the bright side. The entire nation is united in saying the behavior of the White House and DofJ is wrong. Totally unacceptable.
Now if only Hillary was in the White House. Say, didn’t Bill try something similar back in 1996? To cover up his own crimes? Fire all the U. S. Attorneys?
The more things change…
As for Alberto, when Bushie is “not happy,” bad things happen. And Bushie was very, very embarrassed in Mexico today.
Al, have a nice trip back to Texas.
________________________________________________
Chicago-based Internet journalist, broadcaster and critic Andy Martin is the Executive Editor and publisher of ContrarianCommentary.com. © Copyright by Andy Martin 2007. Martin covers national and world politics with forty years of personal experience; he is America’s most respected independent foreign policy, military and intelligence analyst. Columns also posted at politicalgateway.com; contrariancommentary.blogspot.com; contrariancommentary.wordpress.com. Comments? E-mail: AndyMart20@aol.com. Media contact: (866) 706-2639
posted by Andy Martin | 12:18 PM
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