April 3, 2007
Pres. Bush Dodges Reporter’s Question About Loyalty Requirement of U.S. Attorney
- Uncategorized
- Alberto Gonzales
- U.S. Attorney Firings
- White House
- Dept. of Justice
- Pres. George W. Bush
- Dana Perino
President Bush dodged question by Washington Post reporter Peter Baker about how loyalty plays a part in evaluating and firing U.S. attorneys. It’s a variation on the “loyal Bushies” test raised by Kyle Sampson, the Attorney General’s former Chief of Staff.
Here is Baker’s question:
Sir, your administration evaluated all 93 U.S. attorneys, in part on the basis of loyalty. That was one of the criteria that was used. What role should loyalty to you play in the evaluation of those charged with administering justice and enforcing the law.
Not surprisingly, President Bush dodged answering it, but continued the White House line that he had every right to fire them:
[T]he eight U.S. attorneys, they serve at my pleasure, they have served four-year terms, and we have every right to replace them.
Or as White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino put it, they didn’t “keep the President’s pleasure.”
Gonzales has admitted that the law was broken. He is on record as lying to Congress. He violated the rights of American citizens.
When is he going to jail? Why do we have an admitted criminal for an Attorney General?