April 15: White House Closer to Deal on Testimony
The senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee indicated today that he thinks a deal is within reach for senior White House officials to testify regarding the firings of U.S. attorneys.
"I think we're going to get it worked out," Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) said on ABC's "This Week." "There have been conversations. I've talked to Fred Fielding about it, and he wants to know that there is a unified position between the House and the Senate.
Specter said he thinks the White House ultimately will agree to have a private meeting with lawmakers that includes a transcript. The White House has insisted that no transcript be taken. "There is not going to be any budging, ... to have a transcript," Specter said. "That is indispensable."
Ahead of an appearance Tuesday by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales before the Senate committee, Specter also said Gonzales should consider reinstating several of the eight fired U.S. attorneys.
"I think he ought to consider it. It's kind of hard to unscramble these eggs, but I think that it is possible. At a minimum, he ought to have a case-by-case analysis, and either justify the reasons for replacing them, or concede that he was wrong," Specter said. "And if he was wrong ... reinstatement wouldn't be a bad idea if it could be done administratively."
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), another Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said Gonzales has "an uphill struggle to re-establish his credibility with the committee, given prior statements."
To do so, Graham said on "Fox News Sunday," "He needs to explain what he did and why he did it. There are three or four different versions of his role in this, and he needs to bring clarity to what he did and why he did it."
The comments came after Gonzales released his prepared testimony, saying he had "nothing to hide."
Meanwhile, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said, Democrats have failed to provide any evidence of any wrongdoing in the firings.
"While Democrats have suspicions because there are political corruption cases going in virtually every U.S. attorney jurisdiction today -- and there always are -- there is no evidence that any of these individuals were removed in order to stop a prosecution or, in fact, that any prosecutions were stopped or investigations were stopped," Kyl said on CNN's "Late Edition." "The problem is the attorney general here is trying to prove a negative. I didn't do something for a bad purpose. It's really incumbent upon those who are casting aspersions on him and on the administration to show the evidence if there is any, and so far there is not, that any prosecution was stopped because of this or that it was done for that purpose."
Cheney Speaks His Mind
Vice President Dick Cheney appears for a taping of CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, April 15. (AP Photo/CBS)
Vice President Cheney called Democrats in Congress "irresponsible" for pushing Iraq war funding legislation that contains a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, but he predicted that they would eventually pass a bill without conditions.
"I think the Congress will pass clean legislation," Cheney said on CBS's "Face the Nation." If Democrats don't have the votes to override Bush's veto, "they will not leave the troops in the field without the resources they need to be able to carry out their mission."
[This report by the Post's Shailagh Murray includes more from Cheney on Iraq, as well as a response from Democratic Sen. Carl M. Levin (Mich.).]
Cheney told host Bob Schieffer that he has not spoken to his former chief of staff, I. "Scooter" Lewis Libby, since Libby's conviction nearly six weeks ago on perjury and other charges.
"Why not?" Schieffer asked.
"There hasn't been occasion to do so, but I have enormous regard for the man," Cheney replied. "I believe deeply in Scooter Libby. He's one of the most dedicated public servants I've ever worked with. And I think this is a great tragedy."
Libby was convicted of lying to FBI agents about his role in the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.
Cheney was asked about comments in 2004 made by the late president Gerald Ford and reported after his death in December. Ford told The Washington Post's Bob Woodward that Cheney had developed a "fever" about terrorism and had become "much more pugnacious" since serving as Ford's chief of staff in the 1970s.
"I don't know that I've changed. I'm certainly older than I was when we worked together in the White House or you covered us in the White House 30 years ago," Cheney said.
Bill Richardson
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a 2008 Democratic hopeful, appeared on ABC with a lot to say about his time recovering the remains of Americans in North Korea. He didn't have much to say, though, when asked about his presidential positions.
-- Iraq: Asked to name one retired general or military expert who agrees with him that all U.S. troops should be out of the country by the end of the year, Richardson whiffed. "I know this region. I've been to Iraq. I've negotiated with Saddam Hussein. I was ambassador at the United Nations, and I dealt 75 percent with this Iraq issue. I have military advisers ... I have a number of advisers, and I believe that my plan is going to succeed," he responded instead.
-- Gonzales: Asked whether Gonzales should resign, Richardson said he didn't have to -- if he agrees that future U.S. attorneys have to be confirmed by the Senate, that he would no longer be the "president's political adviser," and that he would de-politicize the Justice Department.
"I know the man. He is a good man. He's Hispanic, somebody that has risen up to the top," Richardson said. "But at the same time, he has got to get more engaged in running his department. He is losing credibility."
-- Health Care: Asked why he believes he could create a universal health program without increased spending or higher taxes, Richardson replied, "Every time a Democrat, it seems, we propose a new plan, it's more spending or more taxes. I'm not that way."
"I have never seen a credible plan for comprehensive health care that doesn't at least have some taxes for the transition costs. Won't that be necessary?" host George Stephanopoulos asked.
Richardson replied, "No, I don't believe so, George. ... The first steps you take is to reform the existing system."
News and Notes
* IRAQ: Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Democrats would not back off of sending a bill with an Iraq timetable to the president, calling it an important symbolic event.
"We are very, very serious about what the American people said in November," Levin said on "Fox News Sunday."
"They want a change of course."
But should Bush veto the bill, Levin said, an acceptable second bill would include only benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet.
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham said on the same show that the United States needs to go full force ahead in trying to bring a measure of peace and stability to Iraq. "Now is the time to pour it on politically, economically and militarily, and build on this momentum," he said. "We're not going to let car bombers define the fate of Iraq."
*IMUS: The Rev. Al Sharpton, who pushed successfully for the ouster of radio personality Don Imus after he made disparaging remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team, said he has been also trying to change the culture surrounding rap music.
"I think the real question is whether or not the major media will cover our already having gone after some of the rappers and record companies ...," Sharpton said on Fox. "I led a campaign against the whole song 'It's Hard Out Here to be a Pimp' and said it should have never gotten an Oscar nomination. I led a campaign and had marches against the show 'Boondocks' that used the 'N' word. Both are blacks involved."
The subject of Imus made for a bit of an awkward moment on NBC's "Meet the Press" for host Tim Russert, who has routinely appeared on Imus' show, and his roundtable. Russert made clear his own views:
"I don't think anyone felt that what Don said was defensible, including himself. I feel profoundly sad for the team.
They went to the pinnacle of the basketball into the finals, and this is what they had to talk about all week.
"I also feel sadness for Don Imus and his wife and his family. I think he said a terrible thing, I think he regrets it. She is a former college athlete, they've done a lot of good things for a lot of good people, and I think the discussion was not whether or not he said something terrible or offensive, but what should be the magnitude of his punishment, which I think is a fair discussion to have."
Russert said he would appear on another Imus show, if it focused on something such as racial conciliation.
By Zachary Goldfarb |
April 15, 2007; 3:56 PM ET
Previous: April 15 Preview: Cheney on "Face the Nation" |
Next: April 22: Va. Tech Tragedy and AG Gonzales in the Spotlight
Posted by: JohnWoo | April 15, 2007 5:01 PM
Interesting! Quote End Quote. In that case why does one need an Attorney General? Under the current Attorney General, it is a figurehead position. Sampson and Monica were running the department. The Attorney General position does not need Senate confirmation, but his assistants do.
Posted by: OscarMayer | April 15, 2007 5:12 PM
Jon Kyl has made a fool of himself. How can the democrats show wrong doing in the attorney firings when evidence is being witheld? If the attorney general would uphold the law and enforce the subpeonas, I'm sure there would be ample evidence. Oh, but how foolish of me to expect the attorney general to uphold the law.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 15, 2007 5:59 PM
The Democrats have proven wrongdoing in my eyes. If you want a conviction in court then name a special prosecutor.
Posted by: fultonda | April 15, 2007 6:46 PM
There is a tremendous amount of racism and sexism in this country, and making an example of Don Imus, who has done so much good in his life and stands as an example of how a drug addict and alcoholic can turn his life around and really help others, is not going to help as much as it is going to hurt. I grew up on the South Texas border in the 40's and 50's and I know racism personally, but what is happening to Don Imus is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Posted by: Pedro Barrera | April 15, 2007 9:34 PM
Why should We the People work out a deal with the White House? This is not a matter of national security, right? Not like handing over state secrets. Committing felonies in order to obtain some kind of political lock on government will be a black mark on the history of this country, sure, but there is no reason to give them any kind of deal. Put them under oath, in public, for as long as it takes to get the truth out of those crooks, and by golly get a transcript. These men have done more to harm the rule of law in this country than any US citizen in history--if they get away with it, the Grand Experiment is half way down the slippery slope into authoritarianism. Do not let these people shred our democracy!!
Posted by: Ellen | April 15, 2007 10:00 PM
I heard Sen. Kyl insist there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Alberto Gonzales. How would he know? Most of the records are successfully being hidden or are already destroyed. We do know, for certain, that Karl Rove carried out administration business outside of the White House required system. There is no way this could be an innocent mistake.
Posted by: Gardenia | April 15, 2007 10:32 PM
As a involuntery constituent of Senator Kyl's, I was stunned by his remarks today! With his recebt re-election, we may expect nearly six more years of this pseudo-insider, divisive bombast that he tries to pass off as glib logic. Someone tell Jon that the evidence is being withheld, lost or hidden behind the Fifth Amendment!
"Trying to prove a negative"? Indeed, Senator -- is that because Attorney General Gonzales cannot prove a positive -- that he fired those USAs for justifiable and documented causes? Gimme a break, Jon!
Posted by: rdrover | April 15, 2007 11:04 PM
Cheney hasn't found time to talk to his old tight buddy, Scooter, the dedicated public servant? Wow, is Cheney a stand-up dude or not? Scooter could go to jail for Deadeye Dick and Turd Blossom and he doesn't even get a thank-you call? These Republicans are models of loyalty.
Posted by: mikeasr | April 15, 2007 11:54 PM
``Democrats haven`t provided evidence``. Give me a break. Justice documents are blacked out, emails are missing, people are refusing to testify. I would guess that if we could read documents, emails were found, and people told the truth, we would find ample proof of the reasons each of the 8 were asked to resign. And maybe even find that LAWS WERE BROKEN, maybe. From a prole point of view, the reluctance to be transparent connotes guilt.
Posted by: Doneen | April 29, 2007 5:58 PM
Then again, with Posse Comitatus posed to die in October, 2007, we may not have a regime change in 2008. What is considered Guantanamo chic?
Posted by: Doneen | April 29, 2007 6:02 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
It is always important in matters like this to follow due process and precedent. Assuming AG Gonzales has done his homework, and that Kyle Sampson did not somehow eat it, Judge Gonzales should be given every chance to explain his decision to fire the 8 US Attorneys. Today*s op-ed in the Post entitled NOTHING IMPROPER is a good start. Perhaps Gonzales never made the decision to fire them. Perhaps Gonzales has made no significant decisions at all while he has been at the Justice Department. We should approach his upcoming testimony with open minds.