Attorney general aims to fix Justice Department's image (touts aid to Katrina Victims)

[The Straight Story]

Attorney general aims to fix Justice Department's image
By Lara Jakes Jordan, Associated Press July 23, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says he's staying at the Justice Department to try to repair its broken image, telling Congress in a statement released Monday he's troubled that politics may have played a part in hiring career federal prosecutors.

The attorney general's comments came in 26 pages of prepared testimony that was released on the eve of his scheduled appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is expected to face detailed questions Tuesday about the firings and conflicts between his earlier statements and the testimony of a former aide.

After months of critics calling for his resignation, Gonzales appears to have weathered the political furor that began with the firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year and subsequently revealed a Justice Department hiring process that favored Republican loyalists.

In his written testimony, Gonzales touted the department's focus on terrorists, violent crime and even aid to the 2005 Hurricane Katrina victims. He made no reference to the fired U.S. attorneys and only briefly mentioned the controversy that has torpedoed morale at the Justice Department and has called the fairness of its attorneys' into question.

"Reinforcing public confidence in the department is also critical, and will be one of my top priorities as attorney general for the remainder of my term," Gonzales said in the prepared statement.

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