Gonzales praises U.S. attorney conducting CIA leak investigation

[DoYouEverWonder]

Aug. 08, 2005

CHICAGO - (KRT) - After visiting with U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald on Monday morning to see how he and his staff are handling their workload, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Fitzgerald has his full support.

"I wanted to meet with his team and express my gratitude and appreciation for all the good work that this office is doing," he said. "As attorney general, I have great confidence in Pat Fitzgerald."

Gonzales spoke at Chicago's Hilton Hotel in the Loop during an American Bar Association annual meeting. During an editorial board meeting Monday afternoon at the Chicago Tribune, Gonzales said he did not think there had been any conversations at the White House about replacing Fitzgerald, whose term ends in October.

President Bush will decide whether to let him continue in the job or to appoint someone else.


http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/12334418.htm


Bush will decide? Isn't this decision usually up to the AG?

[jsamuel]

1. the reapointment is NOT for the CIA leak investigation, but for his job in

Chicago

[Sgent]

2. I'd feel a lot better

if the AG would just stay the hell out of Chicago.

[wli]

3. this is really spooky

Gonzales saying good things about the guy that's supposed to be taking down BushCo is really freaking eerie.

[54anickel]

5. Had the exact same feeling - whazzup?...eom

[grytpype]

16. What prompted this?

Just a drop-by and a friendly chat? It's a bit weird.

[moodforaday]

20. Fitzgerald won't be fired or demoted

He can also be promoted. Same result.

[KoKo]

4. Well....if this is accurate it's a "Kiss of Death." The link is

Registration Only so it's hard to get the full read of the article to know if this is typical Bush/Rove disinformation...or there's some truth to it. :shrug:

[Halliburton]

6. bugmenot.com

that'll let you bypass the registration

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Try this one instead

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/news/nation/12334418.htm

The top one works for me only if I access it through Yahoo:

http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=Gonzales+praises+U.S.+attorney+conducting+CIA+leak+investigation&ei=UTF-8&fl=0&x=wrt

[KoKo]

21. Thanks for the links! n/t

[seemslikeadream]

9. here's more

Gonzales spoke at Chicago's Hilton Hotel in the Loop during an American Bar Association annual meeting. During an editorial board meeting Monday afternoon at the Chicago Tribune, Gonzales said he did not think there had been any conversations at the White House about replacing Fitzgerald, whose term ends in October.

President Bush will decide whether to let him continue in the job or to appoint someone else.

Fitzgerald has questioned several Bush administration officials in connection with his investigation of the leak to the media of the identity of an undercover CIA agent.

Fitzgerald is also leading an investigation into charges of fraud in hiring for Chicago government jobs.

"I told him today, `You need to go where the evidence takes you,'" Gonzales said. "I do understand Mr. Fitzgerald has devoted significant resources to deal with this issue, as he should do."

During his speech at the annual meeting, Gonzales said his biggest concerns were the Federal Sentencing Reform Act, the Patriot Act and the Voting Rights Act. The Federal Sentencing Reform Act was passed in 1984 to increase safety, Gonzales said. In January, the Supreme Court ruled that federal sentencing guidelines are advisory only, and Gonzales said a minimum-guideline system is the best option he has seen to remedy that decision.

He said certain aspects of the Voting Rights Act passed in 1965 only apply to some states, and Congress and the Bush administration need to decide if it still makes sense to have that legislation. He also wants to see the Patriot Act extended.
"Because we're able to share information between the law enforcement community and the intelligence community, we have been successful in breaking up cells in Oregon, Washington and in New York," he said.

[seemslikeadream]

10. and the rest

_About the proposed legislation to protect journalists from being forced to reveal their sources: "I have said recently that we will go back and look at that to see if that's still good policy."

_About questioning Supreme Court candidates: "I do think it's inappropriate to set forth a position on an issue that might come before them."

_About affirmative action: "As Hispanics, we say we don't want to be discriminated against because of our race, and when we're given opportunities solely because of our race, that might mean someone else is denied an opportunity because of their race."

Air Force Col. Will Gunn, chief defense counsel for the Department of Defense Office of Military Commissions, gave the keynote address as the bar association luncheon. He has led the defense of the four detainees brought up on charges in military trials at Guantanamo Bay.
During a news conference after the luncheon, Gunn criticized a system that has prevented Yemeni Salim Ahmed Hamdan and his civilian lawyer from attending portions of Hamdan's trial. Hamdan is accused of being a former bodyguard and driver for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

"That causes me great concern," Gunn said. "It's going to be essential for the government to have full and fair proceedings. "
Gunn called on the Department of Defense to release a report finished last year in response to Guantanamo prosecutors' concerns that detainees were not getting fair trials.

[MidwestTransplant]

8. I don't think the AG has oversight over the leak investigation?

[lovuian]

11. I think AG has to play the role of Attorney General!!!

and that means being nice to Fitzgerald who has him in a nut crunch!!!

[Pithy Cherub]

12. Fitzgerald has been officially kissed by bush scum so he needs:

A seriously safety-tested "Big Air" Xtreme Crash Helmet
Kevlar PJ's
A 24/7 junk food test taster
His own personal undisclosed secure location
And some bubble bath disinfectant to remove the "Judas Kiss" he just received from the Head Torturer from the little Bush Inquisitorial Team.

:hide:

Shouldn't Gonzales have No Contact with Fitzgerald as he was White House Counsel when the Plame outing occured. The appearance of impropriety and all...:freak:

[goforit]

18. roflmao!!!!...Hysterical!!!

[Fly by night]

13. Why does this sound like McGovern's "110%" endorsement of Eagleton...

... just before he bounced him from the 1972 ticket?

Come on Fitzgerald, let the indictments fly. The clock is ticking and it's in the belly of the crocodile that is about to take a big bite out of your ass.

[Inland]

14. The Judas kiss.

sounds like the AG is handing him a gold watch and waving bye bye.

[nolabels]

15. Maybe Gonzo was there to make the deal nobody could refuse

Like the guy could stipulate in legal verbiage why it's okay to torture prisoners. To me that just says somehow he was there for more than just a checkup. Legal or not Gonzo always wants to do what's "RIGHT"


http://www.nationalcynical.com/

[Solly Mack]

17. The Torture Czar praised him? Then he's toast

Bush Inc tend to praise those they fire...just before they fire them....or they ah..resign.

[goforit]

19. Theres a snake in the brush and a set up in the making.

[Jane Austin]

22. You don't suppose Gonzales sees that Bush is a lame duck

and that he (Gonzales) has a future after bushco has all gone to jail, er I mean back to the ranch?

I mean, maybe Fredo is looking out for himself.