Gonzales LIED: Claimed Bush Did Not Authorize Actions…

[kpete]

January 2005: Gonzales Said Bush Did Not “Authorize Actions…In Contravention of Our Criminal Statutes.”
According to President Bush’s radio address today, as White House counsel, Alberto Gonzales personally approved Bush’s program for warrantless domestic wiretaps. By circumventing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, those wiretaps violated federal law.

In a classified legal opinion, the administration argued the President had the power to order the warrantless search pursuant to his authority as commander-in-chief to wage war against al-Qaeda.

During his confirmation hearings for Attorney General in January 2005, Sen. Russ Feingold asked Gonzales about this precise issue:

SEN. FEINGOLD: I — Judge Gonzales, let me ask a broader question. I’m asking you whether in general the president has the constitutional authority, does he at least in theory have the authority to authorize violations of the criminal law under duly enacted statutes simply because he’s commander in chief? Does he — does he have that power?

After trying to dodge the question for a time, Gonzales issued this denial:

MR. GONZALES: Senator, this president is not — I — it is not the policy or the agenda of this president to authorize actions that would be in contravention of our criminal statutes.

In fact, that was precisely the policy of the President.
http://atrios.blogspot.com/
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/18/gonzales-january/

[Nimrod2005]

1. I hope his ass is dragged into court too...

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. Start at the top, the idiot, and work your way down

this administration and haul them ALL to jail. They have hijacked our country. They MUST be held accountable!

[rodeodance]

3. gonzzy boy sits in the background giving permission to jr to break the law

[converted_democrat]

4. Unreal....K&R...n/t

[kpete]

5. And More:

And even in the event of a circumstance that resulted in the president contravening the law, Gonzales had this to say with regard to notification:

SEN. FEINGOLD: Finally, will you commit to notify Congress if the president makes this type of decision and not wait two years until a memo is leaked about it?

MR. GONZALES: I will to advise the Congress as soon as I reasonably can, yes, sir.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/12/18/134712/45