Something about the Gonzales scandal that has me wondering

[whosinpower]

Breaking it down -

US Attorneys are hired and fired by the president.
Gonzales made this happen and in such a way that new attorneys could be appointed without the normal vetting process--am I correct so far?

The uproar right now is that the attorneys that were fired, were not performing to the level of republican asskissing that was required. Is this correct? Even though they recieved stellar reviews of their work.

Gonzales is under fire for lying about it.

But I am wondering why the president is not under fire? These attorneys are hired and FIRED by the president. Bush stated this emphatically. They serve under his pleasure. So, I am wondering why Gonzales is facing all the heat, when the real issue is that these attorneys were not performing to Bush standards....and I am also wondering how it is that he can get away with stating not knowing any details or reasons why they were fired. HE HIRES THEM AND FIRES THEM AS HE SEES FIT! He stated as much- and yet he has no clue why they were fired--only that he has confidence in Gonzales and is upset with how Gonzales explained the situation to Congress.

Can someone explain this to me?

[BOSSHOG]

1. I had to chuckle earlier in the week

when bush lackey dan bartlett said bush had nothing to do with the firings BUT HE APPROVED THEM. The only explanation I might offer is that gonzalez is just the latest firewall protecting the number one criminal in the country. I am optimistic bush will meet face to face with justice before he has a chance to fly off to his property in Paraguay.

[Lerkfish]

4. Interesting question: what if a standing US president is out of the country, is charged and refuses

to reenter the country?

[BOSSHOG]

7. To compund the interest

Paraguay does not have an extradition treaty with the U. S.. bush is making plans for his post presidency. He can hide from the truth the rest of his miserable life. No doubt he'll have fake barns and fake cows and fake brush on his fake "ranch."

[Virginia Dare]

8. Immediate impeachment and removal from office...

and the V.P. would assume duties? :shrug:

[TechBear_Seattle]

11. A sitting president can not be charged

He can, however, be impeached by the House (ie have indictments brought against him) and removed from office by the Senate (ie convicted and sentenced under those indictments.)

If a sitting president refuses to return to the United States, I believe Congress has the power to impeach him for dereliction of duty. It is possible that it could be done without impeachment if Congress decides that his abandoning his office has made him unfit for duty.

[Lerkfish]

13. thanks, that's what I was thinking

[KansDem]

12. Yeah, can you imagine repossessing Air Force One?

I can see it now:

"Hey, Mac! Get yourself down to Paraguay and get Air Force One back here. That SOB Bush took it down there and isn't coming back, so you need to do the job. Here are the keys..."

[Botany]

6. Thanx for posting

"bush had nothing to do with the firings BUT HE APPROVED THEM."

This like the Scooter Libby case goes right into the White House.

[TahitiNut]

15. The papier mache pretensions of 'approval' and 'responsibility' are laughable.

Abu Gonzo declares he's 'responsible' (with a stiff upper lip) and then, in essence, acknowledges he's not acted responsibly in any sense whatsoever. It's totally laughable that ANY Chief of Staff (including Libby!) would act without the full knowledge and complicity of the principal. There can be no more closely-coordinated subordinate than a Chief of Staff.

But abu Gonzo struts and postures and, like a 7-year-old wearing her mother's shoes and furs, claims to "take responsibility" in the same breath he runs from it like a vampire from garlic.

Same with DimSon ... posturing like a "loyal and supportive" boss and vacuously declaring 'approval' for something which, in the very same breath, he denies knowledge of.

It'd be comedy if it were funny, but it's not. These people MUST be jailed for life. Or longer.

[hippiechick]

2. Because Alberto is another fall guy for Blivet ...

... just like Scooter is the fall guy for Darth Cheney in Plamegate.

They never ever never ever take responsibility for their own actions, they hire old cronies who are extremely well-paid to do it for them.

[LiberalEsto]

3. One step at a time.

First Gonzo, then Dubya.

And if enough legal pressure is brought to bear on Gonzo, it's possible that he will break and sing like a birdie.

[Virginia Dare]

5. Gonzales is the one who lied before Congress..

when he said it wasn't political, when clearly it was.

They also tried to pin it on Harriet Miers, they said that it was her who came up with the scheme in the first place.

[HereSince1628]

9. US Attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president, they don't serve the president's pleasure

To be free to do the job of US Attorneys they must have the latitude to investigate probable criminal wrong doing...even when the wrong doing is done by members or officials of the President's political party.

Gonzales is just like Bush in as much as both are in over their heads. Being out of their depth they rely on "loyalty" and trust facilitators like Rove and Cheney to guide them. Unfortunately, Rove and Cheney are two of the most partisan personalities to ever serve in the WH.

No one blames Bush because they know he isn't the one making the decisions.

[stanwyck]

10. Bush never knows the details

Karl tells him what needs to happen. He agrees. But as we've seen in the past six years, Bush is totally unaware of the specifics in every situation. He just doesn't care that much. He's not intellectually curious. He doesn't want to do the homework. He concentrates on the main ideology (get rid of attorneys who don't support his administration) and that's it.
Yes. The devil is in the details. But, sometimes the devil lets the henchmen do the work while he clears brush.

[Javaman]

14. Because when anyone finds themselves suddenly in the employ of the moron*

They are hit with a mind altering laser which causes a blank spot in their brain. They really want to say morons* name but they are physically unable to.

It would go something like this:

Senator #1: so Mr. Abu Gonzalez, from whom did you get the order from to fire these attorneys?

Abu: that would be my boss...

Senator #1: and that would be?

Abu: the pre...the pre..

Senator #2: excuse me? are you having trouble?

Abu: pre...pre...pre...

Senator #2: someone get Abu a glass of water

Abu gulps down the water.

Abu: sorry I don't know what happened I sort of blacked out.

Senator #3: okay, what is your boss's name?

Abu: B...B...B...BBBBBBBBBB.....

Senator #3: get a grip man, what is wrong with you? Just say his name!

Abu: BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB.....

Ten years later, in a home for the criminally insane...

Orderly: There there mr Abu, it's all good. now lets roll you over to the nice window and have a look at the beautiful day.

Abu: BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB...

Orderly: see, there are nice birdies, and beautiful trees, lush green grass and someone is putting in a wonderful new BUSH...

Abu screams out in pain, grabs his head and faints dead away.

[solara]

16. Excellent question

I was wondering the same thing myself during Alberto's "press conference" I believe the statement "I serve at the President's pleasure" means that there is nothing he does that isn't discussed and allowed by the President. In otherwords, he is the President's man, his SERVANT, sort of like the relationship between Renfield and Count Dracula.

No doubt the Count is upset with Renfield's often repeated "hint" that he doesn't do anything without the oversight and approval of his Master. :eyes:


INVESTIGATE IMPEACH INDICT INCARCERATE :patriot:



:kick: k&r

[Bandit]

17. The buck never ever ever ever stops at the Bush* whitehouse

He has never done anything wrong in his entire life, just ask him...

[InkAddict]

18. Management style - He's a delegator and

gave this task over to Rove, Meiers, Gonzolez, et. al.

"Now don't bother me with the details and watch this drive!" Even Kenny Boy claimed he didn't know the details!

Let those cute little Raptors descend and make feast on the green! It's Buzzard Day!