GONZALES RESIGNS!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 8:49am

Finally!

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THE NEW YORK TIMES

August 27, 2007
Embattled Attorney General Resigns
By STEVEN LEE MYERS

WACO, Tex., Aug. 27 — Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, whose tenure has been marred by controversy and accusations of perjury before Congress, has resigned. A senior administration official said he would announce the decision later this morning in Washington.

Mr. Gonzales, who had rebuffed calls for his resignation, submitted his to President Bush by telephone on Friday, the official said. His decision was not announced immediately announced, the official added, until after the president invited him and his wife to lunch at his ranch near here.

Mr. Bush has not yet chosen a replacement but will not leave the position open long, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the resignation had not yet been made public.

Mr. Bush had repeatedly stood by Mr. Gonzales, an old friend and colleague from Texas, even as Mr. Gonzales faced increasing scrutiny for his leadership of the Justice Department, over issues including his role in the dismissals of nine United States attorneys late last year and whether he testified truthfully about the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs.

Earlier this month, at a news conference, Mr. Bush dismissed accusations that Mr. Gonzales had had stonewalled or misled a congressional inquiry. “We’re watching a political exercise,” Mr. Bush said. “I mean, this is a man who has testified, he’s sent thousands of papers up there. There’s no proof of wrong.”

Mr. Gonzales’s resignation is the latest in a series of high-level departures that has reshaped the end of Mr. Bush’s second term. Karl Rove, another of Mr. Bush’s close circle of aides from Texas, stepped down two weeks ago.

The official who disclosed the resignation today said that the decision was Mr. Gonzales’s and that the president accepted it grudgingly. At the same time, the official acknowledged that the turmoil over Mr. Gonzales had made his continuing as attorney general difficult.

“The unfair treatment that he’s been on the receiving end of has been a distraction for the department,” the official said.

As recently as Sunday afternoon, Mr. Gonzales was denying through his press spokesman, Brian Roehrkass, that he intended to leave.

Mr. Roehrkass said Sunday afternoon that he had telephoned Mr. Gonzales about the reports circulating in Washington that a resignation was imminent, “and he said it wasn’t true, so I don’t know what more I can say.”

White House spokesmen also misled reporters on Sunday, insisting that there was no truth to the reports. Aides to senior members of the Senate Judiciary Committee said over the weekend that they had received no suggestion from the administration that Mr. Gonzales intended to resign.

Senator Charles Schumer, the New York Democrat who sits on the committee and has been calling for Mr. Gonzales’s resignation for months, said this morning: “It has been a long and difficult struggle, but at last the attorney general has done the right thing and stepped down. For the previous six months, the Justice Department has been virtually nonfunctional, and desperately needs new readership.”

Senator Schumer said that “Democrats will not obstruct or impede a nominee who we are confident will put the rule of law above political considerations.”

Philip Shenon contributed reporting.

Embattled Attorney General Resigns

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 8:52am

Let's remember the issue is Alberto Gonzales's wrongdoings not PalJoey's soothsaying.

When the history of this administration is written, it will show that discussions about Gonzales's resignation were happening well before Good Friday, which was considered by Rove and Cheney good timing for a quiet news cycle.

But let's focus on ALBERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTO!

[romantico]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 9:17am

All are jumping ship! Lets pray Bush is next!

Updated On: 8/27/07 at 09:17 AM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 9:22am

Even though this has been a pretty $hitty last few weeks for me ...

everyone...

Happy dance, happy dance, happy happy happy dance.

Please, appoint someone to justice that will restore some echo of respectability to this branch of justice.

Fredo is gone, and he will not be missed.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 9:25am

what shoe is about to drop that they would announnce this first thing on a monday?!?!?!!?

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 9:33am

I just can't believe that we have more than a YEAR left of this administration. I could almost see if all of this were happening in the final months of the administration... That sort of gives "lame duck" a whole new meaning, doesn't it? Will the exec branch even be functioning this time next year?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 9:53am

The Endless Administration.

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 10:22am

I wonder if Gonzo will give a reason for his resignation or if he'll just say, "I can't recall."

Updated On: 8/27/07 at 10:22 AM

[VoiceAnth22]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 10:23am

I'm thrilled.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 10:29am

Like all of the rest, Gonzo will want to spend more time with his family.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 10:40am

I guess I'm paranoid- but why if he called it quits FRIDAY did they hold it till MONDAY? Something must be up- I'd think they would have much rather had this break over the weekend.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 10:47am

What's up is that Bush had a weekend-long temper tantrum.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 10:47am

Oh God- do you think they were holding this announcement until the "Castro's finally dead" story broke? Then when they realized they couldn't hold it forever, they just dropped it in hoping that Owen Wilson's suicide attempt would cover it?
Updated On: 8/27/07 at 10:47 AM

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 11:18am

Good riddance! Go back to Texas with Karen and Carl!

[robbiej]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 11:20am

Ugh. A singularly unattractive bunch. But when Fred Thompson is considered 'sexy', you can't expect more.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 11:35am

You've got that right, Robbie.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 11:35am

Joe--maybe they STAGED Owen Wilson's wrist-slitting and OD!

[robbiej]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 11:38am

The line that keeps going through my head is from 9 to 5...when Violet Newstead, dressed as Snow White, launches Mr. Hart out of his chair, through the window.

"Bye, bye boss man. It's quittin' time."

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 12:04pm

Seems like the timing was to maximize the amount of time Bush has to do a recess appointment and skip the confirmation process.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 12:28pm

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 12:56pm

Doesn't surprise me that this was announced this morning, as the Michael Vick hearing is currently taking place. Sports always trumps everything (unfortunately).

[Ariella]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 1:12pm

Cheers. Good news indeed! According to CNN, Gonzales feels he has "lived the American dream," though doubtless he could not recall particulars if asked.

Though now we're forced to wonder who, or what, Bush will replace Gonzales with.
CNN Coverage

[HDThoreau2]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 1:13pm

America has lost a patriot and a great AG.

I'm so sorry that this had to interupt our "Good Friday" commemorations.

[DG]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 1:15pm

"You're a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot."

This is the 9 TO 5 quote that he makes me think of.

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 1:17pm

Not to nitpick, RobbieJ, but that line was actually spoken by Jane Fonda dressed in her bounty hunter gear.