Sen. Whitehouse: Gonzales May Be Guilty Of Obstruction Of Justice
Sen. Whitehouse: Gonzales May Be Guilty Of Obstruction Of Justice
The Senate’s no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will be held in mid-June, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) announced today.
During the press conference, Whitehouse, a former U.S. Attorney himself, said that Gonzales may have obstructed justice when he tried to “shape” Monica Goodling’s testimony during a meeting prior to her hearing yesterday. (ThinkProgress raised this possibility yesterday.)
Asked about Goodling’s meeting with Gonzales, Whitehouse told reporters, “It is surprising how often a whiff of obstruction of justice has reared its head in the course of this investigation.” He said the “standard of impropriety that Kyle Sampson and the attorney general and the Department of Justice, through its public spokesmen, have defined is, in effect — tracks almost exactly the standard for criminal obstruction of justice.”
Watch it:
Gonzales may also be guilty of lying under oath. His conversation with Goodling took place on either March 14 or 15, a week after Goodling found out that she was going to testify before the House committee. Yet on May 10, Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he had “not gone back and spoken directly with…others who are involved in this process.”
UPDATE: AmericaBlog has the text of the no-confidence resolution.
Transcript:
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
SCHUMER: We’ll let former U.S. Attorney Whitehouse answer that one.
WHITEHOUSE: I don’t know enough about what actually took place to characterize it. But it is surprising how often a whiff of obstruction of justice has reared its head in the course of this investigation.
It happened first when I asked the four U.S. attorneys at the hearing what they would have done if a witness of theirs had been approached in the way that the Department of Justice staffer approached Cummins and them about their testimony in Congress.
And they said: Well, what we would do is we would open investigations. And I said: Well, what kind? And they said: Well, into this conduct. And I said: For what law? And they said: Well, obstruction of justice.
The standard of impropriety that Kyle Sampson and the attorney general and the Department of Justice, through its public spokesmen, have defined is, in effect — tracks almost exactly the standard for criminal obstruction of justice.
So if we were to look more into the specifics of that conversation and we found that it was, again, in the area of obstruction of justice, it would come as no surprise. There’s been the cloud of that hanging over this entire investigation.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
42 Responses to “Sen. Whitehouse: Gonzales May Be Guilty Of Obstruction Of Justice”
Register
RSSLogin
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Think ProgressContact Us
Donate
More show trials.
Clinton fired US Attorneys too.
They serve at the Pleasure of the President.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:57 pmOT-Yesterday Dennis Kucinich spent an HOUR on the House floor explaining in excruciating detail that Bush will not leave Iraq until they pass the Hydrocarbon law.
That is the only BENCHMARK Bush truly wants to achieve.
The Hydrocarbon law will give 70% of the profits from Iraq’s untapped oil to Exxon, BP Chevron etc. The estimate is $220 TRILLION in untapped oil in the Iraq ground. 70% of that is approx. $180 TRILLION.
Bush threatened Iraq by telling them that we will not deliver billions in reconstruction aid UNLESS Iraq agrees to the Hydrocarbon law. In my world this is called a BRIBE. This is outrageous considering we knocked down most of the buildings that need to be reconstructed.
Thank GOD for Dennis Kucinich, a man with a spine and a conscience. The media once again blacked him out. Even Keith Olbermann failed to mention Dennis in his commentary yesterday. Dennis is LEADING while Hillary and Barack are whimpering.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:58 pmThis could be bad for the Democrats. They should leave this alone.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:58 pmAlberto did nothing wrong other than using too much product in his hair
May 24th, 2007 at 2:58 pmWe need to make it our mission to contact these three top Democrats and let them have it for cowering before Bush and compromising on the Iraq Funding.
Nancy Pelosi: 1-202-225-0100
Harry Reid: 1-202-224-3542
Rahm Emanuel: 1-202-225-4061
Post these three phone numbers on every website. Include them in all your e-mail. Put signs up wherever you can. We need to let them know that they’ve failed our troops, country and Constitution.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:00 pmobstruction of justice and perjury were the two thoughts that kept circulating in my head while watching monica’s testimony yesterday… (of course, both have been circulating in my head for months about damn near every stonewalling action undertaken by the criminals that call themselves our country’s leaders…)
here’s hoping the damn congress will start to move expeditiously and stop their goddam pussyfooting around… believe that, more than any other time in our nation’s history, american citizens - you, me and everyone else who truly cares about our country - must rise up and be heard… it’s obviously not enough to express ourselves in polls, blogs, letters to the editor, faxes, phone calls, emails, or, as we are finding out to our horror, in the voting booth… the country is crying out for a leader to step forward, someone who can command a national platform, someone with credibility, someone untarnished, someone who can serve as a catalyst, someone willing to galvanize the nation into action… we can’t wait… is anybody out there…? please…?
And, yes, I DO take it personally
May 24th, 2007 at 3:00 pmGonzo isn’t the first republican attorney general who has no respect for the law.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:00 pmI win, you lose!
I will decide when enough is enough, you will give me what I want and bow to my will regardless of the political realities because your all spineless cowardly DemocRATS!
Since when has my administration cared about obstructing justice?
May 24th, 2007 at 3:00 pmMay be???
The more you pussyfoot around, Dems, the more this administration gets away with murder…the murder of our soldiers and of Iraqi civilians…and the more you implicate yourselves as accessories to their awful crimes.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:01 pmAssnugget 3000:
Did Clinton derail the Whitewater investigation? Did he go after Kenneth Star? can you point to an effort by Clinton to impede an investigation? No? Then STFU.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:04 pmI am a recent graduate of Regent U Law School, and my one goal in life is to serve the pleasures of neo-con perverts.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:04 pmJesus will forgive me, no matter what I do, or how much I lie,
I just have to hope, I can pray before I die.
Amen.
It would be nice if they would actually do something about it, but why should we expect that at this point?
May 24th, 2007 at 3:07 pmThank you for your input, smafdy. Unfortunately I cannot comply with your request at this time as it conflicts with my programmed mission.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:10 pmMr. Incontinent, sir?
May 24th, 2007 at 3:10 pmWalter Reed just called, they have to reschedule till after the weekend the appointment to diagnose your obstruction.
They are going on vacation, and your usual suite in building 18 has not been renovated yet.
Sir.
Well lets see.
The Democrats have gone through almost 1/4 of their 2 year term. Bush has about 18 months left.
I realize that they don’t want to appear like the Newt Gingrich Republicans, but my guess is that Americans are going to get tired of all the talk and want some action.
Non-binding resolutions. No confidence votes. Threatened subpoenas. Backing down on Iraq (by the way, why no screaming about the Iraqi parliament taking a vacation?).
Wiretapping. Torture. Unitary executive. Habeus Corpus. Detainees. FISA courts.
Are the Democrats going to just keep going along without actually accomplishing anything?
May 24th, 2007 at 3:13 pmThe Dems don’t want to go home to a commercial about how they didn’t fund and thus didn’t support the troops. Instead, they will face commercials that say how they help fund the war. The chickenshits just don’t know how to lead.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:15 pmThe Republicans are heartless.
The Democrats are spineless.
June… might as well not even do it!
Spineless.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:16 pmre#15
Are the Democrats going to just keep going along without actually accomplishing anything?
Comment by dogjudge — May 24, 2007 @ 3:13 pm
Yes.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:17 pmCarter fired US Attorneys for political purposes too.
Faulty memory is not a crime.
Criminalization of Politics.
(note — the last talking point goes with a different scandal. Replace.)
Delete: Criminalization of Politics.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:17 pmReplace with: No one got a blow job. As far as we know.
disgusting watching political slime slow play the death of the planet and let george do it. or is it that they are letting george do it for them?
May 24th, 2007 at 3:18 pm“Obstruction of JUSTICE”?? Too bad we don’t have some sort of government department tasked with carrying out justice-related duties at the federal level, to enforce the laws and prosecute those who obstruct justice. Some sort of “Department of Justice” if you will.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:23 pmGonzo, Schmonzo, big deal. Everything the Democrats do now is tainted by their caving-in to G.W. regarding Iraq War funding. They’ve lost their credability with me and I’ve benn a life-long democrat! Bring our troops home now. That should be the issue that gets the attention of Congress!
May 24th, 2007 at 3:23 pm#20 ~ Sure, why not. Maybe we’re all buying the cover story while the real cause is to reduce global energy consumption through population reduction. I’d say it’s too evil to believe, but that was before I met this Administration.
Someone distract me with something shiny please.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:25 pm18,
All the democrats need to do is keep exposing the Bush administration while not seeming too radical to gain the centre ground. With the endless ‘playing to the base’ strategy, the republicans are vacating this area.
This is why some sections of the press suggested in November that taking both houses was a poisoned chalice: if they get both houses they have to do something. If they had captured only one then they could happily undermine the president without taking responsibility for clearing up Iraq et cetera. Falling short on Iraq is probably seen as a payoff for winnning the presidency next year.
Give the Democrats a break- if they carry on this way they’ll probably gain the presidency, or at least be able to castrate the next republican.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:26 pmIt’s amazing how many times the whiff of obstruction of justice has reared its head and nothing is done about it except more talk. Oh and maybe a no confidence resolution but nothing binding.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:26 pmI think the Dems are just in a very precarious position. They won both houses last November by a very slim margin which could disappear if they move too fast. In the meantime it certainly is tragic that our troops and innocent Iraqi citizens are senlessly killed every day.
Don’t forget that as unpopular as the Vietnam war was, the majority of voters never voted for the candidates who promised to end the war immediately. They voted for Nixon who had a secret plan and he didn’t withdraw our troops until his second term.
Also don’t forget that it was only a few months ago that Dems were labeled anti-American. If republicans yell their smears loudly enough again the fickle voting public could start believing it again. But as I said, in the meantime it’s tragic that so many people have to die in a senseless “war” while everyone slowly makes up their minds.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:28 pmReally what the Democrats need to do is take a good look at the political situation in Washington. We were not handed a mandate in 2006 and the proof is simple; Joe Liberman being sent back to Washington from a BLUE STATE!!! We are one election away from taking total control with a veto proof marjority. What we need to do instead of calling our leaders, who’s hands are still tied by the republicans, is make sure we get everyone we can out to the polls in 2008. If the Democrats show up, republicans can’t win.
So before you start calling your Democratic leaders and threating to vote them out, just think how you felt last year at this time. You all know as well as I that a good portion of the voting population can only respond to 30 second sound bites. Think about that for a second and ask yourself what would the scumbags republicans, with the help of the liberal media, do if Democrats shut off funding? To hell with the polls, americans have every short memories, you know it and so do I. This is the republicans war and Bush is the leader. Sorry but more young men and women will have to die before we can really do anything but that blood is on the hands the republicans. That’s the message we need to send to the sleeping public.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:29 pmThis extension of the Dubya war allows more time for all the chickenshit, chickenhawk, warmongering, thugs in the Bush Crime Family and their supporters (trolls) to join the military and get their sorry asses to Iraq to fight these terrorists they are so afraid of.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:38 pmThe longer Gonzales stays, the longer maybe the personal consequences. Does he think he needs to take the abuse?
http://Osispeaks.com or http://OsiSpeaks.org
May 24th, 2007 at 3:38 pmThis is just the tip of the Iceberg. Bushies have infected every level of government and every department.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:39 pmBush threatened Iraq by telling them that we will not deliver billions in reconstruction aid UNLESS Iraq agrees to the Hydrocarbon law. In my world this is called a BRIBE. This is outrageous considering we knocked down most of the buildings that need to be reconstructed.
A “bribe?” That’s blackmail in my book. And it also simply proves what many of us have said from the beginning. This “war” was about control of the oil in the region…PERIOD.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:42 pmRoboTroll 3000 is now responding to messages posted to Assnugget 3000. Now, that’s dynamic programming.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:43 pm““Obstruction of JUSTICEâ€?? Too bad we don’t have some sort of government department tasked with carrying out justice-related duties at the federal level, to enforce the laws and prosecute those who obstruct justice. Some sort of “Department of Justice†if you will.”
what this nation needs is a “Justice Czar”!!
May 24th, 2007 at 3:50 pmClinton was guilty of the same crime. Funny thing is, there was certainly enough evidence to convict and remove, yet a bunch of Democratic senators made it political in blocking his conviction. Today, the demos seek for us to take them seriously and forget all about that.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:53 pmRoboTroll 3000 is now responding to messages posted to Assnugget 3000. Now, that’s dynamic programming.
Comment by smafdy — May 24, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
You’re right! Just one of my many new features designed to enhance the lifelike quality of my responses. Yes, RoboTroll 3000 can now detect and respond to sophomoric recastings of my name in insulting posts.
All in the name of serving your troll needs better.
May 24th, 2007 at 3:53 pmKucinich is going to be interviewed by Ed Shultz in a few minutes….I’m sure this is going to be good.
May 24th, 2007 at 4:00 pmcompTroller: “Clinton was guilty of the same crime. Funny thing is, there was certainly enough evidence to convict and remove, yet a bunch of Democratic senators made it political in blocking his conviction. Today, the demos seek for us to take them seriously and forget all about that.”
OK, let’s review: during the same week Clinton’s secretary was being forced to testify, Clinton stuck his head in the door ONCE, and asked her if they were treating her alright. This was the heart of the “Obstruction of Justice” part of the impeachment attempt. And, YES, quite a few Senators didn’t think it rose to the level of obstruction. Alberto’s various little games are in another league altogether.
May 24th, 2007 at 4:51 pmI wish Thinkprogress would expand the Goodling testimony coverage to address issues raised by BBC (yes, muckraker Palast) regarding Gonzales and the caging list felonies issues that he claims have been corroborated by her testimony. Arguing that her testimony revealed clear evidence of felonious conduct by Sampson & others with regard to the ‘04 election, Palas writes (seemingly with futility) at http://bradblog.com/ today (excerpt follows):
“Here’s what you need to know — and the Committee would have discovered, if only they’d asked:
“1. ‘Caging’ voters is a crime, a go-to-jail felony.
“2. Griffin wasn’t “involved†in the caging, Ms. Goodling. Griffin, Rove’s right-hand man (right-hand claw), was directing the illegal purge and challenge campaign. How do I know? It’s in the email I got. Thanks. And it’s posted below.
“3. On December 7, 2006, the ragin’, cagin’ Griffin was named, on Rove’s personal demand, US Attorney for Arkansas. Perpetrator became prosecutor.
“The committee was perplexed about Monica’s panicked admission and accusations about the caging list because the US press never covered it. That’s because, as Griffin wrote to Goodling in yet another email (dated February 6 of this year, and also posted below), their caging operation only made the news on BBC London: busted open, Griffin bitched, by that “British reporter,†Greg Palast.
“There’s no pride in this. Our BBC team broke the story at the top of the nightly news everywhere on the planet — except the USA — only because America’s news networks simply refused to cover this evidence of the electoral coup d’etat that chose our President in 2004.
“And now, not bothering to understand the astonishing revelation in Goodling’s confessional, they are missing the real story behind the firing of the US attorneys. It’s not about removing prosecutors disloyal to Bush, it’s about replacing those who refused to aid the theft of the vote in 2004 with those prepared to burgle it again in 2008.”
May 24th, 2007 at 5:01 pmYou know, in all those close senate races, I thought of RI as being the least important since Chaffee wasn’t all that bad, but as it turns out, Whitehouse is proving to be one of my favorite senators (not much competition, but …). This guy is what a REAL attorney general should be like. And frankly, I’d feel better with Whitehouse in the White House than any of the currently crop of pretenders.
May 24th, 2007 at 6:36 pmOh, golly gee, I bet Gonzo and Rove and Bush are just quivering in a corner. Impeach, convict, and put his butt in jail already.
May 24th, 2007 at 9:38 pmBreaking story not yet available in the MSM:
May 25th, 2007 at 9:02 amhttp://globalresearch.ca/ index.php?context=viewArticle&code=CHI20070521&articleId=5720
Be afraid…..
http://globalresearch.ca/ index.php?context=viewArticle&code=CHI20070521&articleId=5720
May 25th, 2007 at 9:03 am