Gonzales backs Holder’s torture investigation.
Gonzales backs Holder’s torture investigation.
In an interview with the Washington Times today, former attorney general Alberto Gonzales defended Eric Holder’s decision to investigate CIA interrogation abuses, despite claims by Vice President Cheney that it is an “outrageous political act.” “As chief prosecutor of the United States, he should make the decision on his own, based on the facts, then inform the White House,” said Gonzales, whose tenure was marked by intense political meddling on the part of White House officials. More from the interview:
We worked very hard to establish ground rules and parameters about how to deal with terrorists. And if people go beyond that, I think it is legitimate to question and examine that conduct to ensure people are held accountable for their actions, even if it’s action in prosecuting the war on terror.
Listen here:
Of course, Gonzales said he was reassured that Holder was interested the “one percent of actors” who went beyond the legal authorization and not the 99 percent who “are heroes and and should be treated like heroes for the most part.” No doubt that Gonzales puts himself in that 99-percent group.
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This is so hard to believe that I’m not sure how to respond…
How could Abu Gonzo possibly back an investigation? Unless he’s sitting pretty, with a post-dated pardon in his man-sized safe?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:16 pmWell thinking hes trying to still get a job some where so guessing he has nothing to lose. But this also can be a down slop for him as well. you know cheney would threw him under the bus.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:18 pmHolder wouldn’t go after Gonzales, Cheney, Aschcroft, or any of ‘em if he had live video of them killing puppies and feeding them to babies…
Gonzo is safe as houses.
Nobody over the rank of MSgt/GS-7 will EVER see the inside of a jail cell for ANYTHING they did under the orders of the WhiteHouse…
September 1st, 2009 at 4:21 pmWait till that one percent starts talking about who really authorized the torture.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:21 pmWe’ll be reminded of the banjo music from ‘Deliverance’…
***
this is the kind of verbal dexterity that
landed him his swell new job at texas tech.
:)
September 1st, 2009 at 4:22 pmAnother ex-Bush weasel tries to resurrect his image.
Sorry, Fredo.
You’re a sycophantic POS. Always have been, always will be.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:22 pmFredo backs it because they are talking about the bad apple peons. You know, the ones who lapped up his blessings?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:24 pmWe worked very hard to establish ground rules and parameters about how to deal with terrorists.
Since these “ground rules and parameters” conflict with the Geneva Conventions, how hard did they really try?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:27 pmMaybe the heat down in Texas has fried his brain. Like Tom Ridge he will apologize, or say his remarks were made out of context. But what he is really saying is it is ok to go after the people who exceeded the illegal guidelines, but not the people who wrote the illegal guidelines.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:29 pmSo….anyone else feel dirty agree with this human cow-flop?
I mean, yeah, he’s right….the AG should be making the decisions based on the facts presented to him without pressure from the White House. But isn’t there something he said that is completely off-base so I can go back to disagreeing with him and I can feel sane again? Anything?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:33 pmThe heroes are the ones that knew it was wrong and blew the whistle or at least refused to engage in such evil.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:35 pmSo….anyone else feel dirty agree with this human cow-flop?
because he’s a politician or because he’s a lawyer?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:36 pm“Gonzales backs Holder’s torture investigation.”
Amzaing. Huh? What’s next?: Bush backs the 12 step program? Fredo still is trying to change his image. Sorry Fredo, but a zebra can’t change its stripes.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:37 pmI simply cannot wait for the investigation to be over when we can see all the fingers pointing at the 1 percent of bad actors – Bush, Cheney, and Fredo. When do the war crimes trials begin?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:40 pmbecause he’s a politician or because he’s a lawyer?
And what office is he running for?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:41 pmGonzo can say this because he doesn’t consider himself part of the 1% “bad apples” or the 99% “heroes”. He isn’t even on the board with regard to this investigation because Holder expressly exempted the lawyers who drew up the policies. He would be squealing like a Cheney if the investigation included the actions of DOJ or White House counsel.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:42 pmNothing is going to develop. Holder will, in the end, do what amounts to zilch in the way of justice and upholding the written rule of law.
If you think that any of the Bush War Criminals will face anything other than living out their natural lives in the lap of luxury with full freedom, then you are kidding yourself. It’s the way the power structure works. They will get away with war crimes scott-free. Count on it!
September 1st, 2009 at 4:42 pmThe heroes are the ones that knew it was wrong and blew the whistle or at least refused to engage in such evil.
Sorry, Bob but it appears the definition for hero has been changed. The few who have stepped forward are being shushed.
Hero now means someone who makes megabucks for doing something terribly unproductive.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:42 pmTranslation – We have reassured that Bush Cheney Rice and myself will go scott-free for our authorization of said WAR CRIMES.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:42 pmHe’s trying to show that the DOJ isn’t a political arm of the whitehouse in hopes of showing that he wasn’t a political arm of the whitehouse when he was AG.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pmoops – We have been reassured..
September 1st, 2009 at 4:45 pmTundra says:
So….anyone else feel dirty agree with this human cow-flop?
because he’s a politician or because he’s a lawyer?
Um…because he advocates the torture of human beings.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:46 pmGonzales – this bush-cheney gang member is a serious criminal, but if he goes to the authorities and “tells all” at least his soul might be saved, maybe…
September 1st, 2009 at 4:48 pmTundra, are you suggesting that Gonzo, the former AG, was a politician? Are you believing he ran the DOJ with a political sway rather than following the law?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:51 pmTundra, are you suggesting that Gonzo, the former AG, was a politician? Are you believing he ran the DOJ with a political sway rather than following the law?
Ummm…..Yes!?!?!?!
Um…because he advocates the torture of human beings.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:52 pmI suppose there is that too, if you needed more than the first 2 :)
Tundra, in what way was he a politician?
September 1st, 2009 at 4:59 pmThis just proves Gonzo knows an AG is supposed to follow the dictates of the law, but he chose to follow the dictates of the criminal Bushy White House.
He now believes Holders investigation will only indict a few more low level “bad apples”, not realizing he is one of them.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:02 pmTundra, in what way was he a politician?
He was a politician because he was Bush’s little puppet. He fired people based on political motives, not the law. He swayed his opinions based on his masters bidding.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:05 pmGonzo wants to beat his old I dont recall record
September 1st, 2009 at 5:22 pmI wonder if Gonzales will support Holder when the investigation reveals some of his criminal offenses.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:26 pmFriends like Gonzales, Holder doesn’t need.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:30 pmToo bad Gonzo didn’t feel that way when he was AG.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:40 pmWhen Gonzo says your argument is *&)( then your argument is really, really, really, a terrible piece of &*)(
September 1st, 2009 at 6:01 pmMaybe he’s thinking that the “few bad apples” rap worked for Abu Graib—
September 1st, 2009 at 6:26 pmThe fish rot from the top!
September 1st, 2009 at 6:53 pmCheney is a big rotten fish.
September 1st, 2009 at 6:54 pmGonzales is a rotten fish.
September 1st, 2009 at 6:55 pmThis is a joke, right?
September 1st, 2009 at 7:31 pm“We worked very hard to establish ground rules and parameters about how to deal with terrorists.”
September 1st, 2009 at 8:52 pmOr even sometimes when they weren’t….
It was hard work going down the DoJ OLC pecking order until Gonzo could find a sycophant like Professor Yoo. Once he found him, David Addington had to test Yoo for loyalty on Cheney’s desk while the Boss watched.
Well, crap. Speedy probably doesn’t have to worry about anything. He wasn’t in the chain of responsibility when the decisions were made; he was just the Shrub’s consigliare. That office has no executive responsibility; he was Shrub’s legal adviser and if he gave bad advice, well, disbar him or something.
After he succeeded John Ashcroft as AG is another matter. Anything he did there is actionable, but apparently most of the torture and torment stuff was already water under the bridge, at least in terms of whether to start doing it or not, and how many times Khalid Sheik Mohammed could be waterboarded before the thin red line at torture was crossed, etc. That’s without getting into the business of the whole thing being delegated to DOD.
Speedy may have to carry the can on something else. There are a host of illegalities perpetrated by the Shrubbery, so I’m sure there’s something he can be dragged up on, something where he was one of the actors or agents and not just another witless apologist and rubber stamp.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:09 am.
Q U E S T I O N:
WHO WRITES THE LAWS IN AMERICA…
… THE CONGRESS OR THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S COUNCIL?
Sorry Fredo, the Law is clear and it has been violated in so many ways…
.
September 2nd, 2009 at 2:03 am.
Q U E S T I O N:
CONGRESS decided long ago, cruel and inhumane treatment is NOT acceptable. Later, Congress ratified Treaties and Conventions pertaining TO said cruel and inhumane treatment. Later, narrowed down once again through precedence established BY the US Justice System AND Supreme Court rulings, along with our Leadership on International Tribunals regarding foreign nations’ cruelty and inhumane treatment of prisoners, American and other.
DOES FREDO SUGGEST THAT OUR FOUNDERS AND HISTORY GOT IT ALL WRONG?
THAT IT’S O.K. TO FOLLOW ORDERS…
… EVEN WHEN SAID ORDERS WERE ILLEGAL, IN THE FIRST PLACE?
HOW DOES THE NUREMBERG DEFENSE APPLY TO AMERICA, TODAY?
WHAT’S EXCEPTIONALISM?
.
September 2nd, 2009 at 2:09 amTundra…there are two kinds of jokes I got tired of long ago: Lawyer jokes and politician jokes. THAT is why your little post was voted down, and by me, too. I rarely do that, and it’s a first for me to vote YOU down.
My lawyer is an angel. She’s a divorce lawyer who tries to put herself out of work by recommending mediation at her first meeting with new clients. Needless to say, business is good for her, because of human nature, not the nature of divorce lawyers.
Because of her and her attitudes, AND the attitude, thank God, of the lawyer for my ex-wife, I got pure joint custody with no child support. We shared my son half the week each. And unlike most other men, I lived up to my part of the bargain.
Most lawyers AND politicians are decent people trying to work hard and do the right thing. Jokes at the expense of the worst among them just ring hollow to me. Try again.
September 2nd, 2009 at 11:55 amExcellent answer, Virtual Pebble. You may be right. Disbarment might be the only punishment he could face for claiming the illegal is legal when Bush is President.
September 2nd, 2009 at 11:57 ampaleolib sed:
“…isn’t even on the board with regard to this investigation because Holder expressly exempted the lawyers who drew up the policies.”
I haven’t seen this fact anywhere else, paleo, but if you’re right, then that would explain it. Wow.
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:01 pmvery thanks for article!
September 4th, 2009 at 10:46 am