Judging Alberto Gonzales
Who was behind partisan decisions at the Justice Department?
Alberto Gonzales must be “breathing a sigh of relief,” said Dan Slater in The Wall Street Journal online. The Justice Department won’t be referring him to a grand jury for his alleged role in the firings of nine U.S. attorneys. It looks like Gonzales’ former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, is taking most of the blame.
Gonzales’ lawyer “boasted” that his client had been vindicated because a report by federal watchdogs didn‘t accuse him of misleading Congress, said the Los Angeles Times in an editorial. But that‘s “pitiful consolation,” considering that investigators said Gonzales presided over a nakedly partisan department. That’s a “devastating judgment.”
No wonder Attorney Gen. Michael Mukasey rushed to appoint a special prosecutor, said Dahlia Lithwick in Slate. That’s important because it guarantees that somebody will care about getting to the bottom of this, even after President Bush has left office.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Kate Summerscale picks her favourite true crime books
The Week Recommends The writer shares works by Janet Malcolm, Helen Garner and Mark O'Connell
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 1, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: November 1, 2024
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published