Oops! Gonzales Changes Position on Holder’s Decision on CIA Probe
Never mind earlier reports that Bush Attorney General Alberto Gonzales endorsed Eric Holder’s decision to investigate possible CIA prisoner abuse.
My colleague Jason Ryan charts the about face, with the latest from Gonzales:
"I don't support the investigation by the department because this is a matter that has already been reviewed thoroughly and because I believe that another investigation is going to harm our intelligence gathering capabilities and that's a concern that's shared by career intelligence officials and so for those reasons I respectfully disagree with the decision."
- George Stephanopoulos
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I guess Cheney threatened to take Gonzo hunting.
Posted by: SaintGenesius | September 3, 2009, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm
You know the longer you think about it the time you have to either find out, that ya maybe it’s not such a productive idea straining and ecposing our securities moves, or you he just found what he’s mentioned somewhere in there and it’s not a good political move.
Either way the truth leeds to lies, lies leads to loop holes.
Posted by: Julie Runco | September 3, 2009, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
Why does what he thinks or says become a news item? Gonzales is an inept, washed up and now unemployable lawyer that couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag. Like Cheney, he really just doesn’t matter and frankly it’s a waste of electricity posting comments from him…
Posted by: Keith Davis | September 3, 2009, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
Gonzo yet once again demonstrates what a crack lawyer he is. Even for the Bush Administration this is one really, really stupid guy. Gonzo makes Bush look like a Rhodes Scholar.
Posted by: Sammy | September 3, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
The former Attorney General’s comments don’t mean much in this issue, but the reasons that the current Attorney General is pursuing this investigation, when he has made no attempts to prosecute business executives who drove our economy into the ground (and received bonuses for it!), is frightening. Where are his priorities?!?!
This matter is a waste of taxpayer money, as this information was disclosed years ago and since our insecurities have been replaced with new securities, we can’t honestly proceed with punishing those who were trying to protect our country after the single greatest attack on our soil. Our nations survival was at stake then and we did what had to be done. We should not apologize to those who are trying to destroy our country for doing everything we can to protect it. The enemy isn’t holding back, so what makes us superior? We can be defeated, but unlike after 9/11, most Americans find that inconceivable.
President Obama has taken some incredible gambles and if we are attacked again, those actions will haunt him for the remainder of his only term in office. I hope I’m wrong, but every time we get cocky and over confident, something bad happens. It’s just a consistent trend.
Gonzales should have done more back when this first came to light and his comments now won’t change the efforts of Democrats to try and take revenge on their political rivals, just like Repubicans did in the late 90s. This is a pattern that will continue to repeat itself long after we are gone, so get used to it.
Posted by: Gary | September 3, 2009, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
I actually may agree with Cheney and Gonzales — spare the CIA folks. We should, however, go after the real culprits — Cheney, Bush and their gang.
Posted by: teddymaniac | September 3, 2009, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm
Gary….I don’t think this investigation is a waste of time. If I think about you reasoning, then if I rob a bank and can go eight years without being caught, then I am home free because so many other people have robbed the same bank in those eight years.
The Bush administration knowingly used lies, distractions, illegal activities and threats over eight years against their own citizens, as well as those combatants that were in custody. They took some of your liberties away under the heading “we are making you safer.”
During the Bush administration, in my opinion, we became to look just like what they made us believe that they were fighting against. America needs to be better and with higher standards than those we deem evil. I believe that everyone, from Bush on down, need to be held accountable for their decisions and actions during their eight years in office.
Have you noticed since the Democrats are in office, we have not had one “alert” to try and scare the American public into believing that an attack is imminent.
Posted by: democratic | September 3, 2009, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
Why are we paying attention to anything spewed by Gonzalez as well as Cheney? These guys need to disappear.
Posted by: Bob | September 3, 2009, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm
Those who were responsible should have thought about “harming our intelligence gathering” before they ever did anything. Too late now.
Posted by: godef | September 3, 2009, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
Oh they shouldn’t have done it ,Oh they should have done something , Oh they killed 3000 plus american’s oh but it’s ok , Oh my god they had a little water put in their face , You people make me sick, These Terrorist would kill you and me in a heart beat and not think anything about it , Grow up america and see whats happening to america .
Posted by: Candobetter | September 3, 2009, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm
Democrats in trouble? Obamacare failing? No problem — just leak a few CIA documents as a distraction. America will be well into the 2012 election cycle with the Democrats still holding CIA investigations for political gain.
Maybe the Democrats can overhaul the CIA along with healthcare since they are the overhaul everything, but fix nothing party.
Posted by: obamacarebites | September 3, 2009, 7:40 pm 7:40 pm
its ok for us to kill the terrorist but god forbid we question them harshly. to save my child or family I would have to say waterboard them. and remember we are only talking about 3 people that have been waterboarded guess they won even if they are dead
Posted by: nyla sidler | September 4, 2009, 2:47 am 2:47 am
Yep Cowboy Bush erred – by using Diversity to fill the jobs. Cheney is a ghoul but he is/was correct. And was a far better VP than the Bubblehead Biden.
We need to leave the CIA alone, let them do their jobs. Eric Holder and his thugs are trying to hurt our Intelligence gathering capability by micromanaging them to death.
I don’t see the problem with a little water or a few bruises to stop Americans from being attacked.
You Obama weenies who cry about Bush taking away our freedom had better keep an eye on your Kenyan Dictator, look at the scum he is loading his Administration with.
Bush wasn’t the best, but the guy in office now is flatly a danger to the American citizen.
We all need to be as critical of the Kenyan Bushman as much as the Socialistas were of President Bush and look/watch what and how he is doing the sickening things he is doing.
Posted by: AZ Voter | September 4, 2009, 4:52 am 4:52 am
If there was CIA prisoner abuse, it occurred after the CIA first refused to use certain techniques unless it got a legal ok from the White House, and then got it.
So it should either be made clear that the investigation is aimed at the Gonzales himself for wrongly ok’ing it or higher-ups for pressuring Gonzales to do it, or it should be dropped.
Posted by: The_Mick | September 4, 2009, 6:15 am 6:15 am
If I was Alberto Gonzalez I would really shut up! It is quite evident that he was nothing but a puppet who allowed the previous administration to do whatever it wanted in relationship to the law. He really has some nerve to offer an opinion about anything related law. Stay in Texas, Mr. Gonzalez you are a disgrace to your profession.
Posted by: Anthony Ravenell | September 4, 2009, 6:50 am 6:50 am
ahhhhhhhhhhh ERIC HOLDER.
he is okay with investigating what the CIA did five years ago but he dismissed the charges against the black panthers caught on video with night sticks standing out from of a philly polling station last november. i guess it didnt matter to holder that career workers in the DOJ said this should move on. these are not political hacks, like holder is, these were career prosecutors.
Holder shows his racism by dismissing this charge
Posted by: james | September 8, 2009, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
That’s some nerve. After destroying the credibility and integrity of the DOJ during his tenure as AG, this putz wants the DOJ to ignore crimes that were committed by the CIA. No one is above the law, including the president and the CIA. If holder does not investigate, the only conclusion is that we live is a lawless nation and there is no one looking out for the American people.
Posted by: DaveM | September 20, 2009, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm