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 You Say Chaos, I Say AccountabilityPosted on Aug 27, 2007By E.J. Dionne WASHINGTON—The resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is only the beginning of accountability, not the end of it. His decision to leave underscores the need for a public reckoning of the extent to which the Justice Department was politicized under his stewardship. But how divisive the coming months will be depends hugely on whom Bush names to succeed Gonzales, and on whether Republicans in Congress are thinking more about Bush’s legacy or their own. Gonzales was forced to go not because of Democratic opposition, but because many in President Bush’s own party—notably and honorably Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee—were appalled by his performance. The new politics unleashed by Gonzales’ resignation were clear from the moment that word of his departure began to circulate. After months of public support, Bush abruptly reversed himself and let Gonzales go in the hope that his allies could now charge that further inquiries into Gonzales’ Justice Department were politically motivated. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, set the tone early, telling CNN: “This will not bring peace. This will bring more chaos.” Note that “chaos” will now be the new definition of accountability. Bush stayed partisan to the end, charging that Gonzales’ “good name was dragged through the mud for political reasons.” No concessions, no admissions, no regrets. Advertisement  Or the party could fight on for Bush, and hope to bury the issues raised by the attorney general’s tenure beneath months of angry invective. Bush could significantly relieve the pressure by making an above-politics choice as Gonzales’ replacement. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., one of Gonzales’ sharpest critics, sent a strong signal in an interview, saying that “if you have an attorney general who puts the rule of law first ... you could find out what happened [under Gonzales] pretty quickly and move on.” Investigations under such circumstances, Schumer said, could be “much lower key,” since Congress could have confidence that the Justice Department was on a different course. However, even the least partisan and most qualified nominee will not escape tough hearings. Too much damage has been done, and the next attorney general must be committed to a cleanup, not a cover-up. Bush’s appointee will need to make an unbreakable commitment not to use prosecutions and investigations—particularly questionable allegations of voter fraud—to influence the outcome of the 2008 elections. A successor should also pledge to get to the bottom of the unusual firing of nine U.S. attorneys in the middle of the president’s time in office. At the same time, the nominee will need to restore faith that the extraordinary powers granted government in the name of fighting terrorism are not abused, and are subjected to serious oversight. Schumer said that Bush may have let Gonzales go in part because only a fresh attorney general could successfully negotiate a new terrorist surveillance bill with Congress this fall. The model for President Bush to ponder as Gonzales’ successor is obvious. When Gerald Ford took over from Richard Nixon, the Justice Department was a shambles, discredited by political abuse and corruption at the top. In naming a new attorney general, Ford turned not to a political crony but to Edward Levi, the president of the University of Chicago. Levi’ s reputation as a man of integrity who despised the abuse of power almost instantly restored the department’s standing. Levi understood the danger of seeing all “human relationships ... in terms of power relationships—in terms of the manipulation of power,” as he put it in a 1976 essay for Newsweek magazine. “I really think that’s one of the most wicked ways of looking at the world,” Levi went on. “It’s a very incomplete way. It strips people of their humanness. It converts all the other good attributes people have into just an ability or a desire to manipulate others.” In this polarized time, Justice desperately needs a new Edward Levi. So does Bush. E.J. Dionne’s e-mail address is postchat(at)aol.com. © 2007, Washington Post Writers Group Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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By Michael Shaw, August 30, 2007 at 1:41 pm #
Well I don’t like the sound of Shumer offering Bush a bone if he chooses an AG who “might” represent a change for the better. Investigations must continue regardless of who finally gets the nod.
I’d also like to point out we should never have allowed Ford to take Nixon’s place and regardless as to how great his own attorney general was lets not forget who pardoned Nixon either. Nothing like appointing your own hand picked successor, especially in light of a potential impeachment. As I recall the same thing happened with Reagan and Iran Contra, then with Bush senior who basically called an end to further investigations to save his own complicit bacon. By letting the republicans get away with all these things we only open the door to more of the same in the future. What in the hell ever happened to accountability?
Report thisBy Bloomy, August 29, 2007 at 6:25 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I just loved Bush’s comments that Gonzo’s good name was dragged through the mud. How many generals, senators, presidental challengers and so many, many others of integrity, decency and principle got their names dragged through the shi*t. What goes around comes around.
Report thisBy Revolutionary, August 29, 2007 at 9:06 am #
The Dems should be loud and clear in response to the Republican spin: the Justice Dept was POLITICIZED by Gonzalez, Rove, Bush and Cheney. Those attorneys were fired for POLITICAL purpose: the Republican agenda.
Report thisBy Outraged, August 29, 2007 at 4:49 am #
“With Gonzales gone and with Bush set to finish his term in less than a year and a half, the GOP could cut itself loose from one of the shabbier aspects of this presidency.”
E.J., Are you trying to be funny…? Or are you SERIOUS!
Report thisBy GodSend, August 29, 2007 at 1:28 am #
FC:
You’re confused alright - and deceived! Joining the US Military and fighting the ME wars on behalf of Israel might wake you up to the Zionist reality! Or maybe you can volunteer your kids, if any, and they can wake you up from your daydreams with their dead or maimed bodies! Talk to Cindy Sheehan and thousands of other moms, dads, husbands, wives, children, etc. Or maybe you prefer to talk to the relatives of the 9/11 victims - another Zionist plot. Go to the Ziopedia website and read all about it - or maybe ‘Jews Against Zionism’. There are lots of websites now where you can get the truth - just stay away from the MSM ( Zionist-controlled - you got it!
Report thisBy purplewolf, August 29, 2007 at 1:05 am #
Weedboy replace speeedless gonzales with a democrat? Not in our lifetime.
Report thisJust because he up and quit his job does not make his any less accountable for what he did while in office. Any and all violations should be punished to the fullest. Of course weedboy will make that go away too just like Scooters.
There is NO HONESTY in the bush administration.
By Frank Cajon, August 29, 2007 at 12:53 am #
This was, like Rummy, an overdue shitcanning of a compulsive liar and another of the Bush/CheneyReich inner circle to be jetisonned before his criminal deeds and general incompetence in following the Commandant’s orders brought down those around him. The unfortunate thing is that like with Libby, and Rummy, this will likely serve the Reich’s greater purpose by defusing some of the intrusive investigation by the pesky few who believe in the obsolete concept of ‘checks and balances’ and that the Senate and House Judiciary committees actually do have the power to investigate, use the rules of evidence, and swear testimony under oath which when provided falsely, as it was by Gonzo, is perjury. The only question that remains for me is when will Condy Rice opt out?
On the other hand, there is once again, the simplest explanation of all, the only explanation offered for all the world’s problems as in so many other posts on Truthdig: Gonzales actually was ousted as part of a secret plan by Bush/CheneyReich and their Zionist friends not because he was a lying, scheming incompetent, but so that an Israeli double agent who is also a Mossad plant and fucked up the Katrina response, or another who because he has a Jewish name must be an Israeli/Zionist plotter engaging in the worldwide conspiracy to take over the world by using the US Attorney General position (assuming he or she is confirmed by Congress, who are all also Zionist puppets) as a springboard. I get so tired of reading all this crap, I just want to know why Merv Griffin being gay wasn’t because of the international Zionist conspiracy. Someone please help me, I am confused…
Report thisBy GodSend, August 28, 2007 at 2:50 pm #
If it’s not Chertoff or Lieberman, look for another Zionist or ‘Auslege Goy’ replacement!
Report thisBy GodSend, August 28, 2007 at 2:15 pm #
You say Resignation, I say the Power of the Israel Lobby!
The Gonzales ‘resignation’ signifies that if anyone pressures Bush to fire someone for incompetency, lying or some other pro-Zionist deception, the Israel Lobby will ensure that the replacement will represent a movement from the frying pan into the fire! The ‘dual citizen’ Israeli Zionist Chertoff is a perfect example! Want another one?: Bernanke replacing Greenspan. Did someone mention Bolton? Zionists are crawling all over America - not just the Bush and his pro-Zionist government!
The Zionist death-grip on America is now so tight, they can play ‘in-your-face’ whenever they like - like NOW! (and from NOW on)
Report thisBy Marnie, August 28, 2007 at 1:40 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
The largest part of the message sent by “public punishment” is to deter others.
If the Dems had had the best interest of the country in mind in the Watergate hearings, they would have continued their investigations and prosecutions.
But the Repos whined and cried, said that it was unfair, that it would be “divisive” (expect to hear that word from them a lot in the near future), that the healing needed to begin (ditto) with the resignation of Nixon.
The Dems caved and many of today’s Repocons were allowed to go unpunished in the 70’s.
Same whining with Irangate as well.
Examples must be made of all the Bushies and justice must be served as a message to the Electorate that they are safe from attack by their leaders, and that criminal acts by their own government will be harshly punished, and to all future Nixonites and Bushies for decades to come.
Report thisBy mary, August 28, 2007 at 1:35 pm #
Anyone who expects this President to do the right thing with this next appointment just has not been paying attention. He will not, and he doesn’t care one bit what we the people, or the world for that matter, thinks. Remember, he thinks the Constitution is just a piece of paper. What a shame….....
Report thisBy PACRAT, August 28, 2007 at 9:27 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Goodbye Gonzo, Goodbye!
Who will lead the spin on Gonzo’s corruption now that the White House ventriloquist, Rove, is leaving? In fact, what will Bush do? Darn those democrats! Can’t they just let bygones be bygones?
Never mind that the Justice Department was politicized by the “I don’t remember” creep and that it will take a whole new level of leadership in DOJ and a few years to reorient it to supporting rather than subverting the Constitution!
There are enough neocon republicans left in the government to control the invertebrate democrats just as they have since they “lost” Congress. So, be prepared for the media blast by FOX News and other Bush loyalists!
Report thisBy hippy pam, August 28, 2007 at 8:29 am #
Bush*t needs to be held responsible for his F—U—This buncha idiots has REALLY got us in a mess.This country has lost ALL CREDIBILITY and has ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT FOR ANY ONE OR ANY THING.No one in the world REALLY RESPECTS the U.S. BUT THEY KNOW IF THEY"stroke” Bush*t-THEY CAN GET $$$ and Concessions.I STILL WANT TO KNOW WHY ONE OF HIS KIDS IS NOT ON THE FRONT LINE???AND I DO NOT THINK WE[AMERICAN PEOPLE] SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A WEDDING AND RECEPTION.
Report thisTAKE BUSH*Ts WAGES AND POWER AWAY!!!!HE IS NOT DOING THE JOB>
By farmertx, August 28, 2007 at 6:56 am #
The Shrub has made the mistake of appointing someone not totally and rabidly partisan when he appointed Gates Sec.Def.
Report thisNotice that little has been heard from him since he deviated from the ‘Back Shrub, regardless’ line?
Shrub is incapable of handling debate within his Cabinet.
Actually, he is incapable of handling debates period, save the time he wore the “Tailor’s Mistake” suit coat. And that is too uncomfortable to wear daily and it would call attention if he had to stop a meeting and go change into it to continue the meeting.