President Bush still backs Alberto Gonzales - VOA Story
02:54
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2 years ago
The White House says President Bush still has confidence in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, despite controversy over his handling of the firing of federal prosecutors and of the reauthorization of a clandestine surveillance program. New details emerged Tuesday about Gonzales' role in recertifying the wiretap program over Justice Department objections when he was White House counsel.
The new details about Gonzales' actions came from former Deputy Attorney General James Comey, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Comey said he had refused to recertify the clandestine program because then-Attorney General John Ashcroft had questioned its legality just before falling ill with pancreatitis in March 2004.
Comey, who was acting attorney general during Ashcroft's illness, said Gonzales and former White House Chief of Staff Andy Card responded by trying to pressure Ashcroft to sign the recertification from his hospital bed. "I was very upset, I was angry. I thought I had just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very sick man who did not have the powers of the attorney general because they had been transferred to me," he said. But Comey said Ashcroft refused to sign the document and noted that Comey was the acting attorney general.
Gonzales reiterated that whether he remains as attorney general is up to President Bush. White House spokesman Tony Snow says the president continues to have confidence in his attorney general.The White House says President Bush still has confidence in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, despite controversy over his handling of the ...all »The White House says President Bush still has confidence in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, despite controversy over his handling of the firing of federal prosecutors and of the reauthorization of a clandestine surveillance program. New details emerged Tuesday about Gonzales' role in recertifying the wiretap program over Justice Department objections when he was White House counsel.
The new details about Gonzales' actions came from former Deputy Attorney General James Comey, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Comey said he had refused to recertify the clandestine program because then-Attorney General John Ashcroft had questioned its legality just before falling ill with pancreatitis in March 2004.
Comey, who was acting attorney general during Ashcroft's illness, said Gonzales and former White House Chief of Staff Andy Card responded by trying to pressure Ashcroft to sign the recertification from his hospital bed. "I was very upset, I was angry. I thought I had just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very sick man who did not have the powers of the attorney general because they had been transferred to me," he said. But Comey said Ashcroft refused to sign the document and noted that Comey was the acting attorney general.
Gonzales reiterated that whether he remains as attorney general is up to President Bush. White House spokesman Tony Snow says the president continues to have confidence in his attorney general.«
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