Attorney General

September 17, 2007 -- THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I'm pleased to announce my nomination of Judge Michael Mukasey to be the 81st Attorney General of the United States. Judge, thank you for agreeing to serve.

The Attorney General serves as our nation's chief law enforcement officer. The Attorney General has an especially vital role to play in a time of war, when we face the challenges -- and we face the challenge of protecting our people on a daily basis from deadly enemies, while at the same time protecting our freedom.    » read more »

August 30, 2007 -- “I am pleased that Department of Justice Inspector General Glenn Fine will look into my concerns about potentially false, misleading or inappropriate testimony by the Attorney General. I look forward to the Inspector General’s findings on the unprecedented firings of nine United States Attorneys, the improper political hiring of career officials within the Justice Department, the misuse of National Security Letters, and the efforts to bypass the Department’s finding that a warrantless surveillance program was without legal basis.    » read more »

02 September 2007 -- Two leading members of the U.S. Senate are calling on President Bush to name a new Attorney General who will restore a sense of integrity to the beleaguered Justice Department. The current Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned last week, ending a controversial 2.5-year run as the chief U.S. law enforcement officer.

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Senator Patrick Leahy, said he is pleased that the Department of Justice's inspector general is looking into whether outgoing Attorney General Alberto Gonzales gave false testimony to Congress while under oath.    » read more »

August 28, 2007 -- With the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the NAACP urges President George W. Bush to nominate an individual with a real commitment to the protection and promotion of civil rights for all Americans. Areas that have been largely ignored over the last six years include voting rights, employment rights, police misconduct and housing discrimination.    » read more »

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, Aug. 29) – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday invited President Bush to consult with Senate leaders in choosing his nominee for the post of Attorney General.

The text of Leahy’s letter to President Bush follows.

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August 29, 2007

The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:    » read more »

August 28, 2007 -- After years of misleading the public and promoting illegal government action, Alberto Gonzales finally resigned his post as attorney general yesterday. One of the many "loyal Bushies" to resign recently under a cloud of scandal, Gonzales had lost the confidence of the American people long ago. Editorials from around the country are echoing the sentiments of the American people, who are glad to see Gonzales go but reluctant to believe the Bush White House will turn over a new leaf and put their poisonous brand of partisan politics behind them.    » read more »

Washington DC | August 27, 2007 -- Barack Obama today released the following statement on the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

"I have long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda, and so I am pleased that he has finally resigned today.

The President needs to nominate an Attorney General who will be the people's lawyer, not the President's lawyer, and in an Obama Administration that person will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution," said Obama.    » read more »

08/27/2007 -- Joe Biden, senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee issued the following statement today after the announcement of Attorney General Gonzales' resignation:

"As I've said before, Attorney General Gonzales has lost the confidence of the vast majority of the American people and the Congress. His resignation is long overdue.    » read more »

WASHINGTON -- Today, Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd released the following statement on Alberto Gonzales' resignation:

"Mr. Gonzales' Justice Department became a political wing of the Bush Administration and his resignation is long overdue.

I will only vote to confirm a nominee for Attorney General who is truly independent and who will guarantee reforms that restore and uphold the Constitution."

Source: Chris Dodd campaign

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA -- Governor Bill Richardson, campaigning today in Iowa, released the following statement regarding the resignation of US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

"The resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is long overdue. The President must nominate an Attorney General who is a lawyer for the American people not a political arm of the White House."

Source: Bill Richardson campaign

Aug 27, 2007 -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Senator John Edwards released the following statement following the announcement of the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Edwards has repeatedly called for Gonzales to resign, the first time on March 13, 2007.    » read more »

Aug 27, 2007 -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Commenting today upon the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Senator John Edwards released the following statement. Edwards first called for Gonzales' resignation on March 13, 2007.

"Better late than never."

Source: John Edwards campaign

08/27/2007 -- Senator Bernie Sanders months ago called on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign. The senator had voiced concern about privacy abuses by the FBI and the lingering controversy over the firing of federal prosecutors. “It was past time for him to go. He had not been honest with Congress. His credibility was shot. He has not respected the Constitution,” Sanders said.

Sanders added that the confirmation process could be a healthy refresher course in constitutional values.    » read more »

August 27, 2007 -- “Under this Attorney General and this President, the Department of Justice suffered a severe crisis of leadership that allowed our justice system to be corrupted by political influence. It is a shame, and it is the Justice Department, the American people and the dedicated professionals of our law enforcement community who have suffered most from it.    » read more »

08/27/2007 -- WASHINGTON – Senator John Kerry issued the following statement today, following the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez.

“Alberto Gonzales turned the Justice Department into a political arm of the White House and he should have resigned long ago,” Kerry said.

“From the firings of the US Attorneys to evasion about illegal wiretapping, Gonzales single-handedly damaged the integrity of our legal system and subverted efforts to get to the truth.    » read more »