Report: Gonzales Pointing Finger At Bush In Surveillance Investigation

In March 2004, White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales made a now-famous late-night visit to the hospital room of Attorney General John Ashcroft, seeking to get Ashcroft to sign a certification stating that the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program was legal. According to people familiar with statements recently made by Gonzales to federal investigators, Gonzales is now saying that George Bush personally directed him to make that hospital visit.

...

Gonzales has also told Justice Department investigators that President Bush played a more central and active role than was previously known in devising a strategy to have Congress enable the continuation of the surveillance program when questions about its legality were raised by the Justice Department, as well as devising other ways to circumvent the Justice Department's legal concerns about the program, according to people who have read Gonzales's interviews with investigators. The White House declined to comment for this story. An attorney for Gonzales, George J. Terwilliger III, himself a former deputy attorney general, declined to comment as well.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[likeicare]

Yep, this is usually what happens when one person in a conspiracy is facing time in the slammer -- the circular firing squad!

This is getting good!! Just in time for the election, too!

[priorato]

YES, I'm a SOOOOOOOO happy Gonzales will finally get indicted for perjury. He is an all-out criminal and should spend some time behind bars, BUT -- I am sure Bush will grant him a pardon. However, if the timing of the investigation lingers into 2009, it would be more difficult to pardon him, so we shall see. I am so relieved to know there are still credible investigations going on in this Administration.

[Ozarks]

Fredo is probably broke, can't get a job, no wants him on the lucrative "chicken dinner" lecture tour. He is universally see as a Bush Toadie. a Sycophant with no morals who shredded the Justice department integrity to meet political ends of Bushii. He should go the way of dust.

[drkazmd65]

Will this be Bush/Chenye's 'Fredo' moment?

I would love to see one of their own turn on them.

[montemalone]

Chit mon,
I jus work here. El jefe tell me do it, I do it.

[texanna]

This information is a surprise only to "I see nothing" Pelosi! Oh, what a REAL effort at impeachment could've done for this country if only Nancy had the country's best interests and not the DLC's best interests at heart. And, in light of this information, where is the effort to prosecute Gonzales for lying to Congress?

[OverIt]

Is that any way to get himself a pardon? Tsk tsk!

[SENATORCALLENBOWE]

HE SHOULD POINT THE FINGER AT THE MIRROR :)

[StillAmused]

"Let us take another look at that law degree... and, this time, take it out of the frame."

[ROBOT8]

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE GONZO !!!!!!!!!!!!GO FOR IT! TELL THE EMPOROR HE IS NAKED

[arvay]

As we contemplate regime change in Washington, let's review the charges leveled in the Nuremberg war crimes trial and see how they stack up against the Bush gang.

Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of crime against peace -- invasion of Iraq, which had not attacked the US, on false premises (the German invasion of Poland began with false charges of Polish aggression)

Planning, initiating and waging wars of aggression and other crimes against peace -- ditto above

War crimes -- Backing and supplying Israeli bombing of Lebanon, numerous civilians killed in Iraq as a result of first two crimes

Crimes against humanity -- torture, Abu Grab, Gitmo

There seem to be ample justifications for issuing orange jumpsuits to much of the Bush cabal. As signatory to international law, US officials are liable for prosecution for violations. Works for Serbians, should work for Americans.
The madness of the Bush approach extends to its nutty antimissile plans for Europe and provocative attempts to extend NATO to abut Russia's borders. The recent Georgia fiasco reenforces the insanity.

[Marlyn]

Agreed, insanity.

[Indedave]

OK, children. If you can't get along I'm going to have to put you in separate cells.

[AliHajiSheik]

Watching the rats turn on each other will be fun.

[ProudLiberalDemocrat]

The shameful thing is that Republicans don't seem to mind that nearly every person that held a high position and since left the Bush Administration has either written a book or spoken openly about President Bush & VP Cheney's failure to follow Constitutional principles by lying and deceiving the American people.

Both the rule of law and fair play have been avoided by this administration and only Republicans have defended it.

Republicans have continuously wrapped themselves in a shroud of patriotism while all the while doing nothing but be complicit in allowing this administration to interpret the rule of law as they see fit.

I no longer talk to people who are Republicans, they have no shame or sense of honor. Plainly and simply, they make up the facts in order to justify what they believe is the truth. Shameless.

[Marlyn]

"He is just trying to sell his book."
- Condi Rice

[faith]

What a bunch of chickens. As soon as they think they are going down for misdeeds they rat on each other. So much for honor among....? Well, better said-so much for honor..

[FrictionSoul]

"I embrace my desire to
point the finger
blame the other
watch the temple
topple over"

Schism, by TOOL.