Alberto Gonzales' Private Attorney Will Be Paid By Taxpayers

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department has agreed to pay for a private lawyer to defend former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales against allegations that he encouraged officials to inject partisan politics into the department's hiring and firing practices.

Lawyers from the Justice Department's civil division often represent department employees who're sued in connection with their official actions. However, Gonzales' attorney recently revealed in court papers that the Justice Department had approved his request to pay private attorney's fees arising from the federal lawsuit.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ladydriver]

Now, let me just try to be subtle in my comment on this: IT S U C K S!!!!

[Purcy]

So, does he get one from the Public Defender pool? Especially since he can afford to pay for his own, I think it would be wrong for the taxpayers to have to pay to defend him given that we all know he was acting strictly in the interest of the Bush/Cheney Administration and to cover his own arse. Why should we pay for it? Let him do community service to earn his lawyer...

[unite4change]

Can I deduct his legal fees on my taxes. Can he not find a lawyer to work for him pro bono or a public defender?

[pointyheadprodigy]

Is this part of his Miranda rights? If he made more than the poverty standard last year, then I vote NO. WTF?

[keepemhonest]

WTF!

[NoSillyName]

um, why?

[katok]

I'll pick up the electric bill ;-)

[instagladiator]

Super, I'll take care of the water bill ;-)

[kellygrrrl]

I'll assign the Public Defender

[sparkey]

Since this is my money that Speedy Gonzo is using, I'm going to send a letter to the justice dept. demanding my portion of the money back. If I don't get it, I'll send it to a credit collection company listing the justice dept. as an unpaid debt.

[pointyheadprodigy]

I've considered that ever since George went to Iraq.

[Stretchumall]

There is No sence in paying a private lawyer, a Public Defender would work, afterall geedubya is going to pardon him.



Stretchumall

[ObjectiveRealist]

Unless Gonzo extends the trial past January 20 with the kinds of stall tactics overpaid lawyers are known for. Maybe a little silver lining.

[NancyCinNY]

Now I'm really confused... Bill and Hillary had to pay for their own lawyers, but Gonzalez, who's basically ignore his core job description AND the Bill of Rights and the Consitutions, get his legal bills paid for by we taxpayers? What gives?

[ObjectiveRealist]

[
basically ignore his core job description AND the Bill of Rights and the Consitutions, get his legal bills paid for by we taxpayers?
]

Cheney wanted to give him a big fat raise for those things. The Justice Department managed to draw the line at free legal counsel, after a passionate argument. ;)

[forpeace]

*

What's the private lawyer's name .......... I have to write a check!

*

[instagladiator]

Just make it out to SP. uhhh, oops, sorry forget that. I forgot she has her (coff coff) degree in Journalism (Jur-knull-liz-uhm)..

[kellygrrrl]

silent K's are 'leetust!
duh

[darthdarcy]

Gonzales all but destroyed The Justice Dept. and Mukasey is not much better...

It will never return to being respected by Americas as it once was, until we purge it of the Federalist Society which has infested and infected it...

[springsm]

Maybe if Obama is serious about getting to the bottom of this and his selection is honest and forthright, the change will be enough to show how corrupt and off course Gonzales and Bush and Meiers were and Mukasey is. We then might be able to look at these 8 years as an abnomaly and with hard work we will not go there again. The justice department will hopefully change. At least the federal judges will be left behind. I can only HOPE for all of that.

[instagladiator]

That is definitely going to be a very tall order for O & B as the FS has forced its infestations and infections all the way down to the small town level. It is evident everywhere.

[lungfish]

If they wanted to be effective with their indictments they would hold off until after Jan 09.....

[instagladiator]

Aww Gonzo is busting his buns to make the "Get out of Jail Free" card list while the Romper Room Administration exists. Speedy trial, allow the conviction and let his buddy toss him the Pardon - end of story.

[RJII]

So, let me get a job w/ the Federal gov't, steal a couple of millions of the taxpayer's money, then get the taxpayers to pay for a fancy private lawyer to get me off.

To quote Don King, "Only in America"

[outmost1]

Can't we pay the attorney minimum wages instead of the princly sum of double the going rate. I'm sure he would get the same level of service. If we had to we should only go as high as what is paid to other attorneys who represent criminals.

[KeepMeLearning]

I know a defense attorney who would be happy to represent him. He does DUIs and stuff...not expensive.