Alberto Gonzales Finding It Tough To Land A New Job

The New York Times is reporting Sunday that former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is having a hard time finding a job at a law firm:

He has, through friends, put out inquiries, they said, and has not found any takers. What makes Mr. Gonzales's case extraordinary is that former attorneys general, the government's chief lawyer, are typically highly sought.

A longtime loyalist to George W. Bush dating to their years together in Texas, Mr. Gonzales was once widely viewed as a strong candidate to be the first Hispanic-American nominated one day to the Supreme Court. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he carried an impressive personal story as the child of poor Mexican immigrants.

Despite those credentials, he left office last August with a frayed reputation over his role in the dismissal of several federal prosecutors and the truthfulness of his testimony about a secret eavesdropping program. He has had no full-time job since his resignation, and his principal income has come from giving a handful of talks at colleges and before private business groups.

"Maybe the passage of time will provide some opportunity for him," said one Washington lawyer who was aware of an inquiry to his firm from a Gonzales associate. "I wouldn't say 'rebuffed,' " said the lawyer, who asked his name not be used because the situation being described was uncomfortable for Mr. Gonzales. "I would say 'not taken up.' "

The greatest impediment to Mr. Gonzales's being offered the kind of high-salary job being snagged these days by lesser Justice Department officials, many lawyers agree, is his performance during his last few months in office. In that period, he was openly criticized by lawmakers for being untruthful in his sworn testimony. His conduct is being investigated by the Office of the Inspector General of the Justice Department, which could recommend actions from exonerating him to recommending criminal charges. Friends set up a fund to help pay his legal bills.

Comments

[gcallaghan]

Finding a job after leaving office isn't that tough for most former Attorney Generals. Although most former Attorney Generals leave office without "disgraced" preceding their titles.

[Axolotl]

If Alberto tried blowing harder, he would probably find a job.

He could also be Hillary's VP.

Hillary: the audacity of dope.

[jqcitizen]

He might find a position with the former "Singing Senators" since Sen. Jeffords divorced himself from the GOP and became an Independent.

No doubt Alberto would fit right in with his predecessor, John Ashcroft, former Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott and Sen. Larry 'Wide-Stance' Craig of Idaho. What wonderful music they would make.

An alternative position for the poor guy, that dropped out if the Air Force Academy, might be to get a job at the University of California-Berkley teaching that legal ' genius', John Yoo, how to read the constitution.

[personalpolitical]

I look forward to him serving me one day at McDonalds, only I don't eat there, but maybe one day I'll be starving and there won't be anywhere else around that is open, and I'll wander in and Alberto will look up from the register and ask me if I'd like to make that a combo.

[DMM1029]

No one wants to hire someone who just might be going off on a 'vacation' to Club Fed. Oh to see this creep do the perp walk. Just imagine if a commoner lied as badly and openly to congress as he did. Just wait until John Edwards becomes AG.

[irishgawdess]

Pobrecito. Now go away, you deserve to be shunned.

[SeriousBlack]

Awwwwww. Cry me a river.

[HDR]

I can't believe he's having a hard time finding work taking care of DUI charges for fellow Republicans in Texas!

[DasBoot]

How about a minimum wage job at Walmart, you know, get a little taste of the America you helped create?

Something tells me I don't need to shed tears for poor Gonzo being out of work for too long. Still, this story brought a little smile to me this morning.

[realpolitic]

Gonzo may argue for extending unemployment benefits, like Democrats would like to do, since he is out of work.

[skepticalindenver]

And this surprises anyone? The guy clearly is a piss poor lawyer and has zero political clout that a former Attorney General should have.

[PoliticalPolyanna]

Huh? AEI doesn't need a good, conservaitve, chickenhawk lawyer that shares their view of the world? FOX doesn't need a co-host for Greta? Purely a shame that Scootie Libby lost his license. He and Gonzo would be some partnership, huh?

[neverbeenfooled]

Perhaps Alberto can find a job in Iraq. I noted on Sixty Minutes last night Al Maliki is in need of someone he can trust to "clean up" the fraud and corruption in the Iraqi Ministries, since the uncorruptible Judge heading the investigations fled the Country in fear for his family's safety. The job should pay very well if Alberto approaches it with the same mind-set and ignorance he exhibited as A.G.

[neverbeenfooled]

Perhaps Alberto can find a job in Iraq. I noted on Sixty Minutes last night Al Maliki is in need of someone he can trust to "clean up" the fraud and corruption in the Iraqi Ministries, since the incorruptible Judge heading the investigations fled the Country in fear for his family's lives. The job should pay very well if Alberto approaches it with the same mind-set and ignorance he exhibited as A.G.

[gernger]

Maybe this will be an example for all high ranking government officials not to break the law and then committing perjury.

[unsolved999]

Alberto Gonzales is the reason for the whole Bush debacle?

[Boboday555]

Not by a long shot.
#1 President WAR DEFERMENTS Cheney!
#2 Vice President KKKarl Rove!
#3 The pals of George W. AWOL's Daddy!

Alberto was a sacrifical lamb for AWOL Bush's un-American regime...and was sacrificed to divert attention from the traitors above.

[heal57]

Maybe he could become a torture teacher.

[philipwitak]

based on what i saw of him and on what i can recall of his actions during his tenure with bush's band of thugs, gonzo's simply too stupid to get a really good job without the benefit of patronage provided by someone influential.

[Arleen1]

Not to worry Gonzales, when the trials begin against the Bush administration you will be assured of square meals per day for some time. Good luck until then.

[BluMoonRising]

They won't hire him because they figure jail time in his near future so why bother....

[RGKahn]

I thought he was playing infield for the New York Yankees this season. Could sworn I heard he was playing second bas with Alex and Daryl Jeter.

[Barbarossa03]

Here's a one word answer to why he can't get a job - INTEGRITY - or the lack there of. Plus it doesn't help that he was a Bush stooge. Why hasn't Bush helped you with a job yet

I want to help out though. Hey Alberto have you tried Fox News yet? I hear they are looking for people that can tell a good lie you can fill in for Hannity or O'Reilly.

[mydogshakespeare]

Hey Alberto, I need some landscaping.

If that works out, maybe I could use you against a family of unruly neighbors. Your spying credentials might help get the evidence I need to proceed.

[Dayahka]

Just wait a bit longer, Gonzo, and you'll have more work than you can handle defending Bush, Cheney, yourself, Condi, and a few others before the war crimes tribunal in the Hague.

[lenzorizzo]

Giving out rimjobs to alcoholic bums, his main field of experience, should be in pretty high demand on Skid Row in most major cities.

[desmirl]

There are lots of jobs at McDonald's. He might be sharp enough to hold one down.