Say Goodbye Alberto

As regular readers know, in the past I have tread lightly on the reputation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez. My sympathy was based on two factors: 1) I think Gonzalez was often sent out to do legal battle for the Administration with an empty briefcase. I can sympathize. 2) I viewed Gonzalez as a pragmatic alternative to John Ashcroft, the evangelical nut job that preceded him.

Times have changed. I withdraw my support. Gonzalez must step down.

Late last week, Gonzalez assured the nation that the White House had nothing to do with the firing of eight US Attorneys. This week we learned that Gonzalez' own Chief of Staff, as well as White House figures such as Karl Rove and Harriet "Justice" Miers, were intimately involved in the decision. We also know that pressure from Republican Senator Pete Domenici played a role in at least one sacking and that anger over the prosecution of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham played a role in another. In documents hitting the press today, we see that Gonzalez' office ranked each US Attorney based upon their "loyalty" to the President and shared that ranking with the White House.

In short, not only did the DOJ implement a politically motivated purge, Gonzalez lied about this fact. You cannot be the nation's lawyer and lack credibility.

Step down. Take a job with a huge Washington law firm and take your seven figures like a man.