Gonzalez Faces Hostile Congressional Leaders

U.S. Attorney-General Alberto Gonzalez was on Capitol Hill Tuesday to meet with Congressional leaders. The meeting was largely hostile as Gonzalez continues to be dogged by questions concerning the firing of eight federal prosecutors.

Many on the Hill in both Parties expected Gonzalez to be gone by now, either by his own choice to resign or by termination by the President.

It is no secret in political circles that there are major problems at the Department of Justice. From the unjust prosecution and imprisonment of two innocent Border Patrol agents to a rogue bureau, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE), the DOJ seems to suffer from a grossly inordinate amount of corruption.

In no way can all of this be laid at the feet of the Attorney-General. Large, overgrown government monoliths tend to begin to feed off of their own power, only to grow larger, often without adequate accountability.

Yet as the Attorney-General, Gonzalez is ultimately responsible for what occurs under his watch at the DOJ.

And this constitutes his biggest problem.

Gonzalez has been lax as a chief executive in exercising oversight of the department under his charge. This has created a scenario in which a rogue federal prosecutor such as Johnny Sutton can unleash his attacks against those who attempt to secure our southern border.

And, much worse, this scenario is one in which a rogue government bureau such as the BATFE can flourish.

The BATFE has been allowed to get away with unlawful and unconstitutional practices designed to harass law-abiding, private citizens into submission to government power.

Although there are lieutenants under Gonzalez who are charged with the oversight of these components of the Department of Justice, a good Attorney-General would insist that the law be obeyed, that employees tell the truth to Congressional oversight committees, and that the highest ethical standards of professional conduct be followed.

Gonzalez, for one reason or another, has failed to insist on these standards, and thus, the DOJ has been allowed to drift.

Is this reason enough for Gonzalez to be fired? It depends.

If the President begins to pressure his Attorney-General to clean up the DOJ, implementing strict guidelines of behavior and conduct, including the termination of unethical personnel, then it would not necessarily be a good thing to get rid of him.

So far, the Democrats have used Gonzalez as a whipping boy to get at the President for the firing of the eight federal prosecutors, who are political appointees serving at the pleasure of the President.

Thus, the Democrats have chosen an issue that is much ado about nothing.

If Congressional Democrats on Capitol Hill truly want the best thing for the country, politics aside, then they will work with Republicans to pressure the President to lay down the law to Gonzalez about cleaning up the DOJ.

That way our southern border will be infinitely more secure, Border Patrol agents will be free to do their jobs, the BATFE will be reigned in and restricted from its attacks on citizens, and DOJ personnel will no longer lie to Congress.

If the President is not successful in getting Gonzalez to make these necessary and urgent changes, then he should get rid of him and appoint someone who will.