Gonzales denies pressuring Ashcroft

Source: ap



Gonzales denies pressuring Ashcroft

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer 52 minutes ago

WASHINGTON -...........

Gonzales said that he and Card had been urged by congressional leaders of both parties to take steps necessary to ensure that the unidentified intelligence program survive a looming deadline for its expiration. To do that, Gonzales said, he needed Ashcroft's permission.

At the time, Ashcroft was in an intensive care unit recovering from gall bladder surgery and Gonzales was Bush's White House legal counsel. Ashcroft had transferred the powers of his office to Deputy Attorney General James Comey.

"We went there because we thought it was important for him to know where the congressional leadership was on this," Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee in his first public explanation of the meeting.

"Clearly if he had been competent and understood the facts and had been inclined to do so, yes we would have asked him," Gonzales added. "Andy Card and I didn't press him. We said 'Thank you' and we left."

Gonzales' version conflicts with Comey's.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070724/ap_on_go_co/prosecutors_gonzales;_ylt=AqBANV7E5hWJuM7TKzEMwP6s0NUE

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i think gonzo just blew out his candle!

...........Comey said that he and Ashcroft had decided against recertifying the classified program. There were concerns at the time about whether the domestic eavesdropping program violated civil liberties. The program was slated to expire on March 11, 2004, if not recertified by Justice.

But Gonzales said Tuesday that he did not know whether Ashcroft had made a decision or whether he had been aware of Comey's objections. Furthermore, he said, House and Senate leaders of both parties urged him during an emergency meeting earlier on March 10 to make sure the program survived the deadline.

"How can you get approval from Ashcroft for anything when he's under sedation and incapacitated? For anything?" Specter asked.

"We would not have sought nor did we intend to seek to get any approval from General Ashcroft if in fact he was not fully competent to make that decision," Gonzales replied.

"I'm not making any progress here," Specter snapped.

that bastard consigLIARe gonzales can only be trusted by the bfee....

Gonzo is a perfect capo for Bush.

Testimony from a guy who lies whenever his lips move (Gonzales,) or testimony from a guy who's known for truth-telling (Comey). I wonder whom I should believe?

Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
Julie

This is my understanding from the FDL live blogging:

Gonzales: (paraphrasing) Now if Ashcroft were, in his heavily sedated state, to take back the powers he had lawfully delegated to Deputy Attorney General James Comey, and then signed off on the program in question, which I won't specify, I am aware of NO GOVERNING LEGAL PRINCIPLE that would prevent him from doing so.

Shorter Gonzales: If we could coerce the drugged up guy to take back his power and use it as we directed, it'd be legal, whether Ashcroft was competent or not.

So having explained what the advantage of pressuring Ashcroft was that would make pressuring him so tempting, how can we believe his denial that he did any such thing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtf_Gxy9ZRY

...Ashcroft had transferred the powers of his office to Deputy Attorney General James Comey. "We went there because we thought it was important for him to know where the congressional leadership was on this," Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee in his first public explanation of the meeting..

Despite the fact that Ashcroft was sedated? And despite the fact that Ashcroft had transferred his power? Or didn't Gone-zalez KNOW that Ashcroft has transferred his power? Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket!

:eyes:
rocknation