Gonzales Rejects Gore's Criticism
By LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
01-17) 06:17 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --
Former Vice President Al Gore called Monday for an independent investigation of President Bush's domestic spying program, contending the president "repeatedly and insistently" broke the law by eavesdropping on Americans without court approval.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales defended the administration's actions and said Gore's criticism is inconsistent with Clinton administration policy.
On CNN's "Larry King Live," Gonzales said, "it's my understanding that during the Clinton administration there was activity regarding physical searches without warrants."
Gonzales said he sees no need for a special counsel to investigate the National Security Administration surveillance operation because, "what I can tell you is that from the very beginning, from its inception this program has been carefully reviewed by the lawyers at the Department of Justice and other lawyers within the administration and we firmly believe that the president does have the legal authority" to gather intelligence in a time of war.
Speaking on Martin Luther King Jr.'s national holiday, Gore was interrupted repeatedly by applause as he called the anti-terrorism program "a threat to the very structure of our government."
The former vice president said Gonzales should name a special counsel to investigate the program, citing the attorney general's "obvious conflict of interest" as a member of the Bush Cabinet as well as the nation's top law enforcement officer.
The man who lost the 2000 presidential election to Bush charged that the administration acted without congressional authority and made a "direct assault" on a special federal court that authorizes requests to eavesdrop on Americans. One judge on the court resigned last month, voicing concerns about the National Security Agency's surveillance of e-mails and phone calls.
A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, Tracey Schmitt, attacked Gore's comments shortly after his address.
"Al Gore's incessant need to insert himself in the headline of the day is almost as glaring as his lack of understanding of the threats facing America," Schmitt said. "While the president works to protect Americans from terrorists, Democrats deliver no solutions of their own, only diatribes laden with inaccuracies and anger. "
... in part
sfgate.com
dog* |
