Ex-aide disputes Gonzales statements By Thomas Ferraro
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' claim he was not involved in discussions about the firing of federal prosecutors was inaccurate, his former chief of staff told Congress on Thursday.
Kyle Sampson also testified he shared information with key Justice Department colleagues about the dismissals of eight of the nation's 93 U.S. attorneys last year, despite complaints to the contrary by Gonzales.
"I never sought to conceal or withhold any material fact on this matter from anyone," Sampson, who helped orchestrate the dismissals, told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"Others in (the Justice) Department knew what I knew about the origins and timing of this enterprise," said Sampson, who Gonzales has largely blamed for the furor over the firings.
But Sampson conceded he failed to help organize a more effective department response to questions from Congress earlier this year.
The dismissals have triggered a firestorm, fanned by charges that the firings may have been politically motivated, as well as calls for Gonzales to step down.
The administration contends the firings were justified and based largely on performance or policy difference. But recently disclosed documents also show loyalty to the administration was a factor.
"For my part in allowing what should have been a routine process of assuring the Congress that nothing untoward occurred to become an ugly, undignified spectacle, I want to apologize," said Sampson, who resigned this month as Gonzales' chief of staff.
The probe is part of the drive by the new Democratic-led Congress to increase oversight over how the Bush administration operates. Since taking power in January, Democrats have held more than 200 oversight hearings, about half on the Iraq war.
At a March 13 news conference about the firings of prosecutors, Gonzales said, "The mistake that occurred here was that information that he (Sampson) had was not shared with individuals within the department who were then going to be providing testimony and information to the Congress."
Gonzales also had said he was not involved in any discussions about the firings. But he sought to clarify after the recent disclosure of an internal document showed otherwise.
Subsequently, Gonzales said he was not involved in deliberations over which prosecutors should go.
Sampson testified that Gonzales "was aware of this process from the beginning in early 2005 .... Ultimately he approved both the list (of those chosen to be dismissed) and the notion of going forward and asking for these resignations."
DEMOCRATS GO AFTER GONZALES
In opening the packed Senate hearing, Democrats took aim at Gonzales, who is to testify before the committee next month.
"At his press conference two weeks ago -- and again this week in an interview -- Attorney General Gonzales seemed to heap much of the responsibility for this matter on Mr. Sampson," Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record) said. "This hearing gives Mr. Sampson a chance to answer these charges."
Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), a New York Democrat, noted that the administration has offered shifting explanations.
"In the last seven weeks, we learned that Attorney General Gonzales was personally involved in the firing plan -- after being told that he wasn't," Schumer said.
"We have learned that the White House was involved -- after being told that it wasn't," Schumer said. "We have learned that (senior White House adviser) Karl Rove was involved -- after being told that he wasn't.
Sampson said the decisions to fire the prosecutors "were properly made, but poorly explained." He also said that despite charges to the contrary, none of the firings sought to gain a political advantage in any ongoing investigation.
"Thus, the distinction between 'political' and 'performance-related' reasons for removing a U.S. attorney is, in my view, largely artificial," Sampson said.
_______________________
Edit: I give Gonzales less than a week to remain in office. |
