The New York Times is reporting that Alberto Gonzales will finally resign today as attorney general of the United States. It is a sad end to what should have been a historic term for the first hispanic to hold that office. As one of the critics of Gonzales, it is hard not to feel a sense of relief but that is also tempered by a feeling of tremendous waste. I expect that Gonzales may look back at his controversial tenure in a few years and wonder whether he would have better served the president, the country, and indeed himself but being a voice of independence in the government. Instead, Gonzales made a career as the enabler for George W. Bush. When they wanted to strip citizens of all of the constitutional rights at the whim of the president, Gonzales was there to say it was fine. When they wanted to engage in torture, Gonzales was there with a pen in hand. One can only wonder how much better this president would have fared if he had a lawyer prepared to tell him that he did not have such Caesar like qualities.
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Mr Turley,
Must a person BE in office to be impeached?
The constitution says: “Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to
Law.”
While “removal from Office” is obviously only pertinent to an office holder, is the “disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States” available “according to the Law” (that is, independent of impeachment)?
While I’m not terribly concerned that Gonzales will return to “enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States,” in my lifetime, I AM concerned that the evidence that could have been established in an impeachment/trial will now very likely never be made public.
Please send any reply to the e-mail address, above.
Thanks,
John Puma
Lebanon OR