12:20 PM EDT
The hearing is back on, and I'm noticing a trend. Each representative, before asking a question of Gonzales, prefaces that question with some version of, "You may not be able to answer this, but ..." I think hearing dozens of replies from Gonzales along the lines of "I don't recall" has forced these committee members into an expectation of ignorance on the part of this attorney general. In short, they appear to know that they're interrogating smoke. - William Rivers Pitt
12:20 PM EDT
Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) questioned Gonzales about threats of retribution made to fired US Attorney Bud Cummings. Jackson-Lee also pointed out that every category of civil rights prosecutions has declined in number since Alberto Gonzales took over as attorney general. -Matt Renner
Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) questioned Gonzales about threats of retribution made to fired US Attorney Bud Cummings. Jackson-Lee also pointed out that every category of civil rights prosecutions has declined in number since Alberto Gonzales took over as attorney general. -Matt Renner
12:28 PM EDT
Chris Cannon (R-Utah) said he received a letter from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, the law firm that hired former US Attorney Debra Yang of Los Angeles, rebutting claims that she received a $1.5 million signing bonus when she was hired by the law firm. Yang had been investigating Congressman Jerry Lewis (R-California) on public corruption charges. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is the firm defending Lewis. The letter Cannon said he received stated that Yang recused herself from the firm's defense of Lewis. - Jason Leopold
Chris Cannon (R-Utah) said he received a letter from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, the law firm that hired former US Attorney Debra Yang of Los Angeles, rebutting claims that she received a $1.5 million signing bonus when she was hired by the law firm. Yang had been investigating Congressman Jerry Lewis (R-California) on public corruption charges. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is the firm defending Lewis. The letter Cannon said he received stated that Yang recused herself from the firm's defense of Lewis. - Jason Leopold
12:44 PM EDT
Congressman Melvin Watt (D-North Carolina) grilled Gonzales about the firing of US Attorney John McKay. According to emails released by the Department of Justice, the explanations given by DOJ for McKay's firing were based on events that occurred after McKay was targeted. Gonzales pled ignorance to this information. - Matt Renner
Congressman Melvin Watt (D-North Carolina) grilled Gonzales about the firing of US Attorney John McKay. According to emails released by the Department of Justice, the explanations given by DOJ for McKay's firing were based on events that occurred after McKay was targeted. Gonzales pled ignorance to this information. - Matt Renner
12:49 PM EDT
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-California) grilled Gonzales about whether the attorney general reviewed the employee files of the US attorneys who were fired last year. Waters wanted to know if Gonzales was familiar with how the US attorneys performed in their jobs as career prosecutors. Gonzales said he has not reviewed the files and could not comment one way or another how the fired attorneys performed in their jobs. "You don't know whether they were good employees, bad employees," Waters told Gonzales. - Jason Leopold
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-California) grilled Gonzales about whether the attorney general reviewed the employee files of the US attorneys who were fired last year. Waters wanted to know if Gonzales was familiar with how the US attorneys performed in their jobs as career prosecutors. Gonzales said he has not reviewed the files and could not comment one way or another how the fired attorneys performed in their jobs. "You don't know whether they were good employees, bad employees," Waters told Gonzales. - Jason Leopold
12:55 PM EDT
Rep. Maxine Waters just gave a clinic on how to interrogate a stubborn witness. Clearly, Rep. Waters was fed up with all the non-responsive noise from the attorney general today, and used her time to bracket him as much as possible. "What do you have to tell us today?" she thundered in outrage. "The buck stops with you." Gonzales, not surprisingly, wriggled on the hook until Rep. Waters's time expired, and managed once again to avoid giving direct answers. The exchange, however, was the most important of the day thus far. Waters didn't get her answers, but the absence of those answers was answer enough. It was an impressive, and important, display. - William Rivers Pitt
Rep. Maxine Waters just gave a clinic on how to interrogate a stubborn witness. Clearly, Rep. Waters was fed up with all the non-responsive noise from the attorney general today, and used her time to bracket him as much as possible. "What do you have to tell us today?" she thundered in outrage. "The buck stops with you." Gonzales, not surprisingly, wriggled on the hook until Rep. Waters's time expired, and managed once again to avoid giving direct answers. The exchange, however, was the most important of the day thus far. Waters didn't get her answers, but the absence of those answers was answer enough. It was an impressive, and important, display. - William Rivers Pitt
1:08 PM EDT
Congressman Darrell Issa (R-California) is attempting to demonstrate that officials of the Clinton administration disrupted the judicial process when they came into office because they fired nearly all US attorneys. - Jason Leopold
Congressman Darrell Issa (R-California) is attempting to demonstrate that officials of the Clinton administration disrupted the judicial process when they came into office because they fired nearly all US attorneys. - Jason Leopold
1:16 PM EDT
House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers asked Gonzales whether he had "information on whether Karl Rove or any other White House staff member helped get [former US attorney in New Mexico David] Iglesias on the termination list?" Gonzales said, "I have no personal knowledge." Conyers said his committee has "already learned that Karl Rove has been contacted by prominent New Mexico Republicans to remove Mr. Iglesias. Mr. Rove talks to you about the voter fraud matter in New Mexico in the fall." "Not only NM, but Philadelphia" as well, Gonzales said. Conyers then said that "if we start following these bread crumbs it suggests there could be some connection to [Iglesias's firing and the] conversations between Mr. Rove and yourself." - Jason Leopold
House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers asked Gonzales whether he had "information on whether Karl Rove or any other White House staff member helped get [former US attorney in New Mexico David] Iglesias on the termination list?" Gonzales said, "I have no personal knowledge." Conyers said his committee has "already learned that Karl Rove has been contacted by prominent New Mexico Republicans to remove Mr. Iglesias. Mr. Rove talks to you about the voter fraud matter in New Mexico in the fall." "Not only NM, but Philadelphia" as well, Gonzales said. Conyers then said that "if we start following these bread crumbs it suggests there could be some connection to [Iglesias's firing and the] conversations between Mr. Rove and yourself." - Jason Leopold
1:22 PM EDT
Congressman Randy Forbes (R-Virginia) asked Gonzales how the Congressional investigations into the firings of the US attorneys has impacted Gonzales's ability to pursue investigations into child pornography and gang activity. Gonzales responded that the investigations were a distraction, but that the Department of Justice's work continues. - Matt Renner
Congressman Randy Forbes (R-Virginia) asked Gonzales how the Congressional investigations into the firings of the US attorneys has impacted Gonzales's ability to pursue investigations into child pornography and gang activity. Gonzales responded that the investigations were a distraction, but that the Department of Justice's work continues. - Matt Renner
1:30 PM EDT
Mike Pence (R-Indiana) brought up the need for a federal shield law to protect reporters from prosecution or subpoena. Gonzales said that the Bush administration has opposed similar legislation in the past, adding that he "doesn't see the need" for such a law. - Matt Renner
Mike Pence (R-Indiana) brought up the need for a federal shield law to protect reporters from prosecution or subpoena. Gonzales said that the Bush administration has opposed similar legislation in the past, adding that he "doesn't see the need" for such a law. - Matt Renner
1:42 PM EDT
Congressman Wexler just woke up the press corp. The gallery was being lulled to sleep until Wexler's questioning. I could hear reporters asking who does Gonzales talk to? - Scott Galindez
Congressman Wexler just woke up the press corp. The gallery was being lulled to sleep until Wexler's questioning. I could hear reporters asking who does Gonzales talk to? - Scott Galindez
1:43 PM EDT
Congressman Robert Wexler (D-Florida) questioned Gonzales about how David Iglesias, the former US attorney for New Mexico, appeared on the list of fired prosecutors. Wexler engaged in a heated exchange with Gonzales, going through a list of names of various Justice Department officials who were known not to have been responsible for placing Iglesias's name on the so-called list. Gonzales said he accepted responsibility for carrying out the firing, but Wexler said he did not care about Gonzales's accepting responsibility for the dismissals because he was more concerned with who was responsible for selecting Iglesias for termination. Gonzales told Wexler that Iglesias's name "was forwarded to me." Gonzales's former Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson "was in charge of coordinating this effort," Gonzales said. "I have not spoken to Mr. Sampson about this." Wexler responded angrily to what he perceived as Gonzales withholding information from the committee, saying "you won't tell the American people who put Mr. Iglesias on the list to be fired. It's a national secret. You know who put him on the list, but you won't tell us." - Jason Leopold
Congressman Robert Wexler (D-Florida) questioned Gonzales about how David Iglesias, the former US attorney for New Mexico, appeared on the list of fired prosecutors. Wexler engaged in a heated exchange with Gonzales, going through a list of names of various Justice Department officials who were known not to have been responsible for placing Iglesias's name on the so-called list. Gonzales said he accepted responsibility for carrying out the firing, but Wexler said he did not care about Gonzales's accepting responsibility for the dismissals because he was more concerned with who was responsible for selecting Iglesias for termination. Gonzales told Wexler that Iglesias's name "was forwarded to me." Gonzales's former Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson "was in charge of coordinating this effort," Gonzales said. "I have not spoken to Mr. Sampson about this." Wexler responded angrily to what he perceived as Gonzales withholding information from the committee, saying "you won't tell the American people who put Mr. Iglesias on the list to be fired. It's a national secret. You know who put him on the list, but you won't tell us." - Jason Leopold
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