Resign Already

As U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’s conduct comes under increased scrutiny due to the U.S. Attorney scandal, new information continues to come to light concerning possible misconduct in other areas. In the latest news to hit the wires, the National Journal reported today that Gonzales advised President Bush not to allow internal investigations into illegal wiretapping to continue, because Gonzales would have been the focus of those investigations. According to the article:

Bush personally intervened to sideline the Justice Department probe in April 2006 by taking the unusual step of denying investigators the security clearances necessary for their work. …

Sources familiar with the halted inquiry said that if the probe had been allowed to continue, it would have examined Gonzales's role in authorizing the eavesdropping program while he was White House counsel, as well as his subsequent oversight of the program as attorney general.

Both the White House and Gonzales declined comment on two issues -- whether Gonzales informed Bush that his own conduct was about to be scrutinized, and whether he urged the president to close down the investigation, which had been requested by Democratic members of Congress.

It’s nice to see that Congress finally seems to be making public officials accountable for their abuses and cover-ups over the last few years. However the damage done to our civil liberties and individual rights may be difficult to undo.