Yearning for honor, integrity: Gonzales needs to go (Kennebec Journal)

[struggle4progress]

Sunday, May 20, 2007

~snip~ Oh, for an Elliot Richardson or Harlan Fiske Stone or Edward Levi in the job! Each of those men became U.S. Attorney General, Stone in 1924, Richardson in 1973 and Levi in 1975. Each was a distinguished attorney, longtime public servant and, most important of all, independent thinker whose allegiance was primarily to the U.S. Constitution, and only secondarily to the political figure that appointed them. In Richardson's case, he resigned in late 1973 rather than obey President Nixon's order to fire the Watergate Special Prosecutor, Archibald Cox (another man of honor).

Principle, honor, integrity -- we don't see enough of those qualities when we look at our country's chief law enforcement officer. It's hard to imagine Alberto Gonzales saying no to any directive out of the White House, no matter how lawless or corrupt.

In the end, that's our true objection to Gonzales: That our country's attorney general worships the false and myopic god of partisan politics and not the benevolent, evenhanded goddess of justice.

While many political functionaries have indeed held the job of attorney general of the Republic since 1789, they have lost their effectiveness and the confidence of the nation when exposed for the political hacks that they truly were. Such is the moment: Gonzales has squandered his capital, has sullied his office and has discredited himself beyond redemption. He needs to go.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/3918399.html

[MarianJack]

1. A K & R For My Adopted Hometown Paper!

Thanks, struggle4progress, :yourock: !