From Deseret News archives:

Gonzales to testify on attorney firings

Published: Thursday, April 19, 2007 12:27 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
WASHINGTON — The House Judiciary Committee postponed a vote Wednesday on whether to grant Monica Goodling, a former top aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, immunity.

Republicans said they wanted to hear Gonzales' testimony in the Senate today and other interviews by the committee staff before moving ahead, and the Democrats agreed.

Meanwhile, committee staff plowed ahead in its questioning of Utah native D. Kyle Sampson, Gonzales' former chief of staff who resigned last month after Congress began leveling accusations that Justice Department officials weren't truthful in disclosing the White House's involvement.

Congress is investigating the Justice Department's firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year to know the level of the White House's and Gonzales' involvement in the process.

There are accusations that the attorneys were fired based on the political content of cases they were handling along with discrepancies between the meaning of "performance problems" as defined by the government and how the Justice Department rated the attorneys who were asked to resign.

Story continues below
According to his testimony, Gonzales will admit to the Senate Judiciary Committee today that he would have handled it differently but that he has "nothing to hide" about his involvement in the process or why they were fired, according to his prepared testimony.

Many Democrats have called for Gonzales' resignation over the issue and point to some inconsistencies in what Gonzales has said and Sampson's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee late last month.

House Judiciary Committee staff continued to interview Sampson Wednesday afternoon — a continuation of a confidential six-hour joint interview by House and Senate judiciary staffs on Sunday, congressional aides said.

Matt Iandoli, legislative director and counsel for Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, sat in on Wednesday's meeting, according to Cannon's office. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, gets transcripts of the interviews, according to his office, but they are "committee confidential" documents. Both lawmakers sit on their chamber's judiciary committee.

Hatch said he plans to listen to Gonzales' testimony more than ask questions at today's hearing.

"I frankly don't see a conflict between (Sampson's) comments and those corrected comments of the attorney general," Hatch said.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

i know south sevier is returning a lot of players but who do waterford and...

blake. you made a difference today in someones life. 20 years later I don't...

Girls basketball rankings

Go region 16; Rebels, Eagles, Longhorns!!!!!!!!!

@ Christy | 7:03 p.m. Dec. 1, 2009 What can my family do for a soldier for...

I heard all the sirens, and actually drove through there not five minutes...

BYU says Hall incident resolved

I am a big BYU fan and will support them always, but as far as Max Hall and...

Prep boys basketball top 20

How are they not as loaded as they were in football? 6 of the 7 teams are...

Philpot may run for Congress

Go For It Nancy Pelosi will remain Speaker of House which is an...

Hall violated the BYU honor code, and in doing so he brings dishonor to...

BYU says Hall incident resolved

The UGLY side of sports came to light Saturday, namely Utah's fans despicable...

Advertisements