AG Gonzo says the President is his client. WTF?

[rusty_parts2001]

Isn't the AG the head of the Justice Department, not the President's attorney. I thought that was what the White House counsel did. This guy can't keep his story straight.

[blm]

1. Pretty damn incompetent to make that remark - he doesn't even KNOW what an

AG's duties are?

[Turbineguy]

2. No Mr. Gonzales,

As the Attorney General you are a Prosecutor. The President needs a defense attorney.

[kurth]

3. Boss. Client. Patron. Patron Saint.

Same difference.

Alberto is just the consigliere of the family.

[htuttle]

4. He's wrong -- he's thinking of his last job as WH counsel

The AG is indeed a prosecutor, NOT a defense attorney with client confidentiality privileges.

[onenote]

5. Someone should remind Gonzo what he said to get confirmed

During his confirmation hearing, the issue of the different roles played by the White House Counsel and the AG came up. Here's what Gonzo said then:

"There is a difference in the position of counsel to the president and as attorney general of the United States. As counselor to the president, my primary focus is on providing counsel to the White House and to the White House staff and the president. I have a very limited staff. The staff doesn't have the expertise or the experience in a great many substantive legal issues. All those are decided in the Department of Justice. I do have a client who has an agenda, and part of my role as counselor is to provide advice so that the president can achieve that agenda lawfully. It's a much different situation as attorney general, and I know that. My first allegiance is going to be to the Constitution and the laws of the United States."

Someone should shove his words back down his throat.

onenote

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Agreed

[Straight Shooter]

11. I wish you were at the hearing.

:thumbsup:

[FreedomAngel82]

20. Send to Leahy

:D

[stellanoir]

6. the torture dude strikes again

now he's protecting his client and torturing the rest of us. Oh joy.

[Supersedeas]

7. Isn't the Attorney General the "Peoples'" attorney--well, usually...is he?

[Just Me]

15. The executive is supposed to protect the interests of the people and,...

,...the AG is a law enforcement extension of the executive.

Of course, the executive now exploits the people on behalf of the corporacrats and the AG is serving as legal protection of the executive's power.

Pretty f-upped, huh! x(

[mikeiddy]

9. unitary executive

doncha know - wait for it. Anything produced by any attorney working for any branch of the executive will be claimed as privileged.

[Avalux]

10. He was his attorney before his 'promotion'

Although essentially, he does whatever Bush wants, no matter which position he holds.

[Orsino]

12. Link? n/t

[dmr]

13. It was in today's hearings!

I was yelling at the TV, but no one heard me but my cats.

I always thought he worked for me. Didn't know the rules changed.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

14. Gonzo. WE are your clients.

Not the benefactor at 1600 PA Avenue.

Get. It. Straight.

Oh who am I kidding, they know it's all a lie.....

:mad:

[0007]

16. Gonzalez and junior works for us. Goddammit! In reality we are

his clients.

[tavalon]

17. Do you have the exact quote?

[chat_noir]

18. video clip, courtesy of liveoaktx

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x339188

[FreedomAngel82]

19. That's what I thought

:shrug: