Senator Cantwell: Alberto Gonzales Must Go

Senator Maria Cantwell, who in 2005 voted against the confirmation of Alberto "I Can't Recall" Gonazales, is sick of the stonewalling and the nonsense.

"I am convinced that Gonzales has not carried out his duties as attorney general with a blind eye and a balanced hand," Cantwell, a Washington Democrat, said in a statement. "He has served as the president's lawyer, not our nation's. Because of this, Alberto Gonzales must resign, and the president must accept his resignation immediately."

Gonzales is so weak that even a few Republicans are calling for his ouster (and, of course, taking an opportunity to distance themselves from the unpopular Bush administration). Gonzales is being hit daily with an unrelenting torrent of political flak and has become a huge liability for the White House.

Senator Cantwell has been suspicious of Gonazales since even before Dubya nominated him to succeed John "Sing Along" Ashcroft as Attorney General.

"I raised concerns about Gonzales when he was first nominated to this position, and nothing I have seen since then has convinced me that my fears were unjustified," she said.

"From supporting warrantless wiretapping, making decisions about the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, or firing U.S. attorneys, time and again Gonzales has shown he is more committed to the pursuit of a political agenda than the rule of law."

Cantwell added: "In reviewing both Gonzales' record as our attorney general and in reviewing his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have found evidence that he has routinely served political and ideological objectives, rather than the best interests of the nation."

Unfortunately, that's typical of Bush cronies - their allegiance is to party (GOP) and boss (Bush, Cheney, & Rove) over country. In fact, it's the kind of behavior that's expected of them. Loyalty is prized first and foremost.

And sometimes, loyalty means falling on your sword.

When illegal, unprofessional, or unethical actions are exposed, Bush cronies are supposed to take one for the team. The sharing of information with Congress and the American people is discouraged. This leads to embarrassing media spectacles, (remember "I can't comment on an ongoing investigation"?), public outrage, and sometimes resignations (i.e. Scooter Libby, Donald Rumsfeld).

Gonzales is already a huge problem for Bush. He's toast. The only question that remains about his departure is when - not if.