Posted on 06/11/2007 3:05:10 PM PDT by spald
Dems push Gonzales 'no-confidence' vote
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats blistered Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Monday with debate on a "no-confidence" resolution, but President Bush and fellow Republicans shrugged it all off as a waste of time.
No one predicted that the resolution would survive its test vote late in the day. But neither did Republicans or Democrats rush to defend Bush's longtime friend after he alienated even the White House's staunchest allies on a host of controversies — from the bungled firings of eight federal prosecutors to the handling of wiretapping authority under the USA Patriot Act.
Many Republican votes against the symbolic resolution apparently sprang from a fear of political retribution, not support of Gonzales.
"There is no confidence in the attorney general on this side of the aisle," said Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record) of Pennsylvania, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, announcing he would vote for the no-confidence resolution.
The debate itself shook loose another Republican call for new attorney general.
"I have lost confidence in the ability of Attorney General Gonzales to lead the
Department of Justice effectively," Sen. Susan Collins (news, bio, voting record), R-Maine, said in a statement. "I think his continued tenure does not benefit the department or our country."
Other Republicans complained that the Democratic resolution was an effort to pressure Bush into firing Gonzales — an unlikely prospect in light of Bush's strong continued support.
"They can have their votes of no confidence, but it's not going to make the determination about who serves in my government," Bush said in Sofia, Bulgaria, the last stop on a weeklong visit to Europe.
"This process has been drug out a long time," Bush added. "It's political."
The attorney general said he was paying no attention to the rhetoric on Capitol Hill.
"I am not focusing on what the Senate is doing," Gonzales said at a nuclear terrorism conference in Miami. "I am going to be focusing on what the American people expect of the attorney general of the United States and this great Department of Justice."
Democrats said it was only fair that senators give Gonzales an official up-or-down vote, especially after five GOP senators had called for the attorney general's resignation and many more had publicly criticized him.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., one of the resolution's sponsors, said any attorney general should uphold the law rather than the president's political priorities.
"The attorney general has not lived up to this standard, and he has lost our confidence," Feinstein said on the Senate floor.
So-called "no-confidence" votes on members of the executive branch are rare, in part because the Constitution mandates the separation of powers. The only way Congress can remove a presidential appointee is through impeachment.
Majority Democrats toned down the language in the one-sentence resolution to attract more support from Republicans.
"It is the sense of the Senate that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales no longer holds the confidence of the Senate and of the American people," read the measure, sponsored by Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Feinstein.
Sixty votes were required Monday to bring the resolution to a formal debate.
Republicans protested the measure on constitutional grounds. There was scarcely any defense of Gonzales himself.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (news, bio, voting record) called the debate a waste of time.
"It will have no impact on the tenure of the attorney general," McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters on a conference call.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (news, bio, voting record), R-Utah, did not defend Gonzales. He said the resolution failed constitutional and procedural tests and he took issue even with the notion that it accurately represented both houses of Congress or public sentiment.
"This joint resolution amounts to sound and fury, it signifies nothing," Hatch said on the Senate floor.
What say FReepers? Constitutional or Unconstitutional?
UN-constitutional - Gonzales serves at the pleasure of the President.
Congress wasting time and your tax dollars.
Collins, Snow, that guy from Washington State (Gordon?) so far have voted with the democrats on this outrage. What a bunch of jerks.
No question. It’s unconstitutional and the republicans should call it that and ignore it.
The three pubbies who have voted for this so far, clearly don’t care about our constitution anymore.
I'm no fan of AG Gonzalez, but this crap is ridiculous.
Coleman voted yes, as did spector
Lieberman is a grown up here, votes no.
Collins, Coleman, Specter, Gordon, Snowe, Hagel (I think he voted yes) should all be recalled.
Why can’t the republican ever stick together against the mud slinging of the democrats?
This disgusts me/
Motion fails. But it will make the news anyway. Disgraceful.
Big deal. Tony Snow said it means nothing, just liberals doing what they ONLY do well, waste time.
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
spald, they are not trying to pass any law that actually removes or replaces the Attorney General, so there is no “actionable†constitutional issue here.
Just right off hand I would think that Congress can vote on anything non-binding that they want to vote on.
Imo it's probably so they can get points with their eurotrash friends when they go on summer vacation. GWB really irks the eurotrash elites which makes the US trash-elites uncomfortable when they vacation alongside their eurotrash bretheren. Heh, I've witnessed it firsthand.
Just heard on Brits show that the vote failed.
It is absolutely not unconstitutional for the Senate, or the House, or both of them together to pass resolutions expressing their opinion on issues of the day, including Mr. Gonzales’ ability to inspire confidence.
It would be nice if all Repubicans just voted "chocolate" and show the inanity of this exercise.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.