Senate Republicans blocked Democratic plans for a no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Monday after President Bush said such a vote would be “meaningless.”
The symbolic, nonbinding resolution was blocked on a procedural vote by Republicans, even though some of them were not pleased with the way Gonzales handled the firing of eight federal prosecutors.
“They say that my Attorney General shouldn’t stay,” Bush told reporters in Bulgaria. “They can try to have their votes of no confidence, but it’s not going to determine who serves in my government.”
Nonetheless, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was determined to pursue a vote of no confidence.
“Gonzales has repeatedly shown that he lacks the leadership necessary to run the Justice Department,” a statement released by Reid’s office said. “Republicans have joined Democrats in speaking out in protest of Gonzales’ poor management and questionable judgment.”
Bush called the measure “a political resolution on my attorney general that’s going to have no bearing on whether he serves in office or not.”
The president said Democrats have failed to demonstrate any illegality in the firing of the prosecutors, who were political appointees who served at the pleasure of the president.
“There’s no wrongdoing,” Bush said. “They haven’t said, ‘You’ve done something wrong, Attorney General Gonzales.’
“And therefore, I ascribe this lengthy series of news stories and hearings as political,” he said before heading back to Washington. “And I’ll make the determination if I think he’s effective or not — not those who are using an opportunity to make a political statement on a meaningless resolution.”
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said the attorney general’s misdeeds transcend the flap over prosecutors.
“Whether it’s limiting voting rights or selecting partisan judges, Attorney General Gonzales has been a loyal foot soldier in this effort and it’s time for him to go,” he said. “Republicans who have already expressed their displeasure with the attorney general should join with Democrats to tell the Bush administration that this culture of lawlessness and arrogance is unacceptable.”
