http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Gonzales_contradicts_White_House_on_Presidents_0510.html
Thursday May 10, 2007
Gonzales testimony contradicts White House, revealing new Bush
'conversation' over US attorney firings
Michael Roston
Weeks after the White House ruled out the involvement of President
George W. Bush in any discussions on the firing of 8 US Attorneys,
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said on Thursday morning that the
President had discussed the matter with advisers in an October 2006
meeting.
"I've now been made aware of the fact that there was a conversation
with the President that basically mentioned the same thing in October
of 2006," the Attorney General said while answering a question from
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA).
"The same thing" referred to voter fraud cases in three US Attorneys'
districts, which Gonzales earlier acknowledged had been raised by Karl
Rove in a meeting "sometime in the Fall of 2006."
Gonzales' statement varied from remarks by White House spokespersons
that the President had not been involved in any discussions of firing
US Attorneys.
"I have said on the record for several weeks now that there is no
indication that the President knew about any of the ongoing
discussions over the two years, nor did he see a list or a plan before
it was carried out," said White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana
Perino on March 27, 2006.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070327-4.html
Furthermore, in a March 21 press briefing, White House Press Secretary
Tony Snow had been asked about a Nov. 15, 2006 e-mail from former
Gonzales chief of staff D. Kyle Sampson to former White House Counsel
Harriet Miers asking "Who will determine whether this requires the
President's attention?"
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070321-4.html
Snow was then asked "did the President have to sign off on this?"
referring to the firing of the Attorneys, to which he responded, "The
President has no recollection of this ever being raised with him."
A reporter later clarified, "Just to follow, did you say, again for
the record, that the President has no recollection of ever being asked
about any of this?"
Snow answered, "Yes, the removal – yes, that is correct."
RAW STORY was awaiting a reply from the White House at press time on
whether or not they agreed that Gonzales' remark contradicted earlier
White House statements.
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Weird stuff, eh?
Harry
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