JURIST - Paper Chase: Bush: 'I stand by Al Gonzales'

[JURIST] President Bush said Monday that he still fully supports US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales [JURIST news archive] despite the growing number of Republicans who have expressed concern over the firings of nine federal prosecutors [JURIST news archive], telling reporters at a press conference [transcript] on the Bush Ranch that "He has got my confidence. He has done nothing wrong...I stand by Al Gonzales." Last week, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said that the administration considers the proposed Senate vote of no-confidence in Gonzales a political stunt [JURIST reports]. AP has more.

Last Week, US Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) predicted that Gonzales would resign soon [JURIST report] as a result of the US Attorney firings, and said over the weekend that he believed the resignation would come before the no-confidence vote [JURIST report]. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) has also called for Gonzales' resignation [JURIST report] after hearing testimony [transcript, PDF; JURIST report] from former US Deputy Attorney General James Comey regarding an attempt by Gonzales to persuade former Attorney General John Ashcroft to authorize the warrantless domestic surveillance program [JURIST news archive] while he was incapacitated in the hospital, critically ill with pancreatitis. Although the event did not relate to the US Attorney firings, Hagel said that it showed Gonzales lacked the "moral authority to lead" the DOJ.

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