Jan. 5
USA:
The Attorney General Choice: Al Gonzales has serious questions to answer
Although the war on terror isn't a conventional confrontation, a memo
suggesting that some parts of the Geneva Conventions might be "obsolete"
and "quaint" is eyebrow-raising legal advice. So when Alberto Gonzales
slides into the chair before the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow, his
Jan. 25, 2002, memo and its implications on how the administration
approaches the war on terror will precede him.
In many respects, Mr. Gonzales should be a shoo-in. He's bright, carries a
Harvard sheepskin, was a Texas Supreme Court justice and is a longtime
confidant of the president. The son of Mexican immigrants, Mr. Gonzales
also shatters a glass ceiling in government.
Nominees, however, are judged not only by their resume, but also by the
advice they offer. Mr. Gonzales' role in formulating the administration's
legal foundation for detainees is disconcerting, as this editorial board
noted in a May editorial. "The thrust of this memo is troubling," the
editorial noted, "because one wonders whether Mr. Gonzales' legal opinion
gave rise to a mind-set that eventually culminated in the abuses at Abu
Ghraib prison."
The White House counsel has not yet offered a full explanation of the
legal reasoning behind his memo or discussed the administration's new
standard for detainees. The key issue is the moral and legal judgment of a
man who would be the nation's chief law enforcement officer. The Senate
Judiciary Committee and the American people deserve candid and complete
answers.
We will be looking for a forthright explanation affirming that Mr.
Gonzales has sufficient respect for civil liberties and legal due process,
and enough independence to tell the president what he doesn't want to
hear, if it comes to that.
Unless the hearings uncover damning information beyond the memos - such as
the serious questions Democrats are expected to raise about the advice Mr.
Gonzales gave to then-Gov. Bush in death penalty cases - we lean toward
affirming the Gonzales nomination.
Absent compelling reasons to object, a president has the right to choose
his Cabinet. But the American people must have confidence that their
attorney general understands and respects the law.
(source: Editorial, Dallas Morning News)
