Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
The Washington Times has recently been canvassing all of the Latino Republican former attorneys general in the country about Eric Holder's investigation of Bush-era torture and found some interesting results. Opinion seems to be divided exactly in half. One of these men praised those investigations and supported them:
We worked very hard to establish ground rules and parameters about how to deal with terrorists. And if people go beyond that, I think it is legitimate to question and examine that conduct to ensure people are held accountable for their actions, even if it's action in prosecuting the war on terror.
The other one is totally opposed to them:
I don't support the investigation by the department because this is a matter that has already been reviewed thoroughly and because I believe that another investigation is going to harm our intelligence gathering capabilities and that's a concern that's shared by career intelligence officials and so for those reasons I respectfully disagree with the decision.
The problem, of course, is that these were both said by the same person, Alberto Gonzales. And he wonders why he can't seem to find a job outside of a Republican administration.
Politics
Comments
Buy that man some flip-flips.
Posted by: Bob O'H | September 6, 2009 10:06 AM
He's graduated from mere flip flopping to full fledged spinning.
He's covering his ass and probably protecting a money stream. Shame on him.
Posted by: MikeMa | September 6, 2009 10:12 AM
I thought the ability to argue either side of a case was a desirable quality in an attorney.
Posted by: Pieter B | September 6, 2009 11:27 AM
I think we can reconcile the two Gonzales' on three matters:
1) Neither has any clue whatsoever regarding the function of national security and what its success or failure factors were and are.
2) Neither has any clue whatsoever regarding the Constitutionality and fealty to principle that are in play regarding this issue.
3) Both Gonzales' will speak and act in a way to serve the interests of the powers they served; ownership and leadership are two qualities proven to be non-existent in this ex-executive - attributes more necessary to be U.S. Attorney General than perhaps any other job in America given the huge conflict of interest ineherent in the job, i.e., chief law enforcement officer and a political appointee of his President.
Posted by: Michael Heath | September 6, 2009 11:32 AM
Alberto Gonzales? - Isn't he part of the US Olympic Gymnastics team? - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | September 6, 2009 11:44 AM
I suspect that there have been some rumblings from the Cheney dungeon that have been heard by the sensitive ears of Fredo and Ridge.
Posted by: natural cynic | September 6, 2009 1:29 PM
natural cynic - I thought Fredo and Ridge were on the slopes on Mount Doom. Thanks for the 'heads up'. :) - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | September 6, 2009 1:38 PM
If the two Gonzaleses meet, will they annihilate one another in a burst of energy? Could it power the starship Enterprise?
Posted by: Moderately Unbalanced Squid | September 6, 2009 3:12 PM
Energy as a result might be a good thing and therefore not accountable to Gonzales.
Posted by: MikeMa | September 6, 2009 3:57 PM
But it makes for great opera!
http://www.loweringthebar.net/2009/09/dont-miss-the-alberto-gonzales-cantata.html
Posted by: Shay | September 6, 2009 4:48 PM
ABILITY, yes. Compulsion, no.
Posted by: Azkyroth | September 6, 2009 5:23 PM
Gonzales can reconcile those two statements with three simple words: "I don't recall."
Posted by: Infophile | September 6, 2009 6:19 PM