Schakowsky Statement on Gonzalez's Resignation

Press Release

SCHAKOWSKY STATEMENT ON GONZALEZ'S RESIGNATION

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement today in reaction to U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez's announcement that he would resign as of September 17, 2007. Gonzalez's resignation follows months of congressional inquiries into the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.

"Although I'm glad that the Attorney General decided to step down today, I believe he should have been forced to resign earlier. Gonzalez has tarnished the office of the Attorney General and eroded the public's confidence in our justice system.

My hope is that the days of torture memos, domestic spying and usurpation of power by the President might be over. It was clear from the beginning that Gonzalez was nothing more than a puppet of this Administration. His biggest problem was that he believed President Bush had unlimited power to do whatever he wanted.

I hope that the President will choose a replacement who will respect the Constitution, the separation of powers, the rule of law and the Geneva Conventions. The President needs to restore credibility to the Attorney General's office by removing the partisanship that plagued the office under Alberto Gonzalez."

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