LIVE BLOGGING: The Gonzales hearing

Welcome to the SECOND HALF of our live blogging session during the Gonzales hearing.  Feel free to comment below.  Here are the up-to-the-minute headlines.  Keep pressing REFRESH for updates (Note: Watch it live @ C-Span3):

• 4:54: With that, we adjourn this Live Blogging Event on The Blue State.  If you have a personal comment you want to send us about this site, please do so at thebluestate(AT)hotmail.com .  Thanks to everyone for joining us!!!  We will have more posts later today.  Please bookmark our site :)  We put in our best effort on this site every day.
• 4:51: As Gonzales stood up, the crowd sings, "Na na na na, hey hey, goodbye."
• 4:50: One member in the gallery yelled that 74 times Gonzales said "I don't recall."
• 4:48: Leahy: "This is a day that has not made me happy at all."  And he smashes the gavel down.
• 4:48: Leahy: Giving powerful monologue about DoJ under Gonzales.
• 4:46: Leahy talking about the time he worked as a prosecutor for eight years.
• 4:44: Specter: "I'm not going to call for your resign."  It's up to the president.
• 4:43: Specter: "We've gona as far as we can go with the questions," and "haven't gotten anywhere."
• 4:42: Specter: "We have not..got..answers."
• 4:41: Specter: "It doesn't do any good to ask anymore questions."
• 4:40: Specter: "There is a loss of credibility."
• 4:39: Specter is up.  Specter: "I think your credibility has been significantly impaired" because "of the responses you've made."
• 4:38: Schumer: "When you answer to many questions, 'I don't know, I can't recall,'"..."the burden of proof lays" on the person that did the firing.
• 4:36: Schumer: You've answered "I can't recall" to almost 100 questions.  Schumer asks for Gonzales to step down.
• 4:35: Whitehouse has completed.  Schumer is back on!
• 4:32: Whitehouse has just a minute or two left in his questioning of Gonzales.  Whitehouse is asking how Gonzales' reasons for firing attorneys correlates with the set guidelines for evaluating those attorneys.
• 4:26: Gonzales admits that there has been a "pronounced change" of policy under Bush (compared to Clinton) regarding who can talk to U.S. attorneys
• 4:25: Senator Whitehouse explained that under Clinton they had a set "structure", which is a very important "safe-guard" that controls what political leaders can have discussions with U.S. attorneys in order to minimize political influence over the judiciary.
• 4:22: The documents are two letters that lay out the rules for contacts with attorneys that were established under Clinton.
• 4:20: Senator Whitehouse is up, and he will be giving two documents to the Attorney general.
• 4:17: The hearing is about to resume in a few moments.  Just a note: it looks like this will be the last round of questioning, and it should end within the next hour.
• 4:06: They are now taking a 10 minute break.
• 4:05: Cardin: Literature has been handed out to minority voters that has been "blatantly wrong."
• 4:02: Cardin now onto the voter fraud/intimidation issue, and how Democratic voters are more of a victim than Republicans.  (i.e. long lines, minority voter intimidation)
• 3:59: Gonzales to Cardin: "I'm not sure what you mean by 'political influence.'"
• 3:58: Hatch praising Gonzales because he's "handled" himself "well" even though he messed up.
• 3:55: Sorry to be partial here, but Hatch is going nowhere.  Other than to say "this was poorly handled," and that "you've taken responsibility."  Let's move on to the next guy please.
• 3:52: Hatch: The attorneys "serve at the pleasure of the president."  (As if we had not heard that enough!)
• 3:50: Smack-down from Feinstein!!  Now it's Hatch's turn (R-UT)
• 3:49: Feinstein: The firings were "a shot to the gut" to these attorneys, who had previously been told that they had a positive performance record.
• 3:47: Feinstein: "I have a really hard time" accepting that you don't know how these U.S. attorneys got on the list.
• 3:46: Feinstein: "..this is so strange."
• 3:44: Feinstein: "Seven of the eight" attorneys "were involved in public corruption prosecutions."
• 3:43: Feinstein says we don't know "who selected the individuals that were on the list"..."a human being had to."  (Nice!)
• 3:39: Feinstein time!!
• 3:37: Specter: "Tell us, as an attorney general, you have done" in terms of oversight that FBI complies with regard to surveillance.
• 3:35: Specter still talking to Gonzales about the school shooting (although he is assuming that Gonzales will be around longer).
• 3:32: Specter telling stories about the Virginia shooting...
• 3:30: Specter is up (R-PA)
• 3:29: Gonzales: "I don't recall the President" telling me to fire U.S. Attorneys.
• 3:27: Leahy: "Have you done anything to ensure that political operatives" like "Rove" don't use RNC email accounts?  Gonzales replied that he didn't think so.
• 3:25: Gonzales: "There ought to be some effort to preserve" the emails. 
• 3:23: Leahy: President Bush doesn't use email, does he?  Gonzales: I think that is correct.  (LOL)
• 3:22: Leahy addressing the issues regarding emails that may have included calls for Fitzgerald to be fired.
• 3:21: After nearly six minutes of internet gambling talk, it's now Leahy's turn.
• 3:18: A full three minutes so far on internet gambling.  Kyl: "Do you think regulations need to be strong in this area?"
• 3:16: Kyl still talking about internet gambling, which has nothing to do with the U.S. Attorney firing scandal.  In parliamentary terms, this is like filibustering.
• 3:15: Kyl completely changing the subject -- to internet gambling!!
• 3:14: Gonzales: "We really have limited information" about cases that are being prosecuted throughout the country.
• 3:12: Senator Kyl (R-AZ) is up
• 3:12: Whitehouse: "If you hang a U.S. attorney" to send the message to others, then "that would be improper."
• 3:10: Whitehouse: Taking the "president can do whatever he wants" out of the picture and replacing it with "this just wasn't right" ... "you've set the bar way low."
• 3:07: Gonzales: The independence of U.S. Attorneys is" .. "important."
• 3:06: Whitehouse: "You don't understand the damage to the structure."
• 3:05: Whitehouse: "Saying the President can remove people" .. "misses the point."
• 3:03: Senator Whitehouse (D-RI) is next, followed by Kyle (R-AZ).
• 3:02: Coburn: "you set leadership skils and they were".. "lacking"
• 3:02: Coburn: "The communication was attrocious... I believe you ought to suffer the consequences..."  Coburn calls for Gonzales' "resignation."
• 3:01: Corburn: "This has been handled incompetently."
• 3:00: Gonzales: The department, under my leadership, has done great things.
• 2:58: Personally speaking, I'm just counting down the minutes until Kennedy goes!  Should be interesting.
• 2:56: Coburn: "Damage" to "Justice Department" has "been significant."  "Communication" between Gonzales and "bud Cummins has been terrible."
• 2:54: Tom Coburn (R-OK) is up.
• 2:53: Cardin: "don't you think your staff would make decision on the way you would ?"  Gonzales replies that he would still do the same thing over again.
• 2:52: Gonzales: I have been very candid about "not interfering with cases."
• 2:49: Cardin talking about the probes that were going on when the attorneys were tossed (investigations of public officials before they were dismissed.)
• 2:47: Cardin pressing Gonzales on proof that attorneys weren't removed illegitimately.
• 2:46: Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) is up.  Cardin: "you acknowledged dismissing the attorneys for political reasons would be wrong"
• 2:45: Gonzales says it was his ideas to evaluate U.S. Attorneys
• 2:42: Gonzales: We've "tried to gather up as much information as we can," to "get to the bottom of it."
• 2:40: Gonzales: "My statements" in the March 13th press conference "were too broad."
• 2:39: Grassey: We shouldn't be getting conflicting statements from the attorney general."
• 2:37: Grassley: "We don't have a straight story on what transpired."
• 2:36: Senator Grassley (R-IA) to begin.
• 2:34: Senators and Gonzales are taking their seats.
• 2:31: Okay, we're waiting for this thing to get started any minute now.
• 2:00: C-Span: Hearing will resume @ 2:30 PM ET
• 1:59: Still waiting for them to return from break.  Each Senator in the committee will be given time for a second round of questioning.  These questions will be much more specific.  Also, expect for Democrats to use this opportunity to provide some sort of a knockout blow.
• 1:31: The hearing will return from recess around 2 PM ET/11 PM PT.
• 1:10: I will be taking a break until our Senators get back from lunch.  We will continue our live blogging coverage then.  If you like our coverage thus far, then we'd really like for you to bookmark The Blue State.  This site is updated multiple times each day.  We appreciate you joining us today!
• 1:05: They are still at recess.  C-Span 3, at the moment, is repeating some of the coverage.
• Over at Red State, a headline reads, "Republicans Push Gonzales."  (Not if you heard Specter!)
• 12:57: Leahy: "Quit claiming the emails cannot be produced."
• 12:55: Leahy: The rationale that there were "performance-related reasons" behind why the attorneys were fired needs to be withdrawn.
• 12:52: Leahy giving prepared speech about U.S. attorney firings.
• 12:43: They are taking lunch break.  I will add to this live blog when they return.
• 12:42: According to reporters, Gonzales has said the words "I can't recall" nearly 55 times.
• 12:41: Leahy addresses reports: "The questions were legitimate.  I was disappointed by the answers."
• 12:40: About one minute ago, Schumer muttered to a colleague, "There are too many people to kick out" -- referring to the protesters.
• 12:38: crowd chants "impeach, impeach."  I think Sheehan is among them.
• 12:38: Recess... and as Gonzales gets up, he hears it from the gallery.
• 12:37: Durbin: "Your conduct has made it" difficult for Justice officials to do their job (applause heard in gallery)
• 12:36: Alberto Gonzales just addressed himself in third person.
• 12:33: Durbin: "this is the highest profile attorney in the US and you can't remember the conversation to remove him"
• 12:32: Durbin: Your chief of staff made recommendation that Fitzgerald be fired.  Gonzales denies conversation ever took place.  (But wait, Sampson did admit a few weeks ago that it took place.)
• 12:27: Dick Durbin (D-IL) is up, and is questioning Gonzales about alleged effort by Rove to fire Patrick Fitzgerald.
• 12:26: Graham: Asked if Gonzales acknowledged that he has "a credibility problem."  Gonzales said he understood that.
• 12:23: Graham: Most of what you are saying "is a stretch," regarding your reasons for firing these attorneys.
• 12:21: Gonzo: "I can't say where the idea came from, but I supported the idea" -- referring to the Patriot Act loophole that allows Gonzales to appoint new attorneys without Senate confirmation.
• 12:20: Gonzales: "I never liked it" -- referring to the plan to remove all 93 attorneys
• 12:17: Senator Graham is up. (R-SC)
• 12:16: Round of applause for Schumer!  He finished, and provided the most revealing questioning of Gonzales thus far.
• 12:14: Schumer: "Who is running the Department?"
• 12:14: Schumer: "you shouldn't be Attorney General if what you say is contradicting"
• 12:13: Schumer: "Did Kyle Sampson put out" the letter "on his own," or did Gonzales have a part in it?
• 12:12: Gonzales is getting very flustered as Schumer shows an illustration of a letter.
• 12:10: Schumer: "It's about getting to the truth that you had a month to prepare for"
• 12:09: Schumer asked Gonzales: Is it the policy of the DoJ to get Congressmen (referring to Domenici) to talk to attorneys for them?
• 12:08: Feinstein and Schumer are double-teaming Gonzales about his misstatement regarding Carol Lam.  This is pretty big.  Gonzales may have lied.
• 12:06: Schumer: Sampson had "contradictory statements as to what you say."
• 12:05: Leahy on Gonzales not remembering a meeting "we'll get back to that, you can count on it"
• 12:05: Schumer points out contradiction between Gonzales' statement a few minutes ago on Carol Lam and Sampson's statement weeks ago.
• 12:03 Senator Jeff Sessions is finished.
• 12:02: WA Post: Gonzales defends actions on U.S. Attorney firings
• 11:59: Sessions supports his colleague Domenici questioning U.S. attorney Iglesias
• 11:57: Sessions: "I'm concerned about your recollection."
• 11:56: Just to note, the meeting has to do with the one with Sampson regarding the firings.
• 11:55: Gonzales: "but in any event, i have no recollection of that meeting"
• 11:54: Quote of the day!  Gonzales: "I have searched my memory."
• 11:53: Senator Sessions (R-AL) is up.  Then aterwards, Senator Schumer, Graham, and then Durbin will go.
• 11:52: Feingold: What Gonzales said about the process of the firings "doesn't cut it with me."
• 11:50: Gonzales: "I want to get to the bottom of this, Senator, just as you do."
• 11:49: Feingold: You had "no basis for telling the American people" in the newspaper that U.S. attorneys "lost your confidence." -- since Gonzales was not that involved in the process.
• 11:47: Gonzales: "I can't recall" specificity of conversations about recommendations that 7 U.S. attorneys be fired.
• 11:45: Feingold: "I'm trying to highlight what a problem" this scandal has been.
• 11:44: Gonzales to Feingold: "Sir, look at the facts here."
• 11:43: Feingold: "you have an obligation to tell the truth when speaking to the people or a newspaper, don't you?"
• 11:42: Leahy points out that over time 92-93 attorneys were replaced by Bush
• 11:41: We can now celebrate because Cornyn is finished!
• 11:39: Gonzales: "There is a lot of misinformation, or disinformation, about what happened here."
• 11:38: Cornyn: The House trying "to drag" other non-fired U.S. attorneys into the debate.
• 11:37: Gonzales: "Performance, for me, means a lot of things" -- referring to the attorneys.
• 11:35: Cornyn now defending Gonzales, saying that FBI has had no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the DoJ (Of course Cornyn, that's because the FBI didn't launch a sweeping investigation of Alberto.)
• 11:34: Gonzales: "the attorneys don't want a formal process for evaluation"
• 11:32: John Cornyn is up.  He expressed shame in how the investigation was conducted.
• 11:31: Leahy: "Let me remind you that you are here as guests of the United States Senate."
• 11:30: Protesters are now yelling!!
• 11:28: Before they begin again, The Hill reports "Glove off early in Gonzales hearing."
• 11:25: Okay, the Senate break should be over in a few min.  As soon as it does, we will continue this live blogging session.  I'd like to give a big shoutout to all the Kos viewers that are joining us.
• 11:21: Taking 4 min break....we will continue!  I hope you are all enjoying this as much as I am!  This guy is toast.
• 11:18: Senate Judiciary Committee taking 10 minute recess.
• 11:18: Feinstein basically cited letters that showed DoJ actually commended Carol Lam on her pefformance.
• 11:17: Gonzo: Lam got letters from congress (and elsewhere) but he said he wasn't awre of the letters
• 11:15: Gonzales: Carol Lam "was aware of the fact that we had concerns."
• 11:14: "Leahy: i sent you a transcript of what we are talking about so you wouldn't be surprised."
• 11:13: Feinstein: She is now defending Carol Lam, and talking about her positive performance record. (Note: Lam was one of the fired prosecutors)
• 11:11: Feinstein is clearly providing the best questioning of any senator so far.  Gonzales is stumbling around.
• 11:09: Gonzales: I don't recall making the decision.  "I made the decision."  (I was for it, before I was against it.)
• 11:08: Feinstein: All of this has been "constant equivocation."  (She is grilling him on this Patriot Act loophole issue)
• 11:07: Gonzales says he does not have any "recollection."
• 11:06: Feinstein: "Whose idea was it to change the law" regarding the Patriot Act loophole that allows him to replace attorney generals without Senate approval.
• 11:05: "My responsibility" is to "field complaints" and "address concerns."  (oh yeah, sure, you did that!)
• 11:02: Hatch says to Gonzales: "I'd like to help you dispel these myths."  (Well thanks, Hatch, for your partiality!!!)
• 11:00: Gonzales: "I don't spend as much time as I used to at the White House."
• 10:59: Hatch threw another softball, by asking Gonzales if anyone was fired for the wrong reason?  Hatch, remember, is a GOP Senator from Utah.
• 10:58: Senator Hatch now bashing Democrats, and threw a softball question at Gonzales regarding whether we should govern based on polls.  This is an obvious shot at Democratic Senator Kohl.
• 10:57: Leahy mad that signs are being held up in the hearing room.
• 10:56: Gonzo: "as soon as i feel i haven't done my job, then i will resign"
• 10:56: Alberto Gonzales says he is trying to educate the American public about what happened.
• 10:55: Kohl: "the point still is that the majority of Americans belive it was political and you should be fired"
• 10:54: Gonzo: on why he should keep his job: "I look back at what we've accomplished" ..""dept has not been mis-managed"
• 10:53: Gonzo: Criticizing the Justice Department hurts career professionals at DoJ
• 10:52: Kohl: "can you explain why you should remain in this office"
• 10:52: Kohl: 67% of americans belive atty's were fired for political reasons and Gonzo should be fired.
• 10:51: Kohl is describing the AG's job description.
• 10:49: Gonzo diverting blame to Kyle Sampson regarding why one attorney was on the firing list, and then removed from list.
• 10:48: Kohl is asking why one U.S. attorney, who was almost fired, was taken off the list?  In other words, how can he be distinguished from those that were fired?
• 10:46: Senator Kohl is up (D-WI)
• 10:45: Gonzo had concerns about McKay's judgment, which was why he was fired.  (note: McKay was the attorney from Seattle)
• 10:44: Gonzo: Bud Cummins not qualified
• 10:40: Brownback is letting Gonzales ramble like crazy without interrupting him.  This is pathetic.
• 10:38: Gonzo: Bogden was the closest call, concerned about his commitment.
• 10:37: Brownback: "why were these attorneys chosen" and going down the list
• 10:35: Kennedy now getting to Gonzo.  "who who who," Kennedy interrupted Gonzales regarding discussions of who Gonzo talked to.
• 10:32: Kennedy: "Did you speak with any of the attorneys that were replaced?"  Gonzales said he spoke to one.
• 10:30: "Nothing improper happened here" with regard to the firings. -- Gonzales
• 10:29: Kennedy: "you said 'my decision is justified and should stand', w/o knowledge of their qualifications, how can you make that decision?"
• 10:28 "How can you know none of them were removed for improper reasons?" -- Kennedy
• 10:23: Your testimony is "adverse with the facts," Specter said of Gonzo.
• 10:22: So you all know, they are showing this on CNN too.
• 10:22: This is as if a kid was sent to the Principal's office.  Gonzo is stuttering and is being told off.
• 10:20: gonzo: "i don't want to core with you" Specter: "i don't want you to either"
• 10:19: "You didn't understand that there was a process going on?" Specter asked.
• 10:18: Specter is eating him alive regarding the Bud Cummins firing.
• 10:16: Specter says if we talk about your preparation, you aren't going to win the debate.  wow!!
• 10:15: Man, they are giving it to Gonzales!!!  Specter: "Were you prepared for your press conference?"
• 10:11: The feed is now up.  here we go.
• 10:08: Sorry everyone.  We are now trying to find an additional feeds, since C-Span is abandoning its pledge to air the testimony.
• 10:04: Now no tv network is covering it... we're waiting until they go back
• 10:00: "I have been extremely forthcoming." -- Gonzales
• 9:57: Gonzales: "I failed to tell the truth"
• 9:56: Your behavior "has hurt the department..your ability to lead the department" is in question -- Jeff Sessions said of Gonzales
• 9:53: Schumer is now letting him hear it!  shumer: i hope we keep it to a minimum of "i don't recall"
• 9:50: This hearing "is more important than your confirmation hearing," said Specter of Gonzales. -- Specter
• 9:48: "This is not a game of gotcha.  We want the facts." -- Specter
• 9:47: Specter basically saying that he won't judge Gonzales until after he speaks.
• 9:44: "We appreciate your status as a role model," Arlen Specter just said of Gonzales.
• 9:42: Leahy told him "it ain't looking pretty for you."
• 9:41: The Administration engaged in "Katrina-style cronyism" with regard to the law. -- Leahy
• (9:37) Leahy says the phrase "performance-related" should not be used again.
• (9:36) "The Department is facing a crisis.." -- Leahy

Comments

[Tony]

John, you're right, then he proceeds to answer the question with "i don't recall"

[Michel]

4:34 had an interesting point about Gonzales "not recollecting" having chosen a group that does not release their documents to the public to evaluate his case. How can you say that you don't recollect in such a case? Geez...

[Chief Administrator: Todd]

good point. Gonzo has a major lying problem.

[thankful human]

Thanks a lot!

You guys did an amazing job... so impressed!!

[Chief Editor: Todd]

Thanks! We really wanted to give people an inside look at how this thing. If you have any recommendations for us in the future, let us know.

[The Mexican]

I haven't had a chance to get around to politics over the following week with finals and papers pressing its full weight in the fleeting weeks of this semester, but I just wanted to say: You guys are doing a helluva job reporting the news events and, especially, with reporting on the Gonzo questioning. The Internet Gambling portion was just absurd, come on. To my way of thinking, for the Repubs, instead of praising him and asking softball questions, they should have asked the tough questions to prove his testimonies, but they couldn't. The Blue State is my favorite site for political coverage. Heh, you guys just need more socialist issues.