[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7922]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HOUSE OVERSIGHT OF BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS LEADING TO RESULTS IN THE 
                         U.S. ATTORNEYS SCANDAL

  (Mr. SIRES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, they say when you have bad news, get it out 
on Friday night. That's exactly what happened last Friday when the 
Justice Department released documents indicating that Attorney General 
Gonzales led a meeting of top aides to discuss the firing of U.S. 
Attorneys. This document completely contradicts the Attorney General's 
own statement that he did not participate in any discussion and only 
had cursory knowledge of the U.S. Attorney dismissals.
  The Attorney General's contradictions were followed yesterday by a 
Justice Department official taking the fifth and refusing to testify. 
This is unacceptable, particularly after Gonzales himself said that all 
Justice Department officials would be made available to Congress.
  The administration needs to make Justice Department and White House 
officials available to Congress so that we can continue to provide 
oversight. This Congress will continue to ask tough questions so that 
we may ensure U.S. Attorneys are free from political pressure.

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