ROUGH JUSTICE: Attorney General Gonzales Resigns

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CRAWFORD, Texas — Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned, ending a months-long standoff with Republican and Democratic critics who called for his ouster over the Justice Department’s botched handling of FBI terror investigations and the firing of U.S. attorneys, officials said Monday.

The likely temporary replacement for Gonzales is Solicitor General Paul Clement, who would take over until a permanent replacement is found, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Two administration officials speaking on grounds of anonymity said that Gonzales had submitted a resignation letter last Friday.These officials declined to be identified because the formal announcement about Gonzales was still pending.

The Justice Department planned a news conference for 10:30 a.m.in Washington. President Bush was expected to discuss Gonzales’ departure at his Crawford, Texas, ranch., before leaving on a trip to western states. [via ASSOCIATED PRESS]

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS: The following individuals have resigned from the Bush administration amid the furor following last year’s firings of nine U.S. attorneys and the perceived politicization of the Justice Department:

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE:
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales – Resigned Monday, effective Sept. 17.
Kyle Sampson, Gonzales’ chief of staff – Resigned in March.
Monica Goodling, Gonzales’ counselor – Resigned in April.
Michael Battle, head of the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys – Resigned in March.drphilwtf.gif
Paul McNulty, Deputy Attorney General – Resigned in May.
Michael Elston, McNulty’s chief of staff – Resigned June 15.
Tim Griffin, interim U.S. attorney for Arkansas – Resigned effective June 1.
Bradley Schlozman, acting civil rights chief – Resigned in mid-August.
Wan Kim, chief, Civil Rights Division – Resigned Aug. 24

WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS:
Karl Rove, White House’s top political adviser/Deputy Chief Of Staff – Resigned effective at the end of this week.
Sara Taylor, political director — Resigned in May.

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PREVIOUSLY: NY TIMES: BRING ME THE HEAD OF ABU GONZALES
PREVIOUSLY:
ABU GONZALES: Senators Probe Top Cop, Invasive Procedural Deflected By Impenetrable Congeniality
PREVIOUSLY: THANK YOU JOE LIEBERMAN*: “My vote against going ahead with more debate on this no confidence resolution is not an expression of confidence in Attorney General Gonzales. It is an expression of opposition to spending any more time on a resolution that will accomplish nothing, instead of going ahead with the next item of business, which is energy legislation. If we work urgently together on energy legislation, we can accomplish something that is truly important to the American people.”

*sarcasm

[illustration by STEVE BRODNER]

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