Alberto R. Gonzales
| Alberto Gonzalez;
80th Attorney General of the United States | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 4, 1955 |
| Term | February 3, 2005 - |
Alberto R. Gonzales (born August 4, 1955) is the 80th Attorney General of the United States, succeeding John Ashcroft. He is a graduate of Rice University, and a former member of Lovett College. In 2007 he came under attack for the firing of 8 US attorneys across America. As of April 19, 2007 President Bush has stated that he will not call for the resignation of Gonzales.
Achievements
- Led Project Safe Neighborhoods to help eliminate violence in inner cities.[1]
- Was instrumental in passing the historic Military Commissions Act
"Controversies"
Alberto Gonzalez was the center of a controversy over the firings of 8 United States attorneys. Detractors insisted that the attorneys were fired for political reasons, instead of performance-based reasons (a claim that no one in the White House has ever made). Despite the fact that United States attorneys serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States, and can be fired at any time for any reason, the liberally biased media insists on calling it a scandal. In fact, Alberto Gonzalez "tempered the White House desire to replace U.S. Attorneys wholesale." [2] During his testimony over this "Controversy", Mr. Gonzales stated 74 times that he could not recall various events relating to the situation. [3]
Trivia
- Albert Gonzalez was voted the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas in 1992.
- His Secret Service nickname is "Elephant", a reference to his uncanny ability to memorize obscure parts of United States law.