Mich. Congressional Delegates Support Decision

Aug 27, 06:06 PM

Current Headlines: By Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press

Aug. 27--Republican members of Michigan's congressional delegation seemed pleased with U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' decision to resign today, saying it may take a divisive spotlight off the Justice Department.

"It had become clear that he lost his effectiveness as attorney general and the confidence of the U.S. Congress," said Rep. Candice Miller, a Harrison Township Republican. "It is my hope that President George W. Bush's nominee to fill the remainder of his term will receive a fair hearing in the increasingly partisan environment in Washington and the Department of Justice will continue to safeguard the principles of our democracy."

Rep. Vern Ehlers, a Grand Rapids Republican, noted that Gonzales has been "a lightening rod for criticism," keeping the Justice Department from continuing its mission.

"I think Mr. Gonzales' decision is a good thing for him, for the president and for our nation," Ehlers said in a prepared statement.

"It takes its toll when the sole focus of Congress is, 'How can we beat up on the attorney general?'" said Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican from Brighton and a former FBI agent.

He said he knows there are people who work for the Justice Department who want to put the Gonzales flap behind them and get on with the agency's mission.

Rogers said Gonzales was the target of a Democrat-led, partisan attempt to get him and that he showed courage in finally saying he'd leave to allow the Justice Department to move forward.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra, a Republican from Holland, said he was surprised by the announcement, considering "it wasn't all that long ago the president was with Gonzales and saying he had his full support." But Hoekstra said it's possible the president wants to minimize distractions to achieve his goals during his last 16 months in office.

"I've got mixed feelings," Hoekstra said of Gonzales' resignation. "I hate to see anyone hounded out of office, which is what I think happened to him."

Rep. Joe Knollenberg, a Republican from Bloomfield Township, said he hopes a new attorney general can be found quickly so that Republicans and Democrats can "knock off the partisan bloodletting" when it comes to the fight against global terrorism.

He noted that the attorney general, whoever he or she is, provides a critical resource in that fight.

Democrats called for change. Rep. John Dingell, the dean of the House and a Dearborn Democrat, said Gonzales' "loyalty to his party seems to supersede his loyalty to his country and the Constitution."

"It's time for him to go -- in fact, it is long overdue," said Dingell.

"Politically motivated firings and partisan misconduct have led to bad morale at the Department of Justice," added Rep. Dale Kildee, a Flint Democrat.

"The confused leadership of the attorney general has rendered the department barely functional. To restore integrity to the office, the new head of the department must hold the rule of law above all political considerations."

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