In a short three minute statement, Alberto Gonzalez, America's first Latino Attorney General, announced his much anticipated resignation effective September 17, 2007.He thanked the staff of the Justice Department for their work and he said that serving as the nation's Attorney General had been a high privilege. He added that "we live in the greatest country in the world," and that he has "lived the American Dream."
Alluding to the problems besetting his tenure as AG--and to his modest beginnings, he said that even in the most troubling of times he enjoyed a life that was substantially better than what his parents were afforded.
The office of the Attorney General has been the leading force for implementing many of President Bush/VP Cheney's controversial policies. As such, political opponents first demanded John Ashcroft's resignation--and then Gonzalez'. Upon taking many arrows on behalf of the administration, charges of politically motivated firings of 8 Justice Department attorneys by Gonzalez were near fatal.
Gonzales' resignation is 4th high-profile departure from President George W. Bush's presidency in less than year, following former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld; his former deputy Paul Wolfowitz stepped down as president of the World Bank; and top Bush adviser Karl Rove earlier this month announced he was stepping down.
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