Related articles:

More letters Bush defends Gonzales, calls plans for no-confidence vote 'political theater' Gonzales admits firing 'mistakes' Pressure on Gonzales intensifies Justice Department official: Goodling broke down over firings

Technical
Unitek USA
Satellite Installers Administrative & Professional
Pima Prevention Partnership
Administrative Assistant Driver/Transportation
Pioneer Landscaping
Dieel Fleet Mechanic General
.
MYSTERY SHOPPERS Trades/Construction
SCHMUESER & ASSOCIATES
PRECSION MILLWRIGHTS Health Care
Mountain Land Rehabilitation
Physical Therapist Health Care
VALOR HOSPICECARE
ON-CALL NURSE

The echo from a one-time top Justice Department official's testimony had barely faded when President Bush appeared in a Rose Garden news conference Thursday and reaffirmed his confidence in his embattled attorney general, Alberto R. Gonzales.

Monica M. Goodling testified for five hours in front of a House panel on Wednesday on her role in the dismissals of federal prosecutors.

What she revealed, coupled with earlier testimony by former Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey, makes the president's support seem misguided.

Goodling admitted to crossing the line when she considered the political beliefs of those applying for the nonpartisan legal jobs.

And she also allowed that Gonzales' testimony earlier this month may not have been entirely truthful.

Gonzales testified that he had not spoken to senior aides since the firing of the prosecutors in order to "protect the integrity of this investigation."

However, Goodling recounted a time after those firings that Gonzales spoke to her about them. She felt "uncomfortable" about the discussion, she said, explaining she thought perhaps he might be looking for a way to have their stories jibe.

"I just thought maybe we shouldn't have that conversation," Goodling said.

This comes on the heels of Comey's testimony last week to the Senate Judiciary Committee about Gonzales' late-night visit, while he was White House counsel, to a hospitalized Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Ashcroft, at the time, was in a hospital's intensive care unit and on pain medication. If that bothered Gonzales, it isn't evident.

Gonzales, a proponent of domestic spying, and Bush's chief of staff, Andrew Card Jr., had intended to have Ashcroft sign papers reauthorizing Bush's domestic surveillance program — a program the Justice Department had just found illegal.

This was an issue that Comey, acting attorney general while Ashcroft was hospitalized, and Ashcroft had discussed previously. Ashcroft had made clear to Comey his belief that aspects of the surveillance program were illegal.

In spite of all that, Gonzales and Card tried to do an end run around Comey, who was in charge during Ashcroft's illness, thinking they could get Ashcroft to sign the extension. Fortunately, Ashcroft was alert enough to refuse and to explain himself forcefully and lucidly, Comey related.

The White House should not support this kind of behavior in one of its top legal advisers. It's time for Gonzales to go.

Gonzales has become an embarrassment.

Bush's confidence in Gonzales is not well-placed. If he isn't willing to fire the attorney general, then Gonzales should do the honorable thing and resign.

It can be the first step to restoring honor and integrity to our Justice Department.