Yesterday's hearing served up more political bickering but few new facts about the firings. Gonzales mostly stuck to a script of accepting responsibility and pushing beyond the controversy.
"I will work as hard as I can, working with this committee and working with [Department of Justice] employees, to reassure the American people that this department is focused on doing its job," Gonzales said yesterday.
That didn't satisfy exasperated Democrats, who accused Gonzales of being evasive.
"Your reputation is on the line, Mr. Attorney General. What do you have to say for yourself?" asked Representative Maxine Waters, Democrat of California. The "buck stops at the top," she said.
"I accept responsibility," Gonzales answered,
President Bush has steadfastly stood by Gonzales, his longtime counselor and friend. Even career Justice Department staff members angered by the attorney general's response to the firings concede Gonzales appears to have beaten back calls to leave.
Republicans sought to portray the controversy as losing steam, and they pushed their Democratic counterparts to wrap up the congressional probe that has dogged the Justice Department since the beginning of the year.
"The list of accusations has mushroomed, but the evidence of wrongdoing has not," said Representative Lamar Smith of Texas, top Republican on the committee.
Still, Gonzales acknowledged low morale at the department. Career prosecutors have said that is stunting hiring, and private defense lawyers say it has led to government hesitation and indecisiveness in some courtrooms. Gonzales maintained, however, that the department's independence is intact.
"Contrary to being gun-shy, this process is somewhat liberating in terms of going forward," he said.
Gonzales repeatedly said he was unaware of many of the factors leading up to the dismissals because he relied on his former chief of staff, D. Kyle Sampson, to carry them out.
