Shawn Dixon June 5th, 2007

Rather than working towards cleaning up the mess at the Department of Justice, Senator Mitch McConnell is making perfectly clear that he will continue to be a puppet for the administration, even if it means throwing his support behind corrupt and ineffective leaders.

I found this article over at Think Progress which highlights McConnell’s efforts to block a Senate vote of no confidence on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Think Progress reports:

If the Senate moves ahead with a no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales next week as planned, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has already made clear he will “tie up the Senate floor with all kinds of procedural mischief and introduce any number of amendments.”

It seems McConnell can’t agree with his Republican colleagues in the Senate very much at all these days (see “immigration reform,”which I will post more on soon). Think Progress also highlights what other Republicans have had to say about Gonzales.

Sen. John Sununu (R-NH): “The president should fire the attorney general and replace him as soon as possible with someone who can provide strong, aggressive leadership.”

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE): “The American people deserve an Attorney General, the chief law enforcement officer of our country, whose honesty and capability are beyond question. Attorney General Gonzales can no longer meet this standard. He has failed this country. He has lost the moral authority to lead.”

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): “I think that out of loyalty to the president that that [resignation] would probably be the best thing that he could do.”

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR)- “For the Justice Department to be effective before the U.S. Senate, it would be helpful.”

Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN): “I don’t believe that Gonzales has the type of leadership that the department needs.“

• Alberto Gonzales , Mitch McConnell
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