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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Gonzales faces tough Senate panel | Gonzales faces tough Senate panel |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is taking tough questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee over the sacking of US federal prosecutors. | US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is taking tough questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee over the sacking of US federal prosecutors. |
| Members of the panel urged Mr Gonzales to stick to "the hard facts" regarding the dismissal of the eight prosecutors. | Members of the panel urged Mr Gonzales to stick to "the hard facts" regarding the dismissal of the eight prosecutors. |
| Critics say their dismissal last year was politically motivated. | |
| Mr Gonzales told the panel that while the process that led to the dismissals was flawed, he firmly believed "that nothing improper occurred". | Mr Gonzales told the panel that while the process that led to the dismissals was flawed, he firmly believed "that nothing improper occurred". |
| He said the process by which the prosecutors were sacked was "nowhere near as rigorous or structured as it should have been." | He said the process by which the prosecutors were sacked was "nowhere near as rigorous or structured as it should have been." |
| Mr Gonzales, a close ally of President George W Bush, has been facing growing calls to resign. | Mr Gonzales, a close ally of President George W Bush, has been facing growing calls to resign. |
| 'Growing scandal' | 'Growing scandal' |
| The BBC's Vanessa Heaney in Washington says Thursday's testimony is being seen as the last chance for Mr Gonzales to save his job. | |
| The panel's Democratic chairman, Sen Patrick Leahy, said the Justice Department was "experiencing a crisis of leadership". | The panel's Democratic chairman, Sen Patrick Leahy, said the Justice Department was "experiencing a crisis of leadership". |
| "There's a growing scandal swirling around the dismissal" of the prosecutors, he said. | "There's a growing scandal swirling around the dismissal" of the prosecutors, he said. |
| The panel's senior Republican, Sen Arlen Specter, said the purpose of the hearing was to determine whether Mr Gonzales should remain as Attorney General - the top law enforcement official in the US. | The panel's senior Republican, Sen Arlen Specter, said the purpose of the hearing was to determine whether Mr Gonzales should remain as Attorney General - the top law enforcement official in the US. |
| The Democratic Party, which now controls Congress, is pushing to expand an investigation into the firings. | The Democratic Party, which now controls Congress, is pushing to expand an investigation into the firings. |
| Mr Gonzales has repeatedly said the prosecutors were fired because of their job performance and that politics played no role. | Mr Gonzales has repeatedly said the prosecutors were fired because of their job performance and that politics played no role. |
| US ATTORNEYS 93 nationwideServe at the discretion of the president, with the approval of the SenateProsecute criminal cases brought by the governmentProsecute or defend civil cases in which the government is a partyCollect debts owed to the government Source: US Department of Justice | US ATTORNEYS 93 nationwideServe at the discretion of the president, with the approval of the SenateProsecute criminal cases brought by the governmentProsecute or defend civil cases in which the government is a partyCollect debts owed to the government Source: US Department of Justice |
| But critics say the dismissals, which happened last year, were meant to halt investigations into Republican officials or punish the attorneys for failing to prosecute Democrats. | But critics say the dismissals, which happened last year, were meant to halt investigations into Republican officials or punish the attorneys for failing to prosecute Democrats. |
| Mr Gonzales is appearing before the committee three weeks after his former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, testified that the attorney general was more involved in the firings than he had acknowledged. | Mr Gonzales is appearing before the committee three weeks after his former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, testified that the attorney general was more involved in the firings than he had acknowledged. |
| Mr Gonzales has previously said that he had nothing to hide, but has admitted that the sackings were mishandled. | Mr Gonzales has previously said that he had nothing to hide, but has admitted that the sackings were mishandled. |
| Bush support | Bush support |
| His statements had "created confusion", Mr Gonzales said, but "nothing improper" happened. | His statements had "created confusion", Mr Gonzales said, but "nothing improper" happened. |
| There are 93 federal prosecutors in the US who investigate and prosecute court cases for the government. | There are 93 federal prosecutors in the US who investigate and prosecute court cases for the government. |
| They can be dismissed at any time but it is more usual for all 93 to be replaced when a president takes office. | They can be dismissed at any time but it is more usual for all 93 to be replaced when a president takes office. |
| Mr Bush has so far stood behind Mr Gonzales, a long-time confidant from their days in Texas before they came to Washington together, despite calls for the attorney general's resignation. | Mr Bush has so far stood behind Mr Gonzales, a long-time confidant from their days in Texas before they came to Washington together, despite calls for the attorney general's resignation. |