Many Democrats and other critics of Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez are licking their chops this morning as clear evidence has surfaced that the AG has lied to the American people about his role in the firings of US Attorneys. Gonzalez had said he was not involved in any discussions about the firing of these attorneys. Yesterday’s release of emails shows that, indeed, he was very involved.
But this is not the problem Americans should focus on. The real problem is not a lie; it is whether or not the AG, as top law enforcement officer in the country, flouted the Rule of Law. A democratic republic cannot function without Rule of Law, which is that set of ideas and principles that transforms a people from being the subjects of kings and lords into citizens. As citizens, we obey laws, not individual men and women. It requires that our laws are uniformly enforced and applied. The question to be asked is this: Did the AG fire US Attorneys in order to thwart investigations, or to apply the law in such ways that would be politically beneficial to the administration? An affirmative answer to either one reflects a collapse in the Rule of Law, and therefore, American liberty and our way of government.
Anthony Signorelli is the author of Call to Liberty: Bridging the Divide Between Liberals and Conservatives.
