America's top legal official, Alberto Gonzales.

El Tiempo, Colombia

Attorney General Gonzalez: a 'Terrible Betrayal'

"Gonzales hasn't lifted a finger in defense of the Hispanic community ... many voices have been raised calling for his resignation. The Latino leadership should join in the outcry."

By Sergio Muñoz Bata

Translated By Karen Hoffman

March 13, 2007

Colombia - El Tiempo - Original Article (Spanish)

Two years ago, Alberto Gonzales was the pride and hope of the Latin community. But today, his sycophantic compliance with policies and Presidential practices that use the very institution responsible for defending justice to undermine the civil rights of the people, and his indifference to the central tenets of the Latin-American agenda in this country, have been a terrible betrayal.

In a community so desperate for good role models, the ascent of Gonzales represented a double triumph: Not only would he be the first Latino Attorney General, but in addition, he would also be the first Latino to occupy one of the four positions of greatest influence in the presidential cabinet.

His personal history was an inexhaustible source of community pride because his success encouraged the illusion that it was possible for other children - also of poor immigrants and undocumented grandparents, who like him, were born and raised in the poverty of the barrio - to overcome.

Gonzales earned a Doctorate in Law from Harvard. He was a Texas Supreme Court Justice and Secretary of State during the governorship of George W. Bush and later, he became Bush's lawyer.

His fame as a man of integrity and intelligence as well as his dedication to the cause of [Latino] community rights led to forecasts that, given his ability, he would continue his history of defending the civil rights of all citizens, and remain devoted to the community groups and themes of the Hispanic community that he had so defended in the past.

One believed that Gonzales would spare no effort to protect to protect minorities from discriminatory election practices and it was hoped that he would help obtain a just immigration law.

From his own personal experience, Gonzales know that far from being criminals, the immense majority of legal and illegal immigrants come to this country to work - to build a future so that their children and grandchildren can succeed in a place so full of opportunity.

Two years on, disillusionment is widespread. Gonzales hasn't lifted a finger in defense of the Hispanic community. Worse still, as Attorney General, Gonzales has been a promoter of telephone eavesdropping and has allowed the FBI, which is part of his department, to abuse its powers to obtain financial, telephone and business records under the Patriot Act , without at least giving the right of appeal to those being investigated.

Instead of defending the rights of minorities, his record on the matter of elections shows a noticeable tendency to erode minority voting rights and the integrity of the electoral system.

The latest scandal in which Gonzales has been involved is the dismissal of eight regional public prosecutors [federal prosecutors], in what appears to be a political purge of government officials who failed to adhere to the political agenda of the Republican Party.

The dismissal of Carol Lam, the public prosecutor in San Diego, is perhaps the most aberrant. Lam, who put Republican Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham behind bars for accepting millions in bribes from military contractors, was in the middle of trials against other important figures in the Congress, the CIA, and suppliers for the Defense Department, when she was told to leave.

According to the Administration, she neglected the central problem in administering justice in San Diego, which is illegal immigration. That is to say, she was dismissed due to her eagerness to prosecute real criminals, so she was short of time prosecuting those who come to work without documents.

This week in [the U.S.] Congress, many voices have been raised calling for the resignation of Gonzales. The Latino leadership should join in the outcry. Gonzales has not only failed his community - he has failed his entire country.

Spanish Version Below

Orgullo y decepción

Gonzales no ha movido un dedo en defensa de la comunidad hispana.

Hace dos años, Alberto Gonzales era el orgullo y la esperanza de la comunidad latina. Hoy, su obsequiosidad a las políticas y prácticas presidenciales que se valen de la institución encargada de velar por la justicia para socavar los derechos civiles de las personas da vergüenza; y su indiferencia ante los temas centrales de la agenda latina en este país ha sido una terrible decepción.

En una comunidad tan urgida de ejemplos paradigmáticos, el ascenso de Gonzales representaba un doble triunfo. No solo sería el primer Procurador de Justicia latino sino que sería, además, el primer latino que ocupaba una de las cuatro posiciones de mayor peso en el gabinete presidencial.

Su historia personal era una inagotable fuente de orgullo para la comunidad porque su éxito alentaba la ilusión del triunfo de otros hijos de inmigrantes pobres y abuelos indocumentados que como él, nacen y crecen en la pobreza del barrio.

Gonzales obtuvo un doctorado en derecho por Harvard. Fue juez de la corte suprema de Texas y secretario de Estado durante la gobernación de George W. Bush y posteriormente, su abogado.

Su fama de hombre íntegro e inteligente, así como su dedicación a las causas de los derechos de la comunidad auguraban que, investido de poder, continuaría su carrera defendiendo los derechos civiles de todos los ciudadanos al tiempo que mantendría una obligada coherencia con las organizaciones y los temas comunitarios hispanos que tanto había defendido.

Se pensaba que Gonzales no escatimaría esfuerzo para proteger a las minorías de prácticas discriminatorias en las elecciones y se esperaba su apoyo para lograr una ley de inmigración justa.

Por su propia experiencia familiar, Gonzales sabía que lejos de ser criminales, la inmensa mayoría de los inmigrantes legales e ilegales vienen a este país a trabajar, a labrarse un porvenir para que sus hijos y sus nietos tengan éxito en un lugar tan lleno de oportunidades.

Dos años después, el desencanto ha sido generalizado. Gonzales no ha movido un dedo en defensa de la comunidad hispana. Peor aún, como Procurador de Justicia, Gonzales ha sido un promotor del espionaje telefónico y ha permitido que el FBI, que es parte de su departamento, abuse de sus poderes obteniendo expedientes financieros, telefónicos y de negocios utilizando el Acta Patriótica sin siquiera darles oportunidad de apelación a los investigados.

En vez de defender los derechos de las minorías, su récord en materia de elecciones muestra una marcada tendencia a erosionar el derecho al voto de las minorías y la integridad del sistema electoral.

El último escándalo en el que Gonzales se ha visto involucrado es el despido de ocho fiscales regionales por lo que aparenta ser una purga política de funcionarios públicos que en el cumplimiento de su deber no se adhirieron a la agenda política del partido republicano.

El despido de Carol Lam, la fiscal en San Diego, es quizá el más aberrante. Lam, quien metió a la cárcel al congresista republicano Randy Cunningham por aceptar millonarios sobornos de contratistas militares, se encontraba en medio de un juicio contra otras figuras importantes del Congreso, la CIA y otros proveedores del Departamento de Defensa cuando se le despidió.

Según la Administración, por descuidar el problema central en la impartición de justicia en San Diego, que es la inmigración ilegal. Es decir, se le despide porque en su afán por perseguir a los verdaderos criminales tenía poco tiempo para perseguir a quienes vienen a trabajar sin documentos.

Esta semana, en el Congreso se alzaron muchas voces que piden la renuncia de Gonzales. El liderazgo latino debería unirse al clamor. Gonzales no sólo le ha fallado a su comunidad, le ha fallado al país.