From the Tribune

Gonzales lauds work of Fitzgerald's office
By Kelly Kennedy and Josh Noel
Tribune staff reporters
Published August 9, 2005
After visiting with U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald on Monday morning to
see how he and his staff are handling their workload, U.S. Attorney
General Alberto Gonzales said Fitzgerald has his full support.
"I wanted to meet with his team and express my gratitude and
appreciation for all the good work that this office is doing," he
said. "As attorney general, I have great confidence in Pat
Fitzgerald."
Gonzales spoke at Chicago's Hyatt Regency Hotel in the Loop during an
American Bar Association annual meeting. During an editorial board
meeting Monday afternoon at the Chicago Tribune, Gonzales said he did
not think there had been any conversations at the White House about
replacing Fitzgerald, whose term ends in October.
President Bush will decide whether to let him continue in the job or
appoint someone else.
Fitzgerald is leading an investigation into allegations of fraud in
hiring for Chicago government jobs.
"I told him today, `You need to go where the evidence takes you,'"
Gonzales said. "I do understand Mr. Fitzgerald has devoted significant
resources to deal with this issue, as he should do."
Fitzgerald also has questioned several Bush administration officials
in connection with his investigation of the leak to the media of the
identity of an undercover CIA agent.
During his speech, Gonzales concentrated on national issues, rather
than those that affect Chicagoans. He said his biggest concerns were
the Federal Sentencing Reform Act, the Patriot Act and the Voting
Rights Act.
The Federal Sentencing Reform Act was passed in 1984 to increase
safety, Gonzales said. In January the Supreme Court ruled that federal
sentencing guidelines are advisory only, and Gonzales said a
minimum-guideline system is the best option he has seen to remedy that
decision.
He said certain aspects of the Voting Rights Act passed in 1965 only
apply to some states, and Congress and the Bush administration need to
decide if it still makes sense to have that legislation.
He also wants to see the Patriot Act extended.
"Because we're able to share information between the law enforcement
community and the intelligence community, we have been successful in
breaking up cells in Oregon, Washington and in New York," he said.
He touched upon several other issues.
About proposed legislation to protect journalists from being forced to
reveal their sources: "I have said recently that we will go back and
look at that to see if that's still good policy."
About questioning Supreme Court candidates: "I do think it's
inappropriate to set forth a position on an issue that might come
before them."
About affirmative action: "As Hispanics, we say we don't want to be
discriminated against because of our race, and when we're given
opportunities solely because of our race, that might mean someone else
is denied an opportunity because of their race."Air Force Col. Will
Gunn, chief defense counsel for the Department of Defense Office of
Military Commissions, gave the keynote address as the bar association
luncheon. He has led the defense of the four detainees brought up on
charges in military trials at Guantanamo Bay.
During a news conference after the luncheon, Gunn criticized a system
that has prevented Yemeni Salim Ahmed Hamdan and his civilian lawyer
from attending portions of Hamdan's trial.
Hamdan is accused of being a former bodyguard and driver for Al Qaeda
leader Osama bin Laden.
"That causes me great concern," Gunn said. "It's going to be essential
for the government to have full and fair proceedings. "
Gunn called on the Department of Defense to release a report finished
last year in response to Guantanamo prosecutors' concerns that
detainees were not getting fair trials.