He is the first Hispanic to hold the top post. The vote followed sharp words among senators.

The Senate confirmed Alberto Gonzales as the first Hispanic attorney general yesterday, ending a bitter three-day debate that focused on his role in pushing the legal limits on the treatment of prisoners.

The Senate voted 60-36 to confirm Gonzales, President Bush's longtime friend and White House counsel, to succeed John Ashcroft as attorney general. Vice President Cheney swore Gonzales in shortly before 6 p.m. at the White House.

Thirty-five Democrats and one independent opposed Gonzales, while six Democrats and 54 Republicans voted for him. Four years ago, 42 Democrats opposed Ashcroft for attorney general...

Democrats said Gonzales made serious mistakes that led to abuse of prisoners at U.S.-run detention facilities in Afghanistan, Cuba and Iraq. They also said he evaded questions during his confirmation hearing and lacked the independence ever to disagree with the President.

"It's hard to be a straight shooter when you're a blind loyalist," Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D., N.Y.) said.

Democrats criticized Gonzales for key legal advice he gave to Bush, including scaling back Geneva Convention protections for detainees, deciding that some anti-torture laws did not apply to foreigners held overseas, and asserting that a president could override U.S. laws and authorize torture in "unusual circumstances."

They noted that the Supreme Court had struck down Gonzales' recommendation on holding U.S. citizens as enemy combatants without access to lawyers and his contention that the prison camp at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was outside the reach of U.S. courts.

Sen. Russell D. Feingold (D., Wis.), who voted against Gonzales, reminded colleagues that he had voted for Ashcroft, despite major policy differences.

"But John Ashcroft said he was unequivocal in enforcing laws he disagreed with, while Alberto Gonzales is saying that the President can be above the law," Feingold said.

Republicans said Democrats used Gonzales' confirmation to attack Bush's policies and lay the groundwork for opposition if Gonzales is ever appointed to the Supreme Court.

"He has been charged with monstrous offenses," said Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. "His opponents are blaming him inappropriately for what happened at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo"...

"Every Hispanic American is watching," Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R., Utah) said.

Gonzales, 49, grew up in Humble, Texas, the son of Mexican American migrant workers. He became a top corporate lawyer and Bush's chief counsel when Bush was Texas' governor. He also served on the Texas Supreme Court.

One Democrat who voted for Gonzales, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, cited his own experience breaking barriers as the first Jewish member of a major-party presidential ticket when he ran with Al Gore in 2000.

"I have some sensitivity to this," Lieberman said.

Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado, a Hispanic Democrat, voted for Gonzales but chastised Republicans "for playing the race card."

"Let's not use this vote to divide the nation," he said.

Several Democrats said their vote was one of principle, not politics.

Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D., Conn.) recalled that his father, former Sen. Thomas Dodd, was executive trial counsel at the war-crimes trials of Nazi leaders after World War II.

"Many at that time called not for due process of law but summary executions," Dodd recalled. "But even these most despicable and depraved human beings were given an opportunity to retain counsel and testify in their own defense."

How They Voted

Senators from the Philadelphia area voting to confirm Alberto Gonzales as attorney general were Rick Santorum (R., Pa.) and Arlen Specter (R., Pa.).

Voting against were Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D., Del.), Thomas R. Carper (D., Del.), Jon Corzine

(D., N.J.) and Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.).

By Frank Davies, Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb 4, 2005

Letter to the Editor  Feb 3, 2005

Specter Off Track On Gonzales

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Arlen Specter said that Mr. Gonzales had built "an extraordinary record" professionally and personally." Gonzales was the architect of trying to legally justify torture.

It appears as though Sen. Specter has morally lost his way, and is leading our nation into losing our soul. It appears likely that Specter and Sen. Rick Santorum, both Republicans, will vote for Gonzales's confirmation, representing Pennsylvania disgracefully. I am ashamed to have them as my senators.

Robert E. Griffin,  Forty Fort

Scranton Times

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