Ex-AG Gonzales lands Texas Tech job
(CNN) - Nearly two years after being pushed out of office by a scandal surrounding the firing of federal prosecutors, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has taken a job at Texas Tech University, the school announced Tuesday.
Gonzales will work to recruit minority students for the Lubbock-based college's diversity office and teach a junior-level political science seminar on "Contemporary Issues in the Executive Branch," according to a statement from Texas Tech.
"I am excited that Alberto Gonzales is bringing his experience to Texas Tech," Kent Hance, Texas Tech's chancellor, said in the statement. "His own upbringing in Houston as part of a migrant family with eight children makes him qualified to tell underrepresented Texas students that college is possible."
Gonzales became the lawyer in the 1990s for then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who later appointed him to the state Supreme Court. In 2001, he followed Bush to Washington to serve as White House counsel and attorney general - a post he was forced out of in August 2007, amid several investigations into the Justice Department he led.
A special prosecutor is still looking into whether Justice Department officials broke the law in the 2006 dismissals of at least eight U.S. attorneys, several of whom have said they were fired after refusing to mount prosecutions they considered politically motivated. During appearances before Congress, Gonzales appeared to contradict himself, other officials or Justice Department documents and repeatedly said he did not recall the answers to senators' questions.
And Gonzales was at the center of a dispute into the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program. He originally told senators that there was no dissent among administration officials over the program. But after former Deputy Attorney General James Comey described a dramatic confrontation among top White House, Justice and FBI officials in then-Attorney General John Ashcroft's hospital room, Gonzales acknowledged he "may have created confusion" in his testimony.
Gonzales had blamed "a very tough economy" and ongoing investigations into his tenure at the Justice Department for his extended stretch of unemployment following his 2007 resignation.
"That is why I am working as hard as I can with my legal team to try to get these investigations completed as quickly as possible, because I am anxious to move on to the next phase of my life," he told CNN in February. "I feel like I still have a lot to contribute to our community and to our country and I want to do so."
From CNN Politics
- White House preps for potential statement as even Trump's allies grow frustrated June 1, 2020 10:15 pm
- An agitated Trump encourages governors to use aggressive tactics on protesters June 1, 2020 06:49 pm
- GOP senators critical of Trump's response to unrest following Floyd's death June 1, 2020 10:33 pm
- Biden vows to combat institutional racism as he meets with black leaders in Delaware June 1, 2020 07:42 pm
- Obama condemns violence and calls for change in wake of George Floyd protests June 1, 2020 04:39 pm
- Trump calls for Supreme Court to reconsider flag burning laws June 1, 2020 10:16 pm
Lubbock should be SO proud – Waylon and Willie brought it pride, now Gonzales brings it shame. He may still be brought to justice for all the evil he has done. And how can he possibly lecture anyone about "contemporary issues in the executive branch"? He doesn't have a clue what they would be!!!
@ Kelby In Houston, TX –
No, you should be sent to the middle east, and be looking down the barrel of an AK47...as many of our soldiers have, in their fight to defend our freedoms and keep this soil safe. The 'torture,' as you whine about, saved countless lives, American lives. So, unless you're not an American, stfu...I could care less if they pulled out their toe nails to get the information...I suppose you think their beheadings weren't torture, huh?
Based on some of the messages found here, the Left seems very anti-Hispanic.
You mean to tell me he's not going to teach an Ethics course...
Lying weasel and a disservice and disgrace to Hispanics everywhere
How is this a "big" job? When did Texas Tech become Harvard. Way to distort the news again Communist News Network!
Love to watch the libs get their feathers wet and ruffled then squeal like stuck pigs. You're all dreaming if you think any of these folks will be sent to jail. Four years from now, we could be talking the same talk about BO's homeboys for ignoring the constitution and trying to impose their failed socialist programs.
Guess they don't do a background check
funny how so many hypocritical liberals are saying Bush and his administration should be "in jail..." yet, the biggest criminals ever to be assembled in Washington are in the current administration...and none of you blink an eye as they rob your children's future from them....all to get a jab at Bush! Way to go! That's just what Obama's counting on!
Sorry but this doesn't sound like a big job when compared to what other cabinet level appointees get after leaving the White House
Figures that a school in Texas would hire this guy.
It's all about Bush calling in those Texas markers
"So, you're a minority – check. Would you describe yourself as conservative, ultra-conservative, or hyper-conservative?"
They hired the lying fascist? Must be a lousy school..... and yes he should be in JAIL
Gonzalez is just another scumbag from the Bush administration.
I'm looking forward to the day when subpoenas come down for Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and a host of other low-lifes to be tried as war criminals.
hmm.. i suppose next semester he will be teaching 'Ethics in Law"...???
Well, since Texas is going to secede, perhaps he can handle the AG job for them.
This is an obvious haven for idiot libs who aren't smart enough to know when they've been duped. The Clinton Administration (like most admistrations before them, both democrat and republican) fired ALL of the U.S. Attorneys sitting when they took office. And there are no grounds to slander Gonzales or Cheney that you half-wits didn't make up in your own twisted little pea-brains.
Why should we be surprised? Texas Tech hired Bobby Knight.
Thank you sir for standing up for Americans and keeping us safe, dont listen to all the racist nobama fans on here. We will have him and the gorilla out of there by 2012
Libs showing their true dope induced thoughts on this aren't they. Don't get so angry libs I am sure the that Hussein will get around to legalizing marijuana before the economy is fixed and just before we are hit with North Korean and Iranian missles. What a bunch of whinies.
Bias Bias Bias Bias! When Cafferty is stumped like yesterday I (sorry Wolf this is all I have)! Quote... Pick on Saraha Palin..
I work in higher ed. Believe me, this is not a big job.
Can you believe that Texas Tech forgot what Gonzales did to this country? You can bet that some wealthy contributor paid to get Alberto this job.
Lee Ann in Michigan,
Have we gotten to the depths of the bag of tricks held in the Bush administrations bag of corrupted, dirty tricks? Or did you have the Gonzales pants watch?