Washington – With a fresh vote of confidence from President Bush, Alberto Gonzales vowed today to remain as attorney general, despite lingering differences with senators over the firing of federal prosecutors.
A a news conference today on identity theft, Gonzales said that he will remain “as long as I can continue to serve effectively.”
“There are a series of priorities, a series of objectives, that I want to see accomplished,” he said, “and we are working as hard as we can to achieve those objectives.”
Gonzales added: “We’re going to correct the mistakes that have been made. I have accepted responsibility.”
Earlier, Bush gave his longtime friend and associate a strong endorsement. Appearing at the White House with Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, the president told reporters that Gonzales “is an honest, honorable man in whom I have confidence.”
The president said that Gonzales’ testimony before skeptical Judiciary Committee senators last week “increased my confidence” in his ability to lead the Justice Department.
Separately, a White House spokeswoman said, “He’s staying.”
Gonzales has been under fire for what the White House acknowledges was his poor handling of the firing of eight federal prosecutors. He claimed dozens of times at last week’s hearing that he couldn’t recall key details about the prosecutors’ firings or about a key November meeting that documents show he attended.
