Opposition Grows Against Bush’s Nominee, Alberto Gonzalez for U.S. Attorney General
Los Angeles - The Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) categorically opposes the confirmation of current White House Legal Counsel, Alberto Gonzales, as the U.S. Attorney General of the Department of Justice.
"While this is an extremely important appointment by President George Bush to his cabinet, and laudable and unprecedented that a Mexican American would be so appointed, the Mexican American Political Association has expressed grave reservations about this candidate. Ethnicity, race, and gender are all important considerations when such appointments are made by the top executive officer of the U.S., but both merit and substantive policy positions by such candidates must be of paramount consideration," stated Nativo Vigil Lopez, National President of MAPA.
"Based on the information made available to the public, actually leaked to the media, regarding the role played by White House Counsel, Alberto Gonzales, in formulating the legal interpretations of the Geneva Convention and U.S. law, as these relate to the use of torture, MAPA cannot support the confirmation of his candidacy for the position of U.S. Attorney General of the Department of Justice," added Lopez..
It is now unequivocally clear that the Gonzales interpretation of both the Geneva Convention and U.S. law, related to the use of tactics of torture on enemy detainees, became the basis for the operational use of torture and human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Iraq by U.S. military and contractor personnel. This was in contravention to the rule of law - international and domestic.
The position of U.S. Attorney General is the highest legal position of the government charged with protecting the citizenry, most particularly the civil rights of the historically disenfranchised sectors of the population - minorities, females, disabled, seniors, and minors. The Justice Department is a bastion of recourse by these sectors whose rights have been violated in the areas of voting, employment, immigration, and education. The highest respect and observance of the rule of law are of utmost concern to MAPA, which has a half century history of fighting to protect the civil rights of its constituency.
"We can only support a candidate who has a demonstrated commitment to the rule of law, most especially during trying times and circumstances of social unrest, war, civil disturbances, protest, and real or supposed threats to our security. The treatment of arrestees and detainees under such circumstances, and the observance of constitutional protections, are real life indicators of the respect for the rule of law. Alberto Gonzales does not merit favorable consideration for this charge," concluded Lopez.