Gonzales aids and abets

Dear Editors,

What part of the Supreme Court's decision in Hamdan that "the Executive is bound to comply with the Rule of Law" does this administration not understand?

At a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee today, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was asked by Senator Patrick Leahy, "Is it the administration's position... that we should simply ratify the military-commission procedures that the president designed and the Supreme Court struck down in Hamdan? Gonzales replied: "That would certainly be one alternative that Congress could consider."

It's bad enough that this adminstration continues to mobilize everything from contorted legalisms to open defiance in asserting unprecedented executive authority. Now its deputies are blatantly throwing checks and balances out the window by encouraging the Senate to disregard the ruling of the Supreme Court as well.

Gonzales can no longer say he was just following orders: he is now aiding and abetting a clear violation of stated law.

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