Gonzales Testifies Before Senate Panel

So I do not excuse the attorney general's actions and his failures from the outset to be forthright with us, with these prosecutors, but especially with the American people.

The White House political operatives who helped spearhead this plan did not have effective and objective law enforcement as their principal goal. They would be happy to reduce the United States attorneys' offices to just another political arm of the administration.

If nothing improper was done, people need to stop hiding the facts and tell the truth and the whole truth. If the White House did nothing wrong, then show us: Show us the documents and provide us with the sworn testimony -- the sworn testimony -- of what was done, and why and by whom.

If there's nothing to hide, the White House should stop hiding it. Quit claiming the e-mails cannot be produced. Quit contending that the American people and their duly elected representatives cannot see and know the truth.

And I trust that after the weeks of preparation for this hearing, the attorney general's past failures to give a complete and accurate explanation of the firings will not be repeated today.

LEAHY: There's always been a tacit and carefully balanced intersection between politics and our law enforcement system. But it's been limited to the entrance ramp, the entrance ramp of the nomination and confirmation process. And instead of an entrance ramp, this administration seems to have envisioned a political toll road.

The oversight has returned to Capitol Hill. The investigation already has pulled back the curtain to reveal unbridled political meddling, Katrina-style cronyism and unfettered White House unilateralism -- and directed at one of the most precious national assets, our law enforcement and our legal system.

Earlier in this process, it seemed the administration was concluding that any answer would do, whether it was rooted in the facts or not. Those days are behind us. Just any answer won't do anymore. We need the facts. We'll pursue the facts until we get the truth.

Just as respect for the United States as a leader in human rights has been diminished in the last six years, the current actions have served to undercut confidence in our United States attorneys.

And just as Mr. Gonzales cannot claim immunity for the policies and practices regarding torture that were developed under his watch while White House counsel, he cannot escape accountability for signing off on this plan to undercut effective federal prosecutors and to infect federal law enforcement with narrow political goals.

His actions have served to undermine public confidence in federal law enforcement, the rule of law. By getting to the truth, we could take a step toward restoring that trust.

LEAHY: Senator Specter?