Gonzales Testifies Before Senate Panel, Part II

GONZALES: It would be the deputy attorney general. And I have no memory...

SESSIONS: McNulty?

GONZALES: Yes.

I have no memory of this, but I think the calendar shows that the invitees were the deputy attorney general; the principal associate deputy attorney general, Mr. Will Moschella; Kyle Sampson, the chief of staff; Mike Battle, the executive director of the Executive Office of United States Attorneys; Monica Goodling, senior counselor in the Attorney General's Office; and myself.

SESSIONS: And this was not that long ago. This was in November of last year?

GONZALES: According to my calendar, November 27th.

SESSIONS: And Mr. Sampson seemed to indicate that he really -- he understood it was a momentous decision, that there would probably be political backlash. He even performed some outline about how that should be managed.

And you don't recall any of that?

GONZALES: Senator, I can only testify as to what I recall. Believe me, I've searched my mind about this meeting. I'd have no reason not to talk about this meeting.

At some point, of course, Mr. Sampson presented to me the recommendations. And at some point I understood what the implementation plan was.

But I don't recall the contents of this meeting, Senator. I'm not suggesting that the meeting did not happen.

SESSIONS: I know. But I'm worried about it. And Mr. Battle, who was there, testified that you were there. And he thought you were there most of the time.