Gonzales Testifies Before Senate Panel, Part II

Would you dispute Mr. Battle?

GONZALES: Well, Senator, putting aside the issue, of course, sometimes people's recollections are different, I have no reason to doubt Mr. Battle's testimony.

SESSIONS: Well, I guess I'm concerned about your recollection, really, because it's not that long ago. It was an important issue. And that's troubling to me, I've got to tell you.

GONZALES: Senator, I went back and looked at my calendar for that week. I travelled to Mexico for the inauguration of the new president. We had National Meth Awareness Day. We were working on a very complicated issue relating to CFIUS.

GONZALES: And so there were a lot of other weighty issues and matters that I was dealing with that week.

You have to remember that this was a process that had been ongoing for two years. This wasn't something that just showed up one day on my desk.

And I'm not downplaying the importance...

(CROSSTALK)

SESSIONS: Well, what about the mention you made of a call to Senator Kyl? Was that at this day about one of the U.S. attorneys in his district, his state?

GONZALES: Senator, I don't understand what the question...

SESSIONS: You indicated you made a phone call to Senator Kyl...

GONZALES: Yes, that was on...