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Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition
310 Eighth Street, Suite 303 Oakland, California 94607
phone: 510-839-7598 fax: 510-465-1885 www.immigrantrights.org
For Immediate Press Release: January 5, 2005
Contact: Margaret Zaknoen, Advocacy Coordinator, Bay Area
Immigrant Rights Coalition (510) 839-7598
BAY AREA IMMIGRANT RIGHTS COALITION CALLS ON SENATE JUDICIARY TO OPPOSE GONZALES FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL
Group Finds Gonzales Wrong Man for the Job
Oakland, CA-The Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition (BAIRC) urged members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in a letter today to oppose the nomination of Alberto Gonzales to the post of Attorney General. Gonzales' record as White House counsel, particularly his disregard for the Geneva Conventions, justification of the use of torture and attempts to eliminate due process, make him unfit to serve as the nation's chief law enforcement official.
"We appreciate the nomination of the first Latino American to this significant position, and believe strongly that the nomination process should reflect the diversity found in America," said BAIRC Advocacy Coordinator Margaret Zaknoen. "That said, anyone considered for such a crucial post must be judged on his or her record, not on racial considerations alone. We strongly believe that Alberto Gonzales' record proves him unfit for the job of Attorney General."
BAIRC's letter called on members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to thoroughly examine Mr. Gonzales' record in full and fair nomination hearings. Senators were urged in particular to examine the nature of Mr. Gonzales' role in the following:
Disregarding the Geneva Convention: Mr. Gonzales advised the President in a January 2002 memo that the Geneva Convention did not apply to detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This decision has been condemned in the U.S. and abroad, including by members of the State and Defense Departments. President Bush was warned by U.S. military leaders that this decision would undermine respect for the law in the military. Mr. Gonzales advised the President to reject that advice.
Condoning the Use of Torture: Mr. Gonzales requested memos that relaxed the definition of torture and deemed laws that prevent torture irrelevant. These memos, along with his disparagement of the Geneva Conventions, led to the mistreatment and horrific torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan.
Eliminating Procedural Due Process: Mr. Gonzales contended that the President is constitutionally authorized to detain anyone - U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike - indefinitely and without charge. The Supreme Court wisely rejected this position. Mr. Gonzales also played a key role in issuing the Presidential order that established military tribunals for non-citizens. Such commissions are inconsistent with the Uniform Military Code of Justice, and violate the most basic principles of due process, such as the right to independent counsel, to an impartial tribunal, and to reliable evidence.
"It is precisely in times like these that a commitment to upholding constitutional protections and civil liberties is most important," said Anamaria Loya, Executive Director of La Raza Centro Legal, a BAIRC member organization. "Mr. Gonzales has shown a remarkable eagerness to circumvent the rule of law for political expediency. This is unacceptable from the man who would be responsible for enforcing federal law on behalf of all persons under the Constitution."
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