VOA常速英语2007年-Mukasey Sworn in as US Attorney General

By Scott Stearns
White House
14 November 2007

President Bush says America's new top law enforcement official will bring clear purpose and resolve to the Justice Department. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Mr. Bush attended the ceremonial swearing-in of Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

Supreme¹ Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the ceremonial swearing-in at the Justice Department's Great Hall. While Mukasey has been in the job since Friday, this was his first chance to speak publicly with his new staff.

"We do law, but the result is justice," said Mr. Mukasey. "And that is why our ultimate client - the people of this country - can and do rest secure in the knowledge that our unswerving allegiance is to the law and the Constitution, and that the result of faithful performance of our duty is justice."

Mukasey pledged to help the Justice Department continue to protect the freedom and security of Americans by guaranteeing civil rights and liberties through what he says is the neutral and even-handed application of the Constitution.

Mukasey replaces former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales who stepped down during Congressional investigations³ into the Bush Administration's warrantless surveillance program as well as his role in the firing of federal prosecutors⁴, some of whom say they were sacked for political reasons.

Mukasey's Senate confirmation⁵ was slowed by his refusal to answer questions about an interrogation technique called waterboarding, that many consider to be torture.

Mukasey told lawmakers that he personally considers waterboarding repugnant but could not say whether it is torture as he had not been briefed on classified information because he was still a private citizen.

Now that he is Attorney General, White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino says she does not know if Mukasey has been briefed on interrogation techniques. She says the president will leave it up to Mukasey to decide whether to make clear the Justice Department's opinion of waterboarding as some in Congress are demanding.

At the ceremonial swearing-in, President Bush says the attorney general is vital to detecting, preventing, and disrupting terrorist attacks and must make certain that American intelligence and law enforcement work together.

"He must ensure that we do everything within the law to defend the security of all Americans, while at the same time protecting the liberty of all Americans," said President Bush. "Judge Michael Mukasey is the right man to take on these vital challenges."

Since Mukasey took charge, the Justice Department has reopened an internal investigation² into its lawyers' involvement in warrantless surveillance.

That investigation stopped last July when investigators⁶ were denied security clearances⁷. A Justice Department spokesman says he can not say when the decision was made to grant those clearances or whether Mukasey was part of it.

President Bush authorized⁸ warrantless surveillance following the terrorist attacks of 2001, allowing the National Security Agency to monitor communications between the United States and other nations without court oversight⁹ when one of the individuals was thought to be associated with al-Qaida terrorists.

During his confirmation hearings, Mukasey said there may be occasions when the president's powers as commander in chief supersede¹⁰ federal laws requiring the approval of a special court to intercept¹¹ communications.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

4 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

5 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

6 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 clearances   

清除( clearance的名词复数 )； 许可； （录用或准许接触机密以前的）审查许可； 净空

参考例句：

• But I can't get to him without clearances. 但是没有证明我就没法见到他。
• The bridge and the top of the bus was only ten clearances. 桥与公共汽车车顶之间的间隙只有十厘米。

8 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

9 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

10 supersede   

v.替代；充任

参考例句：

• We must supersede old machines by new ones.我们必须以新机器取代旧机器。
• The use of robots will someday supersede manual labor.机器人的使用有一天会取代人力。

11 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。