2007年VOA标准英语-US Attorney General Faces Renewed Calls To Resi

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
19 April 2007
 

Embattled U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Thursday faced renewed calls to resign over his handling of the firing of federal prosecutors². The nation's top law enforcement official spent a full day defending the decision to dismiss the eight prosecutors before skeptical³ lawmakers in a controversy⁴ that has created a political firestorm. More from VOA's Deborah Tate on Capitol Hill.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the controversial dismissal of eight US attorneys 19 Apr 2007

Attorney General Gonzales denied critics' allegations that the federal prosecutors were fired to influence the prosecution⁵ of corruption⁶ cases with the aim of helping⁷ Republicans.

While acknowledging that "reasonable people might disagree" with the decision to fire the prosecutors, Gonzales defended the move, saying nothing improper⁸ was done.

"My decision to ask for the resignations of these U.S. attorneys was justified⁹ and should stand," said Alberto Gonzales.

The attorney general acknowledged that some of his past statements about the prosecutor¹ dismissals have been imprecise, but he said he never sought to mislead or deceive Congress or the American people.

But after a full day of often tense questioning, lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle¹⁰ remained skeptical, with some stepping up calls for his resignation.

Among them was Gonzales' fellow Republican conservative, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma:

"I believe the best way to put this behind us is your resignation," said Tom Coburn.

Senator Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat¹¹, echoed the call:

"I urge you to reexamine your performance, and for the good of the department, and the good of the country, step down," said Senator Schumer.

Gonzales disagreed that his resignation would put the controversy to rest. Earlier, he said he had done nothing to warrant his stepping down.

Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the top Republican on the committee, said he would not ask for Gonzales' resignation, saying that was a matter for the attorney general or the president. But he told Gonzales he was not satisfied by his testimony¹²:

"I urged you to put on the record the details as to all the U.S. attorneys asked to resign so that we could evaluate," said Arlen Specter. "You have not done that."

 

Other lawmakers said that while the dismissals may have been justified - noting that prosecutors serve at the pleasure of the president - the attorney general's handling of the matter undermined confidence in the Justice Department.

Senator Patrick Leahy, 19 Apr 2007

Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is chairman of the panel:

"I am afraid that from the testimony today and the evidence that we have uncovered during this investigation¹³ shows that politics have entered the Department of Justice to an unprecedented¹⁴ extent," said Senator Leahy. "If left unchecked, it [the department] would become a political arm of the White House.

Despite senators' skepticism about Gonzales' testimony, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said President Bush was pleased with the way Gonzales handled the questioning. In a written statement, she said the president continues to have full confidence in his attorney general.

1 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

2 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。

3 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

4 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

5 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

6 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

9 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

10 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

11 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

12 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

13 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。

14 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。