Alberto Gonzales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alberto Gonzales
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Official portrait, 2005
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| 80th United States Attorney General | |
| In office February 3, 2005 – September 17, 2007 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | James Comey Paul McNulty Craig S. Morford (acting) |
| Preceded by | John Ashcroft |
| Succeeded by | Michael Mukasey |
| White House Counsel | |
| In office January 20, 2001 – February 3, 2005 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Beth Nolan |
| Succeeded by | Harriet Miers |
| Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas | |
| In office January 3, 1999 – January 20, 2001 |
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| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Raul Gonzalez |
| Succeeded by | Wallace B. Jefferson |
| 100th Secretary of State of Texas | |
| In office January 1, 1998 – January 3, 1999 |
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| Governor | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Tony Garza |
| Succeeded by | Elton Bomer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 4, 1955 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Diana Clemens (div. 1985) Rebecca Turner |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Rice University (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1973–1975 |
Alberto R. Gonzales (born August 4, 1955) is an American lawyer. He served as the 80th United States Attorney General from 2005 to 2007. This made him the highest-ranking Hispanic American in the U.S. government's executive branch for a time.
Before this, he held several important roles. He was the Secretary of State of Texas, a Texas Supreme Court Justice, and the White House Counsel. He was the first Hispanic person to hold the White House Counsel position.
During his time as Attorney General, Gonzales faced some challenges. These included discussions about government surveillance and certain questioning methods used after the 9/11 attacks. He also dealt with questions about why some U.S. Attorneys were asked to leave their jobs. He resigned from his position on September 17, 2007.
After leaving government, Gonzales started a mediation and consulting business. He also taught political science and helped with diversity recruitment at Texas Tech University. As of 2024, he is the dean of Belmont University College of Law in Nashville, Tennessee. There, he teaches about national security law.
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Early Life and Education
Alberto Gonzales was born into a Catholic family in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up in Humble, Texas, near Houston. His family was of Mexican descent, and he was the second of eight children. His father, Pablo M. Gonzales, was a migrant worker and later a construction worker. His mother, Maria Rodriguez, stayed home to raise their children.
The family of ten lived in a small, two-bedroom house. It had no telephone and no hot running water. Gonzales was an excellent student at MacArthur High School.
In 1973, Gonzales joined the United States Air Force. He served for one year in Fort Yukon, Alaska. He then attended the USAFA Prep School and was accepted into the United States Air Force Academy. Before his third year, he left the Academy. He then transferred to Rice University in Houston. He earned a bachelor's degree with honors in political science in 1979. After that, he earned a law degree (Juris Doctor) from Harvard Law School in 1982.
Gonzales has been married twice. He and his first wife, Diane Clemens, divorced in 1985. He and his second wife, Rebecca Turner Gonzales, have three sons.
Early Career in Law
From 1982 to 1994, Gonzales worked as a lawyer at the Houston law firm Vinson and Elkins. He became a partner there, one of the first Hispanic partners in the firm's history. He mainly worked with large companies.
In 1994, he became the chief legal advisor to then-Texas Governor George W. Bush. He then became the Secretary of State of Texas in 1997. In 1999, Governor Bush appointed him to the Texas Supreme Court. Gonzales won his election to stay on the court in 2000.
Community and Professional Recognition
Gonzales has been active in his community. He served on the boards of several non-profit organizations from 1985 to 1994.
In the legal field, he offered free legal help for the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston. He also served on the board of the State Bar of Texas. He received many professional awards. In 1997, the State Bar of Texas gave him a Presidential Citation. This was for his work helping people who could not afford legal services. In 1999, the Hispanic National Bar Association named him Latino Lawyer of the Year.
Between 2002 and 2003, Gonzales received many honors. These included being named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rice University. He also received awards from Harvard Law School and various Hispanic organizations. In 2005, Hispanic magazine named him Hispanic American of the Year. Time magazine also named him one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America. He was inducted into the American Academy of Achievement in 2005.
In 2006, Houston Mayor Bill White declared "Alberto R. Gonzales Day" in Houston. This was to recognize his contributions to the city. He also received honorary degrees from several universities.
Advisor to Governor Bush
As Governor Bush's legal advisor in Texas, Gonzales reviewed all requests for clemency. Clemency is when a governor or president reduces a punishment or grants a pardon. Under the Texas Constitution, the Governor could not grant a pardon or change a death sentence without a recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
White House Counsel Role
As White House Counsel, Gonzales advised President George W. Bush. This was during a time when the U.S. was fighting terrorism. He helped create the legal rules for the government's anti-terrorism efforts. He supported ideas that increased the President's power. He also supported changes that reduced protections for people being questioned. These legal views were challenged by many experts and human rights groups. Some of these decisions were later changed by the courts.
Gonzales resigned after facing criticism for how he handled the departure of nine U.S. attorneys. He also faced questions during congressional hearings.
Objectivity and Independence
Gonzales had a long working relationship with President George W. Bush. This led some people to wonder if he would remain independent as the head of the U.S. Department of Justice. Some critics called him Bush's "yes man." They claimed he only gave legal advice that Bush wanted.
However, his supporters saw him as a hardworking Attorney General. They noted his open management style and his dedication to enforcing laws and fighting terrorism. Gonzales himself said that his friendship with Bush helped him better advise the executive branch on legal matters. He stated his job was to ensure laws were enforced and everyone received justice, no matter his relationship with the White House.
Executive Order 13233
Gonzales helped draft Executive Order 13233. President George W. Bush issued this order on November 1, 2001, after the September 11, 2001 attacks. This order aimed to limit access to records of former presidents. It tried to allow the President to delay releasing presidential records for longer than the usual 12 years after leaving office.
This order was challenged in lawsuits and by Congress. In 2007, a court ordered that the Archivist should not obey this order. On January 21, 2009, President Barack Obama canceled Executive Order 13233.
Energy Task Force Secrecy
Gonzales also worked to keep documents from Vice President Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force private. He argued against Congress reviewing these documents. Courts eventually supported his arguments. In 2004, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Vice President. In 2005, a lower court ruled that the Vice President could meet privately with energy industry leaders while creating energy policy.
Attorney General Role
Some people thought Gonzales might be nominated to the United States Supreme Court. On November 10, 2004, President Bush announced he would nominate Gonzales to replace United States Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Gonzales had support from both major political parties for his nomination. Many saw his rise as an example of the "American dream." The Senate approved his nomination on February 3, 2005, with a vote of 60 to 36. He was sworn in on the same day.
Right to Habeas Corpus
Gonzales helped write a 2002 Presidential Order. This order allowed the use of military tribunals to try people suspected of terrorism. It gave the President power to hold non-citizens believed to be terrorists in military detention. These people could be tried by a military commission.
In the early years, detainees at Guantanamo Bay detention camp were not allowed to see lawyers. The government said they were outside the reach of "habeas corpus." Habeas corpus is a legal right that protects people from being held without being charged or having a chance to challenge their detention in court.
In 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that these detainees did have rights to habeas corpus. They had to be given access to lawyers and a chance to challenge their detention. In 2006, the Supreme Court also ruled that trying Guantanamo Bay detainees under the existing military commission was illegal.
Congress then passed the Military Commissions Act of 2006. This law was controversial because it continued to allow the President to label some people as "unlawful enemy combatants." This meant they could be tried by military commissions and lose their right to habeas corpus.
In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that foreign detainees held by the U.S., including those at Guantanamo Bay, do have the right of habeas corpus under the U.S. Constitution. The Court said the 2006 Military Commissions Act was unconstitutional because it suspended this right.
In 2007, Gonzales spoke to the Senate Judiciary Committee. He discussed the right of habeas corpus in the United States Constitution. He explained that while the Constitution limits Congress from suspending this right, federal laws are what actually create the right to habeas corpus.
Dismissal of U.S. Attorneys
U.S. Attorneys are appointed for four-year terms. They can be removed by the President for any reason, as long as it's not illegal or improper. In 2005, Gonzales ordered a review of all U.S. Attorneys. On December 7, 2006, seven U.S. Attorneys were told they were being dismissed.
Critics claimed these dismissals were politically motivated. They suggested the goal was to replace them with people more loyal to the Republican party. Some also said it was punishment for actions that did not help the Republican party. At least six of the eight dismissed attorneys had received good performance reviews.
Gonzales stated he was not deeply involved in the decisions to fire and select new U.S. Attorneys. He said he only knew if they were "strong performers" or "weak performers." However, later released documents and emails suggested he had approved a detailed plan for the dismissals.
During his testimony to Congress on April 19, 2007, Gonzales said many times that he could not recall details about the events. This frustrated both Democratic and Republican senators. Many senators called for his resignation.
The Inspector General and the Office of Professional Responsibility investigated the dismissals. Their report in September 2008 found some issues with accountability. However, it did not find that the attorneys were removed for illegal or improper reasons. The report noted that politics was involved in some removals. The report also found no evidence that Gonzales made false statements to Congress.
In August 2009, White House documents showed that political advisors had raised concerns about some attorneys. In July 2010, the Justice Department closed its two-year investigation. They found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing regarding the removals.
NSA Domestic Eavesdropping Program
Gonzales supported the USA PATRIOT Act, a law passed after 9/11. During his time, the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were accused of using this act improperly. They allegedly gathered personal information about U.S. citizens.
In December 2005, The New York Times reported that the National Security Agency (NSA) was listening to calls of U.S. citizens without warrants. This happened when at least one person on the call was believed to be linked to al-Qaeda and the call was international. Gonzales threatened to prosecute The New York Times for publishing classified information.
The Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigated the role of Justice Department lawyers in these intelligence activities. The Bush Administration and Gonzales believed OPR did not have the authority to investigate Gonzales's role as White House Counsel.
In a letter on August 1, 2007, Gonzales explained that after 9/11, the President authorized several intelligence activities. He defended these programs, saying, "if you are talking with al-Qaeda, we want to know why."
In March 2004, one of these programs, code-named Stellar Wind, caused a disagreement. This led to a dramatic meeting at a hospital where Attorney General John Ashcroft was recovering. Acting Attorney General James B. Comey had refused to authorize a specific classified program. Gonzales and White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. visited Ashcroft to get his approval.
Comey later testified that Ashcroft and he had agreed there were legal concerns about the program. He also said that top Justice Department officials were ready to resign over it. Other officials, including Jack Goldsmith, confirmed many details of this meeting.
The Justice Department Inspector General's report later concluded that Gonzales did not intend to mislead Congress. It also found that the dispute at the hospital was about "Other Intelligence Activities," not the specific program the President later publicly discussed.
Many senators criticized Gonzales's testimony. They felt he was not being straightforward and that his credibility was damaged. Despite this, the Inspector General's report found no perjury or criminal wrongdoing by Gonzales.
Supreme Court Nomination Speculation
Before Justice Sandra Day O'Connor retired in 2005, there were rumors that Gonzales might be nominated to the United States Supreme Court. However, some conservative groups said they would oppose his nomination.
Political experts thought President Bush might choose Gonzales. Bush publicly defended Gonzales, saying, "I don't like it when a friend gets criticized. I'm loyal to my friends." However, Bush nominated John Roberts to the Supreme Court instead.
After Chief Justice William Rehnquist died in September 2005, speculation about Gonzales resumed. But Bush nominated Roberts to be Chief Justice. Then, he nominated Harriet Miers as an associate justice. When Miers withdrew her nomination, the rumors about Gonzales started again. However, Judge Samuel Alito received the nomination and was confirmed.
Many believed that the controversies Gonzales faced as Attorney General made it unlikely he would be nominated to the Supreme Court.
Resignation
Many members of Congress, from both parties, publicly called for Gonzales to resign or be fired. These calls grew stronger after his testimony on April 19, 2007. However, President Bush continued to support Gonzales, saying he was "an honest, honorable man."
On May 24, 2007, some senators proposed a "no-confidence resolution." This vote would not have forced Gonzales to leave, but it was meant to show that the Senate no longer trusted him. The resolution did not pass.
On August 26, 2007, Gonzales submitted his resignation as Attorney General. It became effective on September 17, 2007. In his statement, Gonzales thanked the President but did not give specific reasons for leaving. President Bush praised Gonzales and said his name had been "dragged through the mud" for "political reasons." Senators from both parties said his resignation was due to the office becoming too political.
Successor
On September 17, 2007, President Bush nominated Michael B. Mukasey to be Gonzales's successor.
Post-Resignation Activities
After leaving the Justice Department, Gonzales hired a criminal-defense lawyer due to ongoing investigations by Congress and the Justice Department. The Inspector General's office investigated whether Gonzales had committed perjury or improperly influenced a witness. The Inspector General later determined that Gonzales did not commit perjury or improperly tamper with a witness.
In July 2008, the Justice Department's Inspector General issued a report on hiring practices in the Attorney General's office. In September 2008, the Inspector General found that Gonzales had stored classified documents in an unsecured way. However, there was no evidence that any classified information was improperly shared.
In April 2008, The New York Times reported that Gonzales was finding it difficult to secure a new job. This was unusual for a former Attorney General. In 2009, he began teaching at Texas Tech University. He also worked as a diversity recruiter for the university system. In October 2011, Belmont University College of Law announced that Gonzales would become a distinguished law professor. He also joined a law firm in Nashville.
Gonzales has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss topics like immigration and Supreme Court nominations. He also planned to write a book for his sons about his experiences.
Texas Tech University
In 2009, the Texas Tech University System hired Gonzales. He served as a diversity recruiter for Texas Tech University and Angelo State University. He also taught political science courses. More than 40 professors at Texas Tech signed a petition opposing his hiring. However, the university's Chancellor, Kent Hance, said Gonzales brought positive attention to the university.
International Investigations
In 2006, legal proceedings began in Germany against Gonzales. This was for his alleged involvement in prisoner abuse. However, in 2007, Germany's Federal Prosecutor decided not to proceed with an investigation. An appeal of this decision was dismissed in 2009.
In 2009, a Spanish court announced it would investigate whether Gonzales and five other former U.S. officials violated international law. This was related to providing legal support for the questioning methods used at Guantanamo Bay. In 2010, Spanish prosecutors recommended that the judge drop the investigation. They believed an American court should handle the case first.
See Also
In Spanish: Alberto R. Gonzales para niños
- George W. Bush Supreme Court candidates
