Gonzales Could Face Charges

Alberto Gonzales might soon find himself on an unlikely side of the law if a pending DOJ report recommends criminal charges against the former AG for lying under oath. Pending prosecution may even explain Gonzales' unexpected departure, Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick speculates. Now he’s hired a criminal-defense attorney and stopped talking to DOJ investigators.

The report "is going to be an extremely negative report on President Bush's Justice Department," said one of the US attorneys allegedly fired for political reasons. Gonzales is also under investigation for improper hiring practices, the warrantless surveillance program, and efforts to influence Senate testimony. The inspector general can't bring charges, but can refer findings or recommend a special prosecutor be named. (More Alberto Gonzales stories.)