Former GOP Rep. Ney Challenges Alberto Gonzales to Try Waterboarding

Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:29 pm

On his radio show today, former Rep. Bob Ney challenged former attorney general Alberto Gonzales to still defend waterboarding as not torture, after he tried it. Ney said, “If Alberto Gonzales wants to clear his name by saying he didn’t cooperate in torture, then let him try it himself.”

Ney said that Gonzales is part of the Great Lie that was the Bush administration, “When it comes to the worst abuses by the Bush administration, Alberto Gonzales is scurrying under every rock you turn up, Whether it was rushing to the sickbed of his predecessor, John Ashcroft, to try to pressure him to sign off on illegal warrantless wiretaps, or getting the Justice Department to approve clear violations of the Geneva Conventions, there was Alberto Gonzales. He didn’t follow the law; he did whatever he was told. He’s part of the ‘Great Lie’ that was the last administration.”

If anybody is an expert on not following the law, it is Bob Ney. Ney had to resign from the House in 2006, because he faced criminal charges due to accepting lavish gifts from Jack Abramoff in exchange for political favors. Ney definitely knows something about corruption. Bob Ney was one of the Republicans that helped wreck the GOP in Ohio.

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His feelings about Gonzales are not unique among both Congressional Democrats and Republicans. Gonzales was equally despised by both sides, because he lied and misled constantly while testifying. It is interesting to see just how desperate some Republicans are to put the Bush era behind them, but with Gonzales regularly appearing on CNN, and Dick Cheney all over the news, getting rid of the Bush administration is turning out to be easier said than done.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association