George W. Bush

==== Midterm dismissal of U.S. attorneys ====
{{Main|Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy}}
[[File:George W Bush and Alberto Gonzales.jpg|thumb|President Bush announcing his nomination of Alberto Gonzales as the next U.S. Attorney General, November 10, 2004]]

During Bush's second term, a controversy arose over the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department's]] midterm dismissal of seven [[United States Attorney]]s.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 22, 2007 |publisher=[[About.com]] |url=http://uspolitics.about.com/od/electionissues/i/attorney_firing.htm |title=The Firing Of US Attorneys – Nefarious Or Business As Usual? |access-date=September 1, 2008 |last=Gill |first=Kathy |archive-date=December 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219225126/http://uspolitics.about.com/od/electionissues/i/attorney_firing.htm }}</ref> The White House maintained that they were fired for poor performance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070307/oppose07.art.htm|title=They lost my confidence|last=Gonzales|first=Alberto R.|date=March 7, 2007|work=USA Today|access-date=September 1, 2008|archive-date=May 22, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522080308/http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070307/oppose07.art.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Attorney General [[Alberto Gonzales]] later resigned over the issue, along with other senior members of the Justice Department.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Eggen |first1=Dan |author2=Michael Fletcher |title=Embattled Gonzales Resigns |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/27/AR2007082700372.html |access-date=September 1, 2008 |date=August 28, 2007 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830073910/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/27/AR2007082700372.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Gonzales' Resignation Letter |author=Alberto Gonzales |date=August 26, 2007 |publisher=United States Department of Justice |quote=Please accept my resignation as Attorney General of the United States, effective September 17, 2007 |title-link=s:Gonzales' Resignation Letter |author-link=Alberto Gonzales}}</ref> The [[United States House Committee on the Judiciary|House Judiciary Committee]] issued subpoenas for advisers [[Harriet Miers]] and [[Joshua Bolten|Josh Bolten]] to testify regarding this matter, but Bush directed Miers and Bolten to not comply with those subpoenas, invoking his right of [[executive privilege]]. Bush maintained that all his advisers were covered under a broad executive privilege protection to receive candid advice. The Justice Department determined that the President's order was legal.<ref>{{cite news |work=Reuters |date=March 1, 2008 |url=http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-32236820080301 |title=Mukasey won't pursue contempt probe of Bush aides |archive-date=February 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225062850/http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-32236820080301 }}</ref>

Although Congressional investigations focused on whether the Justice Department and the White House were using the U.S. Attorney positions for political advantage, no official findings have been released. On March 10, 2008, the Congress filed a federal lawsuit to enforce their issued subpoenas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/03/house-judiciary-panel-files-civil.php |title=House judiciary panel files civil lawsuit to enforce Miers, Bolten subpoenas |access-date=May 30, 2008 |date=March 10, 2008 |last=Porter |first=Patrick |publisher=[[JURIST|Jurist Legal News and Research]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311204421/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/03/house-judiciary-panel-files-civil.php |archive-date=March 11, 2008 }}</ref> On July 31, 2008, a [[United States district court]] judge ruled that Bush's top advisers were not immune from Congressional subpoenas.<ref>{{cite news |last=Apuzzo |first=Matt |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-07-31-2444639400_x.htm |title=Federal judge rules Bush's aides can be subpoenaed |work=USA Today |date=July 31, 2008 |access-date=April 20, 2010 |archive-date=April 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423203149/http://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-07-31-2444639400_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In all, twelve Justice Department officials resigned rather than testify under oath before Congress. They included Attorney General [[Alberto Gonzales]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Jordan |first=Lara Jakes |agency=Associated Press |date=September 15, 2007 |title=Attorney general bids farewell to Justice: Praises work of department |url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/15/attorney_general_bids_farewell_to_justice/ |newspaper=The Boston Globe |access-date=September 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620225904/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/15/attorney_general_bids_farewell_to_justice/ |archive-date=June 20, 2010 }}</ref> and his chief of staff [[Kyle Sampson]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Bush's Law: The Remaking of American Justice After 9/11 |author=Lichtblau |year=2008 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bushslawremaking00lich/page/293 293] |publisher=Pantheon Books |isbn=978-0-375-42492-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/bushslawremaking00lich/page/293 }}</ref> Gonzales' liaison to the White House [[Monica Goodling]],<ref>{{cite news |date=April 6, 2007 |title=Gonzales aide Goodling resigns |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/17986525/ns/politics/t/gonzales-aide-firings-controversy-resigns/ |agency=Associated Press |first=Lara Jakes |last=Jordan |access-date=April 7, 2007 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203144946/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17986525/ns/politics/t/gonzales-aide-firings-controversy-resigns/ }}</ref> aide to the president [[Karl Rove]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/08/13/bush-adviser-karl-rove-to-resign-at-end-month/|title=Bush Advisor Karl Rove to Resign at End of Month|last=Emanuel|first=Mike|date=August 13, 2007|access-date=July 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002095204/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/08/13/bush-adviser-karl-rove-to-resign-at-end-month/|archive-date=October 2, 2013|publisher=Fox News|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> and his senior aide [[Sara Taylor]].<ref name="washingtonpost2007">{{cite news |first=Michael A. |last=Fletcher |date=May 28, 2007 |title=Another Top Bush Aide Makes an Exit |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052700896.html |access-date=August 22, 2017 |archive-date=October 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026144835/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052700896.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, legal counsel to the president [[Harriet Miers]]<ref name="twssffwe">{{cite news |title=Panel Holds Two Bush Aides in Contempt |newspaper=The New York Times |quote=The House Judiciary Committee voted today to seek contempt of Congress citations against a top aide to President Bush and a former presidential aide over their refusal to cooperate in an inquiry about the firing of federal prosecutors{{nbs}}... president's chief of staff, and Harriet E. Miers |date=July 25, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/washington/25cnd-contempt.html |access-date=September 22, 2010 |first=David |last=Stout |archive-date=April 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417111153/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/washington/25cnd-contempt.html }}</ref> and deputy chief of staff to the president [[Joshua Bolten]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Stout |first=David |title=Panel Holds Two Bush Aides in Contempt |work=The New York Times |date=July 25, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/washington/25cnd-contempt.html |access-date=July 26, 2007 |archive-date=April 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417111153/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/washington/25cnd-contempt.html |url-status=live }}</ref> were both found in [[contempt of Congress]].<ref name=washingtonpost2007 />

In 2010, the Justice Department investigator concluded that though political considerations did play a part in as many as four of the attorney firings,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/george-bush-adviser-karl-rove-role-firing-u-s-attorney-detailed-newly-released-transcripts-article-1.400512|title=George Bush adviser Karl Rove's role in firing U.S. attorney detailed in newly released transcripts|date=August 12, 2009|work=Daily News|access-date=April 12, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225062850/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/george-bush-adviser-karl-rove-role-firing-u-s-attorney-detailed-newly-released-transcripts-article-1.400512|archive-date=February 25, 2008|agency=Associated Press|location=New York|page=2}}</ref> the firings were "inappropriately political" but not criminal. According to the prosecutors, there was insufficient evidence to pursue prosecution for any criminal offense.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2010/07/21/doj_prosecutor_firing_was_politics_not_crime/|title=DOJ: Prosecutor firing was politics, not crime|last1=Apuzzo|first1=Matt|date=July 21, 2010|newspaper=The Boston Globe|access-date=July 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723130805/http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2010/07/21/doj_prosecutor_firing_was_politics_not_crime/|archive-date=July 23, 2010|agency=Associated Press|last2=Yost|first2=Pete}}</ref>