Alberto Gonzales says he wants to teach where college students "debate and discuss controversial issues" - an incredibly ironic statement considering his past.
The first Hispanic attorney general in U.S. history resigned in 2007 amid several scandals, and he now will serve a one-year term as a Texas Tech political science professor, guest speaker and recruiter for diversity effective Aug. 1.
By leaving Capitol Hill in disgrace, Gonzales did not fulfill his duty as attorney general, and he did not reach his full potential as a role model for minorities.
So why hire him?
This trumps hiring a fiery coach from Indiana known for tossing a chair across a basketball court. Gonzales is notoriously accused of much more serious problems.
The following are the political scandals he allegedly was involved with while serving as White House counsel and attorney general under the George W. Bush administration:
In 2007, the New York Times reported several of Gonzales' staff testified before Congress about the practices used in hiring and firing federal prosecutors based on political partisanship.
With the torture memos in 2002, Gonzales was White House counsel at the time and signed a memo arguing torture stipulations in the Geneva Conventions - four treaties that are the fundamental worldwide principles of humanitarian law - do not apply to Taliban and Al-Qaeda prisoners, according to copies released by President Barack Obama that are readily available on the Internet.
Lastly, Gonzales tried to get reauthorization of the National Security Agency's wiretapping program by seeking approval of an ill former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, who Gonzales succeeded, while he was being treated at a hospital, according to a New York Times article.
In 2008, Gonzales told The Wall Street Journal, "For some reason, I am portrayed as the one who is evil in formulating policies that people disagree with. I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror."
He echoed those thoughts in an interview with The DT on Tuesday, saying he served during one of the toughest periods America ever has endured after the 9/11 attacks.
The thought process behind hiring Gonzales was his rise through the hierarchy of politics to become the nation's first Hispanic attorney general despite a tough upbringing.
What he brings to the table is hands-on experience and an inspirational story to tell.
That's understandable, he's a minority who has made a difference.
But bringing Gonzales to Tech comes with a price: heavy criticism. The community reaction has been an outpour of confusion and curiosity. This is a man who had trouble finding a job the past two years because of ongoing investigations.
Message boards are filled with negative comments such as, "Texas Tech is really scraping the bottom of the barrel," one comment read on the Houston Chronicle's Web site.
Facebook groups such as "Alberto Gonzales doesn't belong at Texas Tech," and "Texas Tech students and alumni against employing Alberto Gonzales," have been created.
Students say it will be interesting to take his class, that's true, although there's a 15-student maximum. But when he's talking about the right thing to do, whether it's in a guest lecture or during his class, remember his lasting image in American politics.
And don't be afraid to debate and discuss controversial issues with him, he's looking forward to that.
Be the first to comment on this article!