(SNN Washington) Senator Russell Feingold charged yesterday that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales may have misled the Senate a year ago. During his confirmation, Gonzales appeared to avoid answering questions about presidential authority and authorizing warrantless wiretaps of US citizens.

During his confirmation hearing, Gonzales was asked a question about warrantless eavesdropping. Gonzales dismissed the query, claiming that the question was "hypothetical".

What's interesting about Gonzales's statement is that, at the time, he was White House counsel. And, the White House had authorized warrantless wiretaps on US citizens, and had been doing so for several years. In addition, Gonzales has admitted to counseling the president on that very action.

This is all quite understandable. Gonzales is the son of immigrants who came to this country without advance knowledge of English language. In addition, Gonzales grew up in Texas, not the best place on earth to learn the English-language. It is quite understandable that Gonzales would not understand words such as "hypothetical". It is sad, and perhaps an indictment of our modern university system, that Gonzales was able to graduate from Harvard Law without ever understanding such an instrumental word.

It is however possible, that Gonzales was lying to Congress. In this case, Gonzales may be forced to do what many other administration officials have been forced to do when put in a similar situation. It is expected that if Feingold makes a case out of this alleged misdirection, Gonzales will laugh at him, and then tell him to "suck it."

posted by NewsBlog 5000  # Tuesday, January 31, 2006