Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today demanded accountability from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as he appeared before the full Committee in an oversight hearing. Congressman Nadler said:

"This Administration has continued to demonstrate a reckless disregard for the rule of law. And this Attorney General has forgotten that he swore to uphold the Constitution and serve the people and not the political interests of the president. The fundamental freedoms of Americans are under fire by this White House and Attorney General Gonzales has been an all too willing accomplice.

"While much of the public’s attention has focused on the politicization of the Department and the firing of the United States Attorneys, that is but a small part of the larger problems facing the Attorney General. I have little confidence in his ability to serve as our nation’s steward of the Constitution.

"Revelations about the abuses of the National Security Letter authority by the Justice Department make clear the need for changes to the law. Assurances from the Attorney General that the Department will monitor itself provide no confidence that the privacy of innocent Americans will be protected. The underlying power itself remains too broad and open to abuse.

"Such concerns about the Administration’s transgressions against our fundamental freedoms span across too many of the executive’s actions. The National Security Agency’s warrantless wiretapping program; the gutting of Habeas Corpus; the sanction of torture; the practice of "extraordinary rendition"; the list, sadly, goes on and on. I will work with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to demand that President Bush’s abuse of power ends and the rule of law is restored."