WASHINGTON – President Bush said Saturday that Alberto Gonzales is "honorable and honest" and has his full support, despite contradictory statements about the embattled attorney general's role in the firing of federal prosecutors.
"He is providing documents for Congress to find the truth. He will testify in front of Congress. And he will tell the truth," Bush said at a news conference with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. "I will remind you there is no credible evidence there has been any wrongdoing."
Gonzales' credibility took a blow this past week during testimony by his former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sampson, who resigned March 12, said the attorney general was regularly briefed about plans to fire the prosecutors and was involved with discussions about "this process of asking certain U.S. attorneys to resign."
Earlier Saturday, Republican Rep. Lee Terry joined Democrats and some Republicans who have called for Gonzales to resign.
"I trusted him before, but I can't now," said the five-term lawmaker from Nebraska.
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