2007年VOA标准英语-US Senators Question Attorney General's Credibi

By Paula Wolfson
White House
25 March 2007

The political battle in Washington over actions taken by the Bush administration's Justice Department is intensifying¹. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports several key Senators - including some leading Republicans - are questioning the credibility of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

The controversy² surrounds the Justice Department's decision to fire eight federal prosecutors³, who were appointed by the president. Six are known to be members of his Republican Party, while it is believed the other two are political independents.

Usually, the hiring and firing of federal attorneys takes place with little public notice. Not this time.

The White House maintains the eight were sacked for poor performance. But the fired attorneys say they were told to leave for purely⁴ political reasons, in some cases because they did not follow requests from Republican officeholders to launch aggressive investigations⁵ against Democratic Party opponents.

That accusation⁷ has ignited a political firestorm in Washington, with Democrats⁸ accusing the White House of using the federal attorneys as part of a campaign of intimidation⁹ that could undermine the credibility of the federal justice system.

US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales takes a question during a news conference in Washington, (file photo)

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has insisted he played no role in the firings. But new evidence emerged Friday indicating he took part in at least one meeting where they were discussed.

The revelation outraged¹⁰ Senator Diane Feinstein - a California Democrat⁶.

"Attorney General Gonzales has had the view that he serves two masters: that he serves the president and that he serves as the chief law enforcement officer," she said. "He serves one master, and that is the people of this country."

The normally low-key lawmaker told the Fox News Sunday television program that the attorney general must go.

"I believe he should step down," she said. "And I do not like saying this. This is not my natural personality at all. But I think the nation is not well-served by this."

On NBC's Meet the Press program, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee - Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania - said Gonzales has a lot of explaining to do when he testifies before the committee next month.

"We have to have an attorney general who is candid¹¹, truthful," he said. "And if we find he has not been candid and fruitful that is a very compelling reason for him not to stay on."

On ABC's This Week, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska voiced similar concerns. He said the attorney general has a deep credibility problem, and may no longer be able to serve effectively.

"We govern with one currency, and that is trust," he said. "And that trust is all important. And when you lose or debase that currency, then you cannot govern."

President Bush reaffirmed on Saturday that he stands by his attorney general, and that the White House is doing all it can to provide Congress with the information it needs to investigate the firing of the eight federal attorneys.

Democrats say they hope the president will relent and will allow his top White House political and legal advisors¹² to testify in public on the matter. They charge that the attorneys ultimately represent the people of the United States in the court system, and efforts to apply political pressure on prosecutions¹³ can not be tolerated.

1 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

2 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

3 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

4 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

5 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

6 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

7 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

8 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

10 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

11 candid   

adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的

参考例句：

• I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。
• He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

12 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

13 prosecutions   

起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事

参考例句：

• It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
• Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来，政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件