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What Does Alberto Gonzales Teach?

The Blog of Legal Times reported that former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has said for the first time that “I am disappointed that I didn’t do things differently” to stop the politicization of the system of hiring career Justice Department attorneys during his time in office. Gonzales admitted this while being deposed in a lawsuit filed by applicants denied positions because of the distorted hiring process. This is the kicker, Gonzales is now teaching in the Political Science Department at Texas Tech University. His school bio says that “Judge Gonzales teaches courses on issues for homeland security and immigration for public administrators.”

The press release issued when Judge G. was hired is scary. In part:

He will help Texas Tech and ASU prepare our students for success and to be future leaders in the State of Texas and beyond.” Lawrence Schovanec, interim dean of Texas Tech’s College of Arts and Sciences, said, “Judge Gonzales brings a unique experience to our classroom. His career in law, government and public service will provide our political science students a rich perspective of the executive branch and issues and challenges facing our nation. “

Interesting. My guess is that he is either unable to get a law school teaching position or that he realizes the unending scrutiny he’d face from (gasp) liberal students with a spine.

I can imagine a Socratic exchange with a first-year law student on the first day of class:

A.G.: What’s the holding in Pennoyer v. Neff?
Student: Please defend your position on torture in light of the Geneva Convention.
A.G.: …….

What does he teach his students? What’s his “rich perspective?” A how-to on firing nine U.S. Attorneys? How to dumb down the Department of Justice by hiring political hacks? The fact that it took a deposition for Gonzales to exhibit disappointment in himself is astounding.

Thanks for the memories.

is a criminal defense lawyer in Washington DC and founding partner of Price Benowtiz LLP. Please contact us for a free consultation.