Conyers demands answers from Attorney General Gonzales

Conyers demands answers from Attorney General

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) today sent a letter to US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales demanding answers to allegations that he may have advised the President to shut down an investigation of the White House's domestic wiretapping surveillance program because of his involvement with the program, according to a statement released to RAW STORY.

"It would be an extraordinary abuse of authority if you advised the President on this matter after learning that your own conduct was to be investigated," Conyers wrote.

The full letter is available here (PDF).

RAW STORY reported earlier today on a statement released by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) that expressed similar concerns about the reports concerning the Attorney General's possible role in blocking an investigation of which he may have been a target.

Conyers also issued a statement about ABC News reports of emails linking Karl Rove to the US attorney firing scandal. (RAW STORY's coverage is here.)

"These latest reports, if true, are proof positive that lower level officials in the Justice Department are being hung out to dry," said the statement. "This goes all the way to the top of the Justice Department and to the most senior White House staff."

Conyers questioned the "truthfulness of testimony given to the United States Congress" by the Justice Department.

"The White House and Justice Department owe us answers, not cover stories, and the patience of the Congress is running out," he said.

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to receive additional documents tomorrow and Conyers had not yet seen the emails referenced in the ABC News report at the time he released the statement.