Adam Putnam's Horrible Conceal Carry permit Legacy

Ana Marie Cox points out the stupidity of the way the Florida Department of Agriculture hands out concealed carry permits. There is no federal background check on the people applying for permits.

Curtis Reeves was a retired police officer, the very definition of a good guy. He may also prove to be unbalanced in a legally-applicable way, but that wouldn't have prevented him from getting a concealed carry permit in Florida. Since Florida grants concealed carry permits via its Department of Agriculture, rather than, say a criminal justice agency, the state cannot use the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to screen applicants. To put that another way, Florida simply doesn't have the federal background check required in every other state that grants concealed carry permits.

Indeed, even if Florida had a more stringent conceal carry screening process – or if it didn't have a concealed carry law at all – Reeves could have had his weapon on him. Retired law enforcement personnel are allowed by federal law to carry a concealed weapon in any jurisdiction except where it's explicitly banned by law or the property owner. This is a loophole that may seem natural (again: good guys!), but it's actually a reflection of just how deeply we've bought into the myth that guns aren't the problem and we only need worry about who has them. That's not true: we need to worry about guns, no matter who has them.

Adam Putnam publicly bragged about the Department of Agriculture handing out 1 million coneal carry permits. Putnam campaigned as a pro-gun Republican. Putnam isn't about to have gun lovers submit to more thorough background checks. Putnam wants to keep getting NRA endorsements.

Adam Putnam Is Not Serious on Clemency Review

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam talks about speeding up the clemency process for Florida convicted felons to have their voting rights restored. One idea floated by Putnam is not having nonviolent offenders having to come before the clemency board to get their voting rights restored.

"I don't think that going all the way back to full, automatic restoration is the way to go," he said. "But for certain classes of crimes, I think an expedited restoration process is appropriate. For more violent classes of crimes, I think they should still have to come before us. I like the fact that people show interest in it and affirmatively decide to seek their restoration. But I'm open to ideas on how to improve that process."

Why not propose that? "I haven't built the better mouse trap yet. We've just talked about ideas for a better mouse trap."

Putnam claims that he doesn't want to do the policy of nonviolent felons getting their rights restored without having to go through an extensive review process. The real reason Putnam is saying that is because Charlie Crist allowed nonviolent felons to apply to have their rights restored without having to go through the clemency board. What Putnam is proposing is essentially the same as the previous policy former Gov. Charlie Crist implemented. Putnam just won't put forward a sound solution because it was originally Crist's idea.

"I don't think that going all the way back to full, automatic restoration is the way to go," he said. "But for certain classes of crimes, I think an expedited restoration process is appropriate. For more violent classes of crimes, I think they should still have to come before us. I like the fact that people show interest in it and affirmatively decide to seek their restoration. But I'm open to ideas on how to improve that process."

Does Putnam even know what the difference is between his clemency policy and that of Charlie Crist?

Florida is one of four states to deny felons their voting rights. The others are Iowa, Kentucky and Virginia. Disenfranchising felons hasn't proven to deter crime. It does keep young black males from voting.

In three Southern states the numbers are more stark: In Florida, 23 percent of the voting-age black population can't vote because of a felony record; in Kentucky it's 22 percent; and in Virginia it's 20 percent. Taken together, one in five blacks living in those three states is disenfranchised.

Florida, with 1.5 million disenfranchised ex-felons, leads the nation.

It is 2013 and we are still fighting Jim Crow-style laws.

Cat Fight Between John Morgan & Adam Putnam

We have a cat fight between attorney John Morgan and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. The fur started flying after Morgan started a statewide campaign to legalize medical marijuana in Florida. Putnam's press office has promoted the fact that 37,000 marijuana plants have been confiscated by the state. Morgan has taken exception.

Morgan was asked what parts of Florida's government he would cut.

That’s not the case for John Morgan. The Florida attorney and Democratic rainmaker said if it were up to him, he’d know exactly where he would cut.

“Republicans always say they want to cut government, well I have a few ideas,” he said. “Let’s get rid of the lieutenant governor’s office and the Department of Agriculture.”

It was part of larger slam on Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. Morgan is spearheading a ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana, while Putnam has publically cracked down on marijuana.

In March, Putnam’s office touted the fact it destroyed 37,000 marijuana plants and made 700 arrests through Florida's Domestic Marijuana Eradication Program.

“It's like, hey buddy, get a damn life," Morgan said. "Go do something that matters."

Snap!

Putnam's office hissed back.

“The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is responsible for supporting Florida's $100 billion agriculture industry, ensuring a safe and abundant supply of food and safeguarding Florida's 19 million residents from unfair or deceptive business practices,” Amanda Bevis, a department spokeswoman, said in a statement.

I notice that Putnam's office isn't promoting 1,000,000 concealed weapons permits or his bromance with with accused child molester Chris Simcox, Minutemen, co-founder. Embarrassments like this happen when a politician panders too often to the wingnut crowd.

Health Care Is Not A Job Killer

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam furthers this Republican talking point on health care.

The expansion of Medicaid in FL does not create jobs or strengthen our infrastructure. And it will cost cost Florida $5B over the next 10 years

Why is Putnam tying Medicaid to infrastructure. I would love Putnam to explain why he is tying health care for the poor to building new roads. As for Putnam's jobs claim, Putnam needs to read a book on economics. More people getting access to health care creates the need to hire more doctors, nurses and medical technicians. Jonathan Gruber made a good case on how the health care industry will need to hire people to meet the demand of 30 million new health care customers.

By now, most people who follow politics know that the law will result in more than 30 million additional Americans getting health insurance. But what few realize is that, by expanding insurance coverage, the law will also increase economic activity. These newly insured individuals will demand more medical care then when they were uninsured. And while it takes many years to train a family phyician or nurse practitioner, it doesn't take much time to train assistants and technicians (and related supporting staff) who can fill much of this need. In many cases, these are precisely the sort of medium-skill jobs that our economy desperately needs-and that the health care sector has already been providing, even during the recession

More immediately, the increase in economic security for American families will also mean an increase in consumer spending. Many uninsured consumers are forced to set aside money in low interest liquid accounts to make sure they have enough to cover unexpected medical costs. With the security provided by health insurance, they can free that money up for consumption that is much more valuable to them. When the federal government expanded Medicaid in the 1990s, my own research has shown, the newly insured significantly increased their spending on consumer goods. More purchases of consumer goods will provide short-run stimulation to the economy and more hiring.

The likely reason the Obama administration never countered the Republican "job killer" attacks is because the Affordable Care Act was designed to make money for the health care industry. That is why Mitt Romney signed Romneycare into Massachusetts state law.

Marion Hammer's Junk Science

You would think that political figures would not rush to tout relaxed gun laws after the spat of recent shootings. You would be wrong. Florida Secretary of Agriculture held a press conference today celebating that Florida will soon have its one millionth concealed waepons permit holder. Putnam says so many people are getting concealed weapons permits because they just love the Second Amendment so much.

The person responsible are easing permit laws in Florida is longtime NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer. This is a woman no elected Republican official in Florida has the guts to cross.

"It's great news," Hammer said. "When the number of licence holders increase, crime decreases. We have a record number of licence holders now, and crime is the lowest it's been in 40 years."

Hammer's statement is hogwash. Crime has decreased because of better police work. The easy access to guns in America has increased gun violence in other states. Criminals buy guns in states with relaxed gun laws.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives traced more than 145,000 guns used in crimes in 2009 and found that more than 43,000 of those weapons were sold in other states.

Forty-nine percent of those guns were sold in Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Texas, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, California or Arizona.

Hammer's talking point of more guns decreases crime comes from the John R. Lott Jr. book "More Guns, Less Crime." Lott is a Fox News pundit and pal of Grover Norquist. To say that Lott is fact-challenged is a understatement. Ian Ayres and John Donohue take Lott's book apart in the Stanford Law Review. Ayres and Donohue found that Lott fudged his numbers.

Lott graded crime on an inverted V. Lott claims that has gun laws were relaxed crime greatly went down. Ayres and Donohue looked at the actual numbers and found that Lott's thesis did not hold.

Of course, the thought that shall-issue laws caused crime to drop by almost twenty-five percent in the thirteenth year after passage and then caused it to increase by almost twenty-one percent in the fourteenth year is obviosly untenable. These wild swings are caused not by any true impact of shall-issue laws but by the selective dropping out from the individual year esimates of states that adopted laws more recently, leaving only the shrinking number of earliest adopters to identify the paticular annual impact.

Short answer: Lott is caught fudging the numbers.

Lott was using crime rates in Idaho and Virgina, where the NRA was successful with imposing relaxed gun laws, and comparing the crime rates to New York City and Washington D.C. during the height of the crack epidemic in the late 80s and early 90s. Lott's model was made to favor areas where the NRA was strong.

Marion Hammer is quoting junk science and the media should take her to task for it.

Rick Scott Making Voting Like the DMV

Patricia Mazzei and Steve Bousquet report 3 hour long lines for people waiting to vote in Miami-Dade county. The League of Women Voters of Florida have asked for more early voting hours. Unsurprisingly, Republican officials have scoffed at the idea.

Adam Putnam

“There’s no unusual circumstances,” Putnam said. “There’s no weather-related events. There’s nothing out there in the state of Florida right now that would create the basis for an emergency order for the governor to produce.”

Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll

“We still have days to vote. It’s not the end yet, and we certainly have election day as well, that people can turn out and vote,” she said.

State Senator Don Gaetz

“Aren’t these the same people who were running around the state saying the changes to early voting amounted to voter suppression?” Gaetz said. “So now we’re seeing a historically high level of turnout, and they’re complaining.”

The turnout has nothing to do with the new voting laws approved by Republicans and everything to do with people interesting in the presidential race. Gaetz logics is like why do people that complain about the food in a Turkish prison keep eating. It might be because these people don't feel like starving to death. People don't like standing in long lines, but feel that it is their civic duty to vote.

Republicans love to cite the long lines at the DMV as proof that government doesn't work. The Florida Republican establishment is doing everything in there power to make voting as pleasurable as a DMV visit.

Another tidbit of information: Florida Republicans know they are trying to restrict voting. Why else would they say that 2012 has the same amount of early voting hours as 2008. There were actually 120 early voting hours in 2008. Gov. Rick Scott will only allow the legal limit of 96 hours. Former Gov. Charlie Crist was still a Republican when he extended voting hours in 2008. Crist deserves majors kudos for allowing Floridians the opportunity to vote.

Adam Putnam Takes Couragous Stand For Sugary Drinks

The Florida State Department of Education was set to make Florida the first state to ban the sale of chocolate milk. Incoming Agriculture Commissioner came to the rescue of chocolate milk drinkers everywhere.

Recently I was elected to serve as the next Commissioner of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). I am excited about this opportunity to champion programs and policies that improve the quality of life for Florida's citizens. One such area that I look forward to tackling is ensuring that Florida's students have better nutrition options to reduce obesity and related long-term health risks. This is a topic your Board has discussed recently for possible policy recommendations. However, instead of looking at the entire nutrition intake of students, you have chosen to focus only on the nutrition content in beverages served in Florida schools. It is my belief that any nutrition improvement plan needs to be certain that students are receiving the best possible nutrition package, in concert with total wellness initiatives, to allow them to reach their optimum achievement potential. I believe in this approach so much that I campaigned on doing what other states have done, and that is transferring the school feeding programs into FDACS, with a goal of improved nutrition and the development of better lifelong eating habits. First steps would be to take a comprehensive look at current school foodservice offerings, rather than making individual product recommendations that do not address the broader health picture. This comprehensive approach will need time to develop and I would appreciate your Board considering delaying any plans to address just a single component of the nutrition factors and instead allow time for a complete approach to building a healthier generation of Florida students.

Board of Education member John R. Padget said the vote to ban chocolate milk is on hold.

"I do think that, as a courtesy to the commissioner-elect, we obviously won't be taking any new votes on this on Friday," Padget said. "The real solution to the number of obese and overweight children in our society is that we all work together, so I don't take the commissioner-elect's interest in a negative way."

Putnam's letter

Putnam is asking that the State Board of Education to let the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services school nutrition guidelines. Part of the reason school nutrition has been so horrendous is because food wholesalers have heavily contributed to school board campaigns. If Putnam really cared about nutrition he would support the State Board of Education voting to ban chocolate milk. Instead, we see Putnam making a power grab for school nutrition guidelines. Putnam is seeing campaign dollar signs in his eyes like the true pol he is.

Putnam

The Republican Recycle Bin: Porter Goss Edition

Disgraced Republicans don't leave politics. They are just recycled. The latest example is Former CIA director Porter Goss. Incoming Agricultural commissioner Adam Putnam named Goss a member of his transition team.

Goss had to resign from the CIA after the hookers poker parties broke. One attendee of the party was Brent Wilkes. Mr. Wilkes was convicted of 13 felonies involving former Congressman Duke Cunningham. The convictions involve money laundering and related charges stemming from briding Cunningham. Wilkes is now serving 12 years in federal prison.

Another fun fact: Wilkes was involved in the Tom Delay scandal.

Another attendee at the hookers poker parties was Kyle Foggo. He was Goss's deputy at the CIA. Foggo is currently being investigated by the CIA Inspector General, the FBI, IRS, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the San Diego U.S. Attorney's office. Foggo and Wilkes are longtime friends. Forgo was charged in the Duke Cunningham case with Wilkes. Charges were later dropped.

Goss wasn't even a competent director. Morale slipped at the CIA under Goss's watch The New York Times paints a stark picture.

Current and former intelligence officials say considerable turmoil remains within the agency, particularly within the directorate of operations, which is responsible for human spying around the world. The directorate's No. 2 official, Robert Richer, has become the most recent high-ranking official to announce his departure, and he told officials at the White House and in the C.I.A. that he had lost confidence in Goss.

Putnam's judgement should be seriously questioned for having Goss on his transition team.

Florida Cabinet Races

Dan Gelber has conceded to Pam Bondi.

Jeff Atwater is the winner of the Chief Financial Officer race. WUSF reports Atwater is beating Loranne Ausley 59 percent to 37 percent.

Not that anyone gives a shit, but Adam Putnam is leading in the agricultural commissioner's race. Putnam is going to win. The race to watch now is Alex Sink and Rick Scott.

Putnam Not Seeking Senate

Congressman Adam Putnam told The Buzz he has no interest in running for Mel Martinez's seat.

"I am not giving serious consideration to the Senate seat," he tells Buzz. "You could say my interests lie elsewhere."

Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio generate more buzz with Florida conservatives. That could change if Bush and Rubio don't run. Putnam would deal with a crowded GOP field if Bush and Rubio didn't run. If Punam won he would likely face Alex Sink or Steve Gelber. Putnam is not going to give up a safe House seat for a long shot.

Putnam is 34 years-old. There is still time to seek higher office.

Doug Tudor Press Release

Congressional candidate Doug Tudor sent out a press release attacking incumbant Adam Putnam.

“During my 20 years in the Navy, I learned what a conflict of interest is. Mr. Putnam’s receipt of monies from entities which his subcommittee is supposed to oversee is a blatant conflict of interest. Mr. Putnam apparently doesn’t understand the concept, or he is operating in direct violation of it,” Tudor said. He continued, “I call on Mr. Putnam today to take one of three actions: return the money, donate it to charity, or recuse himself from the upcoming bail-out vote. To do any less shows his utter contempt for the integrity we citizens expect of our lawmakers.”

Open Secrets has a complete break down of the industries contribing to Putnam's campaign.

Tudor has run a good netroots campaign and will be a stronger candidate next time he runs. Dictrict 12 is solidly red and Putnam is one of the most powerful Republicans in the House. A good showing by Tudor could lead to future Democratic establishment backing.

A Moment In Fred

I made fun of Adam Putnam becoming co-Chairman of Fred Thompson's Florida campaign. Thompson dropped out before Florida. Putnam is very disappointed.

"I am disappointed," Putnam said. "His campaign never caught on and there was a sense that his moment had passed him by. I supported him because I knew that he had the character, the credentials and the ability to be president."

Adam, Thompson is so lazy, he didn't even bother holding a press conference to announce dropping out. Thompson sent out an email. There is a difference between the moment passing by and taking a long nap.

Adam Putnam Hearts Fred Thompson

I have to laugh that Adam Putnam is still actively cheerleading for FRed Thompson. I knew Putnam was politically tone deaf, but this is ridiculous. Adam, your candidate doesn't even care if he wins. Nice time to endorse Thompson and be the co-chair of his Florida campaign. It is bad when Putnam has to tell the media that Thompson will not drop out before Florida.

"This is an election season very much in flux," Putnam said. "People wrote John McCain off last summer, and he's the champion of New Hampshire. People wrote off Fred Thompson before Iowa and he placed a strong third." With Michigan up next, followed by S.C., Putnam said "absolutely" Thompson will not exit the race before Florida.

Thompson could not even be bothered to be in New Hampshire the day of the primary. That screams burning desire to be President.

Here is the Florida elected Republicans jumping on the Fred Express.

Jeff Miller co-chairman
State Senator Paula Dockery (R-Lakeland)
Speaker Pro-Tempore Marty Bowen (R-Haines City)
State Representative Larry Cretul (R-Ocala)
State Representative Clay Ford (R-Gulf Breeze)
State Representative Aaron Bean (R-Fernandina Beach)
State Representative Denise Grimsley (R-Lake Placid)
State Representative Doug Holder (R-Sarasota)
State Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera (R-Miami)
State Representative Seth McKeel (R-Lakeland)
State Representative Mitch Needleman (R-Melbourne)
State Representative Bryan Nelson (R-Apopka)
State Representative Stephen Precourt (R-Orlando)
State Representative Garrett Richter (R-Naples)
State Representative Dennis Ross (R-Lakeland)

Adam Putnam's Minutemen Problem

It is time the media ask Adam Putnam is getting cozy with Minutemen president Chris Simcox. The Minutemen rank and file is filled with white supremists.

The Intelligence Report said the recent e-mail contact is not the first evidence to emerge of the overlapping of Minuteman and neo-Nazi membership. A few members of the National Alliance and Aryan Nations signed up with the original Minuteman Project in April 2005, and at least two frequent contributors to the white supremacist Web site stormfront.org volunteered for Minuteman co-founder Jim Gilchrist's failed congressional campaign.

Putnam is another Republican using Nixon's Southern strategy to garner votes.

Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project. (Jun 2006)
Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment. (May 2004)
Voted NO on extending Immigrant Residency rules. (May 2001)
Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration. (Dec 2003)

A journalist should ask Putnam why he is cordial to an organization with ties to hate groups. Putnam should be pounded with the question repeatly until he passes the laugh test. If Putnam is a racist or political pandering he should say so. Putnam can not say he respects Hispanics while aligning himself whith white supremists.

Putnam is too shortsighted to understand that his immigration posturing is a liability. John Boehner and Putnam have taken a hardline stance on immigration and their only accomplishment was having Hispanics lean for Democratic Congressional candidates in 2006. Alienating the largest growing ethic voting group when the GOP is polling poorly is stupidity. Boehner and Putnam are the the House GOP leadership. Why these men aren't backbenchers after the 2006 election is beyond me.

Hat tip to Tampa Bay Blue.

Alberto Gonzales Resigns

It is no coincidence that Alberto Gonzales resigned shortly after Karl Rove. Both were facing immense political pressure from the House and Senate Judiciary committees' investigations into the U.S. Atorney scandal. Both face the choice of staying in office and contradicting the testimony of others or seeking immunity. The choice isn't that difficult.

"Al Gonzales is a man of integrity, decency and principle," said President Bush.

The seal of approval from Bush was Gonzales's kiss of death. It was only a matter of time before the Attorney General was forced out.

“I do have confidence in Attorney General Al Gonzales,” Mr. Bush said of his old friend from Texas.

Bush's seal of approval did little to help Michael Brown, Tom Delay or Dennis Hastert. The President's loyalties and political instincts are so misplaced it's as if he is trying to intentionally screw up.

Fired U.S. Attorney David Iglesias had this advise on the qualifications for the next Attorney General.

"Get an attorney general who's respected by the courts and by Capitol Hill and somebody who has experience as a federal prosecutor.... You need someone who understands that the attorney general has to say no to the president sometimes."

One can only hope.

USA Today has an Alberto Gonzales timeline.

Update: Here are comments from Florida congressional members.

Mel Martinez: "Alberto Gonzales is an honorable man whose life history speaks volumes about what’s best about America. ... Alberto Gonzales has conducted himself always with honesty, dedication and integrity. He is my friend and he is a good man. He and his family have my thanks for their sacrifice for serving during difficult times, and my best wishes for the future."

Bill Nelson: “We have an urgent need to restore credibility at the Justice Department. My hope is President Bush’s new pick will take politics out of enforcing the law.”

Adam Putnam: “The Department of Justice now has the opportunity to benefit from fresh leadership. What the American people need right now is an effective, independent Attorney General who will be undistracted in his or her efforts to enforce our laws, secure our borders, and vigorously prosecute the war against militant Islamist jihadists.

Martinez is a Bush loyalist to the end.

Update: Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Ron Klein offer their opinions on Gonzo's resignation.

Wasserman Schultz

"We need an Attorney General who will act as a lawyer for the American people rather than a lawyer for President Bush- that is why he has a White House Counsel," said Wasserman Schultz, a member of the House Judiciary Committee. "Attorney General Gonzales was the antithesis of the blindfolded Lady of Justice; rather than providing a blind, balanced justice, he tipped the scales to the right. The President must now appoint an Attorney General who will serve as the nation's chief law enforcement officer and as defender of our constitution independent of political influence."

Klein

"The Attorney General is one of the most critical positions in our government as he or she is tasked with overseeing the enforcement of our laws, and the prosecution of suspected criminals and terrorists. Thus, it's essential that the Attorney General is a person that maintains our sense of justice and keeps Americans safe," Klein said. "Unfortunately, the retention of Alberto Gonzales is another example of President Bush favoring loyalty over competence and integrity. Strong, honest, independent leadership must be restored to the Office of Attorney General or else the American people's faith in our justice system will continue to be comprised. I strongly urge President Bush to appoint a person that meets these high thresholds of character and integrity when searching for a replacement to Mr. Gonzales."

Update: Litbrit has a post on Gonzo. She is surprised by Gonzales's resignation. I'm not. Both Rove and Gonzales know that a grand jury investigation(s) will go beyond Bush's term. The prospects of another Republican president is not guaranteed. They can't rely on a pardon. They need legal council and will likely point blame at Bush and Cheney. The President and Vice-President will hide behind executive privilege and run out the clock.

Adam Putnam On Alberto Gonzales

Adam Putnam is the latest Republican who refuses to give Alberto Gonzale a vote of confidence.

GOP House Conference Chairman Adam Putnam is one of many who believes that Alberto Gonzales is "rapidly reaching the point where he can't serve the President or leffectively lead the Justice Department." The young conservative Florida member also explains that there is a hangover owing to how Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation was handled that is not helping the AG. "Clearly some of the reluctance on the part of congressional Republicans to go to the mat for [AG] Gonzales is a consequence of having their fingers burned once in the Rumsfeld debacle."

Republicans are getting tired of the White House bullying them to stay on message and politically having their heads handed to them. Many GOPer blame Rumsfeld for losing the midterm elections. That glosses over their own failures. I will grant them that Rummy certainly didn't help their cause.

Congressional Republican don't have the stomach to battle over Gonzales. They have their sites set on 2008. They know Gonzo is someone Democrats can beat them over the heads with.

Bush could care less. He is more concerned with keeping his consigliere. In his mind he his a martyr fighting forces of evil. The problem is the people he is combative with is Americans in both political parties.

Update:

Republican aides told Roll Call they are letting the White House fight their own battles.

For instance, before this week’s talk of subpoenas and resignations, Republican Senators were basking in their victory last week to prevent Democrats from winning a simple majority of support on their proposal to withdraw troops from Iraq.

“We are not throwing ourselves on the grenade for them anymore,” said the leadership staffer. “There’s now an attitude of ‘you created this mess, you’ve got to get yourself out of it.’”

One case in point, Republicans said, was Tuesday’s overwhelming Senate vote to limit the attorney general’s authority to appoint interim U.S. attorneys without Senate confirmation. The 94-2 vote underscored GOP dissatisfaction not only with the issue itself, but the way in which the White House has tried to manage what’s become a public relations nightmare, several GOP aides said.

“That vote was proof positive that ‘we’re carrying no more of your water,’” said yet another Senate Republican aide, adding: “We just hope they leave without doing any more damage.”

National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg has had enough of Gonzales.