Statement by John Edwards Calling On the White House To Come Clean On Firing Of U.S. Attorneys

Chapel Hill, North Carolina — Senator John Edwards released the following statement today calling on the White House to fully disclose their involvement in the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys. Edwards called on Gonzales to be fired in a statement on March 13, 2007.

"It's time for the Bush Administration to come clean. The White House should immediately disclose all it knows and take responsibility for its actions in the firings of federal prosecutors. No more half-truths, no more political games. It's time to live up to the expectation that our President will be honest in confronting mistakes and non-partisan in the administration of justice.

"Kyle Sampson—and Alberto Gonzales for that matter— should not be allowed to be Scooter Libbied. The Attorney General should resign for his role in this matter, but he should not be used to protect the White House from telling the truth. Loyalty should not be measured by one's willingness to take the fall for a higher-up.

"The snail-paced recovery along the Gulf coast and America's tarnished reputation in the world stand as constant reminders of the consequence of their failure to deal honestly with mistakes. This crowd may not have been the first to stonewall or shirk responsibility, but they can use this opportunity to do what Americans expect."