Fmr. Atty General Gonzalez Defends Holder’s Role in Ferguson Case
Mar. 9, 2015
SMERCONISH: “[Nondiscriminatory] explanation for this data, such as economics?”
GONZALES: “Not to the percentage that we’re seeing here, that’s why the numbers are very troubling to me, and I believe that the Department of Justice was correct in raising this as a civil rights violation system wide in the police department, in municipal courts in Ferguson. And so I believe that this is something that needs to be — has been identified as a major problem and now a corrective action needs to take place.”
SMERCONISH: “Do you wonder, general, if we went to police department anywhere USA if we would find a similar finding?”
GONZALES: “I would hope not quite honestly. We obviously made significant progress in race relations since Selma, and obvious — and there are a number of — I don’t want us to paint with such a broad brush in terms of what happened in Ferguson that we ignore the very positive work that’s being done by police departments and community leaders all across the nation, but we still have racial problems in this country. That’s why we have civil rights law, that’s why we have a civil rights department at the Department of Justice to address these kinds of issues. But I do think it’s important for people to understand that our laws cannot change people’s hearts. Our laws can’t change people’s behavior. It’s going to take grace. It’s going to take communication and understanding before we change people’s hearts. I’m hopeful that we can do that soon. We’re making progress. I’m hopeful this country will have a leadership to take us there.”
SMERCONISH: “How do you rate Attorney General Holder’s response to the situation in Ferguson and his handling of this case?”
GONZALES: “I think that, you know, he received some criticism about the fact that he went there and perhaps raised expectations about — with respect to civil rights prosecution. But again the Department of Justice, the feds were invited into that community after the shooting of Michael Brown occurred and I think his presence there — General Holder’s presence there, I think, sent a soothing message to very (indecipherable) feelings in that community. So, I don’t fault him for that. The only concern that I might have is, again, acknowledgment that all around the country every day police officers put their lives on the line irrespective of the color of the victim or the person that might be involved in the committing of a crime. And I think we need to acknowledge the very fine work that is ongoing but also understand more work needs to be done.”
SMERCONISH: “I agree with you. By the way an irony of this particular case is that — but for the shooting and the killing of Mike Brown, we wouldn’t know what we know about Ferguson and yet in that particular instance, Police Officer Darren Wilson will not be charged by virtue of the conclusion reached by the attorney general’s office.”
GONZALES: “Not only by the attorney general’s office, but also by the grand jury there on the ground. So obviously going in, my understanding was based upon the civil rights laws and the expectations that we have in the Department of Justice, that’s a very tough hurdle to try to meet. But now the facts have been looked at and now we need to see what we can do to address system wide problems here in Ferguson.”
SMERCONISH: “[Nondiscriminatory] explanation for this data, such as economics?”
GONZALES: “Not to the percentage that we’re seeing here, that’s why the numbers are very troubling to me, and I believe that the Department of Justice was correct in raising this as a civil rights violation system wide in the police department, in municipal courts in Ferguson. And so I believe that this is something that needs to be — has been identified as a major problem and now a corrective action needs to take place.”
SMERCONISH: “Do you wonder, general, if we went to police department anywhere USA if we would find a similar finding?”
GONZALES: “I would hope not quite honestly. We obviously made significant progress in race relations since Selma, and obvious — and there are a number of — I don’t want us to paint with such a broad brush in terms of what happened in Ferguson that we ignore the very positive work that’s being done by police departments and community leaders all across the nation, but we still have racial problems in this country. That’s why we have civil rights law, that’s why we have a civil rights department at the Department of Justice to address these kinds of issues. But I do think it’s important for people to understand that our laws cannot change people’s hearts. Our laws can’t change people’s behavior. It’s going to take grace. It’s going to take communication and understanding before we change people’s hearts. I’m hopeful that we can do that soon. We’re making progress. I’m hopeful this country will have a leadership to take us there.”
SMERCONISH: “How do you rate Attorney General Holder’s response to the situation in Ferguson and his handling of this case?”
GONZALES: “I think that, you know, he received some criticism about the fact that he went there and perhaps raised expectations about — with respect to civil rights prosecution. But again the Department of Justice, the feds were invited into that community after the shooting of Michael Brown occurred and I think his presence there — General Holder’s presence there, I think, sent a soothing message to very (indecipherable) feelings in that community. So, I don’t fault him for that. The only concern that I might have is, again, acknowledgment that all around the country every day police officers put their lives on the line irrespective of the color of the victim or the person that might be involved in the committing of a crime. And I think we need to acknowledge the very fine work that is ongoing but also understand more work needs to be done.”
SMERCONISH: “I agree with you. By the way an irony of this particular case is that — but for the shooting and the killing of Mike Brown, we wouldn’t know what we know about Ferguson and yet in that particular instance, Police Officer Darren Wilson will not be charged by virtue of the conclusion reached by the attorney general’s office.”
GONZALES: “Not only by the attorney general’s office, but also by the grand jury there on the ground. So obviously going in, my understanding was based upon the civil rights laws and the expectations that we have in the Department of Justice, that’s a very tough hurdle to try to meet. But now the facts have been looked at and now we need to see what we can do to address system wide problems here in Ferguson.”
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