QUOTE
SENATE JUDICIARY HEARINGS ON THE GONZALES NOMINATION
SENATOR ARLEN SPECTOR: At the outset of your testimony Judge Gonzales -- you've already covered the matter, but I think it is important to have an unequivocal statement and really a repeat of an unequivocal statement of the position of the administration, of your personal views. Do you approve of torture?
MR. GONZALES: Absolutely not, Senator.
SEN. SPECTER: Do you condemn the interrogators' -- you already answered this in part at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, but again for the record, do you condemn the interrogators' techniques at Abu Ghraib shown on the widely publicized photographs?
MR. GONZALES: Let me say, Senator, that as a human being I am sickened and outraged by those photos, but as someone who may be head of the department, I obviously don't want to provide any kind of legal opinion as to whether or not that conduct might be criminal. And obviously, anyone who's involved in any kind of conduct that is subject to prosecution, I would not want to do anything today to prejudge that prosecution and jeopardize that prosecution. But obviously, if that conduct falls within the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, I will pursue it aggressively. And you have my word on that.
When will have have qa thought on torture? SENATOR ARLEN SPECTOR: At the outset of your testimony Judge Gonzales -- you've already covered the matter, but I think it is important to have an unequivocal statement and really a repeat of an unequivocal statement of the position of the administration, of your personal views. Do you approve of torture?
MR. GONZALES: Absolutely not, Senator.
SEN. SPECTER: Do you condemn the interrogators' -- you already answered this in part at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, but again for the record, do you condemn the interrogators' techniques at Abu Ghraib shown on the widely publicized photographs?
MR. GONZALES: Let me say, Senator, that as a human being I am sickened and outraged by those photos, but as someone who may be head of the department, I obviously don't want to provide any kind of legal opinion as to whether or not that conduct might be criminal. And obviously, anyone who's involved in any kind of conduct that is subject to prosecution, I would not want to do anything today to prejudge that prosecution and jeopardize that prosecution. But obviously, if that conduct falls within the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, I will pursue it aggressively. And you have my word on that.
