Alberto Gonzales, attorney general during former President George W. Bush’s administration, endorsed Vice President Harris on Thursday, citing in part the Supreme Court’s immunity decision in calling former President Trump “perhaps the most serious threat to the rule of law in a generation.”
Gonzales, who also served as White House counsel, wrote in an op-ed in Politico that “the character of the person we elect in November is particularly important today” due to the court’s decision as well as a Congress “spectacularly incapable or unwilling to check abuses of executive power.”
Gonzales said Trump’s current convictions and pending criminal charges likewise indicate the former president would not stay within the bounds of the law while in office.
“Standing alone, these charges, convictions and judgments show that Trump is someone who fails to act, time and time again, in accordance with the rule of law. There is little evidence that he has the integrity and character to responsibly wield the power of the presidency within the limits of the law,” he wrote.
“And no amount of rationalization to support Trump because of his policies can overcome the disqualification of this man based on his lack of integrity.”
He also described the unwillingness of Trump national security leaders to endorse him as “an indictment of his character at a level equal to his many, many criminal indictments.”
The importance of integrity in a president is getting renewed attention after the Supreme Court ruled that when exercising core constitutional powers, a president is immune from criminal prosecution and presumptively immune when engaging in any official act. But the court also barred use of a protected action as evidence in any criminal prosecution, something Gonzales wrote “might allow a president to take official actions for personal, self-serving reasons.”
“It is the president’s integrity, honesty and respect for our institutions that may be the most important and reliable check on abuses of power,” Gonzales wrote.
“Power is intoxicating and based on Trump’s rhetoric and conduct it appears unlikely that he would respect the power of the presidency in all instances; rather, he would abuse it for personal and political gain, and not on behalf of the American people.”
Gonzales described Trump’s role in inciting the Jan. 6 riots as the most “revealing example” of how the former president wields the office.
“He failed to deploy executive branch personnel to save lives and property and preserve democracy. He just watched on television and chose not to do anything because that would have been contrary to his interests. Trump still describes that day as beautiful,” he wrote.
“And as for those subsequently convicted of committing crimes, he describes them as hostages. He also has promised to pardon the convicted rioters if elected. Why? Because they were acting in his interests.”
Gonzales wrote that the role of the vice presidency affords little opportunity to steer policy, but said that while some may see Harris as an unknown quantity but praised her as the “best suited, able and committed to unite us in a manner consistent with the rule of law.”
“Casting a vote for Harris will require the American people to place their faith in her character and judgment. Some may see her as too progressive and worry she would be too easily manipulated. There is little mystery or doubt, however, about how Trump will act and govern based on past behavior and comments,” Gonzales wrote.
“He will help those who help him and his family for personal or financial reasons. He will likely pull back from our leadership role among other democracies in the fight against authoritarianism. Based on spending levels during Trump’s first term, his policies will likely increase the national debt.”