Gonzales says Iglesias should have reported calls

In further testimony today, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales discussed the allegation that former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias of New Mexico was fired because he refused pressure from two members of Congress to speed indictments in a public corruption probe in time to sway voters in the November 2006 election.

Gonzales noted that, had his office known about the phone calls Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., placed to Iglesias in October 2006, his office might have handled differently the decisions on whether and how to fire Iglesias.

But his office didn’t know about the phone calls, Gonzales said, because Iglesias didn’t tell anyone. Iglesias has admitted violating a department policy that required the reporting of such contact from members of Congress to his supervisors. Iglesias said under oath several weeks ago that he didn’t report the calls because, at the time, he considered Wilson a friend and Domenici a mentor and was protecting them.

“He intentionally violated a policy meant to protect him,” Gonzales said.

He added that Iglesias’ choice to not report the phone calls only supports the decision to fire him.