Alberto Gonzales

As a child, Alberto Gonzales dreamed of becoming a pilot. But it was his decision to become a lawyer which eventually rocketed him to great heights and, perhaps, an imminent crash. The most important Latino in the history of U.S. law may soon become a national embarassment.

Alberto Gonzales was born in San Antonio, Texas, the second of eight children. His parents, Mexican migrant workers with only elementary school education, struggled to keep the large family afloat in a two bedroom house – without a phone or hot water. As a young teen, Gonzales helped his parents by selling sodas at Rice University football games. The experience sparked his interest even though there wasn't any talk about going to college in his family. After graduating from MacArthur High School in Houston, Texas, Gonzales enlisted in the Air Force and attended the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado before transferring to Rice University, where he earned a degree in Political Science.

Gonzales was one of the few Mexican-Americans to attend Harvard Law School in the '80s, the nation's most elite law school. After graduation, Gonzales joined private practice Vinson & Elkins, the Texas-based international law firm who famously represented now-defunct energy giant Enron. Gonzales' loyalty to clients and determination to win cases caught the eye of former Enron associate and ex-energy executive George W. Bush, who was then in a new role as the governor of Texas. Gonzales, who had previously rejected a White House job offer from Bush's father, was appointed general counsel – the governor's personal lawyer. Gonzales soon transitioned from serving the Governor to serving the people, after Bush named him Texas Secretary of State, and later, Texas Supreme Court justice.

Gonzales, who names his parents and George W. Bush as the biggest positive influences in his life, followed his mentor to the White House as general counsel in 2001. He was one of the architects of the USA Patriot Act – an increasingly controversial set of laws intended to combat terrorism. In 2002, Gonzalez whole-heartedly defended the Bush Administration's right to detain terror suspects without the protection of the Geneva Conventions, which he called quaint. That assertion put Gonzalez on the hot seat when graphic pictures of tortured Abu Ghraib prisoners were released in mid-2004. Often cited as a possible candidate for the Supreme Court, Gonzales was instead nominated to replace departing Attorney General John Ashcroft, who resigned in late 2004. In early 2006, Gonzales was forced to deflect criticism of President Bush's decision to authorize warrantless spying by the National Security Agency.

These controversies, however, pale in comparison to the scandal that has now engulfed the prominent Mexican-American. The Attorney General is accused of firing eight U.S. Attorneys in December of 2006 for strictly political reasons – some for investigating Republicans on alleged criminal charges, others for not aggressively prosecuting voter fraud cases against Democrats. There is speculation that the purge was executed to suppress minority voting in political swing states. Minorities such as African-Americans and Latinos tend to vote for Democrats. Gonzales has been unclear about his involvement in the firings, at first appearing to divert the blame to his staff, but recently revealed documents show that he may have been directly involved in the dismissals. Last week, Gonzales had a difficult time testifying before the U.S. Senate. Both Republican and Democratic senators have called for Gonzalez to resign. This week, one of his key aides was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony – presumably against him.

Gonzales' days appear to be numbered, though it's not at all certain that President Bush will say goodbye to the man he affectionately nicknamed "mi abogado."

Update: On Monday, August 27, Gonzales resigned, saying that he had "lived the American Dream" and that his worst days as attorney general were better than his father's best.