Bush Calls Vote on Attorney General `Meaningless' (Update3)

By Edwin Chen

June 11 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush dismissed as ``meaningless'' a planned Senate vote today on a resolution of no confidence in U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, America's top law enforcement officer.

It's ``a political resolution on my attorney general that's going to have no bearing on whether he serves in office or not,'' Bush said at a press conference in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Democrats and some Republicans in Congress have demanded the resignation of Gonzales, a longtime Bush friend. The clamor has escalated with Gonzales' changing explanations of why eight U.S. attorneys around the country were fired.

Gonzales initially said he knew few details about the matter, but his now-departed chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, has testified that the attorney general was more involved than he told Congress.

``They can try to have their vote of no confidence, but it's not going to determine -- make the determination, who serves in my government,'' Bush told reporters. ``There's been no wrongdoing.''

In a joint press conference with the Bulgarian president, Bush also expressed an interest in helping congressional allies revive a stalled immigration overhaul bill.

`No Illusions'

``I'm under no illusions about how hard it is,'' he said. ``I was disappointed that the bill is temporarily derailed.''

Bush predicted he would prevail even after the bill was set aside last week before it was voted on by the Senate.

``I believe we can get an immigration bill. Now, it's going to require leadership from the Democrat leaders in the Senate, and it's going to require me to stay engaged and work with Republicans who want a bill.''

Bush said he would press the issue with Republican senators tomorrow when he joins them at their weekly policy lunch in the U.S. Capitol. He vowed to see the measure become law. ``I'll see you at the bill signing,'' he said.

Bush telephoned three senators today during his flight back to Washington from Sofia, Bulgaria, the last stop on his 8-day, 6-nation trip.

In calls to Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona and Democrats Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Ken Salazar of Colorado, Bush ``thanked them for their leadership and their hard work'' in trying to pass the immigration overhaul legislation, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

``He underscored his commitment to getting the bill done soon,'' Perino said.

Bush's press conference focused largely on U.S. domestic issues as his trip came to an end. The president is scheduled to return to the White House around 7 p.m. today in Washington.

To contact the reporters on this story: Edwin Chen in Sofia, Bulgaria at echen32@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 11, 2007 14:39 EDT

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