Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was appointed by President Bush in 2005, making him the country's 80th attorney general and the first Latino to ever serve in the position.
But the historic appointment was quickly overshadowed by controversy, including reports of a secret domestic wiretapping program and a scandal involving the firing of U.S. attorneys, which many argue was unjustified. In August, after months of public criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, he resigned.
As part of the program's "Fascinating in '07" series, syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette discusses the rise and fall of Gonzales and how 2007 shaped his place in history. Gonzales offered Navarrette his only exit interview following his resignation.
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