True Faith and Allegiance

September 19, 2016
For the first time, Gonzales, former United States attorney general and counsel to President George W. Bush, shares his vantage point from within the legal process during pivotal decisions in the post–9/11 “war on terror.” Gonzales goes behind the headlines of many of the news stories that shaped the presidency and required him to provide legal perspective to the president, including the execution of Timothy McVeigh, changes to college admissions based on race, the decision to enter Iraq based on intelligence that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, and authorizing electronic surveillance of U.S. citizens to provide leads on terrorist activity. Many staunch conservatives felt Gonzales was a controversial choice; he was the only person to hold both positions simultaneously, and the first Latino to serve as counsel to the president. Less a biography and more a personal window into the events of history, Gonzales’s work reflects dedication to personal principles and a desire to serve his country well during one of the most tumultuous eras in recent history.