In late August, when Alberto Gonzales announced his resignation as Attorney General, CREW's Melanie Sloan stated very clearly our view that the on-going investigations of Gonzales should not end:

His resignation should not, however, end congressional and Department of Justice investigations into misconduct by the Attorney General and his former top aides. Questions of whether Justice Department officials lied to Congress, conducted criminal inquiries to further political ends, illegally fired U.S. Attorneys and made hiring decisions based on political affiliation still merit investigation regardless of Mr. Gonzales’ resignation.

Based on a report in today's Washington Post, [1] it appears Gonzales is girding himself financially for continued investigations and possible criminal charges:

Supporters of former attorney general Alberto R. Gonzales [2] have created a trust fund to help pay for his legal expenses, which are mounting in the face of an ongoing Justice Department [3] investigation into whether Gonzales committed perjury or improperly tampered with a congressional witness.

The establishment of a legal defense fund for the nation's former chief law enforcement officer underscores the potential peril confronting Gonzales, who is one of a handful of attorneys general to face potential criminal charges for actions taken in office.

David G. Leitch, a Gonzales friend and general counsel at the Ford Motor Co. [4], wrote in an e-mail solicitation to potential contributors last month that Gonzales is "innocent of any wrongdoing" but does not have the means to pay for his legal defense after a career spent mostly in public service.