Washington – Over the past several weeks, White House Switchboard Chief Operator Mary Brontson says the switchboard has received up to a dozen prank calls a day from former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. “I know he may be unhappy about not being Attorney General any more, and maybe he’s lonely or doesn’t have much to do or something like that,” Mary said, “But we have work to do. Important calls to take. We can’t be tied up answering prank calls from Mr. Gonzales all day.”
Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales with the telephone he uses to prank-call the White House.
Gonzales, who resigned as Attorney General in September of 2007 amid a growing scandal involving fired U.S. Justices, denies any involvement in the prank calls. “I have no idea what calls they’re talking about,” Gonzales said, when reached by telephone at his home. “I mean, I wasn’t even here most of today. I mean, I’m home now, but just before, I was out… buying lettuce. So there must be some kind of mistake.”
Contrary to Gonzales’s claims, however, at least 11 calls to the switchboard on Monday alone have been traced to the phone number listed as his home number. Brontson says each time she receives a call from Gonzales she hears a muted giggle, and then Gonzales hangs up. “It’s the same every time,” Brontson continued. “I mean, does he really think we don’t know it’s him? You know, I hate to say this, but I think maybe he’s just not that bright. I remember once when he was working as Attorney General he called the switchboard and ordered a pepperoni pizza and a bottle of diet coke. It took me a half hour to make him realize he had called the White House. And then he called an hour later and asked where his pizza was.”
