...the next morning when White House officials explained the hospital visit by saying Gonzales and Card were unaware that Comey was acting A.G.

Just days earlier, Justice's chief spokesman had publicly said Comey would serve as "head of the Justice Department" while Ashcroft was ill. Justice officials had also faxed over a document to the White House informing officials of this. When a Gonzales aide claimed the counsel's office could find no record of it, DOJ officials dug out a receipt showing the fax had been received.

"People were disgusted as much as livid," said the DOJ official. "It was just the dishonesty of it."

A Gonzales aide at the time (who asked not to be ID'd talking about internal matters) said there was a "miscommunication" and "genuine confusion" over who was in charge.