home

Court Grants Monica Goodling Immunity Request

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Sat May 12, 2007 at 07:52:00 AM EST
Tags: Alberto Gonzales (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Hogan granted the House Judiciary Committee's request for immunity for Monica Goodling so she can be forced to testify at an upcoming hearing. I've uploaded the immunity application and order (pdf.)

The New York Times adds a new name to the mix:

Two years ago, Robin C. Ashton, a seasoned criminal prosecutor at the Department of Justice, learned from her boss that a promised promotion was no longer hers.

“You have a Monica problem,” Ms. Ashton was told, according to several Justice Department officials. Referring to Monica M. Goodling, a 31-year-old, relatively inexperienced lawyer who had only recently arrived in the office, the boss added, “She believes you’re a Democrat and doesn’t feel you can be trusted.”

The Times also reports details of the questions Goodling asked applicants, including whether they ever committed adultery:

Ms. Goodling would soon be quizzing applicants for civil service jobs at Justice Department headquarters with questions that several United States attorneys said were inappropriate, like who was their favorite president and Supreme Court justice. One department official said an applicant was even asked, “Have you ever cheated on your wife?”

More....

Ms. Goodling also moved to block the hiring of prosecutors with résumés that suggested they might be Democrats, even though they were seeking posts that were supposed to be nonpartisan, two department officials said.

The article also repeats old news,

And she helped maintain lists of all the United States attorneys that graded their loyalty to the Bush administration, including work on past political campaigns, and noted if they were members of the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group.

So, where does this leave Ms. Goodling? In the position of Queen for a Day...she gets to tell everything bad she ever did with no personal, criminal repercussions.

Where does this leave Alberto Gonzales? Looking either like a complete outsider in his own office or like someone who tried to pull the wool over the eyes of a Congressional Committee. You decide.

< She-Pundit Cleared of Voting Fraud Charges | Weekend Open Thread >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Court Grants Monica Goodling Immunity Request | 5 comments (5 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    I accuse you - (none / 0) (#1)
    by Freewill on Sat May 12, 2007 at 09:00:51 AM EST
    as being a Democrat!

    Angry Crowd Chants: Burn'm at the stake, throw'm in the lake, we don't want no stink'n Demoncrats to foil our Great Leaders escapes!

    Authoritarian (none / 0) (#2)
    by koshembos on Sat May 12, 2007 at 09:39:01 AM EST
    The fact that from the get go this administration intended to be Authoritarian is shocking. That and all the trappings that includes the total loyalty to the beloved leader.

    Very much like the Soviet Union and the Communist party nomenclature. Instead of party the Bush substituted the rich; much difference it ain't.

    The weasel speaks (none / 0) (#3)
    by Semanticleo on Sat May 12, 2007 at 11:29:11 AM EST
    Nixon and his closest advisors acted out their
    democratic values with all the aplomb of this current occupant.  Why did they think they could get away with it?  Experts cited the reason; "The Arrogance of Power".

    Reagan said 'I'm up to my keister
    with these leaks', exhibiting the frustrations at not being able to CONTROL every last person and bit of data.  All the insiders must be ON reservation to avoid the rending of the fabric of power.

    Goodling is a demonstrable weasel and will shortly be excoriated when her immunized testimony brings fruit to the public forum.  You can hear the diatribes and ad homs warming up as I write this.
    I have seen no posts at conservative blogs on what this will mean for the WH.  But soon they will speak, and these dogs of  will war wreak their havoc as best they are able.

    just the tip of an iceberg? (none / 0) (#4)
    by the rainnn on Sat May 12, 2007 at 01:09:12 PM EST
    another -- more questionable re the
    bona fides     -- "fired" u.s. attorney
    just appeared out of west virginia, we
    learn, over at thinkprogress -- looks dubious. . .

    even so -- let me say that
    it seems to me that a lot of
    these are probably-legitimate
    "me, too!" stories.

    several more are likely going
    to be revealed in the next two
    weeks -- they are the result
    of monica goodling's immunity
    order being finally granted,
    just yesterday afternoon.

    and, i think it an intended result.

    [remember that NM's fired US attorney
    david iglesias holds "the keys
    to the kingdom. . ."]

    now, i say the next two weeks because
    that is my guess as to how long it
    will take for rep. john conyers to get
    his question-lines organized re ms.
    goodling's testimony, get the subpoena
    served, and schedule her date with the
    akin gump laywers representing her.

    so -- everyone wants conyers to know what
    all ms. goodling ought to be asked about,
    now that she cannot refuse to answer
    any question put to her. and the answer
    to the "punch-line" question -- "who
    directed you to do these things, ms. goodling    ?"

    . . .will point directly to karl rove -- or, perhaps,
    even further north than rove. . .

    just my educated guess. . .

    i hope ms. goodling has (none / 0) (#5)
    by cpinva on Sun May 13, 2007 at 11:05:31 PM EST
    a fallback position, since i suspect she won't be practicing law anytime soon.

    Court Grants Monica Goodling Immunity Request | 5 comments (5 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment