Goodling’s Testimony
May 23rd, 2007 by Jesse LeeAt 10:15 the Judiciary Committee will be holding a hearing: “The Continuing Investigation into the U.S. Attorneys Controversy and Related Matters.” It will be televised on C-Span 3.
Officials Describe Interference by Former Gonzales Aide
Dan Eggen and Carol D. Leonnig, Washington Post - May 23, 2007
Chairman John Conyers gives opening remarks:
Chairman Conyers: “If it appears that the US Attorneys are merely pawns in a game of politics, then we will have suffered the loss of one of our nation’s most fundamental principles: the rule of law.” |
Former Justice Department White House liaison Monica Goodling goes through the immunity procedure:
Goodling: “Upon the advice of my counsel, I respectfully decline to answer the questions based upon my Fifth Amendment right not to be a witness against myself and ny Sixth Amendment right to rely on my counsel’s advice.” Chairman Conyers: |
Former Justice Department White House liaison Monica Goodling gives opening remarks:
Goodling: “Nevertheless I do acknowledge that I may have gone too far in asking political questions of applicants for career positions and in taking inappropriate political considerations into account on some occasions. And I regret his mistakes.” |
Rep. Jerry Nadler questions Goodling on screenings for political affiliations in hirings:
Rep. Jerry Nadler: “Were any of your superiors in the Justice Department aware… that you were asking such kinds of questions either for Assistant US Attorneys or for career positions at all?” Goodling: “Um, in some cases, when, relating to immigration judges, when I started my position as White House liason I was informed that the Office of Legal Counsel had said that because those were positions under a direct appointment authority of the Attorney General that we could consider other factors in those cases. Later, concerns were raised…” |
Rep. Linda Sanchez questions Goodling on disagreement about Deputy Attorney General McNulty’s testimony:
Goodling: “I think in some ways, he simply didn’t communicate all that he knew. And I’m certainly not saying that he did it deliberately, testifying is, as I’m finding out right now, a difficult thing, and I’m sure that there will be things that I don’t remember and I’m going to try to be complete, but there may be things that I leave out as well. So I’m not saying it’s deliberate, but when I look back on the testimony, I believe there were a number of things I did brief him on, and that that information wasn’t fully revealed.” |
Rep. Linda Sanchez questions Goodling about some specific hirings:
Sanchez: “A recent Newsweek article says that you attempted to block the hiring of a prosecutor in the office of Jeff Taylor, the US Attorney for DC, for being a quote ‘liberal Democratic type,’ and the New York Times reports that this was a Howard University law school graduate who worked at the EPA. Did that in fact occur?” Goodling: |
Rep. Bobby Scott questions Goodling on whether she has violated any laws in taking political considerations into account in certain hirings:
Rep. Scott: “Rules? Laws? You crossed the law on civil service laws — You crossed the line on civil service law, is that right?” Goodling: |
Rep. Maxine Waters questions Goodling her use of the opposition research skills that she developed while working at the Republican National Committee:
Rep. Waters: “Do you have files that may have information in it that you gathered during your research, using your opposition research skills?” Goodling: “There would be some files, yes.” Rep. Waters: “Where would those files be?” Goodling: “At the Department of Justice.” Rep. Waters: “Would you support us having access to those files?” |
Rep. Hank Johnson questions Goodling on how many times she used political affiliation in hiring Assistant US Attorneys:
Rep. Johnson: “Would you say less than 50 or more than 50?” Rep. Johnson: |
Rep. Adam Schiff questions Goodling on whether Attorney General Gonzales meets the criteria set for the US Attorney firings:
Rep. Schiff: “You have a US Attorney or a top law enforcement official in a department who improperly delegates his authority, who’s actions cause morale in the office to plummet, who’s testimony before Congress is incomplete and inconsistent, who’s lost the confidence of Senators even of his own party, and who creates the impression that his loyalty takes a higher priority than his duty to uphold the laws and the Constitution–the totality of those circumstances would certainly warrant a position on the list to be fired, wouldn’t it?” |
Rep. Artur Davis questions Goodling on repeated inaccuracies in Attorney General Gonzales’ testimony and public statements:
Rep. Davis: “General Gonzales testified that he never saw the US Attorneys list, the list of terminated US Attorneys, is that accurate to your knowledge Ms. Goodling?” Goodling: “Um, I believe he did see a list.” Rep. Davis: “So if General Gonzales testified that he didn’t see the list, you believe that would be inaccurate testimony on his part don’t you?” Goodling: “I believe he saw a list.” Rep. Davis: “So therefore you believe it would be inaccurate testimony?” Goodling: “Yes.” |