WASHINGTON, April 6, 2007
Gonzales Aide Resigns Amid Hearings
Monica Goodling Wouldn't Testify Before A House Panel About Firings Of 8 U.S. Attorneys
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The senior counsel to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Monica Goodling, resigned on April 6, 2007. (CBS/AP)
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Justice Department at center of controversy over firing of eight U.S. attorneys.
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Monica Goodling, who worked in the Justice Department for the last five years, most recently as senior counsel to embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, submitted a letter of resignation effective April 7.
The terse text of her letter to Gonzales, which gave no reasons for her departure, expressed her honor at having worked at Justice. "I am hereby submitting my resignation to the office of the Attorney General, effective April 7, 2007. It has been an honor to have served at the Department of Justice for the past five years," it read.
The letter ended: "May God bless you richly as you continue your service to America."
Goodling is at the center of the controversy because, as the liaison between the Justice Department and the White House, she may be best suited to explain how deeply Karl Rove and other members of President Bush's political team might have been involved in the firings. Congress also wants her to testify on Gonzales' role in light of his shifting explanations.
A Senate panel has authorized a subpoena for her, but none yet has been issued.
Goodling took a leave last month amid the uproar over the prosecutors' ousters.
On Wednesday, Goodling refused to submit to a private interview with a House committee.
Her lawyers, who had said she would assert her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to avoid appearing at congressional hearings, told the House Judiciary Committee that she would neither testify publicly nor submit to private questioning about the firings.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., asked Tuesday that Goodling submit to a closed-door interview on the matter, saying she had nothing to fear if she told the truth.
In a letter Wednesday responding to that request, Goodling's lawyers said her decision not to testify "can in no way be interpreted to suggest that Ms. Goodling herself participated in any criminal activity."
Her lawyers accused Democrats of behaving like the notorious Sen. Joseph McCarthy to intimidate her.
Goodling, 33, is a graduate of Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Va., which was founded by the Rev. Pat Robertson. CBS News correspondent Howard Arenstein reports that, in a scandal which has been about filling legal positions with so-called "loyal Bushies," she has been described as one of the enforcers of that loyalty.
While Goodling is no longer a federal employee, her change in professional status will likely not change her status in the investigation; she still can and probably will continue to invoke her right to remain silent, at least for now, CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen said.
"The question everyone will be asking this weekend is whether this career move by Goodling means that she intends to take a different strategy when it comes to the Congressional investigation into the firing of those eight U.S. Attorneys," Cohen said. "My guess is that she won't — that her lawyers already have convinced her that, whether she is a government employee or a private individual, she still can better protect herself by refusing to answer questions before Congress."
Goodling's lawyers have said congressional attempts to get Goodling to testify are essentially a perjury trap for their client. They cite charges that Goodling misled Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty before he testified before Congress about the ousters, causing him to give an incomplete and possibly inaccurate account.
The letter cited several instances in which Congress has let witnesses in high-profile investigations assert their Fifth Amendment rights to stay silent, including the Iran-Contra affair, when Oliver North did so. North was later granted immunity for his testimony, and ultimately absolved of convictions for his misconduct in the arms-for-hostages scheme.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is leading an inquiry into the firings, said Goodling had "no choice but to resign," and he noted that she was the third Justice Department official involved in the controversy to step down.
"Attorney General Gonzales' hold on the department gets more tenuous each day," Schumer said in a written statement.
Her resignation came less than two weeks before Gonzales' own planned testimony to Congress, which may determine his fate as attorney general. Several Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in calling for his resignation or dismissal over the firings and other matters at Justice, including the FBI's improper and in some cases illegal prying into Americans' personal information during terror and spy probes.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 154 CommentsShe's OBVIOUSLY guilty of something; but if she comes clean, she'll be better off. Right now, she done for. Good riddance; another bushie out of the gov't, this is a victory for the good people of the US of A. Only a few more to go.... Gonzo, Cheney, Bush and Rice. Once those few are gone, we can go back to running the country.
I am sure plenty of Republicans in the private sector will be more than happy to take Ms. Goodling on--so she is not done for. republicans love to reward people who stop their party's potential criminal behavior from being discovered. Like Ollie North, in some circles, Goodling is a hero.
Go BACK to your churches, freaks!
Stop ruining our country!
You know, I pity the honest Christians in this country because all of these lying hypocrite Republicans are turning Christianity into the biggest joke of a religion on the planet!
"you're doing a heck of a job, Gonzo"--Bonzo
"Go BACK to your churches, freaks!
Stop ruining our country!
You know, I pity the honest Christians in this country because all of these lying hypocrite Republicans are turning Christianity into the biggest joke of a religion on the planet!"
We would go back to church, but then you would send in the military to kill all the occupants like Reno did at Waco.
You think your civil rights are in jeopardy now...I haven't seen Bush/Gonzales send the troops in to kill innocent American citizens ON US soil.
Oops, forgot about that didn't ya!!
Get your head out....
Dp
You think your civil rights are in jeopardy now...I haven't seen Bush/Gonzales send the troops in to kill innocent American citizens ON US soil.
Oops, forgot about that didn't ya!!
Get your head out....
Dp
Posted by dlpracer at 07:15 PM : Apr 06, 2007
Oh PLEASE! You CAN'T be talking about the Jesus Want to be who was violating so many Federal Gun Laws no one could count them. If the little swastika hugger would have just allowed the Agents in and went to court he'd walked like the rest of the slime does. He to was hiding something, probably a little Child Abuse and Rape. It seems these Religious Fascist LOVE those kid's for ***. It's hard to say which is worse Bin Laden or our Taliban, both pretty disgusting!! Sieg Heil and Amen.
by Republicans for Republicans larger contributers "Drug Companies"
Why do fascist always lean on the abuse of OTHER fascist as they attempt to escape justice. LMAO If you notice they never use a Liberal to point out obvious abuses and wrong doing in the justice system. Sieg Heil and Amen
"He to was hiding something, probably a little Child Abuse and Rape. It seems these Religious Fascist LOVE those kid's for ***."
Yup, that's a reason to KILL Americans.
In your liberal world, if police roughed up a known pedophile, you'd call in the ACLU and scream bloody murder. After all, ILLEGAL immigrants that commit crimes are treated like Ameicans with a parking ticket proglem.
What would YOU say if we sent tanks to the Mexican border?
YOU are just small-minded and your life if controlled by your lock-step hate of Bush.
Try thinking for yourself.
Dp
When immunity is granted, the 5th cannot be used as an excuse to not answer.. So, she either plays ball or goes to jail for contempt of congress..
Gonzo even looks like a slime ball... I'm sure he, and Rove, and Mier, are involved in this up to their necks..
Having the guard on the border is a joke when they have orders like that..
Before throwing around the Logan Act you should read what it says. It prevents private citizens from negotiating on behalf of the United States government.
Pelosi is not a private citizen, she's part of the government. Only Congress can declare war, and therefore Congress has as much say regarding War policy as the administration.
I didn't hear any of you screaming back when Clinton was President and Gingrich was attacking his Mideast policies.
What Republicans complained when Trent Lott took to the Senate floor to condemn Clinton for launching the tomahawks at Bin Laden and again when the troops were leaving for Bosnia? The GOP called that "wagging the dog".
You all have a one-sided set of standards for sure!
Kidnap her and take her to Iran ...
Ahmadinijad will get her to talk ...
What Republicans complained when Trent Lott took to the Senate floor to condemn Clinton for launching the tomahawks at Bin Laden and again when the troops were leaving for Bosnia? The GOP called that "wagging the dog"."
You didn't hear any complaints because neither went overseas to post their debate....IDIOT.
So? Trent Lott was stepping on the domain of the president in public, which is what you all are complaining about now. And while I don't approve of Pelosi's trip on constitutional grounds (it's skirting a very fine line), Bush has been negligent in engaging the players in the peace process. And Syria, like it or not, is a player as long as they support terrorism. They have to be engaged as they are not going to give up terrorism on their own - not without incentive. Direct talks with the US should be a means to an end, not the reward itself as Bush has been doing. No country is going to respond favorably to a policy like that.
REason: she knew LOTS more and knew her career is finished due to illegal/improper proceedings, adios moron, NEXT!! Gonzales; the token Mexican Bush regime appointee!!
Did she travel to a foriegn conutry or something?
Hijacked by Jack booted trolls, I see.
white House and the Justice Department. She is the length that will lead to the impeachment of the President and Vice President state with Cheney. Study the White Water plan because this will go the same way. They are so many of the same players.
Posted by gkc99 at 07:30 PM : Apr 06, 2007
the bible predicts the Church and Christians will be horribly persecuted in the "last days" perhaps now we are getting a glimpse how the hatred and need to stamp Christians out--will come about. Nothing like creating the seeds of your own demise.
Ahmadinijad will get her to talk ...
Posted by kcstan11 at 08:55 PM : Apr 06, 2007
+ report abuse
Oh Grow up!! Someone has got to do something here. I guess we could all just line up for the Kool Aid with you people huh? LOL We have NO President here, he's off is La La Land and sure as HELL isn't following the wishes of WE the PEOPLE. The vice? That Turkey is completely GONE. YESTERDAY as they were releasing the report from the Pentigon about the Cherry Picked Intel, HE was on Limball's show telling the Mindless Ditto Heads that Al Quedia was in Iraq BEFORE we got there. LOL The ONLY guy who was attacked to Al Quedia was in NORTHERN IRAQ, you know the part controlled by Bush/Cheney. Saddam had NO control over that part of Iraq BEFORE we invaded. LOL Anyway the Pentigon released the same findings that the 9/11 commission did and the INSANE Vice just ignored it and went right on LYING his *** off. We've got to have someone do something, someone has to join the players there and someone has got to attempt to bring this god awlful mess to a conclusion. The Bush Administration just isn't capable and is plainly INCOMPETENT... PERIOD!!
What would YOU say if we sent tanks to the Mexican border?
YOU are just small-minded and your life if controlled by your lock-step hate of Bush.
Try thinking for yourself.
Dp
Posted by dlpracer at 08:06 PM : Apr 06, 2007
You know this HOW? It's still the same tired old garbage isn't it. After all we now know, after all we've seen, after all the failure, you poor losers are still attacking the messenger just like the Reich has taught you. Problem? Well it's not right and it's not helping. The poster made a point, now either address the point of go away, I've had all the fascism I care for in this lifetime.
Who's got more integrity....Pelosi or Monica G?
Nut jobs, you amaze me with how callously and without conscience, you commit crimes and hypocrisy.
I'm sick and tired of paying for, and mopping up your criminal messes and incompetence brought on by your un-fit to lead, psychotic catastrophies....abdicate please. Now.
Good, when aberrant, is contrite. Condemning, in guttural shame, only itself."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com
These Republicans are too tricky for words. Count on Arlen Specter to try to argue against any Republican testifying under oath. Specter is just too slimy and slick.
Subpoena her and allow her to plead the 5th will camera coverage. watch her swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and then--take the 5th it would be a very telling moment--in more ways than one--who knows she might break and accidently start talking.
But, what if one is, even in disguise, condemning evil itself? That's not gutteral...only searing truth.
When asked if Rove is involved and if the firings were political--she pleads the 5th
when asked if Gonzales was more heavily involved--she pleads the 5th
When asked if Bush was involved--she takes the 5th, when asked if she is aware of criminal activity concerning the firings and if Bush was trying to influence justice--and she takes the 5th.....EVERY TIME she takes the 5th it will look like she is guilty and by extension--the events and people she refuses to comment about must be incriminating...classic. Conyers--subpoena Goodling and let her respond with the 5th for every single question--it WILL cause more damage to the WH and the DOJ than if she had talked--and in the end, she may talk just to dispel the impression that everything was criminal.
"But, what if one is, even in disguise, condemning evil itself? That's not gutteral...only searing truth."
stevex47
Ummm... OK.
ST
"Truth is transcendent, as evidenced by our inability to escape it."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com
Then the answers are easy. A simple common reference point, from which to conclude what is truly truth....or anything else that is essentially noise.
G'nite, think we strive for some of the same things...Steve out
Subpoena her and allow her to plead the 5th will camera coverage. watch her swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and then--take the 5th it would be a very telling moment--in more ways than one--who knows she might break and accidently start talking.
Posted by toldyouso21 at 11:06 PM : Apr 06, 2007
Better yet make her show up and immunize her. With a blanket immunity she can no longer plead the 5th since she can't incriminate herself, so if she then refuses to testify she can be held in jail for contempt of congress. Then use her testimony to go after the big fish. In the grand scheme of thing she's a minnow, compared to the people her honest testimony can bring down. Let her skate and take Rove and Gonzales down instead.
Then the answers are easy. A simple common reference point, from which to conclude what is truly truth....or anything else that is essentially noise.
G'nite, think we strive for some of the same things...Steve out"
stevex47
Indeed.
The simple common reference point of reality.
It's impossible to avoid.
I'm also glad we both seek the impeachment of Bush and Cheney, and the trial of all their henchmen, of course including Gonzales, for high treason against The United States of America.
ST
"And then there was the President Who Cried Wolf, five hundred times."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com
Monica Goodling needs a vacation ... at GITMO ...
Posted by dlpracer at 08:06 PM : Apr 06, 2007
Depends. Known by who to be a pedophile? You? Previously convicted of the crime? Perhaps it's a person who is actually innocent who just been accused of the crime falsely. It happens. Besides, known or unknown pedophile or known or unknown committer of any crime, I would still expect the police to act in a completely professional manner. Two reasons, one that's how they are paid and expected to act and two, if they "rough up" the accused criminal they blow the whole case for the prosecution. The law holds the police and prosecution to a higher standard for a reason, to help make sure innocent people aren't railroaded for something they didn't do and yes that happens a lot more then you suspect.
Democrats behaving like McCarthy? How amusing. In a way it's appropriate to use the McCarthy analogy, but in the factual sense. After McCarthy refused to come out with the names on his ever-changing "list of communists" he was eventually censured by Congress. If anything, Goodling, in pleading the fifth, is the one most resembling Senator McCarthy. She has been part of a concerted effort to politicize the Federal judicial system, and when confronted on her part, she insults Congress and the DOJ by refusing to testify. And now she quits.
I don't know which part I like best, her lawyers calling testifying a "perjury trap" (gee, doesn't that mean she lied?) or her lawyers backing up her pleading the fifth by citing Oliver North as a prior example. I can't help but think that using North as an example is anything but a good idea. But hey, maybe they'll make a Monica Goodling action figure out of her like they did him....
It's "You have nothing to fear unless the government is doing something wrong."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com
These people all behave as if they are quilty of exactly what they are being acused of. They are acting like members of a criminal enterprise not public servants.
Who are we going to "Call..." on to take us up and away from all these past 6 year's of insanity and historical poison ? Surely not another republican. I say, http://www.CallObama.com and let's officially get this country and the rest of the world up into the 21st century and never look back at all those spiritual laggards that lied and stole ~ only to lose their souls. I mean, have you ever seen a more pathetic person than Cheney ? Don't you love the way he says things that mean nothing to people that are nobody all the while freaking out that his next breath will bring a blot clot rushing into his system from nowhere. Who'd want to live with that kind of karma ? He's strung so tight his lips can't even smile.
Gone, gone, gone. Like, 'snow on the water', they're all going, going, gone ~
Forget the past and look to the future ! ;
CallObama.Com ! ;
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