WASHINGTON, July 28, 2008
Justice Dept.: Hiring Scandal Violated Law
Finds Top Aides To Former Attorney General Gonzales Acted Politically In Hiring Prosecutors, Judges
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Photo
Former Justice Department White House liaison Monica Goodling testifies before the House Judiciary Committee, May 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
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Tumultuous Tenure
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigns amid firings firestorm, questions over handling of terror investigations.
Gonzales was largely unaware of the hiring decisions by two of his most trusted aides, according to the report by Justice's Office of Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility.
But it singles out his former White House liaison, Monica Goodling, for violating federal law and Justice Department policy by discriminating against job applicants who weren't Republican or conservative loyalists.
"Goodling improperly subjected candidates for certain career positions to the same politically based evaluation she used on candidates for political positions," the report concluded.
In one instance, Justice investigators found, Goodling objected to hiring an assistant prosecutor in Washington because "judging from his resume, he appeared to be a liberal Democrat."
In another, she rejected an experienced terror prosecutor to work on counterterror issues at a Justice Department headquarters office "because of his wife's political affiliations," the report found. It also found she rejected at least one job applicant who was rumored to be a lesbian.
Goodling's attorney, John Dowd, declined comment Monday. Attempts to reach her were not immediately successful.
Additionally, a majority of immigration judge candidates considered by former Gonzales chief of staff Kyle Sampson were recommended by the White House's political affairs office - including one name forwarded by then-top adviser Karl Rove. Sampson told investigators that he did not consider those jobs to be protected from political considerations.
CBS News Justice Department producer Stephanie Lambidakis reports that the new report says the White House "played a central role in selecting candidates for immigration judges," but does not say that Rove engaged in misconduct.
His lawyer, Brad Berenson, described those hiring decisions as an honest mistake and said that Sampson "immediately agreed with the recommendation to put a stop to this process" when he first learned he may have been wrong. White House spokesman Tony Fratto downplayed the report, saying, "There really is not a lot new here."
The federal government makes a distinction between so-called "career" appointees and "political" appointees, and the long-accepted custom has been that career workers are not hired on the basis of political affiliation or allegiance.
The 140-page report does not indicate whether Goodling or Sampson could face any charges. None of those involved in the discriminatory hiring still work at Justice, meaning they will avoid any departmental penalties.
However, Justice investigators said that bar associations that license lawyers have asked about the report's findings on Goodling
indicating she could be sanctioned there, potentially including losing her ability to practice law.
Congressional investigators said they also were considering asking the Justice Department to pursue perjury charges against Goodling, Sampson and possibly Gonzales as a result of their spoken or written congressional testimony during House and Senate investigations last year. Lying to Congress is a crime.
Democrats said the report affirms their charges of White House meddling in the hiring and firing of Justice Department employees.
"The cost to our nation of these apparent crimes was severe, as qualified individuals were rejected for key positions in the fight against terrorism and other critical department jobs for no reason other than political whim," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich.
"The report also indicates that Monica Goodling, Kyle Sampson, and Alberto Gonzales may have lied to the Congress about these matters," Conyers added. "I have directed my staff to closely review this matter and to consider whether a criminal referral for perjury is needed."
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said "it is crystal clear that the law was broken" by the political hiring process.
"But since it is unlikely that Monica Goodling acted on her own," Schumer added, "the question is, how many others were involved."
In their report, Justice investigators sought to find whether Republican politics were driving hiring polices at the nation's premier law enforcement agency whose appointees are expected to be selected on a nonpartisan basis. The investigation is one of several that examine accusations that Bush administration politics drove prosecution, policy and employment decisions within the Justice Department.
Those accusations were initially spurred by the firings of nine U.S. attorneys in late 2006 and culminated with Gonzales' resignation under fire as attorney general last September.
Gonzales, who has kept a low profile since leaving the department said in a statement that "political considerations should play no part in the hiring of career officials at the Department of Justice. ...I agree with the report's recommendations." His attorney, George Terwilliger, defended Gonzales by saying "it's simply not possible for any Cabinet officer to be completely aware of and micromanage the activities of staffers, particularly where they don't inform him of what's going on."
The man who replaced Gonzales, Attorney General Michael Mukasey, said he is "of course disturbed" by the findings.
"I have said many times, both to members of the public and to department employees, it is neither permissible nor acceptable to consider political affiliations in the hiring of career department employees," Mukasey said in a statement shortly after the report was released Monday morning.
Mukasey immediately declared that he is going to "continue to act" to ensure that "the conduct described in the [OIG] report does not occur again at the Department."
"First thing he should do is have his federal lawyers sue Goodling and Sampson in a civil case to try to recoup the taxpayer dollars that were spent unraveling the mess that they intentionally made," said CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said the report indicates that the effort to politicize federal law enforcement was not just the actions of a few "bad apples," but administration policy.
He called it "a clear indication of the untoward political influence of the Bush administration on traditionally nonpolitical appointments."
© MMVIII, 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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Standard practice in the United States of ''Whatever Bush Wants''...is it not?
The only reason these reports are being done is to pretend we have a functioning government!
To pretend legal procedure is being followed and something is going to be done to pursue justice!
Because the fact is: the majority of Americans no longer believe their government represents them, that it is even functioning, and corruption and lawlessness is the norm and not the exception!
So, we file a report to tell the public what they already know---that the justice system under Bush was illegally politicized! What FOR?!
Are we supposed to be grateful? Are we suppose to believe that something is now going to be done?!
Well, it won''t work!
No serious effort has, is, or will be taken by the government to bring any of the dozens of criminals belonging to the Bush administration to justice.
Frankly, the citizens need to begin calling for local meetings, to set dates for new elections, for new elections, for a new government to be located in the middle of the nation.
This government has failed in it''s responsibilities to the public, it does not function under law, and the public is no longer subject to it!
"discriminating against job applicants who weren''''t Republican or conservative loyalists".
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Standard practice in the United States of ''''Whatever Bush Wants''''...is it not?
Posted by timdgrim at 11:23 AM
Everyone knows it (including the "news" organizations)
and no one does a thing about it.
We all know that the major news organizations have
been censoring themselves for YEARS.
Journalist have been the BIGGEST aazz-kissers to
the bush administration.
The whole lot of politicians need to be replaced,
that goes for repubs and demos and anyone else
holding office that can get thrown out. Period.
this is an asset in the bush admin ... provides for a perfect case of ''plausible deniability''.
cheney ran classes in this concept prior to the innauguration ... teaching all the future ''misleaders'' how to do it without having any accountability.
item in parenthesizes should read ''for new candidates''.
Regards,
Posted by Nancy_Naive at 11:22 AM : Jul 28, 2008
Actually he may be able too and then arrest some as well if they broke the law. Remeber congress is now investigating the LA former governor conviction and finding that the so called check he had was not even there when it was claimed.
As long as the Demcorats do not impeach and remove the President we can investigate for a long time. So don''t be dumb Demcorats I remember Nixon and want justice this time.
Of course Bush put politics above competence and fairness in staffing every federal agency. The results have been disastrous and even criminal at times. I hope that heads roll.
----------------
It might say this, but it''s NOT believeable! He KNEW!
He''ll love it!!!
Translation: Sh*t! Start shredding everything!!! Executive privilege! National security!
Posted by rharrin1 at 11:58 AM : Jul 28, 2008
You are both mixing apples and oranges. This case involves hiring of regualar civilian employees. Federal law prohibits discrimination based on political party affialiation. The US attorneys are policitacl appointees and they can be appointed based on party affiliation. They can also be fired at any time as they serve at the will of the President. That whole episode was just a liberal witch hunt.
Posted by JohnGaltWho at 12:16 PM : Jul 28, 2008
Wow, they face the same fate as Clinton and Gore. I guess that is okay though because they are liberals. If they want to get rich advising middle eastern leaders or selling propaganda and lies to the American people that is fine.
redbds, see the word ILLEGALLY? Your attempt to typify it as a "witchhunt" isn''t even as smart as saying your mother was a little bit pregnant.
Yeah, wow, can sure see that.. like she looks just like she had couple extra glasses of the koolaid for breakfast.
As for Gore I do not recall of anything he did please refresh my memory unless you are referring to his invdention of the e mail or what ever he was laught at about that, like the boy and potatoe.
This is sad that all the neo cons can think of is what clinton did verse what the gw,cheney,rove, rumsfeld has done, the lies the death of hundred of thousands of innocent people and harm tothe American Military Women and Men, their bodies being damaged and destroyed just because the ba$ **** coul not tell the truth, even in the beginning AS GOVERNOR IN TEXAS, HE LIED HE SAID HE HAD AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE WHEN THOSE IN HOUSTON KNEW HE DESERTER AND THE ONLY DISCHARGE HE MIGHT OF HAD WAS A BCD AT BEST.
I will say he ll awaits this miserable little lying ba$ **** as well as rove, rumsfeld, cheney and a few more of his close allies he help him to disgrace our country and its military.
Done in Austin, TX the very best of good byes, Frank
That fits. Gonzo was largely unaware of just about everything while he was AG.
Kind of a studied ignorance often practiced by shysters representing mobsters.
Which fits pretty well in this case.
redbds, see the word ILLEGALLY? Your attempt to typify it as a "witchhunt" isn''''t even as smart as saying your mother was a little bit pregnant.
Posted by actornaught at 12:37 PM : Jul 28, 2008
Yes. I can read. Maybe you should pay more attention when you read my posts. Hiring of regular civilian employees based on party affiliation is illegal. I said that in my post. The issue with the US Attorneys does not fall in that category and that is not what this story is about. That episode was a liberal witch hunt.
Lied about why we should go to war!
Awarded multi billion no bid contracts to their buddies.
Tortured prisoners of war in violation of the Geneva Convention.
Bastardized the Constitution and eroded basic rights.
Commited treason by releasing names of under cover operatives to the press.
Failed to take care of Americans after Katrina.
You repubs really are a sorry, lieing, self serving bunch of dumb as dirt idiots if you even try to defend this admin!
Bush and crew should all be in jail!
I could have told them that for free.
Just more illegal stuff from our beloved government.
Just for the record that lies and propoganda that belong to Gore are An Inconvienient Truth. How much money has he made off of that and all of the subsequent speaking engagements?
Posted by redbds at 12:54 PM
1.
Why do you care?
Even if Gore were gayy like you,
he is married.
2.
If it bothers you that he makes money
look up capitalism.
3.
If you read the story it is not about
Al Gore.
Take your hard on for Gore to another site.
More Political Garbage.
[Posted by redbds at 12:07 PM : Jul 28, 2008]
oh yea ... practice as much illegal behavior as you can get away with one day ... and the next day allegedly go back to honorable and above board.
makes complete sense ... in bizzaro world!
We already knew Gonzo was a bootlicking Bu$hButtkisser.
None of this is news. Get on with sending the idiot to prison...
Do things in DC need cleaned then start with the first President until the after the next. You can try and jail them all for something.
"What a country. This is the kind of *** you need to keep in mind when you hear the braying jackasses accusing Democrats and other of not being patriotic. These scumbags, these perfect examples of the modern GOP, have routinely put party over country. The fact that they have the nerve to even show their faces in public, let alone accuse others of treason or treachery or question their patriotism is enough to make your blood boil."
Hey idiot. Who invited you into this conversation. close you dung hole unless you have something inteligent to add.
"The attorney general''s appointment authority has not and will not be used to circumvent the confirmation process," McNulty said. "All accusations in this regard are contrary to the clear factual record."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020600732.html
Hahahahahaha
Loser Repugs
Posted by prometheus41 at 01:39 PM : Jul 28, 2008
The position of US Attorney is appointed by the Presindent and can be dismissed by the President. What in that process violates the Constitution?
Of course one didn''t break the law the other well she is this one and with a little luck she will go to jail or have the village idiot pardon her. Either way she loses her ability to practice law. Maybe she can get a job in Las Vegas as a show girl.
Posted by redbds at 01:54 PM : Jul 28, 2008
We have LAWS that say you can NOT discriminate against Attorneys who are going to stay with the Justice Department after the President leaves. That is where the Bush Administration is in trouble here. They have violated FEDERAL Law and there is NO doubt about that.
Its beyond tragic we have an entire government full of these unscrupulous criminal types fooling so many of the people, so much of the time, that it seems there are few honest men left.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.