Colleagues Cite Partisan Focus by Justice Official (Goodling)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: NY Times

Two years ago, Robin C. Ashton, a seasoned 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.”

Ms. Ashton’s ouster — she left the Executive Office for United States Attorneys for another Justice Department post two weeks later — was a critical early step in a plan that would later culminate in the ouster of nine United States attorneys last year.

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, such as 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?”



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/12/washington/12monica.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. So, is this evidence that could be used against Monica...

despite her immunized testimony?

Could this leak be authorized by Rove to scare off Goodling from testifying honestly, perhaps developing "Gonzo-itis" memory problems.

"If you take us down, we'll take you down with us"

Or has 6+ years of BushAbuse finally pushed me over the edge- I guess this info could have come to the NYT by honest investigative reporting?

[krkaufman]

8. Just because you're paranoid ...

... doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

[Heidi]

2. Kick.

:kick:

[cal04]

3. Colleagues Cite Partisan Focus by Justice Official

Source: ERIC LIPTON

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.”

Ms. Ashton’s ouster — she left the Executive Office for United States Attorneys for another Justice Department post two weeks later — was a critical early step in a plan that would later culminate in the ouster of nine United States attorneys last year.

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?”



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/12/washington/12monica.html?hp

[salin]

4. a must read article

k & r

This is seriously BIG news. Points to the partinsanship and corruption of the idea of "Justice". This needs to be broadly read.

[journalist3072]

5. Who ARE these people? Really, who are they?

Have you ever cheated on your wife? What kind of question is that when interviewing for a civil service position in DOJ?

This reminds me of the partisan questions that were being asked of people trying to apply for reconstruction projects in Iraq. When they passed through the Pentagon, they were asked their view on abortion, and did they vote for George W. Bush, etc.

[Roy]

6. Ms Goodling should not get immunity.... Big mistake!

She should go straight to jail with a 1 day commute for CONVICTION of each crook should she turns over.

[Bozita]

7. I've read most of the content of the NYT piece in the last month here at DU

This is nevertheless a BIG story.

[tanyev]

9. K & R

[rusty fender]

10. Thom Hartmann thinks that...

...Goodling's testimony could be a "John Dean" moment, where she tells the truth and brings the whole rotten Bush administration down, but I think that she'll fall on her sword/cross for Karl Rove. Rove is the Messiah to these Repugs. They'll give up Bush before Rove.

[crazylikafox]

11. How can this be undone???

This is a HUGE problem, even if we can stop it now. If this has been going on in most Federal departments for seven years in CIVIL SERVICE JOBS, once we get rid of BUSHCO in 2008, we will be left with a REPUG SHADOW GOVERNMENT for years. Civil Service employees are protected. That's why their selection is supposed to be non-partisan. DEMS would need to use the same illegal tactics as BUSH & ROVE to bring the government back into any semblence of balance.