Washington – The Justice Department is investigating whether its former White House liaison used political affiliations in deciding whom to hire as entry-level prosecutors in some U.S. attorney offices around the country, The Associated Press has learned.
Such a consideration would be a violation of federal law.
The inquiry involving Monica Goodling, the former counsel and White House liaison for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, raises new concerns that politics might have cast a shadow over the independence of trial prosecutors who enforce U.S. laws.
Investigation confirmed
Justice spokesman Dean Boyd confirmed Wednesday that the department’s inspector general and Office of Professional Responsibility have been investigating for several weeks Good ling’s role in hiring career attorneys – an unusual responsibility for her to have had.
Investigators are trying to determine whether Goodling “may have taken prohibited considerations into account during such review,” Boyd told AP.
Three government officials with knowledge of the investigation said Goodling appears to have sought information about party affiliation while vetting applicants for assistant U.S. attorneys’ jobs. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the investigation.
Goodling’s attorney, John Dowd, declined to comment.
Separately, senators subpoenaed Gonzales on Wednesday, directing him to provide any e-mails related to presidential adviser Karl Rove and the firings of eight federal prosecutors. Boyd said the department had received the subpoena and was reviewing it.
Fired were also silenced
In addition, new documents surfaced Wednesday showing that at least four of the eight targeted U.S. attorneys reported being told to stay quiet about their dismissals by Mike Elston, the top aide to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty.
Last month, Goodling quit the Justice Department after refusing to testify to Congress.
The House Judiciary Committee has voted to give Goodling immunity from prosecution for her testimony – an offer being reviewed by the Justice Department to make sure it does not interfere with any investigations.
Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., said the new investigation “suggests politics infected the most basic operations at the Justice Department.”
Goodling and Kyle Sampson, Gonzales’ former chief of staff, also had authority to hire or fire about 135 politically appointed Justice Department employees who did not require Senate confirmation.
Asked whether he had ever heard of the agency’s White House liaison getting involved in hiring of career prosecutors, Dennis Boyd, the executive director of the National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys, said: “No, never.”
