By JoAnne Allen
June 15, 2007
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Justice Department is investigating
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's meeting with a former
top aide about the controversial firing of federal prosecutors
last year, according to a letter released on Thursday by the
Senate Judiciary committee.
In testimony before the House Judiciary committee, the former
aide, Monica Goodling, said Gonzales told her about his recollections
of the dismissals in March, shortly before she resigned.
Gonzales, in earlier testimony before the committee, said
he had not gone back to talk to staff involved in the firings "in
order to protect the integrity" of the investigations.
Senate Judiciary committee Chairman Patrick Leahy and Pennsylvania
Sen. Arlen Specter, the panel's senior Republican, last week
asked Justice Department investigators whether an internal
probe includes the meeting Goodling testified about.
The Justice Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG)
and Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) confirmed in
a letter to the Senate panel that their joint investigation "does
include this matter."
A Justice Department spokesman could not be immediately reached
for comment.
President George W. Bush and Gonzales say the firing of nine
of the 93 U.S. attorneys, all Bush appointees, was justified
though mishandled.
Critics have questioned whether partisan politics played an
improper role in the dismissal plans, which originated at the
White House. One of the fired prosecutors was replaced by a
former aide to White House political adviser Karl Rove.
The Justice Department's internal investigation was already
looking into whether Goodling brought political questions into
the hiring process for career positions, such as assistant
U.S. attorneys. That would violate federal law.
Leahy said he hoped the White House would not shut down the
Justice Department investigation.
"This internal investigation is an important step in
getting to the truth behind this matter, and they should be
allowed to do their jobs without interference from this administration," Leahy
said in a statement.
Goodling, who served as a senior counsel to Gonzales, testified
last month after receiving immunity from prosecution and told
Congress that political considerations were often involved
in hiring.
Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday issued subpoenas to former
White House counsel Harriet Miers and political director Sara
Taylor to testify in the ongoing inquiry into the dismissals
of federal prosecutors.
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