Department of Injustice Part 1

This article in the NY TIMES ran once and it seems that everyone then forgot all about the issue.

Mukasey Won’t Pursue Charges in Hiring Inquiry
By ERIC LICHTBLAU

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey on Tuesday rejected the idea of bringing criminal charges against former Justice Department employees who improperly used political litmus tests in hiring decisions, saying he had already taken strong internal steps in response to a “painful” episode.

Two recent reports from the Justice Department inspector general and its internal ethics office found that seven department officials — all but one now gone — had systematically rejected candidates with perceived “liberal” backgrounds for what were supposed to be nonpolitical jobs and instead picked conservative lawyers.

In a speech Tuesday morning to the American Bar Association in Manhattan, Mr. Mukasey condemned the political abuses in his most forceful language to date, saying “the system failed.”

"The system failed"???? We aren't talking about sanitary plumbing in a house! We aren't talking about a computer network. We aren't talking about the subway after a downpour.

What we are talking about is the political corruption of an integral arm of the United States Government. We are talking about an agency that should be at the forefront of guaranteeing fairness for American citizens. Unfortunately, DOJ has suffered through some sad times. Who among us can forget Attorney general John Mitchell and his role in Watergate? While AG Mukasey was not involved at the time these latest actions took place, his down playing of the severity of the criminal activity spelled out in the Department of Justices's Inspector General report is loathsome.

I spent a bit of time going over this report. Allow me to introduce you to one Monica Goodling, who had a primary function in this dirty business. According to her entry in Wikipedia, Ms. Goodling prepared for her position of responsibility thusly (N.B. All Bold in quoted sections of the I.G.'s report were TRM's):

was a 1991 graduate of Northeastern High School in Manchester, Pennsylvania, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1995 from Messiah College. After completing her bachelor's degree, Goodling continued her education at American University,[2] but she then transfered to the Regent University Law School, where she received her Juris Doctor degree in 1999. Regent University was founded by Pat Robertson, and it advertises itself as "America's Preeminent Christian University".

Goodling worked alongside Tim Griffin as an opposition researcher for the Republican National Committee during the 2000 presidential campaign. She joined the Department of Justice's press office after George W. Bush was elected president. She moved to the department's executive office, which is responsible for budgeting, management, personnel management and evaluation, later becoming deputy director of the executive office.[3] Ms. Goodling was hired by US Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan to work in the executive office. [4]

After less than a year, Goodling moved again, to the attorney general’s office, working as the White House liaison.[3] According to David Ayres, senior chief of staff to Attorney General John Ashcroft, "She was the embodiment of a hardworking young conservative who believed strongly in the president and his mission".[5] But according to Bud Cummins, one of the fired prosecutors and an Arkansas Republican, “She was inexperienced, way too naïve and a little overzealous".[3]

After moving to the Attorney General's office, she retained some of her executive office authority over personnel matters. Goodling's authority over hiring expanded significantly in March 2006, when Gonzales signed an unpublished order delegating to Goodling and Kyle Sampson, his then chief of staff, the power to appoint or dismiss all department political appointees besides United States attorneys (who are appointed by the President). The delegation included authority over interim United States attorneys (who are appointed by the Attorney General) and heads of the divisions that handle civil rights, public corruption, environmental crimes and other matters.[3][6][7]

SEE PART 2