July 28, 2008
Pardons: Just Keeping Score
AG Mukasey is "of course disturbed" by the DOJ Inspector General's findings that Monica Goodline, Kyle Sampson, former White House Liason Jan Williams, and EOUSA (Executive Office for United States Attorneys) Director John Nowacki (who is still at the White House), all "committed misconduct, by considering political and ideological affiliations in soliciting and selecting IJs [immigration judges], which are career positions protected by the civil service laws."
My personal favorites are some of the questions that Goodling asked job applicants:
Tell us about your political philosophy. There are different groups of conservatives, by way of example: Social Conservative, Fiscal Conservative, Law & Order Republican.[W]hat is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?
Aside from the President, give us an example of someone currently or recently in public service who you admire.
Mukasey noted that "it is crucial that the American people have confidence in the propriety of what we do and how we do it, and I will continue my efforts to make certain they can have such confidence." And he mentioned some reforms he is taking to ensure that it doesn't happen again.
But of course Mukasey is the Attorney General, and he could, "of course", prosecute these people.
So now we three options:
1) Mukasey prosecutes them.
2) Nothing happens.
3) Bush pardons them on his way out.
Any guesses as to what happens?
UPDATE: One thing that stands out in all of this is not just the grotesque corruption here, but also its incompetence. Really good underminers of the rule of law are able to cover at least some of the their tracks. Asking questions like this just manufactures witnesses. Bryan Leiter also points to documents that Williams provided to Goodling detailing how to check applicants for political affiliations--including searching for their political contributions. Bad enough creating this paper trail. But then apparently Goodling proceeded to do this on her DOJ computer!
Goodling's husband is Mike Krempasky, who runs redstate.com (and from all accounts FWIW is supposed to be a very nice guy). It's not like someone in the family isn't net-savvy. Jeez.
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Thread: Corruption in Washington , Thread: GWB, the Beloved Leader
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