US News

Justice aide resigns amid prosecutor firings scandal (Roundup)

Apr 7, 2007, 0:39 GMT

Washington - A second aide to the top US law enforcement officer announced her resignation on Friday, after twice refusing to testify before Congress about her role in the Justice Department's sacking of prosecutors last year, the department said.

Monica Goodling said she would step down effective on Saturday, a move that will likely raise new questions about how involved Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was in the dismissal of the eight federal prosecutors.

The department confirmed the resignation in a letter to members of the Senate's judiciary committee, and said steps had been taken 'to ensure that no actual or apparent conflict of interest would arise with respect to Ms Goodling or related matters.'

Gonzales, a close ally to President George W Bush, has rejected mounting calls by Democrats to resign over the affair. Gonzales' former chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, told Congress March 29 that his boss had more knowledge of the firings than he has publicly acknowledged. Sampson testified before the US Senate after resigning.

Goodling has refused to appear before congressional investigative committees, citing the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees a citizen's right to remain silent or against self- incrimination.

'It has been an honour to have served at the Department of Justice for the past five years,' CNN reported that Goodling wrote in her resignation letter. 'May God bless you richly as you continue your service to America.'

The scandal over the unusual midterm firings has added to the bad news for Bush, who has been facing some of the lowest job approval ratings of his presidency, mainly because of the war in Iraq.

Democrats allege that the Bush administration improperly meddled with the judiciary by dismissing the prosecutors. Bush has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the prosecutors were dismissed for poor performance.

Bush has firmly backed Gonzales, whose association with the president goes back to Bush's days as Texas governor in the late 1990s.

© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur


COMMENT

blog comments powered by Disqus

Latest Headlines in US

Older Talkback

page: 1 

SP4: 'Attorny General, it's the President sir'Apr 7th, 2007 - 16:26:30

Albeerto?

Si?

This is the President.

Si sir?

How's it going?

O.K. Sir.

Good.

Sir, I'm going to testify today.

Thats good, Albeerto. Make sure you don't screw th pooch like Louis did.

Si sir.

Albeerto?

Yes sir?

By now, even the dumbest goddam lawyer on earth would realize that you..work for me, get it?

Yes sir.

And, like most everyone has come to realize, nothing good comes from trying to undermine either their boss, or the most powerful man in the world. Since in your case, I'm both, that makes you the unluckist spicadero this side of Ensanada.

Yes sir.

So, the next time you go off the frickin reservation, flat hat'in into raid on a congressmans office, I'm going to staple a cow bell your goddam ass, have you dumped in a hay field, give the Vice President a bottle of corn whiskey, a bucket of bird shot, and let you run 20 or so yards in front of him, then tell him its open season on Texas Cheecano lawyers. I don't give a good goddamn if the Congressman name was Osaamee Been Laiden, you come to me first boy, heah now?!

Yes sir.

Since all that's probably illegal, even in Texas, and the vice president is a damn lousy shot, Congress gets a couple of shots at you. You take it for th team there Alberto, make us proud boy, ya heah now?.

Yes sir.

You all have a good day Albeertoo. Don't forget to duck. Vias Condios there ameego!

Si sir.

click.

You know, I like that boy Karl. It's a pity we can't just do a good ol ass whippin right heah in this oval office, but he had it comin, sho nuff.

Yes sir, it's a damn shame.

Karl, whats nancy Pelosi wear'in t'day?








Report this comment

page: 1 

Follow Us

Follow M&C on Pinterest

Search

Custom Search

Also Check Out

Delta Goodrem opens up about Brian split

Delta Goodrem opens up about Brian split
Delta Goodrem said she 'didn't know how to get out' of her six and a half year relationship with Brian McFadden. ... more

Cynthia Nixon weds longtime partner

Cynthia Nixon weds longtime partner
Happy news for Cynthia Nixon and her longtime partner Christine Marinoni, parents of Max Ellington Nixon-Marinoni. The couple wed this weekend. ... more

David Beckham likes to bite Harper

David Beckham likes to bite Harper
David Beckham likes to bite his 10-month-old baby daughter, Harper, because she's so adorable. ... more

Jessica Biel is 'one of the guys'

Jessica Biel is one of the guys
Justin Timberlake's friends like his fiancee Jessica Biel because she's 'one of the guys', says his former *NSYNC bandmate Lance Bass. ... more

Lindsay Lohan pursued for 41k owed to tanning company

Lindsay Lohan pursued for 41k owed to tanning company
Lindsay Lohan still hasn't paid the $41,031 she owes to fake tan company Tanning Vegas and they are attempting to move the case from Nevada to California to force her to settle the bill. ... more

Robert De Niro glad he didn't finish school

Robert De Niro glad he didnt finish school
Robert De Niro jokingly claimed not graduating from high school was an 'advantage' as he picked up an honorary doctorate yesterday (27.05.12). ... more

Beyonce Knowles plans to get 'chocolate wasted'

Beyonce Knowles plans to get chocolate wasted
Beyonce wants to ditch her diet and get 'chocolate wasted' after successfully shedding her baby weight. ... more

Cynthia Nixon marries

Cynthia Nixon marries
Cynthia Nixon married her long-term partner Christine Marinoni in New York yesterday (2y7.05.12), her publicist has confirmed. ... more

Justin Bieber accused of assault

Justin Bieber accused of assault
Justin Bieber has been accused of assaulting a photographer in California after a physical altercation allegedly broke out when the paparazzo attempted to take pictures of the singer and his girlfriend Selena Gomez. ... more

Britney Spears' fiance makes romantic video for her

Britney Spears fiance makes romantic video for her
Britney Spears' fiancee Jason Trawick made a gushing video to tell the singer how proud he is of her US 'X Factor' debut in Austin, Texas, last week. ... more