Did Gonzo Coach Goodling?

Posted by Guest Blogger at 4:00 PM on June 15, 2007.

This post, written by Lindsay Beyerstein, originally appeared on Majikthise

The Justice Department is investigating whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales improperly coached outgoing aide Monica Goodling:

The Justice Department officials, in a letter released yesterday by the Senate Judiciary Committee, said their inquiry into the firings of nine U.S. attorneys includes an examination of a meeting Gonzales held in mid-March with his then-aide Monica M. Goodling, who testified last month that the attorney general's comments during the session made her feel "a little uncomfortable." [WaPo]

The AG excused his own inexplicable amnesia during his testimony by claiming that he avoided discussing the case with potential "fact witnesses":

Goodling's account attracted attention partly because Gonzales had told Congress that he could not remember numerous details about the prosecutors' dismissals because he had purposely avoided discussing the issue with other potential "fact witnesses." [WaPo]

At this point, the Onion defense would appear to be Gonzales' only recourse.

Tagged as: gonzales, goodling, attorney firings, department of olbermann.

Lindsay Beyerstein is a New York-based photojournalist and national correspondent for Raw Story. Her work has appeared in TIME, Salon, AlterNet, and other publications. She blogs at Majikthise.