Goodling is not just another citizen. She was in a position of governmental power and was witness (and possibly participant) in the abuse of that power. Congress has the right of oversight over governmental functions. Her clams to exemption are preposterous.

feeling on the other foot, eh guys?

I'd love to see them use Patriot Act legislation to force these folks to testify. Wouldn't that just be so deliciously ironic?

The next time my boss wants to have a performance review - I think I'm gonna cop the 5th and see how that flies:

Uh . . . the Olmstead file? . . . I'm afraid I'm going to have to refuse to answer that . . .

Earth to Monica: Appear or go to jail.

I'd just love to see her sit down with James Yee, the Muslim chaplain at Guantanamo who was arrested and thrown into solitary confinement for the crime of being a whistle-blower about abuses, and later released without a single charge brought against him. He and she could have a nice chat about civil liberties.

I heard Yee give a lecture yesterday, and it's a story every American should hear.

It doesn't quite smell like victory, but it comes close.

Take her statement there. Seriously.

You gotta have Colbert-sized balls to make that statement. Apparently, Mr. Dowd does not work with the Justice Department, nor is he familiar with their work. That or he just has a good sense of humor.

I can't remember where I read it, but apparently she was on the conference call that Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) made to U.S. Attorney Iglesias regarding indictments against democrats before the election. Seeing as how Sen. Domenici has retained council regarding this, since it can be seen as obstruction of justice (shocking!), this is probably what may be 'incriminating' if she testifies.

Anyone else hear this, and if its true, why is it not mentioned every time she is mentioned in the press?

Why is Goodling still on the public dime? She is on a PAID indefinite leave of absence. Why does this woman -- and her lawyer -- think that she can both refuse to be accountable AND collect her salary?

If I tried this with my boss, I would be pushed out the door so fast that I would not have time to take a breath.

I'm doubtful she can keep the ball in the air for that long but she (and her laywer) are dancing as fast as they can.

He's due on the 15th, irrc, and it's Easter Week (and Passover) and congress is on vacation so she just might possibly beat the clock, but I suspect they're hip to her tricks.

to move this up

url: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/04/02/MNGCCOVT131.DTL

article: New White House push for Gonzales to testify ASAP

GOP hopes to stamp out growing scandal

Richard A. Serrano, Los Angeles Times

Monday, April 2, 2007

Firstly, its ridiculous to use the 5th in this case. The 5th is not supposed to be used because you don't "trust" the court (or congress) with truthful testimony and are afraid it may be twisted. The 5th ammendment protects citizens from having to testify to their own crimes, not from having to testify in an "unfriendly" atmosphere.

But the main point is that they should just simply grant her immunity and subpoena her. Straight up, no arguments, put her on the stand and find out what happened.

"But the main point is that they should just simply grant her immunity and subpoena her. Straight up, no arguments, put her on the stand and find out what happened."

I doubt that would make her tell the truth. She appears to be a true believer, a zealot a la Oliver North. She would likely perjure herself rather than tell. That's probably why she is trying to take the Fifth.

Subpoena her ass into the chamber and grill her, both sides, until she talks, or send her to jail aka. Judy Miller. She is obviously the linchpin to this mess. Oh, and don't wait for Gonzo to quit. He's too stupid for that.

PNAC the "Republican Guard" and Nixonian Madmen.

sub sole sub umbra virens

that this Monica will be for the Bush administration what the other Monica was for Clinton?

Please?

Really? What does that look like, exactly, at Guantanamo Bay? How does that square with the detention of Jose Padilla? Does that apply to the Patriot Act? - Illegal wiretaps?

The complete absence of self-awareness on the Right and particularly in the Justice Department amazes me every time a question of Conservative rights comes up.

The fact that they have been the instrumental in denying rights to many, many others is in no way impacting Goodling's decision to invoke her 5th amendment rights - even though she may be mistaken in it's application. Which leads me to ask these questions:

Is she really a lawyer? Has she passed the bar in any state? Can she list all the rights spelled out in the Bill of Rights? Not just the 1st, 2nd and 5th?

Interesting question. I just went to Findlaw.com and searched for her by name and by name in the District of Columbia buit, of course, that's hardly definite. Still, that indicates to me that this is somebody who has not left a very deep wake while sailing through legal waters.

More significantly, that would be part of the pattern of Bush hires and appointments: Alberto Gonzalez has only skimpy legal experience, Richard Perle and his ilk never wore uniforms or tried on a pair of combat boots, and "Heckuva job" Brownie's experience in running a disaster-response agency was in being a very poor lawyer for a horse-breeder's association. Condoleeza Rice is experienced in dealing with the Soviet Union, which by the time she came to Washington, had gone the way of the Rhine Confederation and Austro-Hungarian Empire.

P.J. O'Rourke said it best: Republicans run for office by saying government can't do anything right and then, haveing been elected, do their best to prove it.