Posted on 07/28/2008 8:47:36 AM PDT by mngran2
Former Justice Department counselor Monica M. Goodling and former chief of staff D. Kyle Sampson routinely broke the law by conducting political litmus tests on candidates for jobs as immigration judges and line prosecutors, according to an inspector general's report released today.
Goodling passed over hundreds of qualified applicants and squashed the promotions of others after deeming candidates insufficiently loyal to the Republican party, said investigators, who interviewed 85 people and received information from 300 other job seekers at Justice. Sampson developed a system to screen immigration judge candidates based on improper political considerations and routinely took recommendations from the White House Office of Political Affairs and Presidential Personnel, the report said.
Goodling regularly asked candidates for career jobs, "What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?" the report said. One former Justice Department official told investigators she had complained that Goodling was asking interviewees for their views on abortion, according to the report.
Taking political or personal factors into account in employment decisions for career positions violates civil service laws and can run afoul of ethics rules. Investigators said today that both Goodling and Sampson had engaged in "misconduct."
The improper personnel moves deprived worthy candidates of promotions and damaged the credibility of the Justice Department, investigators wrote. An experienced counterterrorism prosecutor, for example, was kept from advancing in favor of a more junior lawyer who lacked a background in terrorism.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Like this is news? This has been going on for a very long time under adminstrations of both parties.
‘Former Justice Department counselor Monica M. Goodling and former chief of staff D. Kyle Sampson routinely broke the law by conducting political litmus tests on candidates for jobs...”
W should giver her a medal and pardon her.
I wonder if this standard could be applied to academic hiring?
But it's only wrong when Republicans do it.
You don't understand. "Corruption" is like "racism". Only Republicans can be guilty of it. Precisely the same actions, taken by Democrats, are not corrupt, but praiseworthy (at least according to the Washington Post and the rest of the "mainstream" media).
A DEMOCRAT chief of staff would NEVER do such a thing. </sarc
LOL! The same question, different name, was also asked under the Clinton Administration. I don't think the abortion question is out of line. Had Mr. Goodling have asked directly what an applicant's views were on people entering this country JUST to get "medical" care; it may have revealed that some were not ready to do the jobs they'd been hired to do; letting their emotions get in the way. Being involved in the Immigration industry is NOT for the feint of heart.
Wait, what? Aren’t all these posts at the express pleasure of the President?
“Clinton fired all 97 federal prosecutors at once & replaced them with stooges, many of whom are still in office... am I missing something?”
What you “missed.”
There are 93 federal prosecutors, each assigned to one of 93 “districts.” Federal prosecutors (or “US Attorneys”) are appointed for four year terms by the President, and confirmed by the Senate.
When the POTUS term is done, so is their employment, unless the new POTUS chooses to keep all or any on.
The sad part is, so many of the American people buy into that nonsense.
So, they should have to hire RATS?
Give me a break!
My biggest worry is that they don’t indicate what kind of views they were looking for as far as immigration was concerned. I hope they weren’t looking for more liberally minded folks as far as that goes. I’m saddened that I have to wonder.
The DEMOCRAPS are the TRUE MASTERS AT THIS
Look at colleges where 90% of th eprofessors are liberal
Or in newspapers where 85% of them are Obamarama supporters.
To report this as a REPUBLICAN problem is LUDICROUS~!
Which is what all previous administrations had done until the Slick Willie sideshow showed up in town.
YOU NAILED IT~!!!!!!!!!!!!
His presidency; his choice. If Bush kept all of Clinton’s, then he was an idiot.
Also, “fired” is misleading. I think the correct term is “accepted their resignations.”
Also, and more importantly, Goodling squashed the promotions of others after deeming candidates insufficiently loyal to the Republican party.
These employment and promotion opportunitues were not for schedule “C” political hack appointments but for career civil service people.
So I guess you're calling the president an idiot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.